American Bible Society, Daily Bible Reading May 30, 2025
Friday May 30, 2025
Acts 1:12–26
Introduction
Acts 1:12–26: The apostles meet and pray with other believers. Peter acts as spokesman for the community, and the apostles choose a successor to Judas.
Today’s Key Verse: Acts 1:14
They gathered frequently to pray as a group, together with the women, and with Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers.
Read
12 Then the apostles went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, which is about half a mile away from the city. 13 They entered the city and went up to the room where they were staying: Peter, John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Patriot, and Judas son of James. 14 They gathered frequently to pray as a group, together with the women and with Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers.
15 A few days later there was a meeting of the believers, about a hundred and twenty in all, and Peter stood up to speak. 16 “My friends,” he said, “the scripture had to come true in which the Holy Spirit, speaking through David, made a prediction about Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 Judas was a member of our group, for he had been chosen to have a part in our work.”
(18 With the money that Judas got for his evil act he bought a field, where he fell to his death; he burst open and all his insides spilled out. 19 All the people living in Jerusalem heard about it, and so in their own language they call that field Akeldama, which means “Field of Blood.”)
20 “For it is written in the book of Psalms,
‘May his house become empty;
may no one live in it.’
It is also written,
‘May someone else take his place of service.’
21-22 “So then, someone must join us as a witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. He must be one of the men who were in our group during the whole time that the Lord Jesus traveled about with us, beginning from the time John preached his message of baptism[a] until the day Jesus was taken up from us to heaven.”
23 So they proposed two men: Joseph, who was called Barsabbas (also known as Justus), and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know the thoughts of everyone, so show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to serve as an apostle in the place of Judas, who left to go to the place where he belongs.” 26 Then they drew lots to choose between the two men, and the one chosen was Matthias, who was added to the group of eleven apostles.
Reflect
Reread verses 21–22. What were the qualifications for someone to succeed Judas as an apostle? How was the successor chosen? How does your community of faith set apart those who are called to serve in the church?
Pray
Almighty God, empower me to share the Good News of your love and salvation with all I meet today and to serve you always. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.
Tomorrow’s Reading
Psalm 47: God is king over all the world.
About American Bible Society
For over 200 years, American Bible Society has remained committed to its mission of making the Bible available to every person in a language and format each can understand and afford, so that all people may experience its life-changing message. We believe the Bible is the ultimate source of truth with the power to transform lives and eternities, and for over two centuries, we have seen it do exactly this as millions have received God’s Word and discovered the powerful hope of Scripture and the promise of new life through Jesus Christ.
