Acts

Background and History

The chapters above are the King James text. This essay is the setting of Acts: who is said to have written it, when and where, what happens in it, and how the text has been copied.

At a Glance

Who Wrote It

Acts 1:1Acts 1:1 · King James VersionThe former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,Acts 1:1 · King James VersionOpen the Source (1) says, “The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.” The former treatise is the Gospel that addresses the same man. Luke 1:3Luke 1:3 · King James VersionIt seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,Luke 1:3 · King James VersionOpen the Source (2) writes “unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus.” Same name, same “I,” two volumes. The name Luke is not in those verses. Irenaeus and the Muratorian fragment supply it.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.1.1, calls Luke the companion of Paul and says he recorded the Gospel Paul preached. (3) The sentence is quoted in full on Who Wrote Matthew, Mark, and Luke?. The Muratorian fragment says Luke comprised the Acts of all the apostles in one book for the most excellent Theophilus, and that he omitted Peter’s passion and Paul’s journey from Rome to Spain. (4)

The Roberts-Donaldson translation: (4)

Moreover, the Acts of all the Apostles are comprised by Luke in one book, and addressed to the most excellent Theophilus, because these different events took place when he was present himself; and he shows this clearly-i.e., that the principle on which he wrote was, to give only what fell under his own notice-by the omission of the passion of Peter, and also of the journey of Paul, when he went from the city-Rome-to Spain.

Muratorian fragment, on Acts · Roberts-Donaldson, Ante-Nicene Fathers 5

The Latin is fragmentary, and the English includes restorations. The stable claims are Luke, one book, Theophilus, and two omissions. The fragment treats those omissions as evidence that Luke wrote what he was present for. A reader can accept the authorship and still notice that “present himself” cannot cover every chapter. The early Jerusalem chapters are scenes the Gospel’s preface assigns to eyewitnesses the writer received the story from. Luke 1:2Luke 1:2 · King James VersionEven as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;Luke 1:2 · King James VersionOpen the Source says as much.

Colossians 4:14Colossians 4:14 · King James VersionLuke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.Colossians 4:14 · King James VersionOpen the Source (5) is Paul’s greeting: Luke, the beloved physician. 2 Timothy 4:112 Timothy 4:11 · King James VersionOnly Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.2 Timothy 4:11 · King James VersionOpen the Source says only Luke is with him. The letters and the second-century writers are naming one companion. Who Wrote the Book of Acts? is the longer page.

The “We,” and Who It Is Not

Acts 16:10Acts 16:10 · King James VersionAnd after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.Acts 16:10 · King James VersionOpen the Source (1) changes the pronoun. After the vision calling for help in Macedonia, “we endeavoured to go.” The narrator is in the party. The “we” returns on the voyage to Rome in Acts 27 and Acts 28. Between those stretches the book returns to “they” and “he.” The simplest reading is a writer who traveled with Paul for part of the story and used reports for the rest. That fits a companion. It does not fit Paul narrating his own life in the third person and then slipping into “we” beside himself.

Paul did not write Acts. Romans 1:1Romans 1:1 · King James VersionPaul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,Romans 1:1 · King James VersionOpen the Source shows how he opens a letter when he is the writer. Acts opens like Luke’s Gospel, to Theophilus. Silas is a companion in the narrative, not the voice of the preface. Theophilus is the reader, not the author. This page does not invent a rank or a city for him. The name is the link between the volumes.

When and Where

Acts 28:30Acts 28:30 · King James VersionAnd Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,Acts 28:30 · King James VersionOpen the Source (1) says Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house and received all who came. The book stops. It does not describe Paul’s death, and it does not describe the temple’s destruction. Silence is not itself a year. Bible Gateway’s survey gives Acts as AD 62–90, by Luke, and gives Luke as debated, any time from 62 to 90. (7) That window is the range in At a Glance. It is one editor’s approximation. The book does not print it.

The place of writing is unstated. The last scene is Rome, the modern city of Rome, Italy.

Acts 4:27Acts 4:27 · King James VersionFor of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,Acts 4:27 · King James VersionOpen the Source names Pontius Pilate beside a Herod. The Caesarea stone, Israel Museum IAA 1961-529, was found reused in the theatre of Caesarea Maritima. It is dated 26–36 CE and calls Pilate prefect of Judea. The same page notes that Tacitus calls him a procurator. (9) Acts also names a Herod in Acts 12, and it names Claudius in Acts 11:28Acts 11:28 · King James VersionAnd there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.Acts 11:28 · King James VersionOpen the Source. This page does not give reigns for that Herod, for the Herod beside Pilate, or for Claudius. Those reigns were not retrieved.

Rulers at the Time

Places in This Book

What Is Happening

Acts 1:8Acts 1:8 · King James VersionBut ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.Acts 1:8 · King James VersionOpen the Source (1) has Jesus tell the apostles they will be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth. The book then follows that line. Acts 1 through Acts 7 are Jerusalem: the choice of Matthias, Pentecost, the common life, and Stephen. Acts 8 and Acts 9 are Samaria, the Ethiopian, and Saul. Acts 10 through Acts 12 are Cornelius, Antioch, and Herod. Acts 13 through Acts 20 are the journeys of Barnabas and Saul, then Paul, including the council in Acts 15. Acts 21 through Acts 28 are the arrest, the hearings, and Rome.

Key Themes

The Holy Spirit, witness, and the inclusion of the Gentiles are the plot, not decorations. Acts 2:36Acts 2:36 · King James VersionTherefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.Acts 2:36 · King James VersionOpen the Source has Peter say that God has made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ. Acts 11:26Acts 11:26 · King James VersionAnd when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.Acts 11:26 · King James VersionOpen the Source says the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. Acts 17:31Acts 17:31 · King James VersionBecause he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.Acts 17:31 · King James VersionOpen the Source says God will judge the world by the man he raised. The speeches are part of the same book. They are not a second author’s insert that the Muratorian fragment failed to notice.

How the Book Points to Christ

Jesus is Lord and Christ. The book opens with the risen Jesus teaching the apostles and ascending. Pentecost is his promise kept. Stephen sees the Son of man standing at the right hand of God in Acts 7:56Acts 7:56 · King James VersionAnd said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.Acts 7:56 · King James VersionOpen the Source. Paul proclaims Jesus as the Son of God in Acts 9:20Acts 9:20 · King James VersionAnd straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.Acts 9:20 · King James VersionOpen the Source. The resurrection is not a private opinion at the end. It is the reason the witnesses travel. The Resurrection of Jesus is that claim. Was Jesus a Real Person? is the public crucifixion the speeches assume. Jesus is God. Acts 20:28Acts 20:28 · King James VersionTake heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.Acts 20:28 · King James VersionOpen the Source speaks of the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. What Is the Deity of Christ? follows the New Testament’s names for him.

Text and Manuscripts

Codex Sinaiticus, written in the middle of the fourth century, contains the earliest complete copy of the Christian New Testament, on the project’s own description. (6) Acts is in that copy. It is still a copy.

On this site the SBL Greek text omits four King James verses in Acts and shows the Textus Receptus reading instead. Acts 8:37Acts 8:37 · King James VersionAnd Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.Acts 8:37 · King James VersionOpen the Source is Philip’s question and the Ethiopian’s confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Acts 15:34Acts 15:34 · King James VersionNotwithstanding it pleased Silas to abide there still.Acts 15:34 · King James VersionOpen the Source says it pleased Silas to abide there still. Acts 24:7Acts 24:7 · King James VersionBut the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands,Acts 24:7 · King James VersionOpen the Source is a line in Tertullus’s speech about Lysias. Acts 28:29Acts 28:29 · King James VersionAnd when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves.Acts 28:29 · King James VersionOpen the Source says the Jews departed and reasoned among themselves. The King James Version prints them. The critical text this site uses does not. Each verse page says so. This page does not add a catalog of the longer “Western” form of Acts, because that catalog was not checked against a manuscript edition for this essay.

Further Reading

Who Wrote the Book of Acts? quotes the preface, the Muratorian fragment, and the “we” passages. Who Wrote Matthew, Mark, and Luke? is the first volume. Is the Bible True? is Sinaiticus and what a copy can and cannot prove. The Resurrection of Jesus is the claim the speeches repeat.