1 The [a]former treatise I made, O Theophilus, concerning all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, 2 until the day in which he was received up, after that he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3 to whom he also [b]showed himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing unto them by the space of forty days, and speaking the things concerning the kingdom of God: 4 and, [c]being assembled together with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, said he, ye heard from me: 5 for John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized [d]in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
6 They therefore, when they were come together, asked him, saying, Lord, dost thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? 7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father hath [e]set within his own authority. 8 But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea and Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10 And while they were looking stedfastly into heaven as he went, behold two men stood by them in white apparel; 11 who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye looking into heaven? this Jesus, who was received up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.
Footnotes
- Acts 1:1 Greek first.
- Acts 1:3 Greek presented.
- Acts 1:4 Or, eating with them
- Acts 1:5 Or, with
- Acts 1:7 Or, appointed by
American Standard Version (ASV) Public Domain
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
A central part of the New Testament is the promise that Jesus will come back again to earth, and in this passage we find one of the Bible’s most important eschatological promises. The promise of the return of Christ is a key element of the Gospel message and an absolute truth that cannot be successfully denied.
The Ascension – Jesus Seated at the Right Hand of God
In verse 11, the apostles witness the Lord ascending into heaven and being seated at God’s right hand. This is a glorious promise because it reminds us that when Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven He has been given a position of power, authority and supreme glory that can’t be surpassed by any human being on earth.
This is also a wonderful promise for those who have trusted in the Lord’s work on their behalf. When He returns, He will again come to the earth as our King and Judge.
The Ascension – Physical Sight
In verse 11 we see that the apostles saw the Lord ascending into heaven and being surrounded by a cloud. As the disciples watched this happen, they were experiencing a special preview of His second coming.
The apostles were wondering when the rest of the New Covenant would be fulfilled, and Jesus did not answer them, but simply reassured them that the “times or seasons” were not theirs to determine. Instead, they should be focusing on what they could do to fulfill God’s will and bring the church into being.
