Acts

Jesus promises the Holy Spirit to his disciples and ascends to heaven before their eyes.[1] The apostles return to Jerusalem and cast lots to choose Matthias as a replacement for Judas Iscariot.[1]

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the believers, and they speak in tongues.[1] Peter delivers an anointed sermon, and approximately 3,000 souls repent and are added to the Church.[1]

Πέτρος and Ἰωάννης heal a lame man at the temple gate in the name of Ἰησοῦς Χριστός. Πέτρος preaches to the crowd, urging repentance and faith in Ἰησοῦς for forgiveness of sins and restoration of Israel.[1][3]

Peter and John are arrested by the Sanhedrin for preaching about Jesus's resurrection, but boldly testify before the council that salvation comes only through Jesus's name, with the healed lame man standing as undeniable evidence of the miracle.[1][2] After their release, the believers pray for boldness to continue speaking God's word, and the Holy Spirit fills them all as the place shakes, demonstrating God's power and approval.[1][2]

Ananias and Sapphira are struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit about the proceeds from selling their property, while the apostles perform miracles and heal the sick through God's power[1][3]. After being arrested and miraculously freed by an angel, the apostles are brought before the Sanhedrin, where Peter boldly testifies that they must obey God rather than men, leading to their beating but continued witness to Jesus' resurrection[1][2].

A dispute arises between Hellenists and Hebrews over the neglect of Hellenistic widows in daily food distribution; the apostles appoint seven men—Στέφανος (Stephen), Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas (a proselyte from Antioch)—full of the Spirit and wisdom to serve tables, freeing apostles for prayer and the ministry of the word, leading to church growth.[1][2] Stephen, full of faith and power, performs great wonders and signs, but opponents from the Synagogue of the Freedmen dispute with him unsuccessfully, then incite false witnesses accusing him of blasphemy against Moses, God, the temple, and the law, resulting in his arrest before the council.[1][2]

Στέφανος delivers a historical recap before the Sanhedrin, tracing God's revelations to Ἀβραάμ, Ἰσαάκ, Ἰακώβ, and Μωϋσῆς outside the land and temple, indicting Israel for perpetually rejecting God's messengers and the νόμος despite the tabernacle and Solomon's house[1][2][3]. Filled with the Holy Spirit, he envisions Jesus at God's right hand; the council stones him as the first martyr, with his garments at Σαύλος's feet, while he prays for their forgiveness[1][2][4][6].

Following Stephen's martyrdom, Saul ravages the Jerusalem church, scattering believers who preach the word; Philip proclaims Christ in Samaria, performing miracles that bring great joy, leading many including Simon the sorcerer to believe, though Simon later seeks to buy the Holy Spirit's power and is rebuked by Peter and John.[1][2][3] Directed by an angel, Philip encounters an Ethiopian eunuch reading Isaiah, explains Jesus as the suffering servant, and baptizes him before being caught away by the Spirit.[1][2]

Saul, en route to Damascus to persecute believers, encounters Iēsous (Jesus) in a blinding light, falls to the ground, and hears, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' leading to his temporary blindness for three days.[1][2][3] The Lord instructs Ananias in a vision to restore Saul's sight; despite hesitation, Ananias obeys, Saul receives sight, is filled with the Holy Spirit, baptized, and begins proclaiming Iēsous as the Son of God, though later opposed by Hellenistic Jews who plot his murder, prompting his escape to Jerusalem where Barnabas vouches for him.[1][2][3][6]

Cornelius, a devout Roman centurion, receives a vision from an angel instructing him to send for Peter in Joppa[1]. Peter, through his own vision of a sheet containing unclean animals and subsequent encounter with Cornelius's messengers, learns that God shows no partiality and accepts Gentiles who fear Him, leading to Cornelius's conversion and the inclusion of Gentiles in the early church[2][4].

Πέτρος recounts his vision of the sheet with unclean animals and his visit to Κορνήλιος in Καῖσαρεια, defending the inclusion of Gentiles before the circumcised believers in Ἱεροσόλυμα, who praise Θεός for granting repentance to the ἔθνη.[1][2][3] In Ἀντιόχεια, the ἐκκλησία grows, Βαρναβᾶς fetches Παῦλος, prophets including Ἀγάβος foretell a famine under Κλαύδιοs Καῖσαρ, and disciples send relief to Ἰουδαία via Βαρναβᾶς and Παῦλος.[1][3][4]

King Herod Agrippa executes James the apostle and imprisons Peter, but an angel miraculously frees Peter from prison in response to the church's prayers[1][2]. Herod subsequently accepts blasphemous worship from the people of Tyre and Sidon instead of giving glory to God, whereupon an angel strikes him down and he dies eaten by worms, while the word of God continues to spread[1][2].

In Acts 13, the Holy Spirit calls Barnabas and Saulos (Paul) from the Antioch church for missionary work; they travel to Cyprus, where Paul blinds the sorcerer Bar-Iēsous (Elymas) opposing proconsul Sergios Paulos, leading to his belief.[1][3] In Pisidian Antioch, Paul preaches that through Iēsous—fulfilling prophecies, crucified yet raised—forgiveness of sins and justification are offered, beyond the Torah, prompting Jew-ish rejection and Gentile joy.[1][3]

In Iconium, Paulos and Barnabasos preach in the synagogue, leading many Ioudaioi and Hellenes to believe, but face opposition from apistoi Ioudaioi who stir up Gentiles; the Lord confirms their bold kerygma with semeia and terata, yet persecution forces them to flee to Lykaonia (Lystra, Derbe).[1][2] In Lystra, Paulos heals a congenital paralytic, prompting the crowd to acclaim Barnabasos as Zeus and Paulos as Hermes and prepare sacrifices, but the apostles tear their garments, rejecting deification and proclaiming euangelion to turn from mataia to the zōn Theos who made ouranos, gē, thalassa, and all ta en autois, who in past generations let ethne walk in their ways but testified through benevolence; later, Ioudaioi from Antiocheia and Ikonion stone Paulos, leaving him for dead, but he rises and they preach in Derbe before returning to strengthen ekklēsiai.[1][2]

A dispute arises in Antioch over whether Gentile believers must be circumcised according to the custom of Mosheh to be saved, leading Paul and Barnabas to the Jerusalem Council where Petros argues salvation is by grace through faith for both Jews and Gentiles, Paul and Barnabas testify to miracles among Gentiles, and Yakobos cites Amos 9:11-12 to affirm God's plan to include all the Gentiles called by his name.[1][2][5] The council decides not to burden Gentiles with the yoke of the Torah except to abstain from pollutions of idols, blood, strangled meat, and sexual immorality, sending a letter with Yehudah Barsabbas, Silas, Paul, and Barnabas to Antioch; later, Paul and Barnabas sharply disagree over taking Mark on a new mission, parting ways.[1][2][8]

Paul circumcises Timotheos to facilitate ministry among Jews, receives a vision of a man from Makedonia calling for help, and travels to Philippoi where Lydia of Thyatira and her household are baptized after the Lord opens her heart.[1][2][4] A slave girl with a spirit of divination follows Paul and Silas proclaiming them servants of the Most High God proclaiming the way of salvation; Paul casts out the spirit in the name of Iēsous Christos, leading her owners to incite a riot, resulting in Paul and Silas being beaten, imprisoned, and freed by an earthquake, after which the jailer and his household believe and are baptized.[1][2][3][4]

Paul and Silas arrive in Thessalonica, reasoning from the Scriptures in the synagogue for three Sabbaths that the Christ must suffer and rise from the dead, proclaiming Jesus as the Christ; some Jews, God-fearing Greeks, and prominent women believe, but jealous Jews form a mob, attack Jason's house, and drag believers before authorities, forcing Paul to flee to Berea.[1][2] In Berea, Paul and Silas preach to receptive Jews who examine the Scriptures daily, but Thessalonian Jews incite opposition, sending Paul to Athens via sea while Silas and Timothy stay; in Athens, provoked by idols, Paul reasons in the synagogue and marketplace, debates Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, and delivers a speech at the Areopagus proclaiming the unknown God as creator, sustainer, and judge through the resurrected Jesus, calling for repentance, with some mocking, others believing.[1][2][4]

Paul spends eighteen months in Corinth, working as a tentmaker with Aquila and Priscilla, preaching in synagogues and converting many including the synagogue ruler Crispus, while the Roman proconsul Gallio dismisses charges against him as an internal Jewish religious matter.[1][2][3] After this, Paul travels to Ephesus and Syria, leaving Priscilla and Aquila behind, and promises to return if God wills.[1][2]

Paul encounters twelve disciples in Ephesus who receive the Holy Spirit upon baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus and speaking in tongues; he teaches boldly in the synagogue and a lecture hall about the kingdom of God. Extraordinary miracles occur through Paul, the seven sons of Sceva are overpowered by an evil spirit, leading to fear, confessions, and the burning of magic books worth 50,000 silver pieces, as the word of the Lord prevails; a riot erupts incited by silversmith Demetrius over threats to Artemis worship, quelled by the town clerk.

Paul travels through Macedonia and Greece, preaching the gospel; in Troas, he preaches late into the night, and after Eutychus falls from a window and dies, Paul raises him to life before continuing his journey by ship.[1][3][5] At Miletus, he summons the Ephesian elders, recounts his humble service, full proclamation of repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and warns of future wolves and false teachers arising, entrusting them to God and the word of his grace while affirming the church's purchase by his own blood.[1][3][4]

Paul travels to Jerusalem despite warnings from disciples and the prophet Agabus that he will be arrested and handed over to the Gentiles[1][2]. In Jerusalem, James and the elders ask Paul to participate in purification rites with four men under a vow to demonstrate his observance of the Torah, but a riot erupts when Jews accuse him of teaching against Moses and the law[1].

Paul addresses the Jerusalem crowd in Hebrew, recounting his Pharisee background, his vision of Ιesus on the road to Damascus where Ιesus said, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’, his baptism by Ananias, and a temple vision where the Lord commanded him to depart for the Gentiles.[1][7] The crowd listens until hearing of his mission to Gentiles, then riots demanding his death, prompting the Roman tribune to order him flogged for interrogation.[1][2]

Paul declares his clear conscience before the Sanhedrin, is struck by order of high priest Ananias, whom he rebukes, then divides the council by claiming trial over the hope of resurrection, causing dissension between Pharisees and Sadducees[1][2][8]. Over forty Jews plot to assassinate Paul under oath; his nephew warns the tribune, who sends Paul with 470 soldiers to Caesarea under governor Felix, with a letter stating no capital charges[1][2].

Paul is tried before Governor Felix in Caesarea, where Tertullus accuses him of being a plague, stirring sedition, and profaning the temple as a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes[1][2]. Paul defends himself, confessing faith in the God of his fathers according to the Law and Prophets, hoping in the resurrection of the just and unjust, and notes his blameless conscience; Felix delays judgment, grants Paul liberty, later hears him with Drusilla on faith in Christ, reasoning about righteousness, self-control, and judgment to come, trembles but dismisses him, hoping for a bribe[1][2].

Paul stands trial before Governor Festus, who succeeds Felix, and faces accusations from Jewish leaders seeking to have him transferred to Jerusalem for a plot to murder him[1][2]. When Festus offers to move the trial to Jerusalem, Paul appeals to Caesar, and Festus grants his request, setting the stage for Paul's appearance before King Agrippa[1][2].

Paul defends himself before King Agrippa, recounting his life as a Pharisee, his Damascus road encounter with Jesus (who commissions him as a servant and witness to open Gentiles' eyes, turning them from darkness and Satan's power to God for forgiveness of sins), and his preaching of repentance and fulfillment of Mosaic and prophetic hopes that the Messiah must suffer and rise to bring light to Jews and Gentiles.[1][2][3][4] Festus calls him mad, but Agrippa recognizes his innocence, though Paul remains bound for Rome.[1][5]

Paul sails for Rome amid a fierce storm in the Adriatic Sea; an angel of Theos assures him he will stand before Kaisar and all aboard will be spared, though the ship must run aground on an island.[1][2][5] Sailors attempt escape but are stopped by soldiers at Paul's warning; Paul urges all 276 to eat after giving thanks to Theos, encouraging them before the shipwreck.[1][2][3]

Paul arrives safely on Malta after shipwreck, survives a viper bite unharmed, heals the father of Publius and others, then sails to Rome via Syracuse, Rhegium, and Puteoli. In Rome, under house arrest, he meets Jewish leaders, preaches the Kingdom of God and Iēsous Christos from morning to evening using Moses and the prophets; some believe, but upon disagreement and quoting Isaiah's prophecy of hardened hearts via the Holy Spirit, Paul declares salvation sent to the Gentiles who will listen, continuing bold unhindered teaching for two years.