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 ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
• Acts 2:42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
• Acts 28:30-31And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.