Acts

About Acts

Acts tells what happened after Jesus rose and ascended: the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, and the good news spread from Jerusalem through Judea and Samaria toward the ends of the earth, exactly as Jesus said it would. It follows Peter and then Paul as the church crosses one boundary after another, welcoming Samaritans, an Ethiopian official, and Gentiles of every kind. Acts is the hinge of the New Testament, linking the Gospels to the letters and showing how a small band in an upstairs room became a movement that reached Rome.

Written by

Acts is the second volume by the author of Luke's Gospel, traditionally identified as Luke the physician, whose 'we' passages suggest he traveled with Paul.

When

Scholars date Acts anywhere from the early 60s AD, since it ends with Paul still awaiting trial, to the 80s or later; the question remains genuinely debated.

Themes

• The Holy Spirit's power
• The gospel to the ends of the earth
• The birth and life of the church
• Bold witness under pressure
• Good news for all nations

Key verses

• Acts 1:8But 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.”
• Acts 2:42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
• Acts 28:30-31Paul stayed there two full years in his own rented house, welcoming all who came to visit him. Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.