Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of the Apostles, often simply called Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament and serves as a crucial bridge between the Gospels and the Epistles. Written by Luke as a sequel to his Gospel, Acts traces the development of the early church from Jerusalem to Rome, covering approximately the first 30 years after Christ's resurrection (c. AD 30-62). Acts shows how the gospel message expanded from being a small Jewish movement to a faith that spread throughout the Roman Empire, fulfilling Jesus' words in Acts 1:8 about being witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." The narrative focuses primarily on the ministries of Peter (chapters 1-12) and Paul (chapters 13-28), while describing the work of the Holy Spirit in empowering and guiding the church. Through its vivid accounts of conversions, miracles, persecutions, and missionary journeys, Acts demonstrates how Christianity transcended cultural, ethnic, and geographical boundaries to become a universal faith. It provides essential historical context for understanding the Epistles and shows how the early Christians lived out the teachings and commission of Jesus in a hostile world.