Acts Outline

I. Preparation for Witness (1:1–2:13)

A. Jesus prepares the disciples (1:1–5)

B. Jesus ascends (1:6–11)

C. Matthias replaces Judas (1:12–26)

D. The Spirit descends at Pentecost (2:1–13)

II. The Witness in Jerusalem (2:14–5:42)

A. Peter preaches at Pentecost (2:14–41)

B. The Christian community shares a life in common (2:42–47)

C. Peter heals a lame man (3:1–10)

D. Peter preaches in the temple square (3:11–26)

E. Peter and John witness before the Jewish council (4:1–22)

F. The Christian community prays for boldness in witness (4:23–31)

G. The community shares together (4:32–5:16)

H. The apostles appear before the council (5:17–42)

III. The Witness beyond Jerusalem (6:1–12:25)

A. Seven chosen to serve the Hellenist widows (6:1–7)

B. Stephen bears the ultimate witness (6:8–8:3)

  1. The arrest of Stephen (6:8–15)
  2. Stephen’s address before the Sanhedrin (7:1–53)
  3. The martyrdom of Stephen (7:54–8:3)

C. Philip witnesses beyond Jerusalem (8:4–40)

  1. Witness to the Samaritans (8:4–25)
  2. Witness to an Ethiopian eunuch (8:26–40)

D. The conversion of Saul (9:1–31)

  1. Saul’s encounter with Christ (9:1–9)
  2. Saul’s encounter with Ananias (9:10–19a)
  3. Saul’s witness in Damascus and Jerusalem (9:19b–31)

E. Peter preaches in the coastal towns (9:32–11:18)

  1. Healing of Aeneas and Dorcas (9:32–43)
  2. Conversion of Cornelius (10:1–48)
  3. Peter’s testimony in Jerusalem (11:1–18)

F. The Antioch church witnesses to Gentiles (11:19–26)

G. The offering for Jerusalem (11:27–30)

H. The Jerusalem church is persecuted (12:1–25)

  1. The death of James (12:1–5)
  2. Peter’s deliverance from prison (12:6–19)
  3. The death of Herod Agrippa I (12:20–25)

IV. The Witness in Cyprus and Southern Galatia (13:1–14:28)

A. The Antioch church commissions Paul and Barnabas (13:1–3)

B. Paul and Barnabas witness on Cyprus (13:4–12)

C. Paul preaches in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch (13:13–41)

D. Paul turns to the Gentiles (13:42–52)

E. Paul and Barnabas are rejected at Iconium (14:1–7)

F. The two missionaries witness in Lystra (14:8–23)

G. Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch (14:24–28)

V. The Jerusalem Council (15:1–35)

A. The circumcision party criticizes the Gentile mission (15:1–5)

B. Peter defends Paul (15:6–11)

C. James proposes a solution (15:12–21)

D. A letter is sent to Antioch (15:22–35)

VI. The Witness in Greece (15:36–18:22)

A. Paul and Barnabas differ over Mark (15:36–41)

B. Timothy joins Paul and is circumcised (16:1–5)

C. Paul is called to Macedonia (16:6–10)

D. Paul witnesses in Philippi (16:11–40)

  1. Conversion of Lydia (16:11–15)
  2. Imprisonment of Paul and Silas (16:16–24)
  3. Conversion of the jailer (16:25–34)
  4. Release of Paul and Silas (16:35–40)

E. Paul witnesses in Thessalonica (17:1–9)

F. Paul witnesses in Berea (17:10–15)

G. Paul witnesses in Athens (17:16–34)

  1. Witness in the marketplace (17:16–21)
  2. Witness before the Areopagus (17:22–34)

H. Paul witnesses in Corinth (18:1–22)

VII. The Witness in Ephesus (18:23–21:16)

A. Priscilla and Aquila instruct Apollos (18:23–28)

B. Paul encounters disciples of John (19:1–10)

C. Paul encounters false religion at Ephesus (19:11–22)

D. Paul experiences violent opposition at Ephesus (19:23–41)

E. Paul completes his ministry in Greece (20:1–6)

F. Paul travels to Miletus (20:7–16)

G. Paul addresses the Ephesian elders at Miletus (20:17–35)

H. Paul journeys to Jerusalem (20:36–21:16)

VIII. The Arrest in Jerusalem (21:17–23:35)

A. Paul participates in a Nazirite ceremony (21:17–26)

B. An angry mob attacks Paul (21:27–39)

C. Paul addresses the Jewish crowd (21:40–22:21)

D. Paul reveals his Roman citizenship (22:22–29)

E. Paul appears before the Sanhedrin (22:30–23:11)

F. Zealous Jews plot against Paul (23:12–22)

G. Paul is delivered to the governor Felix (23:23–35)

IX. The Witness in Caesarea (24:1–26:32)

A. Paul appears before Felix (24:1–27)

B. Paul appeals to Caesar (25:1–12)

C. Festus presents the case to King Agrippa II (25:13–22)

D. Paul witnesses to Agrippa II (25:23–26:32)

X. The Witness in Rome (27:1–28:31)

A. Paul journeys to Rome by sea (27:1–44)

B. Paul witnesses on Malta (28:1–10)

C. Paul arrives in Rome (28:11–16)

D. Paul witnesses to the Jews in Rome (28:17–31)