Acts, book of

The fifth book in the New Testament. It was written by Luke, a doctor who traveled with Paul on Paul’s second and third missionary journeys. The book of Acts was probably written around AD 61 or 62. This book of church history shows how the church grew from a small group of frightened believers who huddled in one room to a courageous, growing church spread across the Roman Empire. The turning point was the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

Acts centers mostly on the work of two men—Peter and Paul. Peter is the main person until the end of chapter 12. Beginning in chapter 13, Paul becomes the main character.

Beginning in chapter 13, Paul’s missionary journeys are traced as the gospel is told in Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome. The letters of Paul in the New Testament are written to some of the churches he started while on those journeys or to pastors and Christian workers in those churches.