On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fills the gathered disciples with a sound like rushing wind and tongues as of fire resting on each, enabling them to speak in various languages understood by Jewish pilgrims from every nation under heaven. Peter's sermon explains this as Joel's prophesied outpouring, proclaims Jesus of Nazareth as Lord and Christ whom God raised from death attested by David's psalm, and calls for repentance and baptism for forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit. Three thousand souls are baptized, devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayers, with signs and wonders accompanying the community's radical sharing and daily temple worship.
Read Acts Chapter 2 Summary
Original
Characters in This Chapter
Places in This Chapter
Egypt
View on MapEgypt plays a significant role throughout the Bible, from the time of Abraham to the flight of the Holy Family. Joseph was sold into slavery there and rose to become second to Pharaoh, saving his family during famine. The Israelites were enslaved in Egypt for 400 years before God delivered them through Moses in the Exodus. Jesus' family fled to Egypt to escape King Herod, fulfilling the prophecy "Out of Egypt I called my son."
Nazareth
View on MapNazareth is the town in Galilee where Jesus grew up and spent most of his life before his public ministry. It was a small, obscure village in ancient times, which led Nathanael to ask "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary here to announce she would give birth to the Son of God. Jesus was known as "Jesus of Nazareth" throughout his ministry.
The Temple
View on MapThe Temple in Jerusalem was the permanent house of worship built by Solomon on Mount Moriah. Destroyed by Babylon, it was rebuilt by Zerubbabel and later greatly expanded by Herod. Jesus taught in the Temple courts, cleared it of merchants, and predicted its destruction, which occurred in 70 AD.
Position in Book
Jerusalem ChurchChapters 1-7
Ascension, Pentecost, early community, Stephen's martyrdom.
Expansion to Judea/SamariaChapters 8-12
Paul's First JourneyChapters 13-14
Jerusalem CouncilChapters 15
Paul's Second JourneyChapters 16-18
Paul's Third JourneyChapters 19-21
Paul's Trials and RomeChapters 22-28
Bible Bites
The Gospel Spreads in 28 Chapters
The book of Acts contains 28 chapters chronicling the explosive growth of the early church from Jerusalem to Rome. Written by Luke as a sequel to his Gospel, it begins with 120 believers in an upper room and ends with Paul preaching boldly in the capital of the Roman Empire.
ActsThe narrator joins the story
In Acts 16:10, Luke suddenly switches from 'they' to 'we,' revealing he personally joined Paul's missionary journey. These 'we passages' (Acts 16, 20-21, 27-28) provide eyewitness accounts showing Luke was present for key events including Paul's shipwreck.
Acts 16:10