Acts Test Study Guide

Background and Purpose

Authorship of Luke

“we sections”

Luke 1:1-4

  • Got his info from eye witnesses, carefully investigated + interviewed eyewitnesses, dedicated to theophilus

Theophilus

  • Lover of God, who luke wrote to  

Date of composition (see Acts 28:30-31)

  • 64-65 AD

Why Acts?

  • Tell what append after resurrection

  • Explains christianity explosive growth

  • Jews v. gentiles conflict

  • Introduces us to the apostle Paul

“Acts of the Holy Spirit”

  • Another name for this book, a better title

Acts 2:1-4 – birth of the church; Day of Pentecost

  • 3 signs 

    • Sounds of great wind 

    • Fire over their heads 

    • Speaking in tongues 

  • Be familiar with Peter’s Sermon (specifically, quoting from the prophet Joel)

    • Spoke about how people should repent and get baptized

    • Faith doesn't rely on actions

Acts 2:42-47 – structure of the early church

  • Breaking bread 

  • Apostles teaching

  • Fellowship

  • Prayer 

Theme of Acts 3-7

  • Healings by Peter, Ananias + Sapphira, caring for widows, stephen’s martyrdom

How does Acts 1:8 provide the outline for the book of Acts? 

  • 1-7 Witnesses to Jerusalem

  • 8-12 Witnesses to Judea and Samaria

  • 13-28 Witnesses to the Ends of the Earth

Greek word for martyr

  • Marturion =“witness”

Key events of Acts 3-7

  • Healings by Peter

  • Ananias and Sapphira

  • Care for the widows

  • Stephen’s martyrdom

Key events of Acts 8-12

  • Simon the sorcerer

  • Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

  • Saul’s conversion

    • Ananias (the other one)

    • Barnabas (Son of Encouragement)

  • Peter and Cornelius

  • Peter’s escape from prison

 Key events of Acts 13-28

  • Paul’s 3 separate missionary journeys

  • The Jerusalem Council

  • Paul’s arrest and imprisonment

  • The shipwreck (Acts 27)

  • Acts concludes with Paul preaching in Rome


People to Know:

Matthias- Replaced judas iscariot 

Peter- leader of the church, takes Jesus role

John- witnessed the healing of the crippled beggar, helped peter lead the church

James- Son of zebedee, killed by agrippa 

James- Brother of Jesus, proposes solution to Jerusalem Council 

Ananias & Sapphira- Lied to the holy spirit and dropped dead 

Stephen- First christian martyr 

Philip- shared the gospel with the ethiopian church

Simon the Sorcerer- Tried to purchase the power of the holy spirit 

Saul- First christian enemy, present + approved of the 1st Christian martyr

Gamaliel- Saul’s teacher, most famous rabbi in Jerusalem

Ananias (the other one!)- sent to Saul to pray for his sight to return 

Barnabas- means son of encouragement, Pauls travel companion

Cornelius- Gentile that peter was sent to 

Felix & Festus- governors of judea

Agrippa- king of israel who sends paul to israel 


Essay:

Discuss the role of the holy spirit in the book of acts