This is a shorter summary of the events in Acts, (followed by a longer summary for those who want more details):
Jesus’ resurrection & His appearance and teaching over a period of 40 days
Jesus’ ascension to heaven from Mount Olivet
return of Jesus’ disciples to the upper room in Jerusalem, gathering with other followers, including His mother and brothers
choosing of Mattias to replace Judas
day of Pentecost, indwelling of Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, Peter’s first sermon, 3000 saved
life of church in Jerusalem: apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, prayer; believers together, sharing with each other; signs and wonders through apostles; new believers being added daily
Peter heals lame man in temple; Peter’s second sermon; Peter and John imprisoned and commanded not to speak of Jesus, but they refuse, pray for boldness to speak, which they receive, by the power of the Holy Spirit
selling of property and sharing amongst believers; Joseph, a Levite born in Cyprus, also called Barnabas (Son of Encouragement) sells his land and shares proceeds
Ananias and Sapphira sell land, share some of proceeds, but lie, saying they had shared all; they each in turn drop dead because of this lie
“the apostles” (names not specified) jailed, but released by an angel of the Lord and told to speak in the temple, which they do; brought back before the Council of religious authorities and told again not to speak of Jesus, but they reply, “We must obey God rather than men”; flogged, but celebrate they are worthy to suffer for Jesus’ name
Stephen and six other men chosen for serving ministry
Stephen falsely accused and dragged before Council; Stephen gives testimony of the history of Israel; Stephen is stoned to death, while Saul looks on in approval
all but apostles scattered throughout Judea and Samaria, preaching the word
Philip, one of the twelve disciples, goes to Samaria, and Peter and John come from Jerusalem to lay hands on new believers so they receive the Holy Spirit
Philip leads the Ethiopian eunuch to the Lord (on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza) and he is baptized
Jesus appears to Saul on the road to Damascus and he is blinded for three days; Ananias is directed by the Lord to go pray for him, scales fall from his eyes, he is baptized, and he starts sharing about Jesus as the Christ in the synagogues in Damascus
intervening three years time is filled in by Paul in Galatians 1:17b, “I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus”
Saul goes to Jerusalem, but the disciples are afraid of him until Barnabas testifies on his behalf; he speaks boldly about Jesus until the religious authorities plot to kill him, so the disciples send him to his birthplace, Tarsus in Cilicia (Galatians 1:21)
period of peace and increase for the church
Peter goes to Lydda, heals paralyzed Aeneas, and all who live at Lydda and Sharon turn to the Lord
Peter is summoned to Joppa, where Tabitha (Dorcas) has died; he prays and she rises from the dead; many believe; Peter stays on with Simon the tanner
Peter has vision of unclean animals, being told by the Lord to no longer consider unclean what He has cleansed
three men arrive, sent after an angel appears to centurion Cornelius, and the Spirit tells Peter to accompany them to Cornelius in Ceasarea
Peter shares about Jesus with Cornelius, his household, his relatives, and close friends; the Holy Spirit falls, they begin speaking in tongues, and are baptized
Peter shares in Jerusalem about his vision in Joppa and about Cornelius’ household in Caesarea, and those who had been concerned about his going to uncircumcised men and eating with them accept that God had also granted the repentance that leads to life to the Gentiles
followers of Jesus make their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, sharing the word with Jews alone, but men of Cyprus and Cyrene start preaching the Lord Jesus to Greeks in Antioch, so the church in Jerusalem sends Barnabas to Antioch
Barnabas goes to Tarsus and brings Saul to Antioch; they teach the church for a year; disciples are first called Christians at Antioch
prophet Agabus from Jerusalem goes to Antioch and predicts worldwide famine, so disciples in Antioch send a contribution for the support of believers in Judea with Barnabas and Saul to Jerusalem (Paul explains, in Galatians 2:1, that Titus was also with them and that it had been 14 years since he had been in Jerusalem)
Herod kills James the brother of John, pleasing the Jews
Herod imprisons Peter during Passover, but an angel releases him; before going to another place, he goes to house of Mary, mother of John also called Mark, and tells the believers to report his release to James and the leaders of the church in Jerusalem
Herod executes guards under whom Peter escaped; he goes to Caesarea and appears before people of Tyre and Sidon, who call him a god; he is struck by an angel of the Lord for not giving God glory and dies
Barnabas and Saul take John Mark back from Jerusalem to Antioch with them
Paul’s first missionary journey:
Saul, Barnabus, and John Mark are sent out from Antioch
island of Cyprus:
Salamis: proclaim word of God in synagogue of Jews
Paphos: proconsul Serguis Paulus converted after seeing Jewish false prophet Bar-Jesus (Elymas) blinded for discouraging proconsul’s faith
Pamphylia:
Perga: John Mark returns to Jerusalem
Galatia:
Pisidian Antioch: in synagogue on Sabbath, Paul gives history of Israel and gospel message; returns the following week, but Jews start contradicting and blaspheming, so Paul takes message to Gentiles and many believe; Jews initiate persecution, so they flee
Iconium: first to synagogue; both Jews and Greeks believe; non-believing Jews stir up Gentiles with plot to stone them, so they flee
Lystra: Paul heals man lame in his feet and they have to convince the people they are not gods; Jews from Antioch and Iconium win over crowds to stone Paul and he is left for dead, but he is able to enter city with Barnabas and then flee
Derbe: preaching of gospel, and then
return to Lystra, Iconium, and Pisidian Antioch, encouraging disciples to continue in the faith despite tribulation
back to Pamphilia:
Perga: preaching of the word
Attalia: set sail
back to Antioch for report and time with disciples there
Council in Jerusalem:
Jews from Judah come to Antioch and teach Gentile Christians they must be circumcised to be saved, so Paul, Barnabas, and others go to Jerusalem to discuss with disciples and church elders
Peter recounts experience of seeing Gentiles receive Holy Spirit
James cites Simeon about God taking from the Gentiles a people called by His name and then prophecy about the rest of mankind seeking the Lord and Gentiles being called by His name
James’ concluding pronouncement to new Gentile believers: abstain from things contaminated by idols, from fornication, from what is strangled, and from blood
Paul and Barnabas sent back to Antioch with Judas and Silas and a letter of explanation from Jerusalem, and Silas stays on
letter from James written “to the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad,” discussing trials and conflicts, and living in relationship with others and in submission to the Lord and His Word, awaiting His return
letter to Galatians written by Paul, addressing the sufficiency of faith in Christ Jesus to save, in response to the false teaching that rituals of the Law, especially circumcision, must still be adhered to
Paul’s second missionary journey:
Barnabas wants to take John Mark but Paul does not, so Barnabas and John Mark sail to Cyprus
Paul and Silas go by land
Galatia: meet Timothy; well spoken of by brethren in Lystra and Iconium; son of believing Jewish mother and Greek father; Paul has him circumcised for the sake of the Jews and takes him along
Asia: forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word
Macedonia:
called there by vision
Philippi:
riverside on Sabbath looking for place of prayer; speaks word to women assembled; Lydia believes and is baptized, invites them to stay in her home
Paul casts spirit of divination out of slave girl, but when her masters see their means of profit from her fortune-telling is gone, they drag Paul and Silas before chief magistrates with false accusations; beaten and thrown in prison
praying and singing when midnight earthquake opens prison doors and unfastens everyone’s chains; Paul prevents jailer from killing himself, speaks the word of the Lord to him, and the jailer and his household believe and are baptized
chief magistrates are afraid when they learn they violated rights of Roman citizens and beg them to leave city
Thessalonica: Paul first reasons in synagogue, as was his custom, but non-believing Jews become jealous and form a mob, so they flee
Berea: go to synagogue, where Jews there “were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so”; but Jews from Thessalonica come and stir up crowds, so they send Paul to Athens (Timothy and Silas stay behind, with Timothy returning to visit the Thessalonians [1 Thessalonians 3:2])
Athens: reasons in synagogue and also daily in market place
delivers Sermon on Mars Hill
Corinth:
meets Aquila and Priscilla; stays with them; all work together as tent makers; reasons in synagogue every Sabbath
when Silas and Timothy come from Macedonia, Paul is able to devote himself completely to the word; when Jews resist and blaspheme, goes to Gentiles, to home of Titius Justus, next to synagogue, and Crispus, leader of synagogue believes
stays at the Lord’s reassurance and direction for one-and-a-half years, until persecution arises again
1 Thessalonians written by Paul, expressing his affection and longing, since he was so quickly taken away from them by persecution, and encouragement for how they are walking, admonishing them to “excel still more”
2 Thessalonians written by Paul to correct misleading teaching that the day of the Lord (which he introduced the events of in his first letter) had already come
Ephesus:
enters the synagogue and reasons with the Jews
leaves Aquila and Priscilla there; they meet Apollos, a Jew eloquent and “mighty in the Scriptures,” but needs them to explain to him the way of God more accurately
Apollos to Achaia (Corinth): Apollos has letters of introduction from the brethren in Ephesus; powerfully refutes the Jews in public, demonstrating by Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ
Paul to Antioch
Paul’s third missionary journey:
Galatia and Phrygia: strengthening disciples
Ephesus:
finds disciples baptized into John’s baptism of repentance, baptizes them in the name of the Lord Jesus, lays hands on them, and they receive the Holy Spirit
enters synagogue, according to usual pattern, and speaks boldly for three months until Jews become hardened and disobedient
withdraws to school of Tyrannus for two years
purposes to go to Macedonia and Achia (referred to in 1 Corinthians 16:1-6 and Romans 15:25-26; sends Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia [Acts 19:22]) and then Rome, when there is an uproar in Ephesus out of concern for silver trade and the temple of Artemis being harmed by Paul’s teaching; town clerk calms crowd and dismisses assembly, appealing to rule of law
1 Corinthians written before Paul leaves Ephesus, addressing sin he is aware of in the Corinthian church (mentions Sosthenes, who was the leader of the synagogue in Corinth and beaten in front of the judgment seat [Acts 18:17] being with him) (1 Corinthians 5:9 refers to a previous letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians and 1 Corinthians 7:1 refers to their writing a letter in return, containing questions he addresses in this letter)
Macedonia: exhorts disciples
2 Corinthians written by Paul, addressing his previous rebuke in his first letter, the collection they are contributing to for the saints in Jerusalem, and dangerous outsiders claiming inappropriate authority in their church
Greece: three months; plot formed against him by Jews; decides to return through Macedonia
Philippi
Asia:
Troas: boy falls asleep in window during Paul’s sermon, falls, and dies, but Paul brings him back to life
sails via various ports:
“And he was accompanied by Sopater of Berea, the son of Pyrrhus, and by Aristarchus [Acts 19:29&27:2, Col 4:10, Phm 1:24] and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe [Acts 19:29, Rom 16:3, 1 Cor 1:14, 3 John 1:1] and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus [Acts 21:9, 2 Tim 4:20] of Asia” (Acts 20:4).
Luke, author of Acts, was also with him (Acts 20:5-6: starts to speak in first person about events he recounts)
the presence of Luke, Timothy, Tychicus, and even John Mark play prominently in the rest of Paul’s life and ministry
Luke: wrote Luke and Acts; accompanied Paul starting at end of third missionary journey, as he returned through Macedonia; mentioned as being with Paul in Colossians, Philemon, and 2 Timothy (never left Paul?)
Timothy: met Paul on second missionary journey; had been sent by Paul to Corinth during third missionary journey but accompanied on his travels at the end of this journey; mentioned in Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians, but not Ephesians, during Paul’s first imprisonment; release from prison mentioned in Hebrews; left in Ephesus by Paul after a time of travel after Paul’s release from his first imprisonment
Tychicus: Paul mentions sending him in Colossians, Ephesians, Titus (evidently to carry these letters) and 2 Timothy
John Mark: wrote Mark; cousin of Barnabas, son of Mary (to whose house Peter went after he was released by an angel from prison); went on first missionary journey with Paul but left early; after disagreement, he and Barnabas went to Cyprus instead of on second missionary journey; with Paul during his arrest, when he writes his letters to the Colossians and Philemon; Paul requests he be sent to him in his last letter to Timothy, when only Luke is with him; mentioned by Peter as his “son”
Romans written by Paul, imparting deep teaching to these believers he had not yet met
Miletus: Paul sends for the elders at Ephesus and says his goodbye to them
Tyre: disciples warn Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem
Caesarea: prophecy that Paul will be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem and delivered to the Gentiles; disciples beg Paul not to go to Jerusalem, but he says he’s ready to be bound and even die for the name of the Lord Jesus, so they submit to the will of God
Paul in Jerusalem:
goes to James and elders and relates all God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry; they are worried on his behalf regarding zealous Jews, so they tell him to prove that he keeps the Law by taking four men who had been under a vow to the temple, purify himself along with them, and pay their expenses
Jews from Asia stir up the crowds, pull Paul out of temple, and start beating him
commander of Roman cohort rescues him and allows him to give his defense to the Jews in Jerusalem; when he tells them God had sent him to the Gentiles, they say he should not be allowed to live; the Roman commander orders his examination by scourging, but learns Paul is a Roman citizen and relents
Roman commander orders the chief priests and the Council to assemble and sets Paul before them; Paul starts a disagreement between the Sadduccees and the Pharisees by saying he was on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead; the commander has to rescue Paul again and puts him in the barracks
the Lord appears at his side and says, ‘Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.”
the Jews form a conspiracy to kill Paul; Paul’s nephew hears of it and informs the Roman commander, who has Paul escorted under guard in the dark of night to Caesarea, to Felix the governor
Paul in Caesarea:
the high priest Ananias comes down with some elders and an attorney, making accusations they cannot prove and Paul is able to give a defense
Felix leaves Paul imprisoned for two years, but enjoys conversing with him often; to do the Jews a favor, he leaves him imprisoned when he is succeeded by Porcius Festus
Festus goes to Jerusalem; the chief priests and leading men of the Jews bring charges against Paul and request a concession that he be brought to Jerusalem (so they can kill him on the way); instead Festus has Paul’s accusers come to Caeserea; they again bring charges they cannot prove; Festus asks Paul if he will go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before him on the Jews’ charges, but Paul appeals to Caesar
King Agrippa and Bernice come to visit Festus; Festus assembles the commanders and prominent men of the city in the auditorium for Paul to appear before King Agrippa and Bernice; Paul gives his defense to King Agrippa, who says, “In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian”; King Agrippa, Bernice, and Festus conclude Paul is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment and that he might have been set free had he not appealed to Caesar
Paul travels by ship to Rome:
accompanied by Luke, and “Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica” (Acts 27:2)
when his ship is hopelessly lost in a storm at see, an angel of God appears to Paul and reassures him he must appear before Caesar and all aboard will be saved, though they will run aground on a certain island
after shipwreck, all 226 people aboard are brought safely to the island of Malta; Paul survives a viper bite; he heals the father of the leading man, and all the rest of the people on the island who had diseases; the natives honor them with and supply them with all they need when they set sail after three months
Paul in Rome
brethren who had heard about Paul and his companions meet them when they arrive, and Paul “thanked God and took courage”
he is allowed to stay in an apartment with a soldier guard
he calls together the leading men of the Jews and “he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe”
Paul explains to the Jews that this salvation of God had been sent to the Gentiles and they would listen. “And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.”
Letters written while Paul was imprisoned:
Colossians: the fundamentals of the faith written to believers he had not met, likely having learned of them from Epaphras and Onesimus, who are with him and “one of their number” (Paul also mentions that Timothy, Tychicus, and Barnabas’ cousin Mark are with him)
Philemon: appealing to Philemon for release and forgiveness for his escaped slave Onesimus, who had become Paul’s “child” in the faith (Paul mentions Timothy, Mark, and Luke are with him)
Ephesians: encouragement to those who are likely bewildered by Paul’s circumstances on why they shouldn’t be, with admonishment for how they should walk, being subject to one another in the fear of Christ, putting on the full armor of God to resist the schemes of the devil, and standing firm in faith (Paul only mentions Tychicus, through whom he is going to send the letter, being with him)
Philippians: encouragement not to be dismayed about Paul’s imprisonment and admonishment for conduct worthy of the gospel (mentions Timothy being with him)
Likely time of travel before subsequent arrest, imprisonment, condemnation of death
letters written during travel:
1 Timothy (1:3 tells us Paul left Timothy in Ephesus): letter of instruction from Paul to his “true child in the faith” containing necessary instruction for those in church leadership and those who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus
Titus (1:5 tells us Paul left Titus in Crete): letter of instruction to Titus, Paul’s “true child in a common faith,” teaching that, though Jesus “saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy” (3:5a), people must “learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful” (3:14)
1 Peter, written by Jesus’ disciple, to aliens scattered abroad, appealing to the wonder and promise of salvation, enabling endurance of trials and inspiring the living of holy lives, in fear of God and fervent love for one another (letter mentions Silvanus, who had accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey)
Hebrews, written by unknown author, teaching new Jewish believers in Christ how to live under the New Covenant of grace, given by the shed blood of Jesus, in contrast to their old life under the Law
2 Timothy: last letter written by Paul during final imprisonment under condemnation of death (mentions Tychicus had been sent to Ephesus and only Luke is with him, but requests that Mark be sent to him): very intimate letter of goodbye, imparting all Paul wants to tell Timothy in case he does not see him again, teaching Timothy how to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” in bewildering times
2 Peter: written by Jesus’ disciple, to “those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours,” establishing himself as an eyewitness of Jesus’ ministry, warning of the coming false prophets, false teachers, and mockers before the return of the Lord and of the importance of knowing that which is taught in Scripture to prevent falling away
Jude: written by the “bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,” which also means he was the brother of Jesus, warning, very similar to 2 Peter 2, of mockers, “ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”, and our need to “contend earnestly for the faith”
1 John: written by “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 21:20). Like Peter, he establishes himself as an eyewitness authority on Jesus’ life and ministry. He writes so that we “may not sin,” and against those who try to deceive. Jesus is faithful to cleanse us from sin, if we confess, but he also makes it clear that we are to practice righteousness, which includes loving one another.
2 John: written to “the chosen lady and her children,” reminding her that “this is love, that we walk according to His commandments,” identifying “the deceiver and the antichrist” as “those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh,” and warning that anyone “who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God” and we should not participate in their evil deeds
3 John: written to Gauis, who is mentioned as a traveling companion of Paul and may be the same person, praising his support of men who had gone out “for the sake of the name,” warning him against the actions of Diotrephes but giving him a good report about Demetrius, instructing him: “do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.”
Revelation was written by John, demonstrating a reward to him for his role as a faithful eyewitness to share with us, His bond-servants, “the things which must soon take place,” revealing that we are blessed if we read and hear the words of its prophecy and “heed the things which are written in it.”
For those who want a longer recap of the entire book of Acts:
Acts is the second part of Luke’s account to Theophilus, the first being the gospel of Luke, "about all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen. To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God. Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, 'Which,’ He said, ‘you heard of from Me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’”
After His resurrection and before His ascension, Jesus’ disciples were asking Him whether He was restoring the kingdom to Israel at that time; He told them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth”
When Jesus ascended from Mount Olivet, "He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven’”
After Jesus’ ascension, His disciples returned to Jerusalem; Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Judas the son of James, Mary the mother of Jesus, Jesus’ brothers, and the women were all staying in the upper room, "all with one mind...continually devoting themselves to prayer”
Peter stood up in the midst of a gathering of 120 people and explained how Judas’ betrayal fulfilled Scripture and how they must chose from one of the men "who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us— beginning with the baptism of John until the day that He was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection. So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called Justus), and Matthias. And they prayed and said, ‘You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.’ And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles”
"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance--when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language”
Peter gave his first sermon: he used Scripture to answer the accusation that the men speaking in different languages were drunk, explaining prophecy from Joel about the pouring out of the Holy Spirit and what its manifestations would be, explaining "EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED”; he explained that the crucified Jesus had been raised from the dead, "putting an end to the agony of death”; Peter concluded with, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified”
"Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brethren, what shall we do?' Peter said to them, 'Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.' And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, 'Be saved from this perverse generation!' So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved”
Peter and John went to the temple at the hour of prayer and a lame man, who was carried to the temple every day to beg, began to beg alms when he saw them; Peter fixed his gaze on him and said, ‘"I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!’” and healed him
Peter gave another sermon explaining to the people that the man had been healed by faith in the name of Jesus, the risen Christ; he explained how Jesus had fulfilled prophecy and then called the people to repentance, saying "For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways”; many believed their message, but the priests, Sadducees, and temple guard came and put them in jail
When they were questioned the day after being put in jail, they proclaimed, 'as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health….And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved’
"they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard'“
Peter and John returned to their companions and reported what had happened, and prayed for confidence to speak, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with boldness
"And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. For there was not a needy person among them, for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them and bring the proceeds of the sales and lay them at the apostles’ feet, and they would be distributed to each as any had need. Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement), and who owned a tract of land, sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet”
Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold a piece of property, kept some of the proceeds for themselves, and lied about donating the full amount; when Peter confronted Ananias, he fell down and died; his wife came in later, unaware, and lied about the property price, and she fell down dead
Many signs and wonders continued occurring at the hands of the apostles
The apostles were put in jail, but an angel opened the gates of the prison and told them to go preach in the temple “the whole message of this Life,” which they did at daybreak; they were brought before the Council, who reminded them that they had been told not to teach in Jesus’ name; they answered, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him”; the Pharisee Gamaliel intervened when they wanted to kill them, saying “stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God”; the disciples were flogged and released, and rejoiced “that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ”
Seven men, including Stephen, were chosen for a serving ministry, so the apostles could devote themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word; when falsely accused and dragged before the Council, Stephen gives testimony of the history of Israel, including their disobedience and worship of other gods even in the wilderness before arriving in the Promised Land; Stephen’s accusation of their continued disobedience results in their stoning him while he prays that they be forgiven
Stephen’s death initiated a great persecution of the church and all but the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria; Saul witnessed and was in agreement with putting Stephen to death and then began putting Christians in prison
Those who were scattered continued preaching the word; Philip went to Samaria [city established by Omri, father of Ahab, the evil king of the northern kingdom of Israel] and began proclaiming Christ; people were believing in Jesus, and signs and miracles were occurring; Peter and John came from Jerusalem and were laying hands on people so that they would receive the Holy Spirit; Simon the magician, who had believed in Jesus and had been baptized, offered them money for this authority, but they rebuked him and he asked them to pray for him
An angel of the Lord directed Philip to go to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza, where he found “an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah”; the Spirit told Philip to join this chariot and he asked the eunuch if her understood what he was reading; “Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
’HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;
AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT,
SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.
IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY;
WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH’….Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him”; the eunuch was convicted to be baptized when they came along the road to some water; Philip was snatched away by the Holy Spirit as soon as they came up out of the water and “found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea”Saul was traveling to Damascus to search for Christians to bring bound to Jerusalem; “suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do’”; Saul was blind and fasted three days; the Lord appeared to a disciple at Damascus named Ananias and told him to go to Saul and lay his hands on him that he might receive his sight, but “Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake’”; “after laying his hands on him said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened”; ”for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God’; ”Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ”
details filled in by Paul in Galatians 1:17b-19: “I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him fifteen days. But I did not see any other of the apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.”
Saul went to Jerusalem and tried to associate with the disciples, but they were afraid of him, so Barnabas, son of encouragement, testified on Saul’s behalf about how he had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had talked to him and “how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus”; he moved about freely and spoke boldly in Jerusalem in the name of the Lord, but when the brethren heard the religious authorities wanted to put Saul to death, “they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus” (Galatians 1:21, “Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia”)
“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase”
Peter went to Lydda, where he healed a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years; “all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord”
When the disciple Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas) died, the disciples there summoned Peter; Peter went alone to the upper room where her body was and prayed and she rose from the dead. “It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon”
While Peter stayed in Joppa at the home of Simon the Tanner, he had a vision that basically told him foods were no longer considered unclean by God. As he was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit told him that men were looking for him and he should accompany them without misgivings
Peter accompanied the three men to Caeserea, to the home of Cornelius, “a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews”, who had been “divinely directed by a holy angel to send for [Peter] to come to his house and [share] a message”; Cornelius had called together his relatives and close friends; Peter said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for”
Opening his mouth, Peter said: ‘I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)— you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, ‘Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?’ And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.”
When Peter returned to Jerusalem, those who were circumcised took issue with him going to uncircumcised men and eating with them. Peter reassured them with the vision where the Lord told him, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” He shared how he was summoned to the house of Cornelius to share a message and how the Holy Spirit fell on them as he began to share the gospel. He remembered how Jesus said, “John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” He asserted, “‘Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God’s way?’ When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, ‘Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.’”
Those “who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus…a large number who believed turned to the Lord. The news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas off to Antioch. Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord; for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord. And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And for an entire year they met with the church and taught considerable numbers; and the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.”
Some prophets from Jerusalem came to Antioch. One of them, Agabus, indicated by the Spirit that their would be a great famine all over the word during the reign of Claudius. The disciples in Antioch sent a contribution with Barnabas and Saul to the elders in Jerusalem for the support of the brethren living in Judea.
Herod “had James the brother of John put to death with a sword. When he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. Now it was during the days of Unleavened Bread. When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people. So Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer for him was being made fervently by the church to God.”
An angel of the Lord released Peter from prison. “He went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also called Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying….he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, ‘Report these things to James and the brethren.’ Then he left and went to another place.”
Herod had the guards under whom Peter escaped executed and then went from Judea to Caesarea. Herod appeared before the people of Tyre and Sidon, who were appealing for peace and the people cried out to him, “‘The voice of a god and not of a man!” And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.”
Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, taking along with them John, who was also called Mark
Prophets and teachers of the Antioch church, including Barnabas, Simeon (called Niger), Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul were ministering, fasting and praying, and “the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”
Saul, Barnabus, and John Mark “being sent out by the Holy Spirit…went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus. When they reached Salamis, they began to proclaim the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews”
“When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a magician, a Jewish false prophet” named Bar-Jesus (or Elymas), “who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabus and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.” When Elymas opposed them, “seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith,” Paul reprimanded him, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straightways of the Lord? Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time….Then the proconsul believed when he saw what had happened, being amazed at the teaching of the Lord.”
Paul and his companions traveled by sea from Paphos to Perga in Pamphylia. John Mark left at this point and returned to Jerusalem, but the rest went on to “Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets the synagogue officials sent to them, saying, ‘Brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.’”
Paul stood up, and gave his history of Israel, complete with the gospel message.
The people wanted Paul to return and speak more of these things the next Sabbath, so nearly the whole city gathered on the next Sabbath. The Jews were jealous of the crowds, so they started contradicting Paul and blaspheming. Paul reprimanded them and said they were going to take their message to the Gentiles, many of whom came to belief. The word of the Lord was spreading through the whole region, but the Jews instigated a persecution against Paul and Barnabus and drove them out of their district. So they went to Iconium.
“In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks.” But a recurring pattern emerges, “and the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren.” When they learned about a plot to stone them, they fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, continuing to preach the gospel.
In Lystra, Paul heals a man lame in his feet who had never walked. “When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they raised their voice, saying in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have become like men and have come down to us.’ When they attempted to worship them as gods, they restrained the crowds with difficulty, declaring, “We are also men of the same nature as you, and preach the gospel to you that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, WHO MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM.”
Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, were successful in winning over the crowds, and stoned Paul, and left him for dead. He was able to enter the city and leave with Barnabus the next day for Derbe. “After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.’ When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
“They passed through Pisidia and came into Pamphylia. When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, from which they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had accomplished. When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they spent a long time with the disciples.”
Jews from Judah came to Antioch and started teaching the Gentile Christians that they must be circumcised according to the custom of Moses in order to be saved. Paul and Barnabas and “some others” went to Jerusalem to discuss the issue with the disciples and elders there. Some of the sect of the Pharisees were in agreement with requiring circumcision.
Peter recounted his experience of seeing the Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit when they believed, meaning God, who knows hearts, had made no distinction between Jews and Gentiles.
James cited Simeon who “related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.” Then he cited prophecy:
”’AFTER THESE THINGS I will return,
AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN,
AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS,
AND I WILL RESTORE IT,
SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD,
AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,’
SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.”James then pronounced: “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.’”
The apostles and elders in Jerusalem sent Paul and Barnabas with Judas and Silas to Antioch with a letter explaining what had been determined in Jerusalem: “abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell.” Silas remained with Paul and Barnabas at Antioch.
Paul wanted to return to the cities he and Barnabas visited on their first missionary journey. Barnabas wanted to take John Mark with them, but Paul did not, since he had deserted them in Pamphylia on the first journey. They so disagreed that “Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. But Paul chose Silas,” and began his second missionary journey.
Paul met Timothy, “the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium.”
They “were delivering the decrees which had been decided upon by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem,” which had established that the Gentile believers did not need to be circumcised in order to be saved, but Paul circumcised Timothy “because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.”
Paul was “forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia….A vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ When he had seen the vision, immediately [they] sought to go into Macedonia, concluding that God had called [them] to preach the gospel to them.”
In Philippi, “a leading city of the district of Macedonia, a Roman colony,” the went to a riverside on the Sabbath, '“supposing that there would be a place of prayer.” They spoke to the women assembled and “Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. And when she and her household had been baptized, she urged [them], saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and stay.’ And she prevailed upon [them].”
A “slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortune-telling” kept following Paul and the others, “crying out, saying, ‘These men are bond-servants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.’ She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!’ And it came out at that very moment.”
“But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the authorities, and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they “made false accusations against them. The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison.”
“But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.” The jailer was about to kill himself, but Paul cried out, “‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” The jailer asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
“And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house….immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.”
The chief magistrates were afraid when they heard they had violated the rights of Paul and Silas, who were Romans, beating and throwing them into jail without trial. They begged them to leave the city, so after seeing and encouraging the brethren, they did.
In Thessalonica, Paul first followed his custom of reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews. Jews, Greeks, and leading women came to faith, but non-believing Jews became jealous and formed a mob. Paul and Silas were sent away by the brethren by night to Berea, where they also went to the synagogue of the Jews. “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.” But the Jews from Thesslonica came and stirred up the crowds, so they sent Paul away to Athens, and he instructed Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
While Paul waited in Athens, his spirit was provoked as he saw the city full of idols. He again reasoned in the synagogue, but also daily in the market place. The philosophers there brought him to the Aeropagus because they wanted to hear his new teaching. There Paul delivered his Sermon on Mars Hill. Some sneered, some were willing to hear more, and some believed.
Paul went from Athens to Corinth, meeting Jews Aquila and his wife Priscilla, who had fled Italy “because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome.” He stayed with them and they all worked together, “for by trade they were tent-makers.” He was still “reasoning in the synagogue every Sabbath.”
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, he was able to devote himself completely to the word. The Jews resisted and blasphemed, so he left the synagogue, saying he was going to the Gentiles. He “went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshiper of God, whose house was next to the synagogue. Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized.” At the Lord’s direction, he stayed one-and-a-half years, until persecution arose again.
They sailed to Ephesus and Paul again entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.” He left Aquila and Priscilla there, and traveled back to Antioch.
In Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla met a Jew named Apollos, who was eloquent and “mighty in the Scriptures.” He “was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John.” Priscilla and Aquila “explained to him the way of God more accurately.” He wanted to go across to Achaia, so “the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”
Meanwhile, Paul left Antioch for his third missionary journey, and “passed successively through the Galatian region and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples.”
Paul returned to Ephesus, found some disciples who had been baptized into John’s baptism of repentance. He baptized them in the name of the Lord Jesus and then laid his hands on them and the Holy Spirit came upon them.
He entered the synagogue, according to his usual pattern, and spoke boldly for three months, until some of the Jews became hardened and disobedient and he withdrew to the school of Tyrannus for two years.
“God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out. But also some of the Jewish exorcists…attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, ‘I adjure you by Jesus who Paul preaches.’…And the evil spirit answered and said to them, ‘I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?’…Many also of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone.”
“Paul purposed in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, saying, ‘After I have been there, I must also see Rome.’ And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.”
“About that time there occurred [in Ephesus] no small disturbance concerning the Way. For a man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, was bringing no little business to the craftsmen; these he gathered together with the workmen of similar trades, and said, ‘Men, you know that our prosperity depends upon this business….Not only is there danger that this trade of ours fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis be regarded as worthless’”
“The city was filled with the confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater….a single outcry arose from them all as they shouted for about two hours, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’ After quieting the crowd, the town clerk said, ‘…if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a complaint against any man, the courts are in session and proconsuls are available; let them bring charges against one another. But if you want anything beyond this, it shall be settled in the lawful assembly.’” He was able to dismiss the assembly.
Paul left after this for Macedonia, and went through those districts exhorting the disciples. He was then in Greece for three months, until a plot was formed against him by the Jews and he decided to return through Macedonia. They sailed from Philippi after Passover and spent time in Troas.
Paul likely wrote Romans during his long trip back to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey
Paul gave a sermon all night and a young man fell asleep while sitting on the window sill, fell from the third floor, and died. “But Paul went down and fell upon him, and after embracing him, he said, ‘Do not be troubled, for his life is in him.’…They took away the boy alive, and were greatly comforted.”
He left from there, going by ship, stopping at various ports, “hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost.”
While stopped in Miletus, he sent for the elders at Ephesus and said his goodbye to them.
They sailed to Tyre and spent seven days. The disciples there kept warning Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem. When they made it to Caesarea, they stayed with Philip the evangelist, who “had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses.” A “prophet named Agabus came down from Judea….he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, ‘This is what the Holy Spirit says: “In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.”’ When we had heard this, we as well as the local residents began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, ‘What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.’ And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, ‘The will of the Lord be done!’”
After arriving in Jerusalem, Paul went in to James and the elders and related all that “God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it they began glorifying God.” They were worried on his behalf regarding zealous Jews, who had been told he was teaching “the Gentiles to forsake Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs.” They told him, “We have four men who are under a vow; take them and purify yourself along with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads; and all will know that there is nothing to the things which they have been told about you, but that you yourself also walk orderly, keeping the Law.”
But “Jews from Asia, upon seeing Paul in the temple, began to stir up all the crowd and laid hands on him, crying out, ‘Men of Israel, come to our aid! This is the man who preaches to all men everywhere against our people and the Law and this place; and besides he has even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’” They were able to stir up the crowds. They pulled Paul out of the temple and started beating him, but the commander of the Roman cohort, with some soldiers and centurions, rescued him. When “he could not find out the facts because of the uproar, he ordered him to be brought into the barracks.” Paul sought and got permission to speak to the people.
Paul offered his defense to the Jews in Jerusalem. When He told them God had sent him to the Gentiles, “they raised their voices and said, ‘Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!’ The Roman commander stated that he should be examined by scourging. Paul asked the centurion who was standing by when he was being stretched out with thongs, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” When they found out he was a Roman citizen, they were afraid and let go of him. “But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, [the commander] released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.”
Paul tells the Council, “Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day.” The high priest orders him struck, to which Paul answers, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?” Paul then starts a disagreement between the Sadduccees and the Pharisees by claiming, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” As “a great dissension was developing, the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them and ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force, and bring him into the barracks. But on the night immediately following, the Lord stood at his side and said, ‘Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also.’”
More than forty Jews formed a conspiracy to kill Paul, binding themselves under an oath which said they would neither eat nor drink until they had done so. They informed the chief priests and elders, asking them to notify the Roman commander to bring Paul before the Council again and saying they would slay him while he was on the way.
Paul’s nephew heard of their plan and told Paul. Paul had his nephew tell the Roman commander. The commander had Paul escorted under guard in the dark of night to Caesarea, to Felix the governor, with a letter from the Roman commander explaining everything that had happened to Paul since the crowd had tried to kill him and the commander had rescued him: “I found him to be accused over questions about their Law, but under no accusation deserving death or imprisonment.” The governor told Paul, ‘I will give you a hearing after your accusers arrive also,’ giving orders for him to be kept in Herod’s Praetorium.”
After five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and an attorney, making their accusation. Paul gives a defense, but Felix says he will decide his case when the Roman commander who arrested him comes. He did not honor this, but sent for Paul and “heard him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, ‘Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you.’” He was waiting for a bribe, but also enjoyed conversing with him often, so he left him imprisoned for two years, until he was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and “wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.”
Festus went to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and leading men of the Jews brought charges against Paul and requested a concession that Paul be brought to Jerusalem (so they could set up an ambush and kill him on the way). Festus had Paul’s accusers come to Caeserea and they brought many and serious charges that they could not prove. Paul said in his own defense, “I have committed no offense either against the Law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.’ Festus asked Paul if he would go up to Jerusalem and stand trial before him on the Jews’ charges, but Paul appealed to Caesar.
King Agrippa and Bernice came to visit Festus, so Festus described Paul’s case to the king. King Agrippa said he would like to hear from Paul, so Festus assembled the commanders and prominent men of the city in the auditorium for Paul to appear before King Agrippa and Bernice. He explained that he wanted to investigate Paul’s case further so he would have something to write to Caesar when sending Paul to him.
Paul gave his defense to King Agrippa.
“While Paul was saying this in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice, ‘Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great learning is driving you mad.’ But Paul said, ‘I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I utter words of sober truth. For the king knows about these matters, and I speak to him also with confidence, since I am persuaded that none of these things escape his notice; for this has not been done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you do.’ Agrippa replied to Paul, ‘In a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian.’ And Paul said, ‘I would wish to God, that whether in a short or long time, not only you, but also all who hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these chains.’”
After Paul’s defense, King Agrippa, Bernice, and Governor Festus “began talking to one another, saying, ‘This man is not doing anything worthy of death or imprisonment.’ And Agrippa said to Festus, ‘This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.’”
Paul was delivered, with his companions, to a centurion with whom he sailed, via multiple ports, to Lycia. The centurion then put them aboard an Alexandrian ship sailing for Italy. They struggled with poor weather and Paul warned the crew that their voyage, if they pursued it, would likely cost them the ship and their lives. They desired to reach a different, more suitable harbor for winter, so continued sailing. They ended up in a violent storm, and after many days, assumed they had little hope of being saved.
“When they had gone a long time without food, then Paul stood up in their midst and said, ‘Men, you ought to have followed my advice and not to have set sail from Crete and incurred this damage and loss. Yet now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, “Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.” Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on a certain island.’”
After fourteen nights, when it appeared they were coming to land, the sailors tried to escape from the ship with the ship’s boat. “Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, ‘Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved.’ Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the ship’s boat and let it fall away.” Paul encouraged them to eat, since they hadn’t for fourteen days. He “took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all, and he broke it and began to eat. All of them were encouraged and they themselves also took food.” There were two hundred and seventy-six persons in all on the ship.
When day came and they observed land, “they resolved to drive the ship onto it if they could….But striking a reef where two seas met, they ran the vessel aground; and the prow stuck fast and remained immovable, but the stern began to be broken up by the force of the waves. The soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; but the centurion, wanting to bring Paul safely through, kept them from their intention, and commanded that those who could swim should jump overboard first and get to land, and the rest should follow, some on planks, and others on various things from the ship. And so it happened that they all were brought safely to land.”
The island on which they landed was Malta and the natives were extraordinarily kind, kindling a fire and receiving all who were on board the ship. When Paul laid a bunch of sticks on the fire, a viper came out and fastened itself on his hand. Paul shook the viper off, but the natives expected him to die, assuming he was a murderer who justice would not allow to live, though he had survived the shipwreck. But when he survived, they thought he was a god.
Paul land hands on, prayed for, and healed from dysentery and recurrent fever the father of Publius, the leading man of the island. Then he healed the rest of the people on the island who had diseases. The natives honored them with many marks of respect and supplied them with all they needed when they set sail after three months.
They sailed via various ports, including a 7-day stay at Puteoli, where they stayed with brethren. When they came to Rome, brethren who had heard about them came to meet them, and “when Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.”
Paul was allowed to stay in an apartment with a soldier guard. When he arrived in Rome, he called together the leading men of the Jews, explaining how he had come to be “delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.” He requested to speak with them so explain that he had no complaint against his nation but that he was enchained “for the sake of the hope of Israel.” They had not received any bad reports about him by letter or word, but they did desire to hear from him regarding the sect of Christianity, because they knew it had been spoken against everywhere.
The Jews came in large numbers to his lodging, and “he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Some were being persuaded by the things spoken, but others would not believe.” He quoted the prophet Isaiah:
”YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;
AND YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;
FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL,
AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR,
AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES;
OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES,
AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,
AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN,
AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.”He explained that this salvation of God had been sent to the Gentiles and they would listen. “And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered.”
Praise God for this testimony. Thank you so much for taking the time to share it with me!
I believe God lifted the scales from my eyes about a year ago and I ran to God in repentance for my sinful, prideful lusts of the flesh. At first, I looked at covid with a political lens (taking away freedoms, etc.), then saw the medical tyranny and coercion of an experimental product. Finally, I saw the harms of the jabs and their lies. The 'house of cards' fell and I could clearly see all of the lies of this world and went running to Jesus. In this time of deceit, I now rest on Romans 3:4 "...let GOD be TRUE, but every man a LIAR..." I can't thank you enough for your summaries and I know God led me to find you. I'm trying to learn all I can about who He is from His word. I pray continually for His help and strength to conform myself (die daily to myself and my outer man), to repent of sin and to walk according to His commandments. God bless you, Kimberly!