Chapter 1 luke, who wrote the book of acts, begins chapter one by referring to his former book, namely the third gospel luke. Before paul had an opportunity to pick out the high priest from everyone else, he was required to speak on his own behalf. Jan 02, 2020 pauls dramatic conversion on the damascus road acts 9. This is the story of christianitys beginnings and how evangelism played. What was it like for the apostle paul to travel around the roman empire announcing the good news about the risen jesus. Some have supposed that this book was written from alexandria. In chapter nine of acts, luke tells us the famous story of pauls. Acts 25 new international version niv paul s trial before festus. Understanding the book of acts in the bible thoughtco. Bruce, this indicates that he was not one of the refugees from the persecution in jerusalem described in acts 8.
In the course of this speech, paul starts with what the. New testament scholarship has long debated the accuracy of the portrayal of the apostle paul in the book of acts. Many people call acts the acts of the apostles, but really, if you want to add to the name acts, perhaps, a better name would be the acts of the early church. The book of acts is the first history of the christian church. One purpose of the book of acts is to teach believers how to deal with persecution. Jan 05, 2009 from chapter to the end of the book, in chapter 28, it is tempting to see paul as the main protagonist of the story, but it is important to remember the structure that luke has already set up. The book of acts provides a bridge for the writings of the nt. Acts 19 new international version niv paul in ephesus. Then there are the feel good endings, such as we find in the last chapter of the book of ruth.
He said that far from having any evil purpose when he came to jerusalem, he was intent on good deeds. This may indicate that the book was written before paul s trial and eventual release. They told paul through the spirit not to go up to jerusalem. Here they learn that to protect themselves, they can give watching enemies a false impression of what they plan to do next. In order to appreciate the importance of acts as a historical source, we must first confirm the fact that the book is the. He departs from a careful analysis of apostles experiences in jerusalem. This aristarchus is the same one mentioned in chapter 19. In paul s speech in acts 22, he describes ananias as a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the jews that dwelt in damascus. Introduction when i come to acts chapter 27, it is like a breath of fresh air to me. The book containing this chapter is anonymous but early christian tradition uniformly affirmed that luke composed this book as well as the gospel of luke. Aristarchus never lost contact with paul while he was imprisoned and neither did luke.
Paul went on to answer the third accusationthat he profaned the temple. The book of acts also describes the work of the two apostles peter and paul. As you plant a church yourself or help to equip planters, this should be helpful. This is the first mention of paul in the book of acts. May 05, 2014 paul was a consenting witness to stephens stoning by the high priest and the council. But it is here, in our text, that i see paul as a very wise man in practical matters, a man who is a leader of men, and whose counsel is taken seriously because he knows what he. Both his gospel and the book of the acts of the apostles are addressed from luke to theophilus.
The books of reference used for this study of the book of acts were the bible, king james version, called the companion bible, publisher kregel. His ministry appears to be the result of two events. The key personalities of acts are peter, paul, john, james, stephen, barnabas, timothy, lydia, silas, and apollos. They answered, no, we have not even heard that there is a holy spirit. Chapter 2 the book of acts the book of acts is our most detailed primary source for the missionary career of the apostle paul. Study of acts discussion notes chapter 9 introduction in chapter 9 of acts, luke begins to give a broader view of what is taking place in the new testament church. From chapter to the end of the book, in chapter 28, it is tempting to see paul as the main protagonist of the story, but it is important to remember the structure that luke has already set up. It records the period of paul s imprisonment in jerusalem then in caesarea.
He was saved on paul s first missionary journey to thessalonica. From the moment hes introduced in chapter 7, paul grabs the spotlight and refuses to return it. T he book of acts in the bible, written around 6263 a. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Counting acts, 15 of the 27 books of the new testament are. The book of acts furnishes a ladder on which to place the epistles. In our third video on the book of acts, well explore all of this and. Acts 27 new international version niv paul sails for rome. Characters of the acts of the apostles bible study guide. Acts indepth commentary and versebyverse bible study of acts chapter in plain english for everyone to understand. The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. Acts cliffsnotes study guides book summaries, test.
The book contains only a few of the acts of some of the apostles, primarily peter and paul. Strongs exhaustive concordance of the bible, numbered to the hebrew, chaldee, and greek, and english, coded to the strongs concordance numbers. The book ends abruptly with paul under house arrest awaiting trial in rome act 28. It traces christianity from its beginnings in jerusalem, following jesus resurrection, to the arrest of the apostle paul in rome, the heart of the empire. The account suggests that the meeting opened with few preliminaries. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. The document, purporting to be the concluding portion of the acts of the apostles, covers a portion of the period after paul s two years enforced residence in rome, in his own hired house. Pauls ministry on the island of malta is the focus of the first ten verses of chapter 28. The book of acts is an important book for understanding the actions of the apostles, mostly paul and peter, after jesuss ascension into heaven.
Acts in the picture study bible the book of acts with. Counting acts, 15 of the 27 books of the new testament are written by or about paul, which makes him a serious contender for the second most important person in the bible. There are both similarities and differences in the accounts. Paul the apostle commonly known as saint paul and also known by his hebrew name saul of. The object of the book has been considered to be, 1. This commentary on acts 23 treats paul s appearance before the sanhedrin and his removal from jerusalem to save him from assassins. Acts 9, new international version niv the bible app. Acts 23 is the twentythird chapter of the acts of the apostles in the new testament of the christian bible.
This question should ring through your mind as you page through the book of acts. Dec 15, 2017 why does the book of acts end so abruptly. Acts of the apostles chapter 29 rejected scriptures. The commentary on each chapter below was taken from the book entitled the acts of the apostles and afterward, by stuart allen, published by the berean publishing trust. This is the third account of pauls conversion in acts. The conjecture of michaelis is much more likely, viz. Acts chapter 9 is an historical account, written by luke.
In virtually every chapter, apostles such as peter and paul powerfully present the gospel to individuals and groups of people. The recipient of the book, theophilus, is the same person addressed in the first volume, the gospel of luke see introduction to luke. Acts 19 paul in ephesus while apollos was at bible. They had left italy when claudius caesar deported all jews from rome. The commanders conclusion that paul was that egyptian is perhaps not too unreasonable, given the circumstances. It records the first missionary journey of paul and barnabas to cyprus and pisidia. It is more a story of the expansion of the church from jerusalem to rome. It is as if the four gospels had been poured into a funnel, and they all come down into this jug of the first chapter of the book of acts. After his conversion he went to the opposite extreme of loving god and preaching his word with power and fervency in the spirit of the true and living god. Acts with book summary versebyverse bible commentary.
The dates for paul s first imprisonment in rome are 6062 a. The geographical centre of the first part is jerusalem, of the second antioch, where the first great assembly of converted heathens was formed. Pauls experience was not visionary but was precipitated by the appearance of jesus, as he insists in 1 cor 15. Later in the same chapter the team is referred to as paul and his companions. The writer is revealed in a few passages while the recipient remains shrouded in. Acts tells us that paul was addressing the epicurean and stoic philosophers. The apostles portrayed in acts shine with evangelistic zeal, showing a striking transition from the often misguided disciples of the gospels. Also the great missionary commission, which appears in all four gospels, is confirmed in the book of acts.
Acts was written in greek, presumably by the evangelist luke, whose gospel concludes where acts begins, namely, with christs ascension into heaven. Luke is again writing to theophilus to tell him what happened concerning the lord jesus christs earthly ministry and his apostles ministry. Really, very little is written about the apostles in acts. Luke now began a fateful chapter in pauls life with the casual words, when we arrived in jerusalem 21. There is also the disputed ending of the gospel of. Pauls activities and teachings recorded in the book of acts.
If the book was just before or after paul s release, then it was likely written around 63 a. The book of acts was penned by luke, the physician. Paul in the bible his life and story bible study tools. He brought alms that is, money to be distributed among the poor in the city and offerings that is, worship offerings. There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, did you receive the holy spirit when you believed. It is an important book in understanding how we can be directed by the holy spirit and the role of jesus lessons in our lives. Acts 20, new international version niv the bible app. Acts 25 pauls trial before festus three bible gateway. I have always looked upon the apostle paul as a godly man, a zealous servant of jesus christ, and a powerful preacher of the gospel. The beginning verses of acts make it clear that acts is a sequel of the story started in luke and written to the same man named theophilus, generally a title ascribed to highranking roman officials. But the narrative does not afford a complete history of the church during the time to which it refers, nor even of st. Approximately half of the book of acts deals with pauls life and works. Luke was from antioch but traveled with paul all over southern europe and the middle east. Acts of the apostles 18, new living translation nlt.
Peter is the human main character in the first 12 chapters, paul in the second part from chapter. Luke wrote the book of acts acts of the apostles to record how believers were empowered by the holy spirit, worked to spread the gospel of christ, and are a model for the future church. While there are some areas of great detail of the acts of the apostles, many times you must use cross references to the gospels of matthew, mark, luke and john as well as some other epistles in the new testament to get the full picture of what was. The acts of the apostles, fifth book of the new testament, a valuable history of the early christian church. If the book of acts were a work of fiction designed to portray paul as a saint, no such story would appear. He ends up at the place where the greek philosophers discuss and debate, and ends up giving a long speech to them. Acts 9 niv bible meanwhile, saul was still breathing out. The geographical centre of the first part is jerusalem, of the second antioch, where the. Our story starts off where the gospel of luke left offjesus is back now that hes resurrected, jesus decides to hang out and chat with his disciples whom luke calls apostles for forty days. The most important issue paul addresses in 1 thessalonians is. Acts 1, new international version niv the bible app. The book of acts clearly shows that paul always taught from the law of moses.
Acts 25 new international version niv pauls trial before festus. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it. Placing his hands on saul, he said, brother saul, the lordjesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming herehas sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the holy spirit. The book has been called the acts of the apostles, really a misnomer because acts has very little to say concerning most of the original twelve apostles.
Acts is the thirteenth chapter of the acts of the apostles in the new testament of the christian bible. Paul was personally prepared for his church planting ministry. Acts of the apostles executable outline study resources. Feb 11, 2015 president nelson grandfathers visit from the other side of the veil and family history work duration. Acts 27 paul sails for rome when it was bible gateway. Whereas jesus is the chief character in the gospels, the holy spirit, working through the apostles, is the dominant character in the book of acts. Here is a summary and overview of the book of acts. The acts of the apostles is often called the gospel of the holy spirit, for in chapter. My conclusion about pauls message and example as the book of acts portrays them. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of god. Exploring the book of acts chapter 28 the romans killed and captured many of the egyptians followers, though he escaped.