Discipleship Material
Acts 1-7

The Acts of (the Spirit of God through) the Apostles

Volume I – 1:1-7:60

Block Diagramed

Ronald Jay Frasco

One of the pressing needs of any serious student of Scripture is an understanding of the syntax of a given passage. Syntax refers to the interrelationships of paragraphs, sentences, phrases, clauses, and words. The purpose of Block Diagraming is to graphically illustrate the syntax of a passage of Scripture. The Block Diagraming process involves the laying out of a passage of Scripture by indenting subordinate linguistic units while maintaining the word order of the given text or translation. This allows the student of Scripture to determine the Divinely inspired structure of the passage, its key features, and main points, so as to enhance the study and understanding of God’s Word.

Scripture taken from

the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE (R), (C)

1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977

Used by permission.

I. The Church Established in Jerusalem 1:1-7:60

A. The Plan of the Account 1:1-3

B. Jesus’ Parting Words, Ascension 1:4-11

Progress Report #1 1:12-14

C. Matthias Replaces Judas 1:15-26

D. Pentecost 2:1-13

E. Peter’s First Sermon 2:14-40

Progress Report #2 2:41-47

F. Peter & John Heal the Beggar 3:1-10

G. Peter’s Second Sermon 3:11-26

H. First Great Persecution of the Church 4:1-31

1. Peter & John, arrest and defense 4:1-12

2. Peter & John, release and rejoicing 4:13-31

Progress Report #3 4:32-35

I. Barnabus’ Magnanimous Gesture 4:36-37

J. Ananias & Sapphira, deceit and judgment 5:1-11

Progress Report #4 5:12-16

K. The Second Great Persecution of the Church 5:17-40

Progress Report #5 5:41-42

L. Appointing of Deacons 6:1-6

Progress Report #6 6:7

M. Stephen’s Harassment 6:8-15

N. Stephen’s First (and last) Sermon 7:1-53

O. Stephen, the Church’s First Martyr 7:54-60

II. The Church Expands to Samaria 8:1-12:25

A. Saul’s Introduction 8:1-3

Progress Report #7 8:4-8

B. A Door opens in Samaria, and Simon the Magician 8:9-25

C. Philip and the Eunuch 8:26-40

D. Saul’s Conversion and Reformation 9:1-30

Progress Report #8 9:31

E. Healing of Aeneas 9:32-35

F. Raising of Tabitha 9:36-43

G. Cornelius Converted 10:1-8

H. Peter’s Vision regarding Gentiles 10:9-33

I. Peter’s Conclusions 10:34-43

J. Peter’s Updated to the Church 11:1-18

Progress Report #9 11:19-30

K. The Third Great Persecution of the Church 12:1-17

L. Herod’s Arrogance and Judgment 12:18-23

Progress Report #10 12:24-25

III. The Church Reaches to the Remotest Part of the Earth 13:1-28:31

A. First Missionary Journey 13:1-15:41

1. Barnabus & Paul sent out 13:1-3

2. Ministry in Cyprus 13:4-12

3. Ministry in Asia 13:13-43

Progress Report #11 13:44-52

4. Ministry in Iconium 14:1-7

5. Ministry in Lystra, God’s Witness to Heathen 14:8-18

6. Ministry and Persecution in Derbe, Stoning of Paul 14:19-28

7. Circumcision Controversy 15:1-35

B. Second Missionary Journey 15:36-18:22

1. John Mark Controversy, Separation 15:36-41

2. Paul & Silas in Asia 15:40-16:10

a. Derbe & Lystra 15:40-16:4

Progress Report #12 16:5

b. God’s Sovereign Direction 16:6-10

3. Ministry in Macedonia and Achea 16:11-18:18

a. Church Planting in Philippi 16:11-40

b. Church Planting in Thesssalonica 17:1-9

c. Church Planting in Berea 17:10-15

d. Paul’s Message to the Athenians 17:16-32

e. Church Planting in Corinth 18:1-18

4. Paul’s Return to Asia 18:19-22

C. Third Missionary Journey 18:23-21:16

1. Strengthening Ministry 18:23

2. Ministry of Apollos 18:24-28

3. Paul in Ephesus 19:1-41

Progress Report #13 19:10, 17-18, 20

4. Paul Relocates to Macedonia and Achaia 20:1-5

5. Paul’s Return to Troas 20:6-12

6. Sailing for Miletus 20:13-16

7. Exhortation and Farewell to the Ephesian Elders 20:17-28

8. Paul Sails for Jerusalem 21:1-7

9. Ministry in Casarea 21:8-14

10. Final Leg to Jerusalem 21:15-16

D. Paul’s Ministry in Jerusalem 21:17-26:32

1. Paul’s Preparation for the Temple 21:17-26

2. Paul’s Arrest in the Temple 21:27-40

3. Paul’s Testimony to the Jews 22:1-30

4. Paul’s Testimony before the Council 23:1-11

5. Conspiracy to Kill Paul 23:12-22

6. Paul Relocated to Caesarea 23:23-35

7. Paul’s Testimony before Felix 24:1-27

8. Paul’s Testimony before Festus 25:1-22

9. Paul’s Testimony before Agrippa 25:23-26:32

E. “Fourth Missionary Journey” 27:1-28:31

1. Setting Sail for Rome 27:1-13

2. Trouble at Sea 27:14-44

3. Marooned at Malta 28:1-10

4. Final Leg to Rome 28:11-14

5. Paul Finds Fellowship and Opportunity at Rome 28:15-31

I. The Church Established in Jerusalem 1:1-7:60

A. The Plan of the Account 1:1-3

:1 The first account I composed, Theophilus,

about all that Jesus began to do and teach,

:2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven,

after He had

by the Holy Spirit

given orders to the apostles

whom He had chosen.

:3 To these He also presented Himself alive

after His suffering,

by many convincing proofs,

appearing to them over a period of forty days

and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.

B. Jesus’ Parting Words, Ascension 1:4-11

:4 Gathering them together,

He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem,

but to wait for what the Father had promised,

“Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me;

:5 for John baptized with water,

but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

:6 So

when they had come together,

they were asking Him, saying,

“Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”

:7 He said to them,

“It is not for you to know times or epochs

which the Father has fixed by His own authority;

:8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;

and you shall be My witnesses both

in Jerusalem,

and in all Judea

and Samaria,

and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

:9 And

after He had said these things,

He was lifted up

while they were looking on,

and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

:10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going,

behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them.

:11 They also said,

“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky?

This Jesus,

who has been taken up from you into heaven,

will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Progress Report #1 1:12-14

:12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet,

which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.

:13 When they had entered the city,

they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is,

Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.

:14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer,

along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

C. Matthias replaces Judas 1:15-26

:15 At this time

Peter stood up in the midst of the brethren

(a gathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together),

and said,

:16 “Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled,

which the Holy Spirit foretold

by the mouth of David

concerning Judas,

who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

:17 For he was counted among us

and received his share in this ministry.”

:18 (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his

wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.

:19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem;

so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)

:20 For it is written in the book of Psalms,

‘Let his homestead be made desolate,

And let no one dwell in it’; and,

‘Let another man take his office.’

:21 Therefore it is necessary that of the men who have accompanied us all the

time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us—

:22 beginning with the baptism of John

until the day that He was taken up from us—

one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”

:23 So they put forward two men, Joseph called Barsabbas (who was also called

Justus), and Matthias.

:24 And they prayed and said,

“You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two You have chosen

:25 to occupy this ministry and apostleship

from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”

:26 And they drew lots for them, and the lot fell to Matthias;

and he was added to the eleven apostles.

D. Pentecost 2:1-13

:1 When the day of Pentecost had come,

they were all together in one place.

:2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind,

and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

:3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves,

and they rested on each one of them.

:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

:5 Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem,

devout men from every nation under heaven.

:6 And

when this sound occurred,

the crowd came together,

and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language.

:7 They were amazed and astonished, saying,

“Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

:8 And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were

born?

:9 “Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia,

Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene,

and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,

:11 Cretans and Arabs—

we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.”

:12 And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another,

“What does this mean?”

:13 But others were mocking and saying,

“They are full of sweet wine.”

E. Peter’s first Sermon 2:14-40

:14 But Peter,

taking his stand with the eleven,

raised his voice and declared to them:

“Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem,

let this be known to you and give heed to my words.

:15 For these men are not drunk, as you suppose,

for it is only the third hour of the day;

:16 but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

:17 ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says,

‘That I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind;

And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

And your young men shall see visions,

And your old men shall dream dreams;

:18 Even on My bondslaves, both men and women,

I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit

And they shall prophesy.

:19 And I will grant wonders in the sky above

And signs on the earth below,

Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.

:20 The sun will be turned into darkness

And the moon into blood,

Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.

:21 And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the

Lord will be saved.’

:22 Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene,

a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs

which God performed through Him in your midst,

just as you yourselves know—

:23 this Man,

delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God,

you nailed to a cross

by the hands of godless men

and put Him to death.

:24 But God raised Him up again,

putting an end to the agony of death,

since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.

:25 For David says of Him,

‘I saw the Lord always in my presence;

For He is at my right hand,

so that I will not be shaken.

:26 Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted;

Moreover my flesh also will live in hope;

:27 Because You will not abandon my soul to Hades,

Nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

:28 You have made known to me the ways of life;

You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’

:29 Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he

both died and was buried,

and his tomb is with us to this day.

:30 And so,

because he was a prophet

and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of

his descendants on his throne,

:31 he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,

that He was neither abandoned to Hades,

nor did His flesh suffer decay.

:32 This Jesus God raised up again,

to which we are all witnesses.

:33 Therefore

having been exalted to the right hand of God,

and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit,

He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.

:34 For it was not David who ascended into heaven,

but he himself says:

‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,

:35 Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” ’

:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him

both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified.”

:37 Now

when they heard this,

they were pierced to the heart,

and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles,

“Brethren, what shall we do?”

:38 Peter said to them,

“Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ

for the forgiveness of your sins;

and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

:39 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off,

as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

:40 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them,

saying,

“Be saved from this perverse generation!”

Progress Report #2 2:41-47

:41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized;

and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

:42 They were continually devoting themselves

to the apostles’ teaching

and to fellowship,

to the breaking of bread

and to prayer.

:43 Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe;

and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

:44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common;

:45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them

with all, as anyone might have need.

:46 Day by day

continuing with one mind in the temple,

and breaking bread from house to house,

they were taking their meals together

with gladness and sincerity of heart,

:47 praising God and having favor with all the people.

And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being

saved.

F. Peter and John heal the Beggar 3:1-10

:1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour,

the hour of prayer.

:2 And a man

who had been lame from his mother’s womb

was being carried along,

whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple

which is called Beautiful,

in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.

:3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,

he began asking to receive alms.

:4 But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said,

“Look at us!”

:5 And he began to give them his attention,

expecting to receive something from them.

:6 But Peter said,

“I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you:

In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!”

:7 And

seizing him by the right hand,

he raised him up;

and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.

:8 With a leap

he stood upright and began to walk;

and he entered the temple with them,

walking and leaping and praising God.

:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God;

:10 and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the

Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms,

and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

G. Peter’s second Sermon 3:11-26

:11 While he was clinging to Peter and John,

all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of

amazement.

:12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people,

“Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us,

as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk?

:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified

His servant Jesus,

the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate,

when he had decided to release Him.

:14 But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One

and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

:15 but put to death the Prince of life,

the one whom God raised from the dead,

a fact to which we are witnesses.

:16 And on the basis of faith in His name,

it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and

know;

and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in

the presence of you all.

:17 And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance,

just as your rulers did also.

:18 But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the

prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.

:19 Therefore repent and return,

so that your sins may be wiped away,

in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the

Lord;

:20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you,

:21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all

things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets

from ancient time.

:22 Moses said,

‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from

your brethren; to Him you shall give heed to everything He says

to you.

:23 And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be

utterly destroyed from among the people.’

:24 And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken,

from Samuel and his successors onward,

also announced these days.

:25 It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God

made with your fathers, saying to Abraham,

‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be

blessed.’

:26 For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you

by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”

H. First Persecution of the Church 4:1-31

1. Peter & John, arrest and defense 4:1-12

:1 As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple

guard and the Sadducees came up to them,

:2 being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and

proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

:3 And they laid hands on them and put them in jail until the next day,

for it was already evening.

:4 But many of those who had heard the message believed;

and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

:5 On the next day, their rulers and elders and scribes were gathered together in

Jerusalem;

:6 and Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and

all who were of high-priestly descent.

:7 When they had placed them in the center,

they began to inquire,

“By what power, or in what name, have you done this?”

:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them,

“Rulers and elders of the people,

:9 if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man,

as to how this man has been made well,

:10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel,

that

by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene,

whom you crucified,

whom God raised from the dead—

by this name

this man stands here before you in good health.

:11 He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders,

but which became the chief corner stone.

:12 And there is salvation in no one else;

for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men

by which we must be saved.”

2. Peter & John, release and rejoicing 4:13-31

:13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John

and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men,

they were amazed,

and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.

:14 And

seeing the man who had been healed standing with them,

they had nothing to say in reply.

:15 But when they had ordered them to leave the Council,

they began to confer with one another,

:16 saying,

“What shall we do with these men?

For the fact that a noteworthy miracle has taken place through them is apparent to all who live in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

:17 But

so that it will not spread any further among the people,

let us warn them to speak no longer to any man in this name.”

:18 And

when they had summoned them,

they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

:19 But Peter and John answered and said to them,

“Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge;

:20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

:21 When they had threatened them further,

they let them go

(finding no basis on which to punish them)

on account of the people,

because they were all glorifying God for what had happened;

:22 for the man was more than forty years old on whom this miracle of

healing had been performed.

:23 When they had been released,

they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and the

elders had said to them.

:24 And when they heard this, they lifted their voices to God with one accord and

said,

“O Lord, it is You who made the heaven and the earth and the sea,

and all that is in them,

:25 who

by the Holy Spirit,

through the mouth of our father David Your servant,

said,

‘Why did the Gentiles rage,

And the peoples devise futile things?

:26 The kings of the earth took their stand,

And the rulers were gathered together

Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

:27 For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy

servant Jesus,

whom You anointed,

both Herod and Pontius Pilate,

along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

:28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.

:29 And now, Lord, take note of their threats,

and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all

confidence,

:30 while You extend Your hand to heal,

and signs and wonders take place through the name of Your holy

servant Jesus.”

:31 And

when they had prayed,

the place where they had gathered together was shaken,

and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit

and began to speak the word of God with boldness.

Progress Report #3 4:32-35

:32 And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul;

and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own,

but all things were common property to them.

:33 And

with great power

the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,

and abundant grace was upon them all.

:34 For there was not a needy person among them,

for all who were owners of land or houses would sell them

and bring the proceeds of the sales

:35 and lay them at the apostles’ feet,

and they would be distributed to each as any had need.

I. Barnabus’ magnanimous gesture 4:36-37

:36 Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth,

who was also called Barnabas by the apostles

(which translated means Son of Encouragement),

:37 and who owned a tract of land,

sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

J. Ananias & Sapphira, deceit and judgment 5:1-11

:1 But a man named Ananias,

with his wife Sapphira,

sold a piece of property,

:2 and kept back some of the price for himself,

with his wife’s full knowledge,

and

bringing a portion of it,

he laid it at the apostles’ feet.

:3 But Peter said,

“Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to

keep back some of the price of the land?

:4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own?

And after it was sold, was it not under your control?

Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart?

You have not lied to men but to God.”

:5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last;

and great fear came over all who heard of it.

:6 The young men got up and covered him up,

and after carrying him out, they buried him.

:7 Now there elapsed an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in,

not knowing what had happened.

:8 And Peter responded to her,

“Tell me whether you sold the land for such and such a price?”

And she said,

“Yes, that was the price.”

:9 Then Peter said to her,

“Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the

test? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.”

:10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last,

and the young men came in and found her dead,

and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

:11 And great fear came over the whole church,

and over all who heard of these things.

Progress Report #4 5:12-16

:12 At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among

the people;

and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico.

:13 But none of the rest dared to associate with them;

however, the people held them in high esteem.

:14 And all the more believers in the Lord,

multitudes of men and women,

were constantly added to their number,

:15 to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them

on cots and pallets,

so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of

them.

:16 Also the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming

together,

bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits,

and they were all being healed.

K. Second Great Persecution 5:17-40

:17 But the high priest rose up,

along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees),

and they were filled with jealousy.

:18 They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail.

:19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison,

and taking them out he said,

:20 “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this

Life.”

:21 Upon hearing this,

they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach.

Now

when the high priest and his associates came,

they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel,

and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought.

:22 But the officers who came did not find them in the prison;

and they returned and reported back,

:23 saying,

“We found the prison house locked quite securely

and the guards standing at the doors;

but when we had opened up, we found no one inside.”

:24 Now

when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words,

they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this.

:25 But someone came and reported to them,

“The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!”

:26 Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back

without violence

(for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).

:27 When they had brought them,

they stood them before the Council.

The high priest questioned them,

:28 saying,

“We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name,

and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching

and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”

:29 But Peter and the apostles answered,

“We must obey God rather than men.

:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus,

whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross.

:31 He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior,

to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

:32 And we are witnesses of these things;

and so is the Holy Spirit,

whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

:33 But when they heard this, they were cut to the quick and intended to kill them.

:34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law,

respected by all the people,

stood up in the Council and gave orders to put the men outside for a short time.

:35 And he said to them,

“Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men.

:36 For some time ago Theudas rose up,

claiming to be somebody,

and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him.

But he was killed,

and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.

:37 After this man,

Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census

and drew away some people after him;

he too perished,

and all those who followed him were scattered.

:38 So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them

alone,

for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown;

:39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them;

or else you may even be found fighting against God.”

:40 They took his advice;

and

after calling the apostles in,

they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus,

and then released them.

Progress Report #5 5:41-42

:41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council,

rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His

name.

:42 And every day,

in the temple and from house to house,

they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

L. Appointing of Deacons 6:1-6

:1 Now at this time

while the disciples were increasing in number,

a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews,

because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food.

:2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said,

“It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.

:3 Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation,

full of the Spirit and of wisdom,

whom we may put in charge of this task.

:4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

:5 The statement found approval with the whole congregation;

and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip,

Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.

:6 And these they brought before the apostles;

and after praying, they laid their hands on them.

Progress Report #6 6:7

:7 The word of God kept on spreading;

and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem,

and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith.

M. Stephen’s Harassment 6:8-15

:8 And Stephen,

full of grace and power,

was performing great wonders and signs among the people.

:9 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen,

including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians,

and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen.

:10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was

speaking.

:11 Then they secretly induced men to say,

“We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against

God.”

:12 And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes,

and they came up to him and dragged him away

and brought him before the Council.

:13 They put forward false witnesses who said,

“This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law;

:14 for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this

place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.”

:15 And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face

like the face of an angel.

N. Stephen’s first (and last) Sermon 7:1-53

1. God’s witness through Abraham

:1 The high priest said,

“Are these things so?”

:2 And he said,

“Hear me, brethren and fathers!

The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham

when he was in Mesopotamia,

before he lived in Haran,

:3 and said to him,

‘Leave your country and your relatives,

and come into the land that I will show you.’

:4 Then he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran.

From there,

after his father died,

God had him move to this country in which you are now living.

:5 But He gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot of ground,

and yet, even when he had no child,

He promised that He would give it to him as a possession,

and to his descendants after him.

:6 But God spoke to this effect,

that his descendants would be aliens in a foreign land,

and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred

years.

:7 ‘And whatever nation to which they will be in bondage I

Myself will judge,’

said God,

‘and after that they will come out and serve Me in this place.’

:8 And He gave him the covenant of circumcision;

and so Abraham became the father of Isaac,

and circumcised him on the eighth day;

and Isaac became the father of Jacob,

and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

2. God’s witness through Joseph and the Patriarchs

:9 The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt.

Yet God was with him,

:10 and rescued him from all his afflictions,

and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt,

and he made him governor over Egypt and all his household.

:11 Now a famine came over all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction with it,

and our fathers could find no food.

:12 But

when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt,

he sent our fathers there the first time.

:13 On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers,

and Joseph’s family was disclosed to Pharaoh.

:14 Then Joseph sent word and invited Jacob his father and all his relatives to

come to him, seventy-five persons in all.

:15 And Jacob went down to Egypt and there he and our fathers died.

:16 From there they were removed to Shechem and laid in the tomb which

Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in

Shechem.

:17 But as the time of the promise was approaching

which God had assured to Abraham,

the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,

:18 until there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing

about Joseph.

:19 It was he who took shrewd advantage of our race and mistreated our

fathers

so that they would expose their infants and they would not survive.

3. God’s witness through Moses

:20 It was at this time that Moses was born;

and he was lovely in the sight of God,

and he was nurtured three months in his father’s home.

:21 And

after he had been set outside,

Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and nurtured him as her own son.

:22 Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians,

and he was a man of power in words and deeds.

:23 But

when he was approaching the age of forty,

it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.

:24 And

when he saw one of them being treated unjustly,

he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the

Egyptian.

:25 And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them

deliverance through him, but they did not understand.

:26 On the following day he appeared to them as they were fighting together,

and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying,

‘Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?’

:27 But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying,

‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?

:28 You do not mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian

yesterday, do you?’

:29 At this remark,

Moses fled and became an alien in the land of Midian,

where he became the father of two sons.

:30 After forty years had passed,

an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai,

in the flame of a burning thorn bush.

:31 When Moses saw it,

he marveled at the sight;

and

as he approached to look more closely,

there came the voice of the Lord:

:32 ‘I am the God of your fathers,

the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.’

Moses shook with fear and would not venture to look.

:33 But the Lord said to him,

‘Take off the sandals from your feet,

for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.

:34 I have certainly seen the oppression of My people in Egypt

and have heard their groans,

and I have come down to rescue them;

come now, and I will send you to Egypt.’

:35 This Moses

whom they disowned, saying,

‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’

is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer

with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.

:36 This man led them out,

performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt

and in the Red Sea

and in the wilderness for forty years.

:37 This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel,

‘God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your

brethren.’

:38 This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with

the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai,

and who was with our fathers;

and he received living oracles to pass on to you.

:39 Our fathers were unwilling to be obedient to him,

but repudiated him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,

:40 saying to Aaron,

‘Make for us gods who will go before us;

for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—

we do not know what happened to him.’

:41 At that time they made a calf and brought a sacrifice to the idol,

and were rejoicing in the works of their hands.

:42 But God turned away and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven;

as it is written in the book of the prophets,

‘It was not to Me that you offered victims and sacrifices forty

years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel?

:43 You also took along the tabernacle of Moloch and the star

of the god Rompha, the images which you made to worship.

I also will remove you beyond Babylon.’

:44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness,

just as He who spoke to Moses directed him to make it according to the

pattern which he had seen.

:45 And having received it in their turn,

our fathers brought it in with Joshua upon dispossessing the nations

whom God drove out before our fathers,

until the time of David.

4. God’s witness through David and Solomon

:46 David found favor in God’s sight,

and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.

:47 But it was Solomon who built a house for Him.

:48 However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands;

as the prophet says:

:49 ‘Heaven is My throne,

And earth is the footstool of My feet;

What kind of house will you build for Me?’ says the Lord,

Or what place is there for My repose?

:50 Was it not My hand which made all these things?’

5. God’s witness against Israel

:51 You men

who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears

are always resisting the Holy Spirit;

you are doing just as your fathers did.

:52 Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute?

They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the

Righteous One,

whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;

:53 you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.”

O. Stephen, the Church’s first Martyr 7:54-60

:54 Now

when they heard this,

they were cut to the quick,

and they began gnashing their teeth at him.

:55 But

being full of the Holy Spirit,

he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God,

and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;

:56 and he said,

“Behold, I see the heavens opened up and the Son of Man standing at the

right hand of God.”

:57 But they cried out with a loud voice,

and covered their ears

and rushed at him with one impulse.

:58 When they had driven him out of the city,

they began stoning him;

and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

:59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said,

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

:60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice,

“Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”

Having said this, he fell asleep.

The word document: Acts 1-7

Discipleship MaterialActs 1-7

Discipleship Material
Acts 1-7