Passage

Acts 1.18

Book: Acts · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV

16. Brethren, it was needful that the Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spake before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to them that took Jesus. 17. For he was numbered among us, and received his portion in this ministry.

18. (Now this man obtained a field with the reward of his iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

And it became known to all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch that in their language that field was called Akeldama, that is, The field of blood.) 20. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be made desolate, And let no man dwell therein: and, His office let another take. (Acts 1:16-20, ASV)

WEB

16. “Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus. 17. For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry.

18. Now this man obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness, and falling headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines gushed out.

It became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called ‘Akeldama,’ that is, ‘The field of blood.’ 20. For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation be made desolate. Let no one dwell therein;’ and, ‘Let another take his office.’ (Acts 1:16-20, WEB)

KJV

16. Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 17. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

18. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.

And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. 20. For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. ^{bishoprick: or, office, or, charge} (Acts 1:16-20, KJV)

YLT

16. 'Men, brethren, it behoved this Writing that it be fulfilled that beforehand the Holy Spirit spake through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who became guide to those who took Jesus, 17. because he was numbered among us, and did receive the share in this ministration,

18. this one, indeed, then, purchased a field out of the reward of unrighteousness, and falling headlong, burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed forth,

and it became known to all those dwelling in Jerusalem, insomuch that that place is called, in their proper dialect, Aceldama, that is, field of blood, 20. for it hath been written in the book of Psalms: Let his lodging-place become desolate, and let no one be dwelling in it, and his oversight let another take. (Acts 1:16-20, YLT)

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Setting

Speaker: the narrator of Acts, traditionally Luke, in an aside to the reader rather than words spoken by Peter
Audience: Theophilus and the reader
Location: Jerusalem; the field lay outside the city
Time period: c. AD 30; the aside looks back on events just after the crucifixion

Theological reading

The parenthesis is one of the clearest signals in Acts that the narrator is speaking over the scene rather than reporting speech. Peter is addressing a Jerusalem gathering, and the note explains that the field was called Akeldama "in their own language," which is an explanation for readers who do not live there and would be pointless inside the speech.

The account differs from Matthew 27:3-10, where Judas returns the money, hangs himself, and the priests buy the field. Here Judas acquires the field and falls headlong. The usual harmonisations, that the priests bought it in his name and that the fall followed the hanging, are possible and none is demonstrable; the honest position is that the two accounts are difficult to reconcile in detail and agree on the substance, that Judas died violently and that a field near Jerusalem was associated with the money.

The narrative function is clear whatever is made of the detail: the office is vacant, and the vacancy must be filled before Pentecost.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word.

G1096 - ginomai, ginomai, Strong's G1096
G3956 - pas, pas, Strong's G3956

Quoted in

Arguments and defeaters:

Concepts:

Apostle, via Acts 1.15-26
Apostolic Succession, via Acts 1.15-26

Notes

Your annotations.

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.