Acts

After Jesus’ resurrection He instructs the disciples, ascends from the Mount of Olives, and they await the promised Spirit; Matthias is chosen to replace Judas among the Twelve.

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit fills the believers with wind and tongues of fire; Peter preaches, explaining the prophecy of Joel, and about 3,000 are baptized, forming a devoted, sharing community.

Peter and John heal a lame beggar at the temple gate ‘Beautiful’; Peter proclaims that faith in Jesus, the rejected ‘Author of life’, brought the miracle, urging repentance for times of refreshing.

Temple authorities arrest Peter and John but can’t deny the healed man; the apostles boldly declare salvation in Jesus’ name; believers pray for courage, share possessions, and Barnabas sells land to give.

Ananias and Sapphira lie about their gift and fall dead; apostles perform signs, are jailed, but freed by an angel; they insist on obeying God over men and rejoice after being flogged for preaching Jesus.

Seven Spirit-filled men (including Stephen and Philip) are appointed to oversee daily food distribution, freeing the apostles for prayer and the word; Stephen’s wisdom provokes opposition and false accusations.

Stephen recounts Israel’s history, accuses the council of resisting the Spirit and killing the Righteous One; enraged, they stone him—he sees Jesus at God’s right hand and prays for his murderers as he dies.

Persecution scatters believers; Philip proclaims Christ in Samaria, confronts Simon the magician, and leads an Ethiopian official to faith through Isaiah 53; the Spirit carries Philip to continue preaching.

Saul, persecutor of the church, encounters the risen Jesus on the Damascus road, regains sight via Ananias, and is baptized; churches enjoy peace; Peter heals Aeneas and raises Tabitha in Joppa.

Cornelius, a Gentile centurion, is directed by an angel; Peter’s vision of clean and unclean animals leads him to preach in Cornelius’s house; the Spirit falls on Gentiles, who are then baptized.

Peter defends Gentile inclusion to Jerusalem believers; the scattered church in Antioch sees many Greeks converted; Barnabas and Saul teach there, and disciples are first called ‘Christians’; aid sent to Judea.

Herod Agrippa kills James and imprisons Peter, but an angel frees him; Herod accepts divine praise and is struck dead; the word grows, and Barnabas and Saul return from delivering relief gifts.

The Spirit sends Barnabas and Saul (Paul) on the first missionary journey; in Cyprus Paul blinds Elymas the sorcerer; in Pisidian Antioch Paul preaches justification by faith, and Gentiles rejoice while Jews oppose.

In Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe the apostles experience both belief and persecution; crowds mistake them for gods after a healing, then stone Paul; they appoint elders in new churches and report back to Antioch.

Jerusalem Council debates circumcision for Gentiles; Peter, Paul, and James affirm salvation by grace, sending a letter with minimal requirements; Paul and Barnabas part ways, Paul choosing Silas for mission.

Timothy joins Paul; a vision leads them to Macedonia where Lydia is converted; Paul and Silas free a slave girl from a spirit, are jailed, sing hymns, an earthquake opens doors, and the jailer’s family believes.

In Thessalonica and Berea Paul reasons from Scripture; Bereans examine the word eagerly; in Athens he addresses philosophers at the Areopagus, proclaiming the ‘unknown God’ and the resurrection.

In Corinth Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla, stays 18 months, and is brought before Gallio who dismisses the case; Apollos, eloquent in Ephesus, is instructed more accurately by Aquila and Priscilla.

Paul’s ministry in Ephesus brings extraordinary miracles; exorcists fail invoking Jesus; many burn occult books; silversmith Demetrius incites a riot over Artemis, but the city clerk calms the crowd.

Through Macedonia Paul encourages churches; in Troas he raises Eutychus who fell from a window; at Miletus he bids farewell to Ephesian elders, warning of future wolves and commending them to God’s grace.

Despite prophetic warnings, Paul travels to Jerusalem; Jews accuse him of defiling the temple, causing a riot; Roman tribune arrests him, and Paul addresses the crowd in Hebrew.

Paul recounts his conversion to the crowd; they reject him as he mentions Gentiles; about to be flogged, he asserts Roman citizenship, and the tribune fears for binding him.

Before the Sanhedrin Paul causes division over resurrection; Jesus assures him he will testify in Rome; a plot to kill Paul is exposed, and he is escorted by night to Governor Felix in Caesarea.

Paul defends himself before Felix against accusations of sedition; Felix, hoping for a bribe, often converses with Paul but leaves him imprisoned for two years until succeeded by Festus.

Festus hears the case; Paul appeals to Caesar; King Agrippa II and Bernice visit, and Festus presents Paul’s situation seeking charges fit for the emperor.

Before Agrippa Paul testifies of his life, conversion, and mission; Agrippa says Paul almost persuades him to be a Christian; they agree Paul could be freed if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.

Paul sails for Rome; a storm drives the ship for 14 days; Paul encourages all, foretells survival, and the shipwreck on Malta where all 276 persons reach shore safely.

On Malta Paul survives a viper bite and heals many; in Rome he meets Jewish leaders, explains the gospel; some believe, others reject; he preaches boldly for two years, proclaiming the kingdom unhindered.