Acts 8 - Summary

Starting point of the church at Pentecost

Base for Gentile mission

Destination of Paul and the gospel

Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel and later became the name for the entire region between Judea and Galilee. After the Assyrian conquest, the population became mixed, and the Samaritans developed their own form of worship. Jews and Samaritans had deep hostility. Jesus broke social barriers by speaking with the Samaritan woman at the well and telling the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Gaza was one of the five major Philistine cities on the Mediterranean coast. Samson was taken here after his capture, where he pushed down the pillars of the temple of Dagon, killing himself and thousands of Philistines. Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch on the road to Gaza.

Caesarea Maritima was a grand Roman port city built by Herod the Great. Peter preached to the Roman centurion Cornelius here, opening Christianity to the Gentiles. Paul was imprisoned here for two years and made his defense before Felix, Festus, and King Agrippa.