Acts 1:2 kjv

Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Acts 1:2 nkjv

until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,

Acts 1:2 niv

until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.

Acts 1:2 esv

until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.

Acts 1:2 nlt

until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1 verses

Acts 1 2 Meaning

Acts 1:2 acts as a transitional bridge, specifying the conclusion of the former treatise (Luke's Gospel) as the day of Jesus' ascension. It highlights that before His physical departure, Jesus continued to provide authoritative directives to His specially chosen apostles, demonstrating that even in His post-resurrection state, His commands were divinely empowered by the Holy Spirit. This sets the stage for the apostolic mission rooted in divine instruction and the Spirit's pervasive work in the nascent church.

Acts 1 2 Context

Acts 1:2 functions as the bridge connecting the narrative of Luke's Gospel with the Book of Acts. Acts 1:1 refers to "the former treatise" which is Luke's Gospel, where Luke detailed Jesus' earthly ministry. This verse sets the temporal limit of that previous book—up to Jesus' ascension—and introduces the vital actions of Jesus immediately before this ascension. This specific time (the forty days between Resurrection and Ascension, elaborated in Acts 1:3) was critical for Jesus to impart final instructions and establish the authority and mission of His apostles, thereby laying the groundwork for the early church's existence, expansion, and reliance on the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1 2 Word analysis

• until (ἄχρι - achri): A precise temporal marker. It denotes a specific termination point, signaling the boundary of the preceding narrative in Luke's Gospel. This emphasizes the distinct event of the ascension as the closing act of Jesus' earthly ministry.
• the day (ἡμέρας - hēmeras): Refers to a singular, definitive point in time—the particular day of Jesus' ascension. This highlights its significance as a momentous historical and theological event.
• in which (ἧς - hēs): A simple relative pronoun connecting "the day" to the act of Jesus being taken up.
• he was taken up (ἀνελήφθη - anēlemphthē): From the Greek verb analambano, meaning "to take up," "to lift up." This is the precise term for Jesus' bodily ascension into heaven. It denotes His glorification, His entrance into divine authority and enthronement at the right hand of God, rather than merely disappearing. It signifies His completed work on earth and His transition to heavenly reign (Mk 16:19).
• after that (μετὰ τὸ - meta to): A temporal phrase indicating sequence. It clarifies that Jesus' giving of commandments occurred prior to His ascension. This timeframe (the forty days after His resurrection, per Acts 1:3) was crucial for imparting post-resurrection teachings.
• he (αὐτὸς - autos): Emphatically "He Himself," referring to Jesus. This underscores Jesus' active and personal role in imparting these instructions, even after His resurrection, affirming His living authority.
• through the Holy Ghost (διὰ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου - dia Pneumatos Hagiou): The Greek preposition dia with the genitive indicates the means or agency. This is a profound theological statement. It signifies that Jesus' post-resurrection commandments were not merely human directives but were given by means of or empowered by the Holy Spirit. It affirms the unity of the Triune Godhead in salvation and instruction, showcasing that even in His resurrected glory, Jesus ministered in perfect alignment with the Spirit's power (cf. Lk 4:1). This also subtly foreshadows the Holy Spirit's coming at Pentecost.
• had given commandments (ἐντειλάμενος - enteilamenos): From entellomai, meaning "to command," "to charge," "to give authoritative instructions." These were not mere suggestions or gentle teachings but authoritative, binding directives given to establish the church's mission and future practice (Mt 28:19-20, Lk 24:47-49).
• unto the apostles (τοῖς ἀποστόλοις - tois apostolois): From apostolos, meaning "one sent forth," "an envoy," or "a delegate." These were specific individuals divinely chosen and commissioned by Jesus to be His official representatives and foundational leaders of the nascent church (Mk 3:14).
• whom he had chosen (οὓς ἐξελέξατο - hous exelexato): From eklegomai, "to pick out," "to select," "to choose." This emphasizes the divine initiative and sovereign election in their appointment. Their authority was not self-assumed but divinely bestowed, giving legitimacy to their witness and teachings (Jn 15:16).

Acts 1 2 Bonus section

• The phrasing "through the Holy Ghost" clarifies that Jesus, even in His post-resurrection body, was perfectly aligned with and empowered by the Spirit, reflecting His divine nature and providing a pattern for Spirit-filled ministry for believers.
• This verse effectively counters any suggestion that Jesus simply vanished or ceased to be relevant after His death; it emphatically asserts His continued living presence, instruction, and sovereign preparation of His followers.
• The emphasis on "commandments" received by "chosen apostles" solidifies the legitimate, divinely authorized foundation of the early church and the subsequent transmission of truth, ensuring that the apostles' witness and teachings were directly from Christ.

Acts 1 2 Commentary

Acts 1:2 is a pregnant verse that succinctly summarizes the foundational theological realities preceding the book of Acts. It firmly places Jesus' post-resurrection teachings, given through the Holy Spirit, as the authoritative basis for the apostles' mission and the early church. This verse underscores several critical truths: the historical reality and climax of Jesus' ascension, His continuing active role and divine authority even after resurrection, and the vital involvement of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of God's redemptive plan—including Jesus' own ministry and the subsequent commissioning of His disciples. It demonstrates the continuity between Jesus' earthly ministry and the apostolic age, portraying the apostles as faithfully executing divine commands, thereby laying a robust theological and missional groundwork for the expansion of the Gospel throughout the world, empowered by the same Spirit.