[The New International Commentary on the New Testament 01] • The Book of Acts by Bruce, F.F. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Contents Preface Abbreviations Introduction

I. Acts in the New Testament II. Origin and Purpose of Acts III. Paul in Acts IV. Select Bibliography

Text, Exposition, and Notes

Acts 1

I. The Birth of the Church (1:1–5:42)

A. The Forty Days and After (1:1–26)

1. Prologue (1:1–3) 2. The Apostles’ Commission (1:4–8) 3. The Ascension (1:9–11) 4. In the Upper Room (1:12–14) 5. A Replacement for Judas Iscariot (1:15–26)

Acts 2

B. The Day of Pentecost (2:1–47)

1. The Descent of the Spirit (2:1–4) 2. The Crowd’s Amazement (2:5–13) 3. Peter’s Proclamation (2:14–36)

a. “This is that” (2:14–21) b. The resurrection of Jesus proclaimed (2:22–28) c. Jesus: Lord and Messiah (2:29–36)

4. Call to Repentance (2:37–40) 5. The First Christian Church (2:41–47)

Acts 3

C. An Act of Healing and Its Consequences (3:1–4:31)

1. A Cripple Cured (3:1–10) 2. Peter’s Address in Solomon’s Colonnade (3:11–26)

a. The power of Jesus’ name (3:11–16) b. Call to repentance (3:17–21) c. Witness of the prophets (3:22–26)

Acts 4

3. Arrest of Peter and John (4:1–4) 4. Peter and John before the Sanhedrin (4:5–12) 5. Debate in the Sanhedrin (4:13–17) 6. The Apostles Dismissed with a Caution (4:18–22) 7. Peter and John Rejoin Their Friends (4:23–31) D. All Things in Common (4:32–5:11)

1. Community of Goods (4:32–35) 2. The Generosity of Barnabas (4:36–37)

Acts 5

3. Deceit and Death of Ananias (5:1–6) 4. Death of Sapphira (5:7–11) E. The Apostles before the Sanhedrin (5:12–42)

1. Signs and Wonders (5:12–16) 2. The Apostles Imprisoned and Released (5:17–21a) 3. The Apostles Brought before the Sanhedrin (5:21b-26) 4. The High Priest’s Charge and the Apostles’ Reply (5:27–32) 5. The Court’s Decision (5:33–40) 6. The Apostles Continue Their Public Witness (5:41–42)

Acts 6

II. Persecution and Expansion (6:1–9:31)

A. Stephen (6:1–8:1A)

1. The Appointing of the Seven (6:1–6) 2. Progress Report (6:7) 3. Stephen’s Activity Arouses Opposition (6:8–10) 4. Stephen Accused before the Sanhedrin (6:11–15)

Acts 7

5. The High Priest’s Question (7:1) 6. Stephen’s Reply (7:2–53)

a. The patriarchal age (7:2–8) b. Israel in Egypt (7:9–19) c. Moses’ early days (7:20–29) d. The call of Moses (7:30–34) e. The wilderness wanderings (7:35–43) f. Tabernacle and temple (7:44–50) g. Personal application (7:51–53)

7. The Stoning of Stephen (7:54–8:1a)

a. Stephen’s final witness (7:54–56) b. Death of Stephen (7:57–60)

Acts 8

c. Saul’s agreement (8:1a) B. Philip (8:1B-40)

1. Persecution and Dispersion (8:1b-3) 2. Philip in Samaria (8:4–8) 3. Simon Magus Believes and Is Baptized (8:9–13) 4. Peter and John Visit Samaria (8:14–17) 5. Peter and Simon Magus (8:18–24) 6. The Apostles Return to Jerusalem (8:25) 7. Philip and the Ethiopian (8:26–40)

Acts 9

C. Conversion of Saul of Tarsus (9:1–31)

1. Saul’s Expedition to Damascus (9:1–2) 2. The Light and Voice from Heaven (9:3–7) 3. Saul Enters Damascus (9:8–9) 4. Ananias Sent to Saul (9:10–16) 5. Ananias Visits Saul (9:17–19a) 6. Saul Preaches in Damascus (9:19b-22) 7. Saul Escapes from Damascus (9:23–25) 8. Saul in Jerusalem; He Is Sent to Tarsus (9:26–30) 9. The Church Enjoys Peace and Prosperity (9:31)

III. The Acts of Peter and Beginnings of Gentile Christianity (9:32–12:24)

A. Peter in Western Judaea (9:32–43)

1. Peter at Lydda: the Healing of Aeneas (9:32–35) 2. Peter at Joppa: the Raising of Dorcas (9:36–43)

Acts 10

B. The Story of Cornelius (10:1–48)

1. Cornelius the Centurion Sees a Vision (10:1–8) 2. Peter Sees a Vision (10:9–16) 3. The Messengers from Cornelius Arrive at Joppa (10:17–23a) 4. Peter Enters the House of Cornelius (10:23b-33) 5. Gentiles Hear the Good News (10:34–43) 6. Gentiles Receive the Holy Spirit (10:44–48)

Acts 11

C. Peter’s Action Endorsed at Jerusalem (11:1–18)

1. Peter Called to Account (11:1–3) 2. Peter’s Defense (11:4–17) 3. Peter’s Defense Accepted (11:18)

D. Antioch Becomes a Christian Base (11:19–30)

1. Gentile Evangelization in Antioch (11:19–21) 2. Barnabas and Saul’s Ministry at Antioch (11:22–26) 3. Famine Relief (11:27–30)

Acts 12

E. Herod Agrippa I and the Church (12:1–24)

1. Martyrdom of James and Imprisonment of Peter (12:1–4) 2. Peter’s Escape from Prison (12:5–11) 3. Peter Reports His Escape (12:12–17) 4. Peter’s Escape Discovered (12:18–19) 5. Death of Herod Agrippa I (12:20–23) 6. Continued Progress of the Gospel (12:24)

IV. Church Extension from Antioch and Apostolic Decree at Jerusalem (12:25–15:35)

A. Barnabas and Saul (12:25–13:3)

1. The Envoys from Antioch Return (12:25)

Acts 13

2. Barnabas and Saul Sent Out from Antioch (13:1–3) B. Cyprus (13:4–12)

1. The Missionaries Arrive in Cyprus (13:4–5) 2. Confrontation at Paphos (13:6–12)

C. Pisidian Antioch (13:13–52)

1. Arrival at Pisidian Antioch (13:13–15) 2. Paul’s Synagogue Address in Pisidian Antioch (13:16–41)

a. Exordium (13:16) b. Preparation for Christ (13:17–22) c. Fulfilment in Christ (13:23–37) d. Peroration (13:38–41)

3. Response to Paul’s Address (13:42–43) 4. Gentile Interest Arouses Jewish Opposition (13:44–52)

Acts 14

D. Iconium, Lystra, Derbe (14:1–28)

1. Adventures in Iconium (14:1–7) 2. Miraculous Healing at Lystra (14:8–13) 3. Proclamation of the Living God (14:14–18) 4. Persecuted at Lystra, the Missionaries Go On to Derbe and Then Retrace Their Steps (14:19–23) 5. Return to Antioch on the Orontes (14:24–28)

Acts 15

E. The Council of Jerusalem (15:1–35)

1. Judaizers Visit Antioch (15:1–2) 2. Paul and Barnabas Go Up to Jerusalem (15:3–5) 3. The Council Meets (15:6) 4. Peter’s Speech (15:7–11) 5. Paul and Barnabas Address the Council (15:12) 6. James’s Summing Up (15:13–21) 7. The Apostolic Letter to Gentile Christians (15:22–29) 8. The Church of Antioch Receives the Apostolic Letter (15:30–35)

V. Paul Leaves Antioch and Moves to the Aegean World (15:36–19:20)

A. Recently Planted Churches Revisited (15:36–16:5)

1. Paul Parts Company with Barnabas and Takes Silas as His Colleague (15:36–41)

Acts 16

2. Paul and Silas in South Galatia; Timothy Joins Them (16:1–4) 3. The Churches Grow in Faith and Numbers (16:5) B. Philippi (16:6–40)

1. The Call from Macedonia (16:6–10) 2. Troas to Philippi (16:11–12a) 3. The Faith of Lydia (16:12b-15) 4. The Pythoness (16:16–18) 5. Paul and Silas Imprisoned (16:19–24) 6. Earthquake at Midnight: the Jailer’s Conversion (16:25–34) 7. Paul and Silas Leave Philippi (16:35–40)

Acts 17

C. Thessalonica to Athens (17:1–34)

1. Arrival at Thessalonica (17:1–4) 2. Trouble in Thessalonica (17:5–9) 3. Beroea (17:10–15) 4. Athens (17:16–21) 5. Paul’s Areopagitica (17:22–31) 6. The Athenians’ Reaction (17:32–34)

Acts 18

D. Corinth (18:1–17)

1. Paul Arrives in Corinth (18:1–4) 2. Paul Spends Eighteen Months in Corinth (18:5–11) 3. Paul before Gallio (18:12–17)

E. Ephesus (18:18–19:20)

1. Hasty Visit to Ephesus (18:18–21) 2. Brief Visit to Judaea and Syria (18:22–23) 3. Apollos (18:24–28)

Acts 19

4. Paul and the Twelve Disciples of Ephesus (19:1–7) 5. The Lecture Hall of Tyrannus (19:8–10) 6. Conflict with the Magicians (19:11–19) 7. Further Progress Report (19:20) VI. Paul Plans to Visit Rome and Gets There by an Unforeseen Route (19:21–28:31)

A. He Prepares to Leave Ephesus for Macedonia and Achaia (19:21–20:6)

1. Paul Makes Plans for the Future (19:21–22) 2. The Riot at Ephesus (19:23–41)

a. Indignation of the silversmiths (19:23–28) b. Demonstration in the theater (19:29–34) c. The town clerk calms the agitation (19:35–41)

Acts 20

3. Paul Visits Macedonia and Greece (20:1–6) B. The Journey to Jerusalem (20:7–21:16)

1. Paul at Troas (20:7–12) 2. From Troas to Miletus (20:13–16) 3. Paul Sends for the Elders of the Ephesian Church (20:17) 4. Paul Bids Farewell to the Ephesian Church (20:18–35)

a. Retrospect on his Ephesian ministry (20:18–21) b. Paul’s prospects (20:22–24) c. His charge to the elders (20:25–31) d. Final admonition (20:32–35)

5. An Affectionate Parting (20:36–38)

Acts 21

6. Miletus to Tyre (21:1–6) 7. Tyre to Caesarea (21:7–9) 8. Agabus Reappears (21:10–14) 9. Arrival at Jerusalem (21:15–16) C. Paul at Jerusalem (21:17–23:30)

1. Meeting with James and the Elders (21:17–26) 2. Riot in the Temple (21:27–30) 3. Paul Rescued by the Romans (21:31–36) 4. Paul Obtains Leave to Address the Crowd (21:37–40)

Acts 22

5. Paul’s Defense to the People of Jerusalem (22:1–21)

a. His early days (22:1–5) b. The Damascus road (22:6–11) c. Ananias of Damascus (22:12–16) d. Paul’s vision in the temple (22:17–21)

6. Paul Reveals His Roman Citizenship (22:22–29) 7. Paul Brought before the Sanhedrin (22:30)

Acts 23

8. Paul before the Sanhedrin (23:1–10)

a. Interchange with the high priest (23:1–5) b. The resurrection hope (23:6–10)

9. The Lord Appears to Paul in the Night (23:11) 10. Plot against Paul’s Life (23:12–15) 11. The Plot Revealed (23:16–22) 12. The Tribune Prepares to Send Paul to Caesarea (23:23–24) 13. Letter from the Tribune to Felix (23:25–30) D. Paul at Caesarea (23:31–26:32)

1. Paul Taken to Caesarea (23:31–35)

Acts 24

2. Paul Accused before Felix (24:1–9) 3. Paul’s Defense before Felix (24:10–21) 4. Felix Adjourns Proceedings (24:22–23) 5. Paul’s Interviews with Felix (24:24–26) 6. Felix Replaced by Festus; Paul Left in Custody (24:27)

Acts 25

7. Festus Visits Jerusalem (25:1–5) 8. Paul Appeals to Caesar (25:6–12) 9. Agrippa II and Bernice Visit Festus (25:13–22) 10. Paul Appears before Agrippa (25:23–27)

Acts 26

11. Paul Accepts Agrippa’s Invitation to Speak (26:1) 12. Paul’s “Apologia pro vita sua” (26:2–23)

a. Exordium (26:2–3) b. The resurrection hope (26:4–8) c. Paul’s persecuting zeal (26:9–11) d. The heavenly vision (26:12–18) e. Paul’s obedience to the vision (26:19–20) f. Paul’s arrest (26:21) g. Peroration (26:22–23)

13. Interchange between Festus, Paul, and Agrippa (26:24–29) 14. Agreement on Paul’s Innocence (26:30–32)

Acts 27

E. Paul’s Voyage and Shipwreck (27:1–44)

1. Caesarea to Myra (27:1–5) 2. They Trans-ship at Myra and Sail to Crete (27:6–8) 3. Paul’s Advice Rejected (27:9–12) 4. They Are Caught by the Wind Euraquilo (27:13–20) 5. Paul’s Encouragement (27:21–26) 6. They Approach Land (27:27–29) 7. The Sailors’ Attempt to Escape Frustrated (27:30–32) 8. The Meal on Board (27:33–38) 9. The Shipwreck (27:39–41) 10. Safe Ashore! (27:42–44)

Acts 28

F. Winter in Malta (28:1–10)

1. Welcome to Malta! (28:1–6) 2. Works of Healing in Malta (28:7–10)

G. Rome at Last (28:11–31)

1. The Last Lap: “And So We Came to Rome” (28:11–15) 2. Paul Handed Over to Be Kept under Guard (28:16) 3. Paul and the Roman Jews (28:17–28)

a. First interview (28:17–22) b. Second interview (28:23–28)

4. The Gospel Advances without Hindrance in Rome (28:30–31)

Notes General Index Index of Authors Index of Scripture References

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