And it proposes to show the continuation of all that jesus began both to do and teach. Hopefully, youve had a chance to complete the suggested assignments in our bible study of acts orientation. The book of acts, sometimes called the fifth gospel, is a continuation of the gospel of luke. Understanding the book of acts in the bible learn religions. Peter summarizes the life, crucifixion, and resurrection of jesus. All of the churchs activity can be found in the book of acts. Complete bible timeline links interlinear bible bible commentaries bible lexicon topical bible bible summary bible outline bible timeline childrens bible bible hub homepage. Sir william ramsay, after making a critical study of lukes writings, declared that luke was the greatest historian, ancient or modern. 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. 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. Book of acts explained the acts of the apostles is a unique and therefore crucial book of the new testament. Doughty southside christian church january 2014 introduction.
The book of acts is thoroughly missional, steve walton explains in a spirituality of acts p. The book of acts tells how the multiethnic, international. The key personalities of acts are peter, paul, john, james, stephen, barnabas, timothy, lydia, silas, and apollos. The acts of the apostles, abbreviation acts, fifth book of the new testament, a valuable history of the early christian church.
In this video i want to share with you an overview of the book of acts. This commentary is based upon my personal devotional notes and reflections on the book of acts. Luke records many examples of conversion in the book of acts e. An overview of the book of acts the life of the early church is recorded and preserved for us in the book of acts and the epistles. The title of the book of acts comes from the greek word praxis, a word often used in early christian literature to describe the great deeds of the apostles or other. Mar 04, 20 the esv study bible includes maps on many of the pages in the book of acts that help illustrate the various places mentioned in acts and routes taken by the apostles as they proclaim the gospel. Verse 1 luke referred to his gospel here as my first book. This summary of the book of acts provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of acts.
A journey through the book of acts overview lesson. Luke was from antioch but traveled with paul all over southern europe and the middle east. Starting your free trial of bible gateway plus is easy. Bible study tips for the book of acts unlocking the bible. In this passage, luke is restating the great commission challenge jesus gave in luke 24. The acts of the apostles is a unique and therefore crucial book of the new testament. A commentary on the acts of the apostles by pastor galen l. For assurance of our own salvation, we can compare our own conversion experience with those in acts. This page will be updated as the posts are published. This page is the index to our series of lesson plans that follow the book of acts. The book focuses primarily on the acts of two apostles, peter and paul. The book of acts is the link between the gospels and the epistles.
It will help to keep the whole of the book before you as you work your way through each section. The title as we know it comes from the second century and only partially discloses the theme of the document. The author of acts had written a former account of jesus life. 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. Acts concerns the very vital period in christian history between the resurrection of jesus and the death of the apostle paul, the time when christian ideas and beliefs were. The book of acts, which continues the narrative that luke began in his gospel, is especially important because it was the first written history of the christian church. Acts 15 niv the council at jerusalem certain bible gateway. While it may be tempting to skip ahead and dive right in to studying the passages in. Its subject and intention is nicely summarised by the words of the lord in chapter 1. In writing the book of acts, luke traces the expansion of the christian movement from its earliest beginnings to the time when it reached worldwide proportions.
These lessons were designed for older elementary children, but you could modify them for a broader range of kids. As such, it provides us with a valuable account of how the church was able to grow and spread out from jerusalem into the rest of the roman empire. Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by moses, you cannot be saved. Perhaps luke was using it to mean any christian reader. Summary and overview t he book of acts in the bible, written around 6263 a. For the following reasons, luke is generally considered to be the inspired author of acts.
Although the author does not name himself, evidence outside the scriptures and inferences from the book itself lead to the conclusion that the author. The gospel of luke, as well as the book of acts, is addressed to a certain theophilus cf luke 1. Before jesus was taken into heaven where he was enthroned to share gods rule over the world, he instructed his followers to be a witness for him. It is not a record of all of the acts of all of the apostles, but of just some of the acts of some of the apostles.
An overview of the book of acts, which provides an introduction to the apostles and gives a brief summary of the leaders, peter and paul, as well as the other apostles. Introduction to the book of acts study resources blue letter bible. Luke is the writer, as he states in his introduction v. In the first verse of the book of acts the author mentions the fact that he has already written an earlier report concerning all things which jesus began both to do and to teach, until that day in which he was taken up. Youre already logged in with your bible gateway account. Here is a summary and overview of the book of acts. Acts is the only biblical book that chronicles the history of the church immediately after jesuss ascension. And on this account it has been generally placed at the end of the four gospels. We read of the evangelistic methods and message of the early apostles and preachers 3. 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.
Book of acts overview insight for living ministries. Acts 1 niv bible in my former book, theophilus, i wrote. This is the story of christianitys beginnings and how evangelism played. Acts free bible commentary on the book of acts in easy. The book of the acts of the apostles forms the fifth, and last, of the historical books of the new testament.
The next step is to enter your payment information. It alone presents an extensive picture of early church life and history. But ye will receive power, the holy spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be my witnesses both in jerusalem and in all judaea and samaria and to the end of the earth. Other sources can only be inferred from internal evidencethe traditional explanation of the three we passages, for example, is that they represent eyewitness. Acts free bible commentary on the book of acts in easy english. It opens with a greeting to theophilus, who was also the intended recipient of lukes gospel. Jan 02, 2020 the emphasis of the book is the fulfillment of the great commission.
Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. He says that the gift of tongues is given to prophets. The following outline is intended to be used while studying the book. Acts 15 new international version niv the council at jerusalem.
It is intended to help you better understand some of the background and issues in lukes second volume. The books of acts and luke are both addressed to whom. This video explains the transitional book that is the book of acts, and how it starts with jews to jews, and slowly changes to gentiles, as the jewish nation as a. Book of acts versebyverse bible study and indepth commentary of the acts of the apostles 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. Luke was keenly aware of the way in which christianity was being attacked by enemies of the movement, and he wanted to present the story of its development in a most favorable light. As such, it provides us with a valuable account of how. The offering sent by barnabas and saul to the jerusalem elders. The book of acts is also the history of the birth, the founding, and the spread of the church from jerusalem to rome. In acts, he told how the good news about jesus christ spread. Commentary on the book of acts bible study lessons. Pauls epistles, as many circumstances in them are referred to by the narrative contained. The book of acts sheds light on the gift of the holy spirit, who empowers, guides, teaches, and serves as our counselor.
Acts was written in greek, presumably by the evangelist luke, whose gospel concludes where acts begins, namely, with christs ascension into heaven. Jesus sends the holy spirit to empower his disciples as they carry the good news of his kingdom to the nations of the world. The book begins with the ascension of jesus and goes on through pauls jail time in rome, which opens his ministry to the church at rome. A personal catastrophe does not explain it either because luke already wrote enough to fill his scroll. Acts with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. In these next few lessons, were are going to be diving into some background material for acts.
In acts, jesus sends the holy spirit to empower his disciples as they carry. In this book we see the first mention of the dispensation of the holy spirit and jesus command to take his gospel to all the world. In only three decades, a small group of frightened believers in jerusalem transformed. Acts is the second book in the history that luke wrote. The book of acts is an important book for understanding the actions of the apostles, mostly paul and peter, after jesuss ascension into heaven.
Oct 04, 2016 watch our overview video on the book of acts, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Watch our overview video on the book of acts, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. Acts is a history of the early church and of the spread of the gospel note 1. This will help you place yourself in the shoes or sandals of the apostles and understand the kindness of god in the gospel being for all people.