Acts 1:24 kjv

And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

Acts 1:24 nkjv

And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen

Acts 1:24 niv

Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen

Acts 1:24 esv

And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen

Acts 1:24 nlt

Then they all prayed, "O Lord, you know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen

Acts 1 verses

Acts 1 24 Meaning

This verse encapsulates the early disciples' prayer for divine guidance in a crucial decision. Recognizing God's omniscience, they humbly ask Him to reveal which of the two nominated individuals—Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) or Matthias—He had chosen to fill the apostolic office left vacant by Judas Iscariot. It underscores their complete reliance on God's sovereignty and His intimate knowledge of human hearts to appoint the right person for such a foundational spiritual leadership role.

Acts 1 24 Context

Acts chapter 1 details events following Christ's ascension and prior to the day of Pentecost. The disciples are gathered in Jerusalem, obedient to Jesus' command to wait for the Holy Spirit. A key action is the recognition of the need to replace Judas Iscariot in the twelve apostles. Peter leads the initiative, citing Old Testament prophecies concerning Judas's fate and the need for a successor (Acts 1:20). Two men, Joseph Barsabbas (Justus) and Matthias, are put forward as suitable candidates who had been with them throughout Jesus's public ministry (Acts 1:21-22). Verse 24 is their corporate prayer, acknowledging God's unique ability to discern the right person for this critical spiritual office, especially considering the specific requirement for an apostle to be a witness to Christ's resurrection. The immediate historical context is a pre-Pentecost period, where the believers, though filled with faith, had not yet received the Holy Spirit in His full, indwelling, guiding capacity for the New Covenant Church. As such, they revert to an Old Testament practice of casting lots to ascertain God's will, a method often used when clear divine direction was needed, yet not through prophecy or direct revelation.

Acts 1 24 Word analysis

• And (Greek: kai): Connects the action of prayer directly to the previous verses, highlighting it as the next logical step after identifying the two candidates. It indicates continuity in their actions following the discourse and selection process.
• they prayed (Greek: proseuchomai): Denotes an intentional, specific act of worship and supplication. This was not a casual remark but a solemn address to God, indicating their earnest dependence on divine guidance for this momentous decision regarding the foundational leadership of the nascent church.
• and said (Greek: eipon): Signifies that their prayer was verbalized and articulated corporately. It was a shared expression of their spiritual posture and request before the Lord, ensuring a unified appeal.
• Thou, Lord (Greek: sy, Kyrios): Direct address acknowledging God's supreme authority, sovereignty, and divine nature. They address Him as the one who possesses absolute control and power, a title often referring to God the Father or Jesus Christ Himself in divine contexts.
• which knowest (Greek: ginosko): Implies a deep, intimate, and perfect knowledge. It's not mere awareness but a full understanding. This is foundational to their petition, as they believe God alone can see the inner realities.
• the hearts (Greek: kardias): Refers to the innermost being of a person—their true character, motives, intentions, and thoughts, which are hidden from human view. This concept encompasses the will, intellect, and affections.
• of all men (Greek: panton): Emphasizes the universality of God's knowledge, encompassing every individual. This is a crucial qualifier, signifying that God sees past appearances and understands everyone's deepest self.
• shew (Greek: anadeixon): A request for God to openly display, point out, or reveal. It asks for a clear manifestation of His choice, removing any human doubt or error in judgment.
• whether of these two (Greek: ek touton ton dyo): Explicitly limits the choice to the two identified candidates: Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias, reflecting their preceding human process of vetting suitable individuals.
• thou hast chosen (Greek: eklegomai): Highlights that the ultimate choice and selection rests entirely with God. It affirms divine election for this sacred office, removing human will from the final appointment process and emphasizing God's prerogative in leadership selection for His Kingdom.

Words-group analysis:

• "And they prayed, and said": This phrase highlights the importance of collective prayer as the preliminary and essential step before making critical decisions in the early Christian community. It sets a pattern of seeking divine input.
• "Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men": This is an address acknowledging God's omniscience and omnipercipience (His ability to perceive everything, especially human thoughts and motives). The term "heart-knower" (kardiognostes) is unique and applied only to God (Acts 1:24, Acts 15:8), emphasizing His unparalleled ability to discern beyond outward appearances. This attributes makes Him uniquely qualified to select.
• "shew whether of these two thou hast chosen": This constitutes the specific petition of their prayer. It reflects both their recognition of their human limitations in making such a selection and their confidence that God already had His chosen individual. They were not asking God to make a choice but to reveal His pre-ordained one, demonstrating a profound faith in divine sovereignty.

Acts 1 24 Bonus section

The specific Greek term kardiognostes (heart-knower) used here for God appears only twice in the entire New Testament (Acts 1:24 and Acts 15:8). Its unique usage strongly emphasizes the early Church's conviction that God alone possesses the absolute and intimate knowledge of a person's inner spiritual state and suitability for service. This distinguishes Him from any human assessor and highlights the divine nature of truly spiritual leadership. This practice of casting lots for apostles is the final such instance recorded in the Bible. After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2), decisions for church leadership and direction are thereafter shown to be made through communal discernment guided by the Spirit's wisdom, often involving the recognition of spiritual gifts and character, and consensus through prayer, rather than lots (e.g., the selection of the seven deacons in Acts 6 or the Jerusalem Council's decision in Acts 15 which directly links to Acts 15:8 "God, who knows the heart"). This verse marks a significant pre-Pentecost example of the Church's pursuit of God's will.

Acts 1 24 Commentary

Acts 1:24 portrays the deep dependence and theological conviction of the early disciples. Facing the crucial task of appointing a new apostle, they did not rely on human wisdom, debate, or popular vote alone, but first resorted to earnest prayer. Their address to God as the "Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men" is significant; it underscores the profound theological understanding that only God truly sees and understands the inner character and motives suitable for such a sacred office. This knowledge goes beyond outward qualifications to penetrate the very essence of a person. The method of "casting lots" which follows this prayer (Acts 1:26) must be understood within this framework: it was not a random gamble but a means, common in Old Testament times (e.g., for land distribution, priestly duties, or identifying individuals under divine displeasure), to receive a divinely controlled outcome, especially when other means of direct revelation (like prophecy or clear instruction from the ascended Christ) were not immediately available to them prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This moment, therefore, beautifully illustrates the transition from an Old Covenant reliance on certain divining practices to the subsequent New Covenant emphasis on the Spirit's direct guidance for discerning God's will and calling through character, gifts, and spiritual fruit (Acts 6:3-4; 1 Tim 3).