Acts
The book of Acts begins with Jesus' resurrection and ascension, after which the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and began to preach about Jesus, leading to the growth of the early Christian church. The apostles, particularly Peter and John, performed miracles and preached about Jesus, but also faced persecution from the Jewish authorities. The church in Jerusalem sent Barnabas to investigate the growing church in Antioch, where he met Saul, who would later become the apostle Paul. Paul, a former persecutor of Christians, was converted on the road to Damascus and began to preach about Jesus, facing opposition from the Jews. Paul and Barnabas were sent on a missionary journey, preaching to the Gentiles and establishing churches in various cities. Paul continued to preach and face opposition, eventually being arrested and imprisoned, but was released and continued to preach. Paul was eventually sent to Rome, where he was allowed to preach about Jesus, but was met with disagreement from the Jewish leaders. Throughout the book, the apostles and early Christian church faced challenges and persecution, but continued to grow and spread the message of Jesus Christ.
Chapter 1
Jesus appeared to the apostles after his resurrection, teaching them about the kingdom of God for 40 days, and instructed them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. The apostles asked Jesus if he would restore the kingdom of Israel, but he told them it was not for them to know the times or moments set by the Father. Jesus was then taken up to heaven, and the apostles returned to Jerusalem, where they prayed and chose a replacement for Judas, with Matthias being selected by lot to join the eleven apostles.
Chapter 2
The Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost, and they began to speak in various languages, proclaiming the mighty deeds of God to a multitude of people from different nations. The crowd was astonished and some mocked, but Peter stood up and explained that the apostles were not drunk, but rather filled with the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Joel. Peter then preached about Jesus, saying he was a man confirmed by God through miracles and wonders, and that he was raised from the dead and exalted to the right hand of God. The crowd was moved to repentance, and about 3,000 people were baptized and added to the community of believers, who persevered in the doctrine of the apostles and shared their possessions with one another.
Chapter 3
Peter and John healed a lame man at the temple gate, who was then able to walk and leap, and he entered the temple with them, praising God. The people were amazed and gathered around, and Peter explained that the healing was not by their own power, but by the power of Jesus Christ, whom the people had denied and put to death. Peter told the people that they acted in ignorance, but that God had fulfilled his plan through Jesus' suffering, and he called on them to repent and be converted. Peter also reminded the people of the prophecy of Moses and the promise to Abraham that all families of the earth would be blessed through Abraham's offspring.
Chapter 4
The apostles Peter and John were arrested by the temple authorities for teaching about Jesus and the resurrection, but many people believed their message and the number of men grew to 5,000. The next day, the leaders questioned Peter and John, who boldly declared that Jesus was the source of their power and the only name by which people can be saved. Despite being warned not to speak in Jesus' name, Peter and John refused to obey, and after being released, they reported back to the other believers, who prayed for confidence to continue speaking God's word. The believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and shared their possessions with one another, with no one in need.
Chapter 5
Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold a field and lied about the price, claiming they gave the full amount to the Apostles, but Peter exposed their deceit and they both died. The Apostles continued to perform signs and wonders, and many people believed in the Lord. The high priest and the Sadducees, filled with jealousy, arrested the Apostles, but an angel freed them and they continued to teach in the temple. The high priest and the council questioned the Apostles, ordering them not to teach in Jesus' name, but Peter and the Apostles refused, saying they must obey God. A Pharisee named Gamaliel advised the council to leave the Apostles alone, warning that if their work was of God, they would not be able to stop it. The council beat the Apostles and warned them not to speak in Jesus' name, but they continued to teach and evangelize.
Chapter 6
The disciples were increasing in number, and a complaint arose that the Greek widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food. The twelve apostles decided to appoint seven men to oversee this work, and they chose Stephen, Philip, and five others, who were set before the apostles and ordained through prayer and the laying on of hands. Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, performed great signs and miracles, but was disputed by certain groups and eventually falsely accused of blasphemy against Moses and God. He was seized and brought before the council, where false witnesses testified against him.
Chapter 7
Stephen recounts the history of the Israelites, from Abraham's call to the construction of the temple by Solomon, highlighting God's promises and the people's disobedience. He notes that the Israelites turned away from God, worshiping idols and rejecting Moses, and that they also persecuted the prophets who foretold the coming of Jesus. Stephen then looks up to heaven and sees Jesus standing at the right hand of God, which enrages the crowd, leading them to stone him. As he dies, Stephen asks God to forgive his killers, and Saul, who would later become the apostle Paul, consents to his murder.
Chapter 8
A great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, causing many to disperse throughout Judea and Samaria, except for the Apostles. Philip preached Christ to the people of Samaria, performing signs and miracles, and many were cured and baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. The Apostles Peter and John were sent to Samaria, where they prayed for the people to receive the Holy Spirit, which they had not yet received despite being baptized. Meanwhile, Philip was instructed by an Angel of the Lord to go to the desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza, where he encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, whom he evangelized and baptized after explaining the prophecy of Isaiah.
Chapter 9
Saul, a persecutor of Christians, was traveling to Damascus when he encountered a vision of Jesus, who told him to stop persecuting Him and instead go to the city to be told what to do. Saul was blinded for three days, then met Ananias, who healed his sight and baptized him. Saul, now a believer, began preaching Jesus in the synagogues, but the Jews plotted to kill him, and he escaped to Jerusalem. There, he met the disciples, who were initially afraid of him, but Barnabas vouched for him, and he began speaking with the Gentiles and disputing with the Greeks. The brothers eventually sent him to Tarsus for his safety. Meanwhile, Peter healed a paralytic named Aeneas and raised a disciple named Tabitha from the dead, leading many to believe in the Lord.
Chapter 10
Cornelius, a devout centurion, received a vision from an angel to send for Peter, who was in Joppa. Meanwhile, Peter had a vision of a sheet descending from heaven with unclean animals, and a voice told him to eat, but he refused, citing Jewish dietary laws. The voice replied that what God has purified is not to be called common. Peter then met with Cornelius' men and accompanied them to Caesarea, where Cornelius and his household were waiting. Peter preached to them about Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit fell upon the Gentiles, leading Peter to baptize them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter 11
Peter explained to the Jerusalem church how he received a vision from God, in which he was told to eat unclean animals, symbolizing God's acceptance of the Gentiles. He then recounted how he was led by the Spirit to preach to the Gentiles in Caesarea, where they received the Holy Spirit just as the apostles had. The Jerusalem church accepted Peter's explanation and acknowledged that God had given the Gentiles repentance unto life. Meanwhile, the church in Antioch was growing, and Barnabas was sent to investigate and encourage the believers, and he brought Saul to join him in teaching the large multitude.
Chapter 12
King Herod had James, the brother of John, killed with a sword and then arrested Peter, intending to bring him before the people after the Passover. However, an angel of the Lord freed Peter from prison, and he escaped, eventually making his way to the house of Mary, the mother of John Mark. The people there were initially skeptical that it was really Peter, but he explained how the Lord had led him out of prison. Meanwhile, Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon, but they appeased him through his servant Blastus. Herod then gave a speech, and the people praised him as a god, but an angel of the Lord struck him down for not giving honor to God.
Chapter 13
The Holy Spirit instructed the church in Antioch to set apart Barnabas and Saul for a specific work, and they were sent to Seleucia, then sailed to Cyprus, preaching the Word of God in synagogues. On the island, they encountered a magician named Elymas, who opposed them, but Saul, filled with the Holy Spirit, rebuked him, causing him to become blind. The proconsul, Sergius Paulus, believed after witnessing this event. Paul and Barnabas continued their journey, preaching in Antioch in Pisidia, where Paul delivered a sermon about the history of Israel and the coming of Jesus, the Savior. Many Jews and Gentiles believed, but the Jews became envious and contradicted Paul, leading him to turn to the Gentiles, as instructed by the Lord.
Chapter 14
Paul and Barnabas preached in Iconium, and many Jews and Greeks believed, but the unbelieving Jews incited the Gentiles against them. They fled to Lystra and Derbe, where Paul healed a lame man, and the crowd mistakenly thought they were gods. Paul and Barnabas corrected them, preaching about the one true God. However, Jews from Antioch and Iconium arrived and stoned Paul, but he survived and continued to preach with Barnabas, establishing churches and strengthening the disciples before returning to Antioch.
Chapter 15
Certain individuals from Judea taught that Gentiles must be circumcised to be saved, causing an uprising among Paul and Barnabas. The matter was taken to the Apostles and elders in Jerusalem, where Peter argued that God had chosen Gentiles to hear the Gospel and purified their hearts by faith, just as He did for the Jews. James agreed, citing the Prophets, and the council decided that Gentiles should not be disturbed but instead instructed to abstain from idolatry, fornication, and blood. The council sent a letter with these instructions to the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia, and Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and evangelizing.
Chapter 16
Paul met Timothy, a disciple with a Jewish mother and Gentile father, and took him on his journey, circumcising him to appease the Jews in the area. As they traveled, they delivered the decrees from the Apostles and elders in Jerusalem, strengthening the churches in faith. The Holy Spirit prevented them from speaking in Asia, and instead, they received a vision to evangelize in Macedonia. In Philippi, they met Lydia, a worshiper of God, who was baptized along with her household, and they stayed with her. A girl with a spirit of divination followed them, but Paul cast out the spirit, leading to their arrest and imprisonment. However, an earthquake opened the prison doors, and the guard, fearing the prisoners had escaped, was about to kill himself, but Paul reassured him they were still there. The guard and his household were then baptized, and Paul and Silas were eventually released from prison.
Chapter 17
Paul and Silas arrived in Thessalonica, where Paul preached in the synagogue for three Sabbaths, explaining that Jesus was the Christ who suffered and rose from the dead. Some believed, but the Jews, fueled by jealousy, incited a disturbance and had Jason and other brothers arrested. Paul and Silas were sent away by night to Beroea, where they preached in the synagogue and many believed. However, the Jews from Thessalonica followed them to Beroea, causing Paul to be sent away to Athens, where he preached to the Jews and philosophers, including Epicureans and Stoics, about Jesus and the Resurrection. Paul was brought to the Areopagus, where he preached about the unknown God, explaining that God is the creator of the world and does not live in temples made with hands. Some were derisive, but others believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris.
Chapter 18
Paul met Aquila and Priscilla in Corinth, and they worked together as tentmakers. He preached in the synagogue, but the Jews rejected him, so he turned to the Gentiles. Many Corinthians believed and were baptized, including Crispus, a synagogue leader. Paul was encouraged by a vision from the Lord to continue preaching, and he stayed in Corinth for a year and a half. The Jews brought Paul before the proconsul Gallio, but he refused to judge the matter, and Paul was released. Paul later left Corinth with Priscilla and Aquila, and they arrived in Ephesus, where he preached in the synagogue before continuing his journey.
Chapter 19
Paul met with certain disciples in Ephesus and found they had not received the Holy Spirit, so he baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus and they received the Holy Spirit. Paul then spent three months speaking in the synagogue, but when some became hardened, he separated the disciples and disputed daily in a school of Tyrannus for two years, accomplishing powerful miracles. Some Jewish exorcists attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus but were unsuccessful, and a wicked spirit prevailed against them. Many believers arrived, confessing and announcing their deeds, and burned their books of odd sects. Paul decided to go to Jerusalem and then Rome, but a disturbance occurred concerning the Way of the Lord, led by a silversmith named Demetrius who was concerned about his income from making silver shrines for Diana. The city was filled with confusion, and Paul's companions were seized, but the scribe calmed the crowds and dismissed the assembly.
Chapter 20
Paul traveled through Macedonia and Greece, preaching and exhorting the disciples, before returning to Macedonia due to a plot against him by the Jews. He sailed from Philippi and met with the disciples at Troas, where he preached until midnight, and a young man named Eutychus fell from a window and was revived by Paul. Paul then sailed to Miletus, where he met with the elders of the church at Ephesus and delivered a farewell address, warning them of impending dangers and encouraging them to remain faithful.
Chapter 21
Paul and his companions sailed from Patara to Tyre, where they stayed for seven days and were warned by the disciples not to go to Jerusalem. Despite the warnings, Paul continued on to Jerusalem, where he was met by the brothers and stayed with Philip the evangelist. A prophet named Agabus warned Paul that he would be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and handed over to the Gentiles, but Paul was undeterred. In Jerusalem, Paul met with James and the elders, who asked him to prove his loyalty to the law by participating in a purification ritual with four men who were under a vow. Paul agreed, but was soon recognized by Jews from Asia, who incited a crowd against him, leading to his arrest by the tribune of the cohort.
Chapter 22
Paul, a Jewish man born in Tarsus and educated in Jerusalem, recounts his past as a zealous persecutor of Christians, including his role in the death of Stephen. He describes his conversion experience on the road to Damascus, where he encountered a great light and heard the voice of Jesus, who instructed him to go to Damascus to learn more. Paul obeyed and was healed of his blindness by Ananias, who also told him he would be a witness to Jesus. Paul then recounts his return to Jerusalem, where he was instructed by Jesus to leave the city and preach to the Gentiles. The crowd becomes enraged at Paul's words and he is taken into custody by the Roman tribune, who orders him to be scourged, but stops when he learns Paul is a Roman citizen.
Chapter 23
Paul stood before the council and defended himself, but was ordered to be struck by the high priest Ananias, prompting Paul to rebuke him. Paul then revealed he was a Pharisee and was being judged over the hope and resurrection of the dead, causing a division between the Pharisees and Sadducees. The Lord appeared to Paul and told him to be constant, as he would testify in Rome. A group of Jews plotted to kill Paul, but his nephew discovered their plan and informed the tribune, who then sent Paul to Caesarea under heavy guard to be kept in the praetorium of Herod.
Chapter 24
The high priest Ananias and some elders, along with a speaker named Tertullus, accused Paul before Governor Felix, claiming he was a troublemaker who incited seditions among Jews and attempted to desecrate the temple. Paul defended himself, stating he had done nothing wrong and was being judged for his belief in the resurrection of the dead. Felix, familiar with Christianity, delayed judgment, ordering Paul to be kept under guard but allowed to receive visitors. Felix later had Paul speak to him and his wife about Christianity, but was more interested in receiving a bribe from Paul than in truly understanding the faith.
Chapter 25
Festus, the new governor, arrived in the province and the Jewish leaders petitioned him to bring Paul to Jerusalem, where they planned to ambush and kill him. Festus refused, instead ordering Paul to be kept in Caesarea and inviting the Jewish leaders to present their accusations against him. When the accusations were presented, Paul defended himself, stating he had done nothing wrong against the Jews, the temple, or Caesar. Paul then appealed to Caesar, and Festus agreed to send him to Rome. Later, Festus discussed Paul's case with King Agrippa, who expressed interest in hearing Paul for himself.
Chapter 26
Paul defends himself before King Agrippa, explaining his life as a Pharisee and his persecution of Christians before his conversion experience on the road to Damascus. He recounts how Jesus appeared to him and commissioned him to be a minister and witness to the Gentiles. Paul then describes his subsequent preaching and the Jewish attempts to kill him, but claims he has been aided by God and has spoken nothing beyond what the Prophets and Moses foretold. Festus interrupts, accusing Paul of insanity, but Paul insists he is speaking truth and sobriety, and Agrippa seems persuaded by his words. Ultimately, Agrippa and Festus conclude that Paul has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment, but since he has appealed to Caesar, he must be sent to Rome.
Chapter 27
Paul, along with other prisoners, was put on a ship to Italy under the care of a centurion named Julius. The journey was difficult due to contrary winds, and Paul warned the crew that the voyage would be in danger of injury and damage, but they did not listen. A violent storm arose, and the ship was driven along, with the crew throwing heavy items and equipment overboard in an attempt to lighten the ship. Paul reassured the crew that no lives would be lost, as an angel of God had told him that he would stand before Caesar and that God had given him all those on the ship. The ship eventually ran aground on an island, and the crew and passengers escaped to the land, with the centurion intervening to save Paul's life.
Chapter 28
Paul and his companions were shipwrecked on the island of Malta, where they received kindness from the natives. Paul was bitten by a viper but suffered no ill effects, leading the islanders to initially think he was a murderer and then a god. Paul healed the father of the island's ruler, Publius, and many others, and they were honored and provided for before continuing their journey to Rome. In Rome, Paul was allowed to stay by himself with a soldier to guard him and met with the leaders of the Jews, explaining his situation and preaching about Jesus, but they did not agree and Paul declared that salvation would be sent to the Gentiles.
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