Acts 1:23 describes the moment the early church nominated two men to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the twelve apostles. The verse simply reports that the believers put forward two candidates, Joseph (called Barsabbas, also known as Justus) and Matthias, so that one of them could be chosen. It is a narrative detail, spoken by Luke as the narrator, and it records what the gathered disciples did in Jerusalem after Jesus had ascended.
They put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias.
Acts 1:23 (WEB)
What Acts 1:23 Means
The phrase “they put forward” describes the disciples presenting names for a decision, not casting a vote in the modern sense. The group took responsibility for nominating qualified candidates, and the verse shows them doing this openly and deliberately. Luke does not say how the two were chosen from the wider group of believers, only that the field had narrowed to two.
The verse names two men with two names each. Joseph was also called Barsabbas, and later Justus, which reflects the common practice of Jewish men carrying more than one name. Matthias is named with no further identifying detail. The text does not tell us their ages, families, or how well they knew Judas, so we should not read more into it than Luke provides.
What the verse does not promise is any formula for finding God’s will in every decision. Acts 1:23 is a record of what happened, not an instruction manual for committees. Its value lies in showing a community that took a real leadership question seriously before the Lord.
The Context of Acts 1:23
Acts was written by Luke, the same author who wrote the Gospel bearing his name, and it is addressed to a reader named Theophilus. It traces the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem outward. Chapter 1 sits between the resurrection appearances of Jesus and the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, so the believers are waiting in an in-between season.
The verses just before the nomination quote Psalm 69 and Psalm 109 to explain why a replacement is needed, and the verses after show the lot falling on Matthias. Because the replacement was tied to being a witness of Jesus from John’s baptism through his ascension, the choice carried a clear purpose: to restore the twelve as eyewitnesses who could testify to the resurrection. That purpose shapes how the verse reads, since the candidates are chosen for their witness, not their status.
Key Phrases in Acts 1:23
Acts 1:24
They prayed, and said, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen
(WEB)
This verse records the prayer that follows the nomination, in which the disciples ask the Lord to show which of the two he has chosen. It gives the immediate spiritual context for the act of nominating candidates, making clear that the choice rests with God.
Acts 1:26
They drew lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was counted with the eleven apostles.
(WEB)
Here the lot falls on Matthias, and he is counted among the eleven apostles. It completes the story begun in verse 23 and shows the outcome of the process the believers entrusted to the Lord.
A Short Prayer From Acts 1:23
Lord, you know the hearts of every person who serves in your church, and you know the needs we face when decisions must be made. Help me to bring honest names and clear thinking to the choices in front of me, without rushing ahead of you. Give me patience to wait for your direction, and humility to accept the outcome even when it is not what I expected. Teach me to trust that you are at work in every step of the process. Amen.
