The Strand Study Bible

ACTS Author: Luke the Evangelist, and physician of the soul (Acts 16:10 & 20:5 & 27:1) Theme: Witnessing About the Power of the Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST Book’s Main Characters: The HOLY SPIRIT (and Peter and Paul)

About the Author: Luke, whose name means “light giving,” was a doctor by trade and the life long companion and fellow worker of the Apostle Paul. Luke joined up with Paul and Silas at Troas on Paul’s Second Missionary Journey and sailed with them into Macedonia (Acts 16:10-11). He accompanied Paul as far as Philippi but did not share his persecution nor leave the city (Acts 16:25-17:1). Approximately eight years later, as Paul was passing through Philippi near the end of his Third Missionary Journey , Luke rejoined him (Acts 20:6). He then remained with Paul throughout the rest of the book of Acts (Acts 20:6-21:18 & 27:1- 28:16), including Paul’s first two years in prison (Acts 28:30, Col 4:14 and Phil 24). Our last glimpse of the “beloved physician” shows him being faithful to Paul to the end. While others were concerned with their own safety, deliberately avoiding close association with Paul, Luke never left his side (II Tim 4:11). About the Book: Whereas the four Gospels present CHRIST as coming to redeem men, Acts presents CHRIST’S Comforter, the HOLY SPIRIT (Jn 14:26 & 15:26), as the power that enables men to spread the message of the Gospel (Acts 1:8). The book of Acts is a continuation of the Gospels. It records the early history of Christianity (from the ascension of Jesus to the end of Paul’s two-year imprisonment in Rome). Because the HOLY SPIRIT is referred to over seventy times in the book of Acts , the book is 1. Acts quotes the OT 28 times. 13 of those 28 quotes refer directly to CHRIST . Note - 9 of the 27 OT quotations refer directly to the Pentateuch. Note - The Pentateuch and Psalms are the OT books most often quoted in the book of Acts ( 9 quotations each). 2. Prophecies are referred to 21 times in Acts. 3. Prophecies concerning CHRIST are referred to 13 of those 21 times. 4. Prophecies concerning the HOLY SPIRIT are referred to 2 of those 21 times. 5. There are 46 different OT characters referred to in Acts . 4 during his 3rd missionary journey - Galatians , I Corinthians , II Corinthians , and Romans (Acts 19:7-20:3) 4 during his 1st Roman imprisonment - Colossians , Philemon , Ephesians , and Philippians (Acts 28:29) 2 during his release from prison in Rome - I Timothy and Titus (Acts 28:31) 1 during his 2nd Roman imprisonment - II Timothy 7. There are 29 inset maps used in the book of Acts . They are numbered chronologically (#31-45,48-50,52,54,57-65). Outline of Acts : often referred to as the Acts of the HOLY SPIRIT . The book of Acts covers 32 years (from AD 32 - 64). Notes of Interest: Note - Moses is the OT character most often referred to in the book of Acts . ( 32 times) 6. Paul wrote 13 epistles (14, if you count Hebrews) during the course of the book of Acts : 2 during his 2nd missionary journey - I Thessalonians and II Thessalonians (Acts 18:11)

1. Peter’s ministry (Acts 1-12) 2. Paul’s ministry (Acts 13-28) Acts 1 The birth of the N.T. Church Date - AD 32/AM 4032

proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: READ NEXT - Acts 1:13 - 12:25 CHRIST promises HOLY SPIRIT power for witnessing (Fulfilled - Acts 2:4 - AD 32) (S/A - Lk 24:44-49) 4 And, being assembled together with them, 4 commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but 5 wait for the promise of the FATHER , which , saith he, 6 ye have heard of ME .

1. that is, “the Gospel of Luke” 2. Lk 1:3 3. Lk 24:50-53 4. Mk 16:1 5-20 & Mt 28:18-20 5. that is, “ wait and pray” - Zech 4:6 & Lk 11:13 6. Jn 15:26 & Lk 24:49

1 The 1 former treatise have I made, 2 O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2 Until the day in which 3 HE was taken up, after that 4 he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apos- tles whom he had chosen: 3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible

1:4 The “ promise of the FATHER ” (Joel 2:28-29 and Acts 2:16-18,33) was in reference to the arrival of the HOLY SPIRIT in power for the sole purpose of witnessing (prophesying) to the lost (Acts 1:8 and Jn 15:26 & 16:7-11) about CHRIST . HOLY SPIRIT “fullness” (the “ promise of the FATHER ”) has nothing to do with speaking in tongues or being more spiritually mature than other believers who do not speak in tongues. The “ promise of the FATHER ” ( HOLY SPIRIT “fullness”) deals with reaching the lost through the proper presentation of the Gospel, nothing more. 1778