Acts 1:21 kjv
Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Acts 1:21 nkjv
"Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Acts 1:21 niv
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us,
Acts 1:21 esv
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Acts 1:21 nlt
"So now we must choose a replacement for Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling with the Lord Jesus ?
Acts 1 21 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Acts 1:22 | "...to become with us a witness to his resurrection." | Essential apostolic function: bearing witness. |
| Acts 1:8 | "But you will receive power... and you will be my witnesses..." | Apostolic commission to witness globally. |
| John 15:27 | "And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning." | Proximity and duration for authentic testimony. |
| Luke 24:48 | "You are witnesses of these things." | Jesus' direct charge to His disciples. |
| Acts 10:39 | "...and we are witnesses of all that he did..." | Apostles testifying to Jesus' public acts. |
| Acts 4:33 | "And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection..." | Apostolic power demonstrated through witness. |
| 1 Cor 9:1 | "...Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?" | Paul's criterion for his own apostleship. |
| 1 Cor 15:8 | "...he appeared also to me, as to one untimely born." | Post-resurrection appearance authenticating Paul's call. |
| Luke 1:2 | "...as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word..." | Importance of eyewitnesses in early Gospel tradition. |
| 1 John 1:1 | "That which was from the beginning... concerning the word of life—we have seen..." | Eyewitness authority in early church leadership. |
| Deut 31:2 | "I am 120 years old today. I no longer able to go out and come in." | "Going in and out" idiom for public leadership. |
| Num 27:17 | "...who may go out before them and come in before them..." | Leadership portrayal for Joshua by "going out and coming in". |
| 1 Sam 18:13 | "...David would go out and come in before the army." | David's continuous presence and leadership. |
| John 10:9 | "If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture." | Spiritual sense of "going in and out" related to salvation. |
| Psa 121:8 | "The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth..." | General blessing over daily life and activities. |
| Acts 10:37 | "...proclaimed throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:" | The starting point of Jesus' public ministry. |
| Luke 3:21-23 | "Now when all the people were baptized... Jesus also had been baptized..." | Detail of Jesus' baptism, beginning His ministry. |
| Acts 1:9-11 | "...as they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them..." | The ascension, marking the end point of direct physical ministry. |
| Acts 2:32 | "This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses." | Collective witness to Christ's resurrection. |
| Matt 19:28 | "when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones..." | Significance of the twelve apostles in the Kingdom. |
| Rev 21:14 | "And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles..." | The eternal significance and foundational role of the twelve. |
| Eph 2:20 | "...built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone." | The foundational role of the apostles for the church. |
Acts 1 verses
Acts 1 21 Meaning
Acts 1:21 establishes a fundamental qualification for the man chosen to replace Judas Iscariot as an apostle. The individual must have been a constant companion to the disciples, present throughout the entirety of Jesus' public ministry, from His baptism until His ascension. This strict criterion ensured that the new apostle would possess credible, first-hand eyewitness testimony concerning all pivotal events, especially the resurrection, which was central to their mandated role of proclaiming Christ.
Acts 1 21 Context
Acts 1:21 occurs in the immediate aftermath of Jesus' ascension, described in Acts 1:9-11. The disciples have returned to Jerusalem and are gathered together. In Acts 1:15-20, Peter addresses the assembled believers, emphasizing the need to replace Judas Iscariot to fulfill Old Testament prophecies (Psa 69:25; 109:8) and restore the numerical symbolism of the twelve apostles (representative of the twelve tribes of Israel, significant for the nascent church's identity). Therefore, verse 21 establishes the specific and critical qualifications for any potential candidate, highlighting the importance of eyewitness credibility for the foundation and continuation of their mission.
Acts 1 21 Word analysis
So one of the men who have accompanied us (
τῶν συνοδευσάντων- tōn synodeusantōn):synodeusantōncombinessyn(together) andhodeuō(to journey). It denotes a continuous shared journey and intimate companionship.- Significance: The candidate was not a casual acquaintance but had an enduring and personal walking experience with the apostles.
during all the time (
ἐν παντὶ χρόνῳ- en panti chronō):pas(all) emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the duration.chronos(time) refers to the entire period.- Significance: This signifies constant, unbroken observation throughout the specified period of Jesus' ministry, crucial for a complete and reliable witness.
that the Lord Jesus (
ὁ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς- ho Kyrios Iēsous):Kyrios(Lord) indicates Jesus' divine authority, whileIēsousis His human name.- Significance: This title affirms both Jesus' humanity and His divine sovereignty, identifying the one whom the candidate intimately accompanied.
went in and out (
εἰσελθὼν καὶ ἐξελθὼν- eiselthōn kai exelthōn):- This is an Old Testament idiom (e.g., Deut 31:2; Num 27:17).
Eiserchomai(to come in) andexerchomai(to go out) depict a person living, moving, and actively engaging within a community. - Significance: It signifies Jesus' public life, daily activities, teaching, and interactions among His disciples and the wider population. It emphasizes full and constant observation of His life and ministry.
- This is an Old Testament idiom (e.g., Deut 31:2; Num 27:17).
among us (
ἐφ’ ἡμᾶς- eph’ hēmas):Epiwithhēmas(us) indicates "in the midst of" or "in relation to" this specific group.- Significance: It establishes the shared communal experience, signifying that Jesus' public life and ministry occurred within the circle of His disciples, giving them privileged observation.
Words-group analysis:
- "one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time": This phrase clearly defines the select pool of eligible candidates. They were part of Jesus' inner circle, consistently present, demonstrating enduring commitment and continuous access to His life and ministry.
- "that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us": This defines the exact scope and nature of the required accompaniment. It signifies having lived alongside Jesus through the entirety of His public ministry, from its public inception (likely baptism) to its culmination (the ascension), thereby gaining firsthand, day-to-day knowledge vital for authoritative apostolic testimony.
Acts 1 21 Bonus section
The selection process for Matthias in Acts 1, beginning with this verse, provides insight into the importance placed on physical eyewitnesses during the early formative period of the church. This meticulous discernment by the apostles, though later guided by lot, reflected their understanding that the very foundation of Christian proclamation rested upon verified encounters with the resurrected Christ. While unique to this foundational period of apostolic succession, the underlying principles of credible witness, established character, and a profound experiential knowledge of Jesus remain relevant for leaders within the body of Christ today, albeit not requiring the exact same direct, physical witness to Jesus' earthly ministry. This also signifies the church's continuity and adherence to a divinely established structure.
Acts 1 21 Commentary
Acts 1:21 outlines the non-negotiable prerequisites for authentic apostolic authority following Judas's departure. The primary requirement was unbroken, eyewitness experience of Jesus' entire public ministry. The candidate had to be present for all critical events—from Jesus' baptism by John, symbolizing the commencement of His ministry, through His daily teachings, miracles, crucifixion, resurrection appearances, and culminating in His ascension. The idiom "went in and out among us" graphically illustrates this consistent, public, and intimate sharing of life with Christ, ensuring that the chosen individual could attest to His character, works, and teaching with undeniable personal credibility. This rigorous qualification process underscored the sanctity of the apostolic office and guaranteed a verified, foundational testimony to the central truths of the Gospel, especially the resurrection, vital for the early church's credibility and the faithful transmission of Christ's revelation.