Acts Bible Study Resources — Wednesday in the Word

Everything you need to kick start your study of the Book of Acts: maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study.

Jump to: Background; Maps; Key Words; Encyclopedias; Commentaries; Articles; GotQuestions Next

Basics

Author: Luke, the physician
Who was Luke?
Date written: c 62 AD (many arguing for 75-85 AD)
Time period of events: 30-62 AD. The book begins in the year of Christ’s death/resurrection and ends with Paul’s imprisonment in Rome.
Genre: historical narrative
Audience: Believers
Chapters 1-12 – main character is Peter. Chapters 13-28 – Main character is Paul.

Purpose:

Many have been proposed, including:

Evangelistic: to awaken faith (especially through the speeches recorded)
Political: to show Roman citizens that Christianity should be tolerated; Luke shows many Roman officials refusing to stand in the way of the new movement
Edification of believers: seeks the confirmation of what they have been taught (Luke 1:1-4)
Defense of Paul: Luke intended to defend Paul against rumors and false charges about his authenticity
Reconciliation between Jewish and Gentile believers by showing Peter and Paul in agreement over the basics of the faith
Historical-theological: to explain the movement of the church from Jerusalem-based, Judiasm-oriented to worldwide, Gentile-dominated.

Simple Outline

Chapters 1-12: Peter and the beginnings of the church in Palestine; 1:1-9:31 – Judea, Galilee and Samaria; 9:32-12:25 – as far as Phoenicia, Cyrus and Antioch.
Chapters 13-28: Paul and the expansion of the church from Antioch to Rome; 13:1-15:35 – throughout Phyrgia and Galatia; 15:36-21:16 – over to Macedonia; 21:17028:31 – to Rome.

Structure

6 sections marked by summary statements

1:1-6-7 – The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith. – Acts 6:7
6:8-9:31 – So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied. – Acts 9:31
9:31-12:24 – But the word of God increased and multiplied. – Acts 12:24
12:25-16:5 – So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. – Acts 16:5
16:6-19:20 – So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily. – Acts 19:20
19:21-28:31 – He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. – Acts 28:30-31

Themes

The Holy Spirit‘s power guides the church’s growth (Acts 1:8; Acts 4:8; Acts 8:28; Acts 8:39; Acts 10:19; Acts 13:2; Acts 15:28; Acts 16:6; Acts 20:22).
5 separate accounts of an outpouring of the Holy Spirits (Acts 2:1-4; Acts4:28-31; Acts 8:15-17; Acts 10:44; Acts 19:6).
Leading characters are each “filled with the Holy Spirit” (e.g. Acts 2:4; Acts 4:8; Acts 6:3; Acts 7:55; Acts 11:24; Acts 13:9; Acts 13:52).
Prayer (e.g. Acts 1:14; Acts 2:42; Acts 4:23-31; Acts 6:4; Acts 7:59; Acts 9:40; Acts 10:9; Acts 10:30; Acts 12:12; Acts 13:3; Acts 14:23; Acts 16:16; Acts 16:25; Acts 20:36; Acts 21:5).
Joy (e.g. Acts 8:8; Acts 13:52; Acts 14:17; Acts15:3; Acts 16:34).
Suffering and persecution to advance the church (e.g. Acts 4:7; Acts 5:18; Acts 5:40-41; Acts 8:1; Acts 8:3; Acts 9:16; Acts 9:23; Acts 12:1-2; Acts 13:50; Acts 14:5; Acts 14:19; Acts 14:22; Acts 16:22-23; Acts 17:5; Acts 18:12; Acts 20:3; Acts 20:23; Acts 21:30; Acts 23:12; Acts 28:20).

Genre: Understanding Narrative

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Section 1: Background

Background, Outlines & Timelines

Acts NASB Study Text

Paul’s journeys in 1 chart (WitW)

Chronology of Paul (WitW)

Bible Atlas: Nazareth

Bible Atlas: Galilee

Chronology of Acts/Epistles (Blue Letter Bible)

Blue Letter Bible Chronology of Paul

Introduction to New Testament Jewish Groups

Introductions

Acts Overview (Blue Letter Bible)

NIV: Introduction to Acts

ESV: Introduction to Acts

ESV: The Global Message of Acts

Ray Stedman: Overview of each Book

John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background

J Vernon McGee Notes on Acts

Charles Swindoll – Acts – View a list of Bible maps

James Van Dine: Analysis of Acts

David Malick (Bible.org): An Introduction To The Book Of Acts

David Malick: An Argument Of The Book Of Acts

Daniel Wallace: Acts: Introduction, Outline, and Argument

Bob Utley: Introduction to Acts

Timelines

Acts Timeline (Biblehub)

Parallels in the Ministries of Jesus, Peter, and Paul in Luke–Acts

Major Sermons in Acts

God’s Sovereignty in Salvation as Seen in Acts

Itinerary of Paul’s First Journey – see discussion and map

Itinerary of Paul’s Second Journey – see discussion and map

God’s Sovereignty in Salvation in Acts

Book of Acts Story and Structure

Major Events in the Life of Paul

BlueLetterBible Timeline

Ben Witherington Timeline

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Section 2: Maps

Maps

Journeys

Paul’s Conversion and Early Ministry– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s 1st Journey – Bible-History.com

1st Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s 2nd Journey – Bible-History.com

2nd Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s 3rd Journey – Bible-History.com

3rd Missionary Journey of Paul– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s Journeys– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s Arrest and Imprisonment– Holman Bible Atlas

Paul’s Voyage to Rome– Holman Bible Atlas

Pentecost and the Jewish Diaspora– Holman Bible Atlas

Apostles’ Journeys – Bible-History.com

Geography

Israel in New Testament Times – Bible-History.com

New Testament Jerusalem – Bible-History.com

Herod the Great’s Kingdom – Bible-History.com

Herod’s Kingdom Divided – Bible-History.com

The Kingdom of Herod Agrippa I – Holman Bible Atlas

The Kingdom of Agrippa II– Holman Bible Atlas

Expansion of the Early Church in Palestine– Holman Bible Atlas

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Section 3: Key Words

Key Words in Acts

Occurrences are based on New American Standard Text. “4x/3v” means the word appears 4 times in 3 verses. “3x” means the word appears 3 times in 3 verses.

Lord (101x) – Strong’s G2962

Jesus (71x); Christ (26X)

Spirit (64x) – Strong’s G4151

word (39x) Strong’s G3056 in Act 2:41; Act 4:29; Act 4:31; Act 6:2; Act 6:4; Act 6:7; Act 7:14; Act 8:4; Act 8:14; Act 8:25; Act 10:36; Act 11:1; Act 11:16; Act 11:19; Act 12:24; Act 13:5; Act 13:7; Act 13:15; Act 13:44; Act 13:46; Act 13:48; Act 13:49; Act 14:3; Act 14:25; Act 15:7; Act 15:27; Act 15:35; Act 15:36; Act 16:6; Act 16:32; Act 17:11; Act 17:13; Act 18:5; Act 18:11; Act 19:10; Act 19:20; Act 20:32; Act 20:38; Act 28:25.

baptized (19X) – Strong’s G907 in Act 1:5; Act 2:38; Act 2:41; Act 8:12; Act 8:13; Act 8:16; Act 8:36; Act 8:38; Act 9:18; Act 10:47; Act 10:48; Act 11:16; Act 16:15; Act 16:33; Act 18:8; Act 19:3; Act 19:4; Act 19:5; Act 22:16; baptism (6x) – Strong’s G908 in Act 1:22; Act 10:37; Act 13:24; Act 18:25; Act 19:3; Act 19:4.

church (17x) Strong’s G1577 in Act 5:11; Act 8:1; Act 8:3; Act 9:31; Act 11:22; Act 11:26; Act 12:1; Act 12:5; Act 13:1; Act 14:23; Act 14:27; Act 15:3; Act 15:4; Act 15:22; Act 18:22; Act 20:17; Act 20:28.

faith (14X/13V) – Strong’s G4102 in Act 3:16; Act 6:5; Act 6:7; Act 11:24; Act 13:8; Act 14:9; Act 14:22; Act 14:27; Act 15:9; Act 16:5; Act 20:21; Act 24:24; Act 26:18.

believe (10x/9v) Strong’s 64100 in Act 8:37; Act 13:41; Act 15:7; Act 15:11; Act 16:31; Act 19:4; Act 26:27; Act 27:25; Act 28:24; believing (4x) Strong’s G4100 in Act 9:26; Act 11:17; Act 18:8; Act 24:14.

saved (12x) Strong’s G4982 in Act 2:21; Act 2:40; Act 2:47; Act 4:12; Act 11:14; Act 15:1; Act 15:11; Act 16:30; Act 16:31; Act 27:20; Act 27:31; Act 28:4.

witnesses (9x) – Strong’s G3144 in Act 1:8; Act 2:32; Act 3:15; Act 5:32; Act 6:13; Act 7:58; Act 10:39; Act 10:41; Act 13:31.

witness (7x) – Strong’s G3144 in Act 1:22; Act 22:15; Act 22:20; Act 26:16; Strong’s G3140 in Act 10:43; Act 23:11; Strong’s G267 in Act 14:17.

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Section 5: Commentaries