GOD’S WORD Introduction to Acts

There is no evidence that the title, “The Acts of the Apostles,” affixed to this book, was given by divine authority or by the writer himself.
It is a title, however, which, with a little variation, has been given to it by the Christian church at all times. The term “Acts ” is not used, as [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 01

The inspired historian begins his narrative of the Acts of the Apostles,
I. With a reference to, and a brief recapitulation of, his gospel, or history of the life of Christ, inscribing this, as he had done that, to his friend Theophilus (Act_1:1, Act_1:2).
II. With a summary of the proofs of Christ’s resurrection, his conference with [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 02

Between the promise of the Messiah (even the latest of those promises) and his coming many ages intervened; but between the promise of the Spirit and his coming there were but a few days; and during those days the apostles, though they had received orders to preach the gospel to every creature, and to begin [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 03

In this chapter we have a miracle and a sermon: the miracle wrought to make way for the sermon, to confirm the doctrine that was to be preached, and to make way for it into the minds of the people; and then the sermon to explain the miracle, and to sow the ground which by [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 04

In going over the last two chapters, where we met with so many good things that the apostles did, I wondered what was become of the scribes and Pharisees, and chief priests, that they did not appear to contradict and oppose them, as they had used to treat Christ himself; surely they were so confounded [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 05

In this chapter we have,
I. The sin and punishment of Ananias and Sapphira, who, for lying to the Holy Ghost, were struck dead at the word of Peter (Act_5:1-11).
II. The flourishing state of the church, in the power that went along with the preaching of the gospel (Act_5:12-16).
III. The imprisonment of the apostles, and their [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 06

In this chapter we have,
I. The discontent that was among the disciples about the distribution of the public charity (Act_6:1).
II. The election and ordination of seven men, who should take care of that matter, and ease the apostles of the burden (Act_6:2-6).
III. The increase of the church, by the addition of many to it (Act_6:7).
IV. [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 07

When our Lord Jesus called his apostles out to be employed in services and sufferings for him, he told them that yet the last should be first, and the first last, which was remarkably fulfilled in St. Stephen and St. Paul, who were both of them late converts, in comparison of the apostles, and yet [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 08

In this chapter we have an account of the persecutions of the Christians, and the propagating of Christianity thereby.
It was strange, but very true, that the disciples of Christ the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied.
A. Here is the church suffering; upon the occasion of putting Stephen to death a very sharp storm [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 09

In this chapter we have,
A. The famous story of St. Paul’s conversion from being an outrageous persecutor of the gospel of Christ to be an illustrious professor and preacher of it.
     I. How he was first awakened and wrought upon by an appearance of Christ himself to him as he was going upon an errand [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 10

It is a turn very new and remarkable which the story of this chapter gives to the Acts of the apostles; hitherto, both at Jerusalem and every where else where the ministers of Christ came, they preached the gospel only to the Jews, or those Greeks that were circumcised and proselyted to the Jews’ religion; [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 11

In this chapter we have,
I. Peter’s necessary vindication of what he did in receiving Cornelius and his friends into the church, from the censure he lay under for it among the brethren, and their acquiescence in it (v. 1-18).
II. The good success of the gospel at Antioch, and the parts adjacent (Act_11:19-21).
III. The carrying on [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 12

In this chapter we have the story,
I. Of the martyrdom of James the apostle, and the imprisonment of Peter by Herod Agrippa, who now reigned as king in Judea (Act_12:1-4).
II. The miraculous deliverance of Peter out of prison by the ministry of an angel, in answer to the prayers of the church for him (Act_12:6-19).
III. [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 13

We have not yet met with any things concerning the spreading of the gospel to the Gentiles which bears any proportion to the largeness of that commission, “Go, and disciple all nations.”
The door was opened in the baptizing of Cornelius and his friends; but since then we had the gospel preached to the Jews only, [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 14

We have, in this chapter, a further account of the progress of the gospel, by the ministry of Paul and Barnabas among the Gentiles; it goes on conquering and to conquer, yet meeting with opposition, as before, among the unbelieving Jews.
Here is,
I. Their successful preaching of the gospel for some time at Iconium, and their [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 15

Hitherto we have, with a great deal of pleasure, attended the apostles in their glorious travels for the propagating of the gospel in foreign parts, have seen the bounds of the church enlarged by the accession both of Jews and Gentiles to it; and thanks be to that God who always caused them to triumph.
We [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 16

It is some rebuke to Barnabas that after he left Paul we hear no more of him, of what he did or suffered for Christ.
But Paul, as he was recommended by the brethren to the grace of God, so his services for Christ after this are largely recorded; we are to attend him in this [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 17

We have here a further account of the travels of Paul, and his services and sufferings for Christ.
He was not like a candle upon a table, that gives light only to one room, but like the sun that goes its circuit to give light to many.
He was called into Macedonia, a large kingdom, Act_16:9. He [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 18

In this chapter we have,
I. Paul’s coming to Corinth, his private converse with Aquila and Priscilla, and his public reasonings with the Jews, from whom, when they rejected him, he turned to the Gentiles (Act_18:1-6).
II. The great success of his ministry there, and the encouragement Christ gave him in a vision to continue his labours [...]

GOD’S WORD ACTS 19

We left Paul in his circuit visiting the churches (Act_18:23), but we have not forgotten, nor has he, the promise he made to his friends at Ephesus, to return to them, and make some stay there; now this chapter shows us his performance of that promise, his coming to Ephesus, and his continuance there two [...]