Acts 1:22
in Acts 1beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection.
KJV
Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
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This verse in Acts 1
Commentary
9 notes on this verse"Was together with us a witness of His resurrection," so that the company of disciples would not be diminished in any way. He says: "a witness of the resurrection," and not of anything else, for whoever proves worthy to testify that the Lord, who ate …
This site's exposition
Therefore it is necessary to choose
on Acts 1:21-22
A candidate must have walked with the Twelve beginning from John’s baptism until the day Jesus was taken up from us. The one chosen must become a witness with us of His resurrection, the first sounding of a witness formula that recurs through the book.
This site's exposition
a witness with us
Albert Barnes explains that the candidate had to have been with Jesus from His baptism by John to the ascension, to witness the whole ministry. Theophylact notes that the office is named for one fact above all, the resurrection. Barnes traces the need to Jesus' first choice of twelve.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
"Wherefore it behooves of these men which have companied with us all the time." Why does he make it their business too? That the matter might not become an object of strife, and they might not fall into contention about it. For if the Apostles themselves once did this, much more might those. This he ever avoids. Wherefore at the beginning he said, "Men and brethren. It behooves" to choose from among you. He defers the decision to the whole body, thereby both making the elected objects of reverence and himself keeping clear of all invidiousness with regard to the rest. For such occasions always give rise to great evils. Now that some one must needs be appointed, he adduces the prophet as witness: but from among what persons: "Of these," he says, "which have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John unto that same day that He was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection": that their college might not be left mutilated. Then why did it not rest with Peter to make the election himself: what was the motive? This; that he might not seem to bestow it of favor. And besides, he was not yet endowed with the spirit. "Wherefore of these men which have companied with us," continues Peter. Observe how desirous he is they should be eye-witnesses. It is true indeed that the Spirit would shortly come; and yet great care is shown with regard to this circumstance. "Of these men," he says, "which have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us." He shows that they had dwelt with Christ, not simply been present as disciples. In fact, from the very beginning there were many that then followed Him. "All the time," he says, "that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John." True! […]
Having begun he added: "From the baptism of John." For concerning this, none of them knew, having learned and being present, except only the one chosen; but the Spirits perceived. And he declared him a witness of the resurrection. For this is above all the …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Beginning from the baptism of John,....
Theophilus is put in mind, and we in him, of St. Luke's gospel, which it will be of use for us to cast an eye upon before we enter upon the study of this book, that we may not only see how this begins where that breaks off, but that, as in water face answers to face, so do the acts of the apostles to the acts of their Master, the acts of his grace.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Beginning from the baptism of John - From the time that Christ was baptized by John in Jordan; for it was at that time that his public ministry properly began. Must one be ordained - This translation misleads every reader who cannot examine the original text. There is no term for ordained in the Greek: γενεσθαι, to be, is the only word in the verse to which this interpretation can be applied.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Beginning from the baptism of John - The words “beginning from” in the original refer to the Lord Jesus. The meaning may be thus expressed, “during all the time in which the Lord Jesus, beginning (his ministry) at the time when he was baptized by John, went in and out among us, until the time when he was taken up,” etc. From those who had during that time been the constant companions of the Lord Jesus must one be taken, who would thus be a witness of his whole ministry. Must one be ordained - It is fit or proper that one should be ordained. The reason of this was, that Jesus had originally chosen the number twelve for this work, and as one of them had fallen, it was proper that the vacancy should be filled by some person equally qualified for the office. The reason why it was proper that he should be taken from the seventy disciples was, that they had been particularly distinguished by Jesus himself, and had been witnesses of most of his public life, Luke 10:1-16. The word “ordained” with us has a fixed and definite signification. It means to set apart to a sacred office with proper forms and solemnities, commonly by the imposition of hands. But this is not, of necessity, the meaning of this passage. The Greek word usually denoting “ordination” is not used here. The expression is literally, “must one be, or become, γενέσθαι genesthai, a witness with us of his resurrection.” The expression does not imply that he must be set apart in any particular manner, but simply that one should be designated or appointed for this specific purpose, to be a witness of the resurrection of Christ.
The words behind it
21 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀρξάμενος | arxamenos | having begun | G757 → | 85 times |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τοῦ | tou | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| βαπτίσματος | baptismatos | baptism | G908 → | 19 times |
| Ἰωάννου | ioannou | of John | G2491 → | 134 times |
| ἕως | he'os | until | G2193 → | 146 times |
| τῆς | tes | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἡμέρας | hemeras | day | G2250 → | 389 times |
| ἧς | hes | in which | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἀνελήμφθη | anelemphthe | He was taken up | G353 → | 12 times |
| ἀφ᾽ | aph᾽ | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| ἡμῶν, | hemon | us, | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| μάρτυρα | martura | a witness | G3144 → | 35 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἀναστάσεως | anastaseos | resurrection | G386 → | 42 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| σὺν | sun | with | G4862 → | 128 times |
| ἡμῖν | hemin | us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| γενέσθαι | genesthai | to become | G1096 → | 667 times |
| ἕνα | hena | one | G1520 → | 343 times |
| τούτων. | touton | of these. | G3778 → | 1381 times |
ἀρξάμενοςhaving begun
arxamenosG757 →85 times
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τοῦthe
touG3588 →19766 times
βαπτίσματοςbaptism
baptismatosG908 →19 times
Ἰωάννουof John
ioannouG2491 →134 times
ἕωςuntil
he'osG2193 →146 times
τῆςthe
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἡμέραςday
hemerasG2250 →389 times
ἧςin which
hesG3739 →1405 times
ἀνελήμφθηHe was taken up
anelemphtheG353 →12 times
ἀφ᾽from
aph᾽G575 →640 times
ἡμῶν,us,
hemonG3165 →1936 times
μάρτυραa witness
marturaG3144 →35 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
ἀναστάσεωςresurrection
anastaseosG386 →42 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
σὺνwith
sunG4862 →128 times
ἡμῖνus
heminG3165 →1936 times
γενέσθαιto become
genesthaiG1096 →667 times
ἕναone
henaG1520 →343 times
τούτων.of these.
toutonG3778 →1381 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
Acts 4:33With great power the apostles continued to give their testimony about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And abundant grace was upon them all.
it leads to
- John 1:16
From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.
- Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
- Mark 16:20
And they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked through them, confirming His word by the signs that accompanied it.
- John 1:16
Through
Acts 1:2until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles He had chosen.
it leads to
- Acts 1:9
After He had said this, they watched as He was taken up, and a cloud hid Him from their sight.
- John 20:21
Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”
- Hebrews 9:24
For Christ did not enter a man-made copy of the true sanctuary, but He entered heaven itself, now to appear on our behalf in the presence of God.
- Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
- Acts 1:9
Through
John 15:27And you also must testify, because you have been with Me from the beginning.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:14
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.
- 1 John 4:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies16
On this verse
On this chapter
About Acts
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); J. A. Alexander, The Acts of the Apostles Explained; 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.