Acts: To the ends of the earth

Where Acts sits

In the story

Act VI, Church · Jerusalem, c. AD 30–62

In the Bible

New Testament · Acts · book 44 of 66

Before it in the story

John

After it in the story

James

The bridge from the Gospels to the letters: the risen Christ ascends, pours out His Spirit and builds His church from Jerusalem to Rome; most of the letters were written to churches whose founding Acts tells.

Acts summary

Acts is the second volume of Luke's work: what Jesus “began to do and to teach” (1:1) He goes on doing from heaven by His Spirit and His witnesses. Before ascending, the risen Lord tells the apostles they will receive power and be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth (1:8), and the book follows that order. At Pentecost the exalted Christ pours out the Spirit; Peter preaches Him as Lord and Christ, and the church grows in Jerusalem through preaching, signs and persecution until Stephen is killed (1:1–8:3). Scattered by persecution, believers carry the word to Samaria and an Ethiopian; the persecutor Saul is called, Peter is sent to the Gentile Cornelius, and Antioch becomes a church of Jews and Greeks (8:4–12:25). Sent from Antioch, Paul plants churches through Galatia, Macedonia, Achaia and Asia, and the council at Jerusalem confirms that Gentiles are saved by grace through faith without circumcision (13–20). Arrested in Jerusalem, Paul bears witness before crowds, councils, governors and a king, survives storm and shipwreck, and reaches Rome, where for two years he preaches the kingdom of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, Boldly and freely (21–28). Growth reports mark the way (6:7; 9:31; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20; 28:31): the word of God increases, and the promises to Abraham and David are kept as the nations are gathered to the risen King.

Acts in context

Written by

Luke, the beloved physician and Paul's companion (Col 4:14; 2 Tim 4:11; Phlm 24), who wrote the Gospel as his “first book” (1:1; Luke 1:1–4) and joins the story as an eyewitness in the “we” passages (16:10–17; 20:5–21:18; 27:1–28:16); the early church named him without dissent

Written to

Theophilus, “most excellent” (Luke 1:3), already taught about Jesus (Luke 1:4), and through him the Greek-speaking churches of Jews and Gentiles

Setting

From Jerusalem to Rome: Jerusalem and Judea, Samaria and the coastal plain (1–12); Syrian Antioch, Cyprus and south Galatia (13–14); Macedonia and Achaia (16–18); Ephesus and Asia (19–20); Jerusalem, Caesarea, the Mediterranean, Malta and Rome (21–28)

When

Written about AD 62, while Paul awaited trial in Rome (28:30–31); the book records neither his release nor his death, nor Nero's persecution (AD 64) nor the fall of Jerusalem (AD 70). The events run from the ascension (c. AD 30–33) to about AD 62, anchored by Herod Agrippa I's death (AD 44; 12:20–23) and Gallio's term at Corinth (from AD 51; 18:12).

Why

To show Theophilus and the churches what the risen Lord Jesus went on doing and teaching from heaven: pouring out the promised Spirit, spreading His word from Jerusalem to Rome, and gathering Jews and Gentiles into one people by faith; and to confirm that this is the fulfillment of God's promises to Israel, not a departure from them (13:32–33; 26:22–23; 28:20, 31).

Themes of Acts

• The reigning Christ
• The Spirit poured out
• The word grows
• Witness through suffering
• One people from Israel and the nations
• Promises fulfilled
• God's sovereign plan
• The church gathered and ordered
• The kingdom of God

Key verses in Acts

• Acts 1:8

  But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

• Acts 1:11

  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”

• Acts 2:36

  Therefore let all Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ!”

• Acts 2:38

  Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

• Acts 4:12

  Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”

• Acts 13:38–39

  Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

• Acts 15:11

  On the contrary, we believe it is through the grace of the Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”

• Acts 20:28

  Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

• Acts 28:31

  Boldly and freely he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts chapter by chapter

Part 1 · Witnesses in Jerusalem 1:1–8:3

1. 1
   Acts 1: You will be My witnesses

   The risen Lord promises the Spirit, sends His apostles as witnesses to the world, and ascends to heaven.

2. 2
   Acts 2: Both Lord and Christ

   The exalted Christ pours out the Spirit; Peter preaches Him as Lord and Christ, and three thousand believe.

3. 3
   Acts 3: Repent, then, and turn back

   A lame man walks in Jesus' name; Peter calls Israel to turn to God's Servant, the Prophet and Abraham's offspring.

4. 4
   Acts 4: No other name under heaven

   Arrested, Peter proclaims salvation in Jesus' name alone; the church prays for boldness and shares freely.

5. 5
   Acts 5: We must obey God rather than men

   God judges a lie in the church, signs multiply, and the beaten apostles rejoice and keep preaching Jesus.

6. 6
   Acts 6: Full of faith and of the Holy Spirit

   Seven are chosen to serve tables, freeing the apostles for the word; Stephen is seized on false charges.

7. 7
   Acts 7: The Son of Man at the right hand of God

   Stephen retells Israel's story of rejected deliverers, indicts his judges, and dies seeing Jesus in glory.

Part 2 · In all Judea and Samaria 8:4–12:25

1. 8
   Acts 8: Preaching wherever they went

   Persecution scatters the church; Philip brings Christ to Samaria and preaches Jesus to an Ethiopian from Isaiah 53.

2. 9
   Acts 9: My chosen instrument

   The risen Lord turns Saul from persecutor to preacher; the churches have rest, and Peter heals and raises.

3. 10
   Acts 10: God does not show favoritism

   God prepares Cornelius and Peter by visions; Peter preaches Christ, and the Spirit falls on Gentile hearers.

4. 11
   Acts 11: Repentance that leads to life

   God grants Gentiles repentance that leads to life; at Antioch Greeks believe, and disciples are first called Christians.

5. 12
   Acts 12: But the word of God continued to spread and multiply

   Herod kills James and jails Peter; God frees Peter while the church prays, strikes Herod, and the word grows.

Part 3 · To the ends of the earth: Asia and Greece 13:1–20:38

1. 13
   Acts 13: A light for the Gentiles

   Sent out from Antioch, Paul preaches Jesus as David's risen Son; Jews refuse, and Gentiles ordained to life believe.

2. 14
   Acts 14: The door of faith to the Gentiles

   Through Iconium, Lystra and Derbe the gospel advances amid suffering; elders are appointed in every church.

3. 15
   Acts 15: Through the grace of the Lord Jesus

   The Jerusalem council rules that Gentiles are saved by grace through faith, without circumcision or the law's yoke.

4. 16
   Acts 16: Come over to Macedonia, and help us

   Called to Macedonia, Paul sees the Lord open Lydia's heart and a jailer believe with all his house.

5. 17
   Acts 17: To the unknown God

   Paul preaches the risen Christ from Scripture; at Athens he proclaims the Creator who will judge by Him.

6. 18
   Acts 18: I have many people in this city

   At Corinth Paul turns to the Gentiles, and the Lord assures him of many believers; Apollos receives fuller teaching.

7. 19
   Acts 19: The word spread and prevailed

   From Ephesus the word reaches all Asia and prevails over magic; Paul resolves to see Rome.

8. 20
   Acts 20: Be shepherds of the church of God

   Paul breaks bread with Troas on the first day and charges the Ephesian elders to shepherd the blood-bought church.

Part 4 · To the ends of the earth: Rome 21:1–28:31

1. 21
   Acts 21: Ready to die at Jerusalem

   Ready to die for Jesus, Paul goes up to Jerusalem; a temple mob seizes him and Rome rescues him.

2. 22
   Acts 22: Sent far away to the Gentiles

   Paul tells how the risen Jesus sent him to the Gentiles; at that word the crowd erupts.

3. 23
   Acts 23: You must testify in Rome

   Before the council Paul stands for the hope of resurrection; the Lord promises Rome, and a plot is foiled.

4. 24
   Acts 24: Righteousness, self-control, and the coming judgment

   Paul defends the resurrection hope before Felix, who fears judgment but leaves him imprisoned.

5. 25
   Acts 25: I appeal to Caesar

   Pressed toward a Jerusalem trial, Paul appeals to Caesar; Festus lays the case before King Agrippa.

6. 26
   Acts 26: Obeying the heavenly vision

   Paul tells Agrippa of his call to bring Gentiles from darkness to light, and urges him to believe.

7. 27
   Acts 27: I believe God

   A prisoner at sea, Paul trusts God through a great storm, and all aboard reach land safely.

8. 28
   Acts 28: He proclaimed the kingdom of God

   Paul reaches Rome and boldly preaches the kingdom and the Lord Jesus to Jews and Gentiles.

See the outline of Acts