Acts 1:12
in Acts 1Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is near the city, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is nigh unto Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey off.
KJV
Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey.
⋯
This verse in Acts 1
Commentary
11 notes on this verseOne mile, which was the distance of the Sabbath's journey, as Origen says in the fifth Homily, was two thousand cubits. And moreover the holy tent and the ark occupied this same space before the encampment, and from that distance they encamped. The distance permitted …
This site's exposition
a sabbath day’s journey
on Acts 1:12-14
The distance from Olivet to Jerusalem is measured by the rabbinic sabbath limit, roughly a half mile the disciples would have known by habit rather than calculation, one small mark of the eyewitness detail running through this book. The eleven are named in the upper room, the same room the bench generally identifies with the site of the last supper, and the company includes the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brethren, the family that had once doubted him now praying alongside the apostles. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, the posture the whole church will keep through the waiting that follows, prayer named here before any of the growth this book will describe.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"Then Returned They," it is said: namely, when they had heard. For they could not have borne it, if the angel had not referred them to another Coming. It seems to me, that it was also on a sabbath-day that these things took place; for he would not thus have specified the distance, saying, "from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey," unless they were then going on the sabbath-day a certain definite distance. So that there was no long way to go, to be a cause of alarm to them while yet trembling and fearful.
The Medieval Church3 voices
He is near Jerusalem, having the distance of a Sabbath journey. According to history, it indicates that the Mount of Olives is separated by about a mile from the city of Jerusalem. For on the Sabbath, according to the law, it was not permitted to …
When did "then they returned"? When they heard what was said by the Angels, because they would never have torn themselves away from the place if the Angels had not informed them about the second coming. And it seems to me that this happened on …
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet. Our Lord and Savior, having conquered the prince of darkness, leads the faithful to a place of peace and light. Rightly he ascended the mount of blessing, promising the holy Spirit, whose anointing teaches us …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
18 ), but that part of the mount of Olives which was next to Jerusalem, whence Christ began to ride in triumph, was but seven or eight furlongs off. The Chaldee paraphrast on Ruth 1 says, We are commanded to keep the sabbaths and the holy days, so as not to go above two thousand cubits, which they build upon Josh. iii.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
4 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Then returned they unto Jerusalem,.... With great joy, after the angels had told them that he should come again in like manner: from the mount called Olivet; which was on the east side of Jerusalem, a mountain Christ much frequented, and from whence he ascended to heaven.
With a particular account of the filling up of the vacancy that was made in the sacred college by the death of Judas, by the electing of Matthias in his room,
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A Sabbath day’s journey - See the difficulties in this verse explained in the note on Luk 24:50 (note). A Sabbath day’s journey was seven furlongs and a half. Olivet was but five furlongs from Jerusalem; and Bethany was fifteen. The first region or tract of Mount Olivet, which was called Bethany, was distant from the city a Sabbath day’s journey, or seven furlongs and a half; and the same distance did that tract called Bethphage extend from the city.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Then returned they unto Jerusalem - In Luk 24:52, we are told that they worshipped Jesus before they returned, and it is probable that the act of worship to which he refers was what is mentioned in this chapter their gazing intently on their departing Lord. From the mount called Olivet - From the Mount of Olives. See the notes on Mat 21:1. The part of the mountain from which he ascended was the eastern declivity, where stood the little village of Bethany, Luk 24:50. A sabbath-day’s journey - As far as might be lawfully traveled by a Jew on the Sabbath. This was 2,000 paces or cubits, or seven furlongs and a half - not quite one mile. See the notes On Mat 24:20. The distance of a lawful journey on the Sabbath was not fixed by the laws of Moses, but the Jewish teachers had fixed it at 2,000 paces. This measure was determined on because it was a tradition that in the camp of the Israelites, when coming from Egypt, no part of the camp was more than 2000 paces from the tabernacle, and over this space, therefore, they were permitted to travel for worship. Perhaps, also, some countenance was given to this from the fact that this was the extent of the suburbs of the Levitical cities, Num 35:5. Mount Olivet was only 5 furlongs from Jerusalem, and Bethany was 15 furlongs. But on the eastern declivity of the mountain the tract of country was called, for a considerable space, the region of Bethany; and it was from this place that the Lord Jesus ascended.
The words behind it
16 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Τότε | tote | Then | G5119 → | 160 times |
| ὑπέστρεψαν | hupestrepsan | they returned | G5290 → | 35 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| Ἰερουσαλὴμ | ierousalem | Jerusalem | G2419 → | 76 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| ὄρους | orous | [the] mount | G3735 → | 62 times |
| τοῦ | tou | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| καλουμένου | kaloumenou | is being called | G2564 → | 147 times |
| Ἐλαιῶνος, | elaionos | Olivet, | G1638 → | |
| ὅ | ho | which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἐστιν | estin | is | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| ἐγγὺς | engus | near | G1451 → | 30 times |
| Ἰερουσαλὴμ | ierousalem | Jerusalem | G2419 → | 76 times |
| σαββάτου | sabbatou | a Sabbath day’s | G4521 → | 68 times |
| ἔχον | echon | holding | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ὁδόν. | hodon | journey. | G3598 → | 101 times |
ΤότεThen
toteG5119 →160 times
ὑπέστρεψανthey returned
hupestrepsanG5290 →35 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
ἸερουσαλὴμJerusalem
ierousalemG2419 →76 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
ὄρους[the] mount
orousG3735 →62 times
τοῦwhich
touG3588 →19766 times
καλουμένουis being called
kaloumenouG2564 →147 times
Ἐλαιῶνος,Olivet,
elaionosG1638 →
ὅwhich
hoG3739 →1405 times
ἐστινis
estinG1510 →2333 times
ἐγγὺςnear
engusG1451 →30 times
ἸερουσαλὴμJerusalem
ierousalemG2419 →76 times
σαββάτουa Sabbath day’s
sabbatouG4521 →68 times
ἔχονholding
echonG2192 →707 times
ὁδόν.journey.
hodonG3598 →101 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Zechariah 14:4On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with…
it leads to
- Micah 1:3–4
For behold, the LORD comes forth from His dwelling place; He will come down and tread on the high places of the earth.
- Ezekiel 11:23
And the glory of the LORD rose up from within the city and stood over the mountain east of the city.
- Acts 1:11–12
“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have…
- Joel 3:12–14
Let the nations be roused and advance to the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit down to judge all the nations on every side.
- Zechariah 14:10
All the land from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem will be turned into a plain, but Jerusalem will be raised up and will remain in her place, from the Benjamin Gate to the…
- Micah 1:3–4
Through
Matthew 21:1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples,
it leads to
- Zechariah 14:4
On that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with…
- Mark 11:1–10
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two of His disciples
- Luke 21:37
Every day Jesus taught at the temple, but every evening He went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.
- Zechariah 14:4
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
On this verse
About Acts
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Commentary on Acts; John Chrysostom, Homily on Acts 3; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, Commentary on Acts and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Acts.