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Introduction To

The

Acts

of the Apostles

Acts is unique among the NT writings, in that its main purpose is to record a selective history of the early church following the resurrection of Christ. It is the second part of a two-volume work, with the Gospel of Luke being the first volume. Both books are dedicated to a person named Theophilus, and Acts 1:1 explicitly refers back to Luke's Gospel.

Author

Both the Gospel of Luke and Acts are anonymous, but the earliest discussions attribute them to Luke. The name "Luke" appears only three times in the NT: Colossians 4:14; 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24. All three references are in epistles written by Paul from prison, and all three mention Luke's presence with Paul.

The earliest discussion of the authorship of Luke and Acts is from Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyons in Gaul, writing in the late second century. He attributes the books to Luke, the coworker of Paul, and notes that the occurrence of the first-person narrative ("we") throughout the later chapters of Acts (starting at 16:10) indicates that the author of Acts was a companion of Paul and present with him on these occasions. These "we" passages in Acts are the key to the authorship of both Acts and the Gospel of Luke.

Colossians 4:14 indicates that Luke was a physician, and attempts have been made to bolster Lukan authorship by arguing that Luke and Acts use technical medical language. This does not seem to be the case, as Luke seems to have avoided technical language in order to communicate plainly to his readers, but his detailed description of illnesses perhaps reflects his interests as a physician (cf. Acts 28:8). In addition, all the external evidence refers to Luke as the author.

Other than the three NT references, nothing certain is known of Luke. Early traditions link him with Antioch, but that is probably based on the reference in Acts 13:1 to "Lucius," which is a Latin name. "Luke" is a Greek name, and both books are written in excellent Greek. His thorough acquaintance with the OT may reflect that Luke was a converted God-fearer (a Gentile who attended the Jewish synagogue) or Jewish proselyte (convert), though he could have gained his biblical knowledge after becoming a Christian.

Date

Some scholars date Acts c. a.d. 70. This assumes that Acts was written after the Gospel of Luke (Acts 1:1) and that Luke used the Gospel of Mark as one of his sources (Luke 1:1-2). (Early tradition has Mark's Gospel written after Peter's death, which most likely occurred in the mid-60s.) Others date Acts in the 70s or 80s. They hold that the primary purpose of Acts was to give an account of how and where the gospel spread, rather than to be a defense of Paul's ministry (thus accounting for the omission of the events at the end of his life). Thus the gospel spread to "the end of the earth" (1:9)--that is, to Rome, which represented the end of the earth as the center of world power. But a number of scholars date Acts as early as a.d. 62, basing their view primarily on the abrupt ending of the book. Since Acts ends with Paul in Rome under house arrest, awaiting his trial before Caesar (28:30-31), it would seem strange if Luke knew about Paul's release (a proof of his innocence), possibly about his defense before Caesar (fulfilling 27:24), and about his preaching the gospel as far as Spain (cf. note on 28:30-31), but then did not mention these events at the end of Acts. It seems most likely, then, that the abrupt ending is an indication that Luke wrote Acts c. a.d. 62, before these events occurred.

Theme

In Acts, believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bear witness to the good news of Jesus Christ among both Jews and Gentiles, and in doing this they establish the church. In addition to this, Acts explains how Christianity, although it is new, is in reality the one true religion, rooted in God's promises from the beginning of time. In the ancient world it was important that a religion be shown to have stood the test of time. Thus Luke presents the church as the fulfillment and extension of God's promises.

Timeline

Text

The early manuscripts of Acts have a greater variety of readings than any other NT book. This is reflected in the ESV footnotes that provide alternative readings, as well as the absence of whole verses in some instances (8:37; 15:34; 24:7; 28:29). The greatest diversity is shown by a group of manuscripts that scholars refer to as the "Western text," an early version of Acts that is about ten percent longer than the other texts. Its main difference from the others is in providing additional detail and smoothing out the narrative. No standard English translation follows the Western text. Some of its more interesting readings are provided in the ESV footnotes, such as the note about the hours when Paul preached in the hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus (19:9).

Distinctive Features

Though Acts has much in common with the Gospels, it has a number of unique features. One of these is its genre: it is the only NT book that tells about the ministry of the apostles, hence its traditional name, "The Acts of the Apostles." It deals primarily with two of them, Peter and Paul. Often Luke shows how events in their ministries parallel each other and the ministry of Jesus as well.

Among the unique features of Acts are the frequent summaries, where Luke provides a broad generalization about the life of the church at a particular time or place, such as the common life after Pentecost (2:42-47), the early Christian sharing of goods (4:32-35), and the apostolic miracles (5:12-16). Sometimes the summaries are much briefer, such as the single verse that sums up Paul's ministry of more than two years in Ephesus (19:10). Luke's usual method of presenting the Christians' ministry is more "episodic," highlighting individual incidents that illustrate their work, giving it greater liveliness and interest. For instance, at Ephesus this includes the conversion of some disciples of John the Baptist (19:1-7), the "backfiring" exorcism of the sons of Sceva (19:13-16), and the riot occasioned by the silversmith Demetrius (19:23-41).

The most distinctive feature in Acts is the speeches or sermons, constituting nearly a third of the total text of Acts (see chart). Ten of these are major: three by Peter (2:14-36; 3:11-26; 10:34-43), one by Stephen (7:1-53), and six by Paul. Three of Paul's are defense speeches in Jerusalem and Caesarea (22:1-21; 24:10-21; 26:1-29). The other three consist of one speech on each of Paul's missionary journeys, each to a different type of assembly: to Jews on his first journey (13:16-47), to Gentiles on his second (17:22-31), and to Christians on his third (20:18-35). Many shorter testimonies run throughout Acts (e.g., 5:29-32; 14:15-17). All are primarily a witness to Christ in one form or another. Much of the theological material of Acts is to be found in these speeches.

Another distinctive feature of Acts is its journey narratives. Often these are only lists of stopping places or ports that are passed by (e.g., 16:6-8; 20:14-15; 21:2-3). These give the impression of the Christian missionaries being constantly on the move and are the main reason for giving Paul's ministry the label of "journeys." In fact, that label best applies to the first of Paul's missions (chs. 13-14). The others consisted mainly of more lengthy stays in the major cities (e.g., Corinth, Ephesus).

Key Themes

The major themes of Acts can be placed under the general category of "witness," as set forth in the thematic verse (Acts 1:8).

1. The witness is worldwide--Judea, Samaria, the "end of the earth."	1:8
2. The witness is inclusive of all kinds of people: Jews, Gentiles, Samaritans, the physically handicapped, pagan mountain people, a prominent merchant woman, a jailer and his family, Greek philosophers, governors, and kings.	chs. 2-5; 8:4-40; 10:1-11:18; 14:8-18; 16:11-15, 25-34; 17:22-31; 24:24-27; 26:1-29
3. The witness is guided by the providence of God, who preserves his witnesses for their testimony through all sorts of threats: murderous plots, angry mobs, storms at sea, and constant trials before the authorities, to name only a few.	4:5-22; 18:12-16; 19:23-41; 23:12-22; 24:1-23; 27:21-26
4. On the other hand, faithful witnesses must be prepared to suffer, even to die for their testimony to Christ.	5:41-42; 7:54-60
5. The power behind the witness is the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is granted to all believers, both male and female, whom he empowers for witness. The Spirit guides witnesses in moments of special inspiration and is behind every advance in the Christian mission.	1:8; 2:1-13, 18, 38; 4:8; 7:55; 8:17; 10:44; 13:2-12; 19:6, 21
6. In the early days, the witness was often accompanied by "signs and wonders," the "wonders" being the miracles worked by the apostles, which served as "signs" pointing to the truth of the gospel. Miracles usually opened a door for witness.	e.g., ch. 3
7. Effective witness demands the unity of the church.	2:42-47; 4:32-37; 5:12-14
8. A key component of the witness is the resurrection of Jesus. For the Jews the resurrection demonstrated that Jesus was the promised Messiah. For the Gentiles it pointed to his role as judge and established their need to repent.	1:22; 2:22-36; 17:30-31
9. Acceptance of the message borne by the witnesses depends both on human response and on the divine sovereignty behind the response.	e.g., 2:47; 11:18; 13:48
10. The OT Scriptures point to the death and resurrection of Christ, and the prophecies that point to Christ and to his followers must be fulfilled (1:16).	(The numerous OT citations in the sermons of Acts illustrate this point.)
11. The witness to the gospel calls for a response. Most speeches in Acts end with some sort of invitation. Representative of this is Paul's exchange with Agrippa II.	26:27-29
12. The response called for is repentance of one's sins in the name of Christ, which brings forgiveness of sins.	e.g., 2:38
13. Witnesses must always maintain integrity before the world. In Acts this is illustrated by the many remarks from the authorities about the Christians giving no evidence of any wrongdoing.	18:12-15; 23:29; 25:18; 26:31-32
14. Christian witnesses continue the ministry that Christ "began" (1:1). This is illustrated throughout Acts with the many implicit parallels between the experiences of the apostles and those of Christ: his miracles, the forebodings of his journey to Jerusalem, the cry of the angry Jewish mob for his death, and his trial before the governor and the king.	20:36-21:16 (cf. Luke 9:22; 13:31-34; 18:31-34); 21:36; 22:21 (cf. Luke 23:18); 24:1-26:32 (cf. Luke 23:1-25)
15. Faithful witness brings great results. Acts is all about the victory of the Christian gospel. The witness brings results among both Jews and Gentiles. The book ends on this note, with Paul bearing his faithful witness to "all" who came to him in Rome.	4:4; 11:20-21; 13:48-49; 17:4; 18:6-11; 21:20; 28:30-31

Purpose, Occasion, and Background

Luke's stated purpose for both of his books is provided at the beginning of the first (Luke 1:1-4). He had a historian's interest in providing an "orderly account" of "the things that have been accomplished among us." One would assume the latter statement applied both to the ministry of Jesus (the gospel) and to that of the early church (Acts). Dedicating the work to Theophilus, he wanted him to have "certainty" (a firm foundation) for what he had been taught. The exact nature of Luke's purpose depends on how one identifies Theophilus. He evidently had already been instructed in the Christian way and may have been a new convert or a seeker on the verge of commitment. Since "Theophilus" means "lover of God," it is also possible that Luke is challenging the devotion of his readers rather than addressing his book to just one of them.

Luke probably had a number of purposes for writing Acts. These are best determined through the emphases or themes found throughout the book.

History of Salvation Summary

After his ascension (1:9; cf. Ps. 68:18; Eph. 4:9-10) Jesus sends the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28-32) to empower the apostles as witnesses (Acts 1:8), to spread the message of the gospel (Isa. 52:7), and to draw to himself people from the nations (Matt. 28:19). (For an explanation of the "History of Salvation," see the Overview of the Bible.)

Literary Features

The book of Acts is a small anthology of individual literary genres. The list includes hero story, adventure story, travel story, conversion story, and miracle story. Drama also figures prominently: there are 32 speeches in Acts.

Following the story line becomes easy when one realizes that the book of Acts is structured on a cyclic principle in which a common pattern keeps getting repeated: (1) Christian leaders arise and preach the gospel; (2) listeners are converted and added to the church; (3) opponents (often Jewish but sometimes Gentile) begin to persecute the Christian leaders; and (4) God intervenes to rescue the leaders or otherwise protect the church. While this pattern is most obvious in the first half of the book, it extends in modified form to the journeys of Paul, whose repeated buffetings are followed by the expansion of the church.

The book of Acts is noteworthy for its narrative qualities. It is the report of an adventure, replete with arrests, imprisonments, beatings, riots, narrow escapes, a resurrection from death, a shipwreck, trial scenes, and rescues.

Places play a key role in Acts. The places that matter most are the great cities of the Mediterranean region in the first century. Geography assumes a symbolic as well as literal importance, as Jerusalem, where the story begins, symbolizes the Jewish religion from which Christianity emerged, and Rome, where the story ends, symbolizes the Gentile world to which Christianity gravitates as the early history of the church unfolds.

Out of a large body of available data, storytellers select the details that fit their design and purpose. It is a plausible premise that sometimes Luke chose to give representative examples of categories of experiences: examples of miraculous healings that were no doubt duplicated many times (e.g., 3:1-10; 19:11-12), a specimen of preaching in the temple (3:11-26) and preaching to Greek intellectuals (17:16-34), an example of a martyrdom (ch. 7), and instances of individuals being converted (e.g., a Jew in 9:1-19 and an Ethiopian in 8:26-38) and of groups being converted (e.g., in Jerusalem in 2:37-41 and in Greek Ephesus in 19:17-20).

The Setting of Acts

c. a.d. 30-60

The book of Acts records the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome, thus fulfilling the risen Christ's words to his apostles in Acts 1:8.

Outline

Preparation for Witness (1:1-2:13)
1. Jesus prepares the disciples (1:1-5)
2. Jesus ascends (1:6-11)
3. Matthias replaces Judas (1:12-26)
4. The Spirit descends at Pentecost (2:1-13)
The Witness in Jerusalem (2:14-5:42)
1. Peter preaches at Pentecost (2:14-41)
2. The Christian community shares a life in common (2:42-47)
3. Peter heals a lame man (3:1-10)
4. Peter preaches in the temple square (3:11-26)
5. Peter and John witness before the Jewish council (4:1-22)
6. The Christian community prays for boldness in witness (4:23-31)
7. The community shares together (4:32-5:16)
8. The apostles appear before the council (5:17-42)
The Witness beyond Jerusalem (6:1-12:25)
1. Seven chosen to serve the Hellenist widows (6:1-7)
2. Stephen bears the ultimate witness (6:8-8:3)
  1. The arrest of Stephen (6:8-15)
  2. Stephen's address before the Sanhedrin (7:1-53)
  3. The martyrdom of Stephen (7:54-8:3)
3. Philip witnesses beyond Jerusalem (8:4-40)
  1. Witness to the Samaritans (8:4-25)
  2. Witness to an Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40)
4. The conversion of Saul (9:1-31)
  1. Saul's encounter with Christ (9:1-9)
  2. Saul's encounter with Ananias (9:10-19a)
  3. Saul's witness in Damascus and Jerusalem (9:19b-31)
5. Peter preaches in the coastal towns (9:32-11:18)
  1. Healing of Aeneas and Dorcas (9:32-43)
  2. Conversion of Cornelius (10:1-48)
  3. Peter's testimony in Jerusalem (11:1-18)
6. The Antioch church witnesses to Gentiles (11:19-26)
7. The offering for Jerusalem (11:27-30)
8. The Jerusalem church is persecuted (12:1-25)
  1. The death of James (12:1-5)
  2. Peter's deliverance from prison (12:6-19)
  3. The death of Herod Agrippa I (12:20-25)
The Witness in Cyprus and Southern Galatia (13:1-14:28)
1. The Antioch church commissions Paul and Barnabas (13:1-3)
2. Paul and Barnabas witness on Cyprus (13:4-12)
3. Paul preaches in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch (13:13-41)
4. Paul turns to the Gentiles (13:42-52)
5. Paul and Barnabas are rejected at Iconium (14:1-7)
6. The two missionaries witness in Lystra (14:8-23)
7. Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (14:24-28)
The Jerusalem Council (15:1-35)
1. The circumcision party criticizes the Gentile mission (15:1-5)
2. Peter defends Paul (15:6-11)
3. James proposes a solution (15:12-21)
4. A letter is sent to Antioch (15:22-35)
The Witness in Greece (15:36-18:22)
1. Paul and Barnabas differ over Mark (15:36-41)
2. Timothy joins Paul and is circumcised (16:1-5)
3. Paul is called to Macedonia (16:6-10)
4. Paul witnesses in Philippi (16:11-40)
  1. Conversion of Lydia (16:11-15)
  2. Imprisonment of Paul and Silas (16:16-24)
  3. Conversion of the jailer (16:25-34)
  4. Release of Paul and Silas (16:35-40)
5. Paul witnesses in Thessalonica (17:1-9)
6. Paul witnesses in Berea (17:10-15)
7. Paul witnesses in Athens (17:16-34)
  1. Witness in the marketplace (17:16-21)
  2. Witness before the Areopagus (17:22-34)
8. Paul witnesses in Corinth (18:1-22)
The Witness in Ephesus (18:23-21:16)
1. Priscilla and Aquila instruct Apollos (18:23-28)
2. Paul encounters disciples of John (19:1-10)
3. Paul encounters false religion at Ephesus (19:11-22)
4. Paul experiences violent opposition at Ephesus (19:23-41)
5. Paul completes his ministry in Greece (20:1-6)
6. Paul travels to Miletus (20:7-16)
7. Paul addresses the Ephesian elders at Miletus (20:17-35)
8. Paul journeys to Jerusalem (20:36-21:16)
The Arrest in Jerusalem (21:17-23:35)
1. Paul participates in a Nazirite ceremony (21:17-26)
2. An angry mob attacks Paul (21:27-39)
3. Paul addresses the Jewish crowd (21:40-22:21)
4. Paul reveals his Roman citizenship (22:22-29)
5. Paul appears before the Sanhedrin (22:30-23:11)
6. Zealous Jews plot against Paul (23:12-22)
7. Paul is delivered to the governor Felix (23:23-35)
The Witness in Caesarea (24:1-26:32)
1. Paul appears before Felix (24:1-27)
2. Paul appeals to Caesar (25:1-12)
3. Festus presents the case to King Agrippa II (25:13-22)
4. Paul witnesses to Agrippa II (25:23-26:32)
The Witness in Rome (27:1-28:31)
1. Paul journeys to Rome by sea (27:1-44)
2. Paul witnesses on Malta (28:1-10)
3. Paul arrives in Rome (28:11-16)
4. Paul witnesses to the Jews in Rome (28:17-31)

Maps, Diagrams, and Illustrations

Acts 1:8

Text	Region Named	Narrative of Ministry There
Acts 1:8: you will be my witnesses	in Jerusalem	Acts 1-7
	in all Judea and Samaria	Acts 8-12
	to the end of the earth	Acts 13-28

Nations at Pentecost

c. a.d. 30

Pentecost attracted Jews from all over the world to Jerusalem to celebrate the annual festival. Those who heard the apostles' message in their native languages at Pentecost came from various regions within the two great competing empires of the day--the Roman Empire and the Parthian Empire--with Jerusalem near the center.

Major Sermons in Acts

Speaker	Text	Audience
Peter	2:14-36	Jews in Jerusalem
	3:11-26	Jews in Jerusalem
	10:34-43	Cornelius's household
Stephen	7:1-53	Jews in Jerusalem
Paul	13:16-47	Jews in Pisidian Antioch
	17:22-31	Greeks in Athens
	20:18-35	Church elders in Ephesus
	22:1-21	Jews in Jerusalem
	24:10-21	Felix and his court
	26:1-29	Agrippa and his court

The Progress of God's Word in Acts

6:7	And the word of God continued to increase.
12:24	But the word of God increased and multiplied.
13:49	And the word of the Lord was spreading throughout the whole region.
19:20	So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

The Ministry of Philip the Evangelist

c. a.d. 34?

Philip, a leader in the church in Jerusalem, began his evangelistic ministry in Sebaste (also called Samaria). God then led him south toward Gaza, where he explained the gospel to a God-fearing Ethiopian royal official. Afterwards Philip was transported by God to Azotus, where he preached and continued his ministry up to Caesarea.

Paul's (Saul's) Conversion and Early Travels

c. a.d. 35-39

As Paul approached Damascus to arrest followers of the Way, Jesus appeared to him (1). Galatians 1:17 makes it clear that soon after this Paul spent time in Arabia (2, 3) before going to meet church leaders in Jerusalem (4). When some believers learned of a plot to kill Paul in Jerusalem, they took him to Caesarea, and he returned to his hometown of Tarsus (5).

Major Events in the Life of the Apostle Paul

a.d. 5-10?	Born in Tarsus as an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin and a Roman citizen (Acts 22:3, 28; Rom. 11:1; Phil. 3:5); raised in either Jerusalem (Acts 22:3?) or Tarsus
15-20?	Trained as a Pharisee by Gamaliel I (Acts 22:3; 26:5; Gal. 1:14; Phil. 3:5-6)
30/33†	Death, resurrection of Christ
31-34	Present at Stephen's stoning; persecuted Christians (Acts 7:58; 8:1; 22:4a; 26:9-11; 1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; Phil. 3:6)
33/34*	Converted, called, and commissioned on the way to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19; 22:6-11; 26:12-18; Gal. 1:15-16)
33/34-36/37	Stays in Damascus a short time (Acts 9:19b); leaves for "Arabia" (i.e., Nabataean Kingdom; 2 Cor. 11:32; Gal. 1:17); returns to Damascus (Gal. 1:17; Acts 9:20-22?); Jews and the governor under King Aretas try to arrest and kill him; Paul escapes through the city wall (Acts 9:23-24; 2 Cor. 11:32-33)
36/37*	Meets with Peter (and sees James) in Jerusalem (Acts 9:26-30; Gal. 1:18) Hellenists seek to kill him and he flees to Tarsus (Acts 9:28-30; Gal. 1:21)
37-45	Ministers in Syria/Cilicia (2 Cor. 11:22-27?)
42-44	Receives his "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7-9)
44	Herod Agrippa I dies (Acts 12:20-23)
44-47*	Spends a year ministering with Barnabas in Antioch (Acts 11:25-26) Second Visit to Jerusalem; time of famine (Acts 11:27-30; Gal. 2:1-10)
46-47	First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4-14:26): 1.5 years?
48*	Paul and Barnabas spend "no little time" in Antioch (Acts 14:28; cf. Gal. 2:11-14); Paul writes letter to the Galatians
48-49*	Returns to Jerusalem for the apostolic council (Acts 15); Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (Acts 15:30-33), but a dispute over John Mark causes them to part ways (Acts 15:36-41)
48/49-51*	Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:36-18:22): 2.5 years?
49	Edict of Claudius (Acts 18:2) Paul and Silas travel to southern Galatia through Asia Minor, on to Macedonia (notably Philippi [1 Thess. 2:2]); Thessalonica [1 Thess. 2:2; Phil. 4:15-16]; and Berea [Acts 17:10-15]), and then Achaia (notably Athens [1 Thess. 3:1] and Corinth [2 Cor. 11:7-9])
49-51*	Spends 1.5 years in Corinth (Acts 18:11); appears before Gallio (Acts 18:12-17); writes 1 and 2 Thessalonians
51	Returns to Jerusalem? (Acts 18:22)
52-57*	Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18:23-21:17): 5 years?
52	Travels to Antioch, where he spends "some time"; then travels through Galatia and Phrygia (Acts 18:23)
52-55	Arrives in Ephesus (Acts 19:1; 1 Cor. 16:8); ministers there for three years (Acts 20:31) and writes 1 Corinthians in the spring, near the end of his ministry there; makes brief, "painful visit" to Corinth (2 Cor. 2:1), then returns to Ephesus and writes "tearful, severe letter" (now lost) to Corinth (2 Cor. 2:3-4; 7:8-16)
55-56*	Travels north to Macedonia, where he meets Titus (Acts 20:1; cf. 2 Cor. 2:12-13); writes 2 Corinthians
57*	Winters in Corinth (Acts 20:2-3; cf. 2 Cor. 9:4), writes letter to the Romans from Corinth; travels to Jerusalem and is arrested (Acts 21:27-36)
57-59	Imprisonment transferred to Caesarea, where he stays for two years (Acts 24:27)
60*	Voyage to Rome; shipwrecked for three months on the island of Malta (Acts 28:11); finally arrives in Rome
62*	Under house-arrest in Rome (Acts 28:30-31), writes Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon
62-67	Released from house-arrest in Rome, extends his mission (Spain?), writes 1 Timothy (from Macedonia?) and Titus (from Nicopolis); is rearrested, writes 2 Timothy from Rome shortly before his execution
64-67*	Martyred in Rome

* denotes approximate date; / signifies either/or; † see The Date of Jesus' Crucifixion

Peter's Early Ministry

c. a.d. 39?

The apostle Peter traveled to the crossroads town of Lydda and healed a paralyzed man, leading many in that region to turn to the Lord. Later Peter traveled to Joppa and raised a woman from the dead. While Peter was staying at the house of Simon, a tanner in Joppa, the Roman centurion Cornelius sent for him to come to Caesarea.

The Kingdom of Herod Agrippa I

c. a.d. 41

Largely due to his influential friendships with the Roman emperors Gaius (Caligula) and Claudius, Herod Agrippa I, a grandson of Herod the Great, pieced together what was essentially his grandfather's old kingdom plus the region of Abilene to the north. He wielded great power over the whole region of Palestine, as well as Syria, including Tyre and Sidon.

Paul's First Missionary Journey (Acts 13:4-14:26)

c. a.d. 46-47

Barnabas and Paul first visited Barnabas's home region of Cyprus before sailing to the southern region of Asia Minor. When they reached Perga in Pamphylia, John Mark left the group and returned to Jerusalem. Making their way to Antioch (in Pisidia), Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe, Paul and Barnabas were driven out of each city by jealous Jewish religious leaders. Later they returned by the same route, strengthening the new churches as they went. From Attalia they set sail for their home in Antioch of Syria.

Itinerary of Paul's First Journey

City	Province/Region	Reference
Antioch	Syria	13:1-3
Seleucia	Syria	13:4
Salamis	Cyprus	13:5
Paphos	Cyprus	13:6-12
Perga	Lycia (region of Pamphylia)	13:13
Antioch	Galatia (region of Pisidia)	13:14-52
Iconium	Galatia	14:1-6
Lystra	Galatia (region of Lycaonia)	14:6, 8-19
Derbe	Galatia (region of Lycaonia)	14:6, 20-21

Lystra	Galatia (region of Lycaonia)	14:21-23
Iconium	Galatia	14:21-23
Antioch	Galatia (region of Pisidia)	14:24
Perga	Lycia (region of Pamphylia)	14:24-25
Attalia	Lycia	14:25
Antioch	Syria	14:26-28

God's Sovereignty in Salvation as Seen in Acts

God ordained the cross	God calls, adds, and appoints many to eternal life	God gives faith and repentance; God cleanses and opens hearts
2:23 "Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God" 3:18 "what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled" 4:27-28 "there were gathered together . . . Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, to do whatever your hand . . . had predestined to take place"	2:39 "the promise is to . . . everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself" 2:41 "there were added that day about three thousand souls" 2:47 "the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" 5:14 "believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women" 11:24 "a great many people were added to the Lord" 13:48 "as many as were appointed to eternal life believed"	3:16 "the faith that is through Jesus" 5:31 "God exalted him . . . to give repentance to Israel" 11:18 "to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life" 15:8-9 "God . . . having cleansed their hearts by faith" 16:14 "The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul" 18:27 "those who through grace had believed"

Paul's Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15:36-18:22)

c. a.d. 49-51

Paul and Silas revisited the places in Asia Minor where Paul had preached on his first journey (cf. map), while Barnabas took John Mark and sailed to Cyprus. Paul and Silas visited Derbe, Lystra, and Antioch in Pisidia. From there Paul and Silas traveled to Troas, where Paul received a vision of a man from Macedonia calling to them. Crossing into Europe, they passed through several towns along the Egnatian Way and traveled to the cities of Athens and Corinth in southern Greece. Then, sailing to Ephesus and Caesarea, they visited the church in Jerusalem before returning to Antioch of Syria.

Itinerary of Paul's Second Journey

City	Province/Region	Reference
Antioch	Syria	15:35
	Cilicia	15:41
Derbe	Galatia (region of Lycaonia)	16:1
Lystra	Galatia (region of Lycaonia)	16:1-5
	Asia (region of Phrygia)	16:6
	Galatia	16:6
Troas	Asia (region of Mysia)	16:7-10
Samothrace	Thrace	16:11
Neapolis	Macedonia	16:11
Philippi	Macedonia	16:12-40
Amphipolis	Macedonia	17:1
Apollonia	Macedonia	17:1
Thessalonica	Macedonia	17:1-9
Berea	Macedonia	17:10-14
Athens	Achaia	17:15-32
Corinth	Achaia	18:1-17
Cenchreae	Achaia	18:18
Ephesus	Asia	18:19-21
Caesarea	Palestine	18:22
Jerusalem?	Palestine	18:22
Antioch	Syria	18:22

Paul's Third Missionary Journey (Acts 18:22-21:17)

c. a.d. 52-57

Paul's third missionary journey traversed much the same ground as his second (cf. map). Passing through Galatia and Phrygia, he proceeded directly to the great port city of Ephesus. After at least two years of preaching and teaching there, Paul traveled again through Macedonia and Achaia, strengthening the believers, and then finished with a visit to Jerusalem.

Itinerary of Paul's Third Journey

City/Island	Province/Region	Reference
Antioch	Syria	18:22
	Galatia	18:23
	Asia (region of Phrygia)	18:23
Ephesus	Asia	19:1-40
	Macedonia	20:1-2
Corinth?	Achaia	20:2-3

	Macedonia	20:3
Philippi	Macedonia	20:6
Troas	Asia	20:6-12
Assos	Asia	20:13-14
Mitylene	Asia	20:14
Chios/Samos	Asia	20:15
Miletus	Asia	20:15-38
Cos	Asia	21:1
Rhodes	Rhodes	21:1
Patara	Lycia	21:1
Tyre	Syria	21:3-6
Ptolemais	Syria	21:7
Caesarea	Palestine	21:8-14
Jerusalem	Palestine	21:15-17

Paul's Arrest and Imprisonment

c. a.d. 58

After Paul's arrest in Jerusalem, the Roman tribune learned of a plot by some Jews to kill Paul. He transferred Paul to the Roman administrative city of Caesarea during the night under heavy guard, going by way of Antipatris.

Paul Collects an Offering for Judea

Activity	Text	Date
The church in Antioch sends Barnabas and Paul to Judea with relief funds.	Acts 11:29-30; 12:25	c. a.d. 44-47
James, Cephas, and John encourage Paul to remember the poor, which he is eager to do.	Gal. 2:10	c. 44-47
Paul raises support for the Christians in Jerusalem while in Ephesus.	1 Cor. 16:1-4 (cf. note on Acts 20:4)	c. 53-55
Paul raises support for the Christians in Jerusalem while in Macedonia.	2 Corinthians 8-9	c. 55-56
Paul raises support for the Christians in Jerusalem while in Achaia.	Rom. 15:25-33 (cf. note on Acts 20:3)	Spring of 57
Paul is arrested when he arrives in Jerusalem to deliver the gift.	Acts 24:17 (cf. Acts 21:17-33)	Pentecost, 57

The Kingdom of Herod Agrippa II

c. a.d. 63

Not long after Festus succeeded Felix as procurator over Palestine, Herod Agrippa II came to visit him at Caesarea. Agrippa had come to power after the death of his father, but his territory was greatly reduced by the Romans. Though Agrippa did not hold jurisdiction over Judea or Samaria, Festus, a Roman unfamiliar with Jewish disputes, sought out his advice regarding Paul's case.

Paul's Journey to Rome

c. a.d. 60

Appealing his case to Caesar, Paul was ordered by Festus to be transferred to Rome. Paul's journey was marked by difficult weather, as they had begun their voyage late into the season for sea travel. A bad decision to try to find winter harbor at Phoenix ended with the ship being driven by a storm to the island of Malta, where the ship broke apart. All aboard the ship survived, however, and Paul was soon placed aboard another ship that took him to Puteoli. From there Paul was taken to Rome.