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)
- 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)
B. "As far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch" (9:32;12:25;11:19;)
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)
A. "Over to Macedonia" (15:36;21:16;16:9;)
B. "To Rome" (21:17;28:31;28:14;)
ACTS
1
1 In my first book I told you, Theophilus,
about everything Jesus began to do and teach
2 until the day he was taken up to heaven
after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy
Spirit.
3 During the forty days after he suffered
and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them
in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the
Kingdom of God.
4 Once when he was eating with them, he
commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he
promised, as I told you before.
5 John baptized with water, but in just a
few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 So when the apostles were with Jesus,
they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and
restore our kingdom?”
7 He replied, “The Father alone has the
authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.
8But you will receive power when the Holy
Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me
everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.”
9 After saying this, he was taken up into
a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.
10 As they strained to see him rising into
heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them.
11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are
you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into
heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him
go!”
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem
from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile.
13 When they arrived, they went to the
upstairs room of the house where they were staying. Here are the names of those
who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew,
Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the Zealot), and Judas (son of
James).
14 They all met together and were
constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other
women, and the brothers of Jesus.
15 During this time, when about
120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed
them.
16 “Brothers,” he said, “the Scriptures had
to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was
predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David.
17 Judas was one of us and shared in the
ministry with us.”
18 (Judas had bought a field with the money
he received for his treachery. Falling headfirst there, his body split open,
spilling out all his intestines.
19 The news of his death spread to all the
people of Jerusalem, and they gave the place the Aramaic name which means
“Field of Blood.”)
20Peter continued, “This was written in the book
of Psalms, where it says, ‘Let his home become desolate, with no one living in
it.’ It also says, ‘Let someone else take his position.’
21 “So now we must choose a replacement for
Judas from among the men who were with us the entire time we were traveling
with the Lord Jesus—
22 from the time he was baptized by John
until the day he was taken from us. Whoever is chosen will join us as a witness
of Jesus’ resurrection.”
23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called
Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias.
24 Then they all prayed, “O Lord, you
know every heart. Show us which of these men you have chosen
25 as an apostle to replace Judas in this
ministry, for he has deserted us and gone where he belongs.”
26 Then they cast lots, and Matthias was
selected to become an apostle with the other eleven.
ACTS
2
1 On the day of Pentecost all the
believers were meeting together in one place.
2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven
like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were
sitting.
3 Then, what looked like flames or tongues
of fire appeared and settled on each of them.
4 And everyone present was filled with the
Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them
this ability.
5 At that time there were devout Jews from
every nation living in Jerusalem.
6When they heard the loud noise, everyone came
running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by
the believers.
7They were completely amazed. “How can this
be?” they exclaimed. “These people are all from Galilee,
8 and yet we hear them speaking in our own
native languages!
9 Here we are—Parthians, Medes, Elamites,
people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, the province of Asia,
10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, and the areas
of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome
11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism), Cretans,
and Arabs. And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the
wonderful things God has done!”
12 They stood there amazed and perplexed.
“What can this mean?” they asked each other.
13 But others in the crowd ridiculed them,
saying, “They’re just drunk, that’s all!”
14 Then Peter stepped forward with the
eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, “Listen carefully, all of you,
fellow Jews and residents of Jerusalem! Make no mistake about this.
15These people are not drunk, as some of you are
assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that.
16 No, what you see was predicted long ago
by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will
pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your
young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.
18 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
even on my servants—men and women alike— and they will prophesy.
19 And I will cause wonders in the heavens
above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
20 The sun will become dark, and the moon
will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the LORD
arrives.
21 But everyone who calls on the name of
the LORD will be saved.’
22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly
endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs
through him, as you well know.
23 But God knew what would happen, and his
prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless
Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him.
24 But God released him from the horrors of
death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its
grip.
25 King David said this about him: ‘I see
that the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside
me.
26 No wonder my heart is glad, and my
tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope.
27 For you will not leave my soul among the
dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.
28 You have shown me the way of life, and
you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’
29 “Dear brothers, think about this! You
can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died
and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us.
30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God
had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his
throne.
31 David was looking into the future and
speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave
him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
32 “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we
are all witnesses of this.
33 Now he is exalted to the place of
highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had
promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and
hear today.
34 For David himself never ascended into
heaven, yet he said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at
my right hand
35 until I humble your enemies, making them
a footstool under your feet.”’
36 “So let everyone in Israel know for
certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and
Messiah!”
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and
they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we
do?”
38 Peter replied, “Each of you must repent
of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for
the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit.
39This promise is to you, to your children, and
to those far away —all who have been called by the Lord our God.”
40 Then Peter continued preaching for a
long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this
crooked generation!”
41 Those who believed what Peter said were
baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
42 All the believers devoted themselves to
the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including
the Lord’s Supper ), and to prayer.
43 A deep sense of awe came over them all,
and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.
44 And all the believers met together in
one place and shared everything they had.
45 They sold their property and possessions
and shared the money with those in need.
46 They worshiped together at the Temple
each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great
joy and generosity —
47 all the while praising God and enjoying
the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship
those who were being saved.
