ACT 24 NLT

Plan and Outline

Luke weaves together different interests and emphases as he relates the beginnings and expansion of the church. The design of his book revolves around

(1) Key persons: Peter and Paul;

(2) Important topics and events: the role of the Holy Spirit, pioneer missionary outreach to new fields, conversions, the growth of the church, and life in the Christian community;

(3) Significant problems: conflict between Jews and Gentiles, persecution of the church by some Jewish elements, trials before Jews and Romans, confrontations with Gentiles, and other hardships in the ministry;

(4) Geographical advances: five significant stages Peter and the Beginnings of the Church in the Holy Land (chs. 1-12)

1. Peter and the Beginnings of the Church in the Holy Land (chs. 1-12)

• "Throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria" (1:1 -- 9:31; see 9:31 and note)

• Introduction (1:1-2)
• Christ's resurrection ministry (1:3-11)
• The period of waiting for the Holy Spirit (1:12-26)
• The filling with the Spirit (ch. 2)
• The healing of the lame man and the resultant arrest of Peter and John (3:1;4:31)
• The community of goods (4:32;5:11)
• The arrest of the 12 apostles (5:12-42)
• The choice of the Seven (6:1-7)
• Stephen's arrest and martyrdom (6:8;7:60)
• The scattering of the Jerusalem believers (8:1-4)
• Philip's ministry (8:5-40)

• In Samaria (8:5-25)
• To the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40)
• Saul's conversion (9:1-31)

B.    "As far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch" (9:32;12:25;11:19;)

• Peter's ministry on the Mediterranean coast (9:32;11:18)

• To Aeneas and Dorcas (9:32-43)
• To Cornelius (10:1;11:18)
• The new Gentile church in Antioch (11:19-30)
• Herod's persecution of the church and his subsequent death (ch. 12)

                                          I.         Paul and the Expansion of the Church from Antioch to Rome (chs. 13-28)

 .      "Throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia" (13:1 -- 15:35; see 16:6 and note)

• Paul's first missionary journey (chs. 13-14)
• The Jerusalem conference (15:1-35)

A.    "Over to Macedonia" (15:36;21:16;16:9;)

• Paul's second missionary journey (15:36;18:22)
• Paul's third missionary journey (18:23;21:16)

B.    "To Rome" (21:17;28:31;28:14;)

• Paul's imprisonment in Jerusalem (21:17;23:35)

• Arrest (21:17;22:29)
• Trial before the Sanhedrin (22:30;23:11)
• Transfer to Caesarea (23:12-35)
• Paul's imprisonment in Caesarea (chs. 24-26)

• Trial before Felix (ch. 24)
• Trial before Festus (25:1-12)
• Hearing before Festus and Agrippa (25:13;26:32)
• Voyage to Rome (27:1;28:15)
• Two years under house arrest in Rome (28:16-31)

ACT 24 NLT       

1 Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor. 

2 When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor: “You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us. 

3For all of this, Your Excellency, we are very grateful to you. 

4 But I don’t want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment. 

5 We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes. 

6 Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him. 

7 

8 You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself.” 

9 Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true. 

10 The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you. 

11 You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple. 

12 My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city. 

13These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing. 

14 “But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. 

15 I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. 

16 Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people. 

17 “After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. 

18 My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. 

19But some Jews from the province of Asia were there—and they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me! 

20 Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me guilty of, 

21 except for the one time I shouted out, ‘I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!’” 

22 At that point Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, “Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case.” 

23 He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs. 

24 A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. 

25 As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.” 

26 He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him. 

27 After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.