Index of the Book of Acts 1-28 Overview

Bible Study~Acts 1-28

A group of men, women, and children seated in a circle inside an ancient stone room, listening to an elder reading from a scroll

The Church’s Sacred Dawn

Ancient wooden sailing boat approaching a coastal city at sunset — A wooden sailing vessel crosses shimmering waters toward an ancient coastal city at sunset.

The Book of Acts, written by Luke as a sequel to his Gospel, details the birth of the early Christian church and the gospel’s global expansion.

The book is geographically and structurally framed by Acts 1:8, where Jesus commissions his followers to be his witnesses:

🏛️ 1. Witness in Jerusalem (Chapters 1–7)

The Blueprint: Jesus empowers the disciples & ascends to heaven (Chap 1).

The Birth: The Holy Spirit descends at Pentecost, birthing the global church as 3,000 people are baptized (Chapter 2).

The Struggle: The early church thrives through signs and shared community but faces immediate persecution from Jewish authorities, culminating in Stephen’s martyrdom (Chapters 3–7).

🌍 2. Judea and Samaria (Chapters 8–12)

The Scatter: Persecution forces believers out of Jerusalem, paradoxically spreading the gospel message outward.

The Shift: Philip preaches to Samaritans, Saul of Tarsus undergoes a radical conversion to Paul (Chapter 9), and Peter receives a vision confirming that Gentiles are fully included in God’s family (Chapter 10).

🗺️ 3. The Ends of the Earth (Chapters 13–28)

The Journeys: Paul launches three massive missionary tours from Antioch, planting multi-ethnic churches across the Mediterranean, Greece, and Ephesus (Chapters 13–20).

The Trials: Paul is arrested in Jerusalem, defends his faith before various Roman governors, survives a violent shipwreck, and is placed under house arrest (Chapters 21–27).

The Arrival: The narrative ends triumphantly with Paul boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God from Rome, the heart of the empire (Chapter 28).

Index

(To go to Acts Bible Study (in two parts), click the Name or the Picture)

To get the most out of reading the Book of Acts, treat it as the direct sequel to the Gospel of Luke and use Acts 1:8 as your structural roadmap.

Understand the Structural Outline

The narrative unfolds geographically based on the command of Jesus:

Chapters 1–7: The gospel expands in Jerusalem.

Chapters 8–11: The movement spreads to Judea and Samaria.

Chapters 12–28: The mission explodes to the ends of the earth (reaching Rome).

Track Key Interactive Themes

Colour-code or take notes on these distinct elements as you read:

The Holy Spirit: Note every time the Spirit prompts, fills, or guides believers.

Bold Witness: Notice how the core message always highlights Jesus’ resurrection.

Persistent Prayer: Watch how breakthroughs and communal steps follow intentional prayer.

Old Testament Links: Pay attention to how Peter and Paul quote ancient scripture to prove Jesus is the Messiah.

Dive Deeper Into the Context

Read with a map: Follow Paul’s missionary journeys visually to understand the actual geography of the Mediterranean world. Click for link

Cross-reference the Letters: Read Paul’s Epistles (like Galatians, Philippians, or Thessalonians) alongside the chapters in Acts where those specific churches are founded.