You are viewing page 2 in the series “Acts Facts” which provides 74 pages in a study of the book of Acts. We look in alphabetical order at all the places mentioned in Acts, with maps and notes about what happened at each place. Then we have verse-by-verse studies of the whole book of Acts.
The Spread of Christianity —The six parts of the book of Acts
The book of Acts is the second book written for Theophilus by Luke, and takes up the story where Luke’s gospel account finished (Luke 1:1-3, Acts 1:1-2).
The book of Acts tells of the spread of Christianity and the adventures of the first Christians. Luke’s main purpose is to record cases of conversion to provide a model or pattern of how people became Christians wherever the gospel went. The book falls into six sections each of which ends with a progress report.
1 Jerusalem
Acts 1:1 to 6:7
Ascension of Christ to God’s right hand
Preaching of Peter
Establishment of the church of Christ at Jerusalem
Persons: Peter, John
Places: Jerusalem
Problems: poverty
"And the word of God increased, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem"(Acts 6:7).
2 Judea, Galilee, Samaria
Acts 6:8 to 9:31
Spread of Christianity through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria
Martyrdom of Stephen
Ministry of Philip
Conversion of Saul
Persons: Stephen, Philip, Saul
Places: Judea, Galilee, Samaria
Problems: persecution
"Then the church had rest throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. Going on and built up in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase"(Acts 9:31).
3 Coastlands and Syria
Acts 9:32 to 12:24
Church established at Antioch
Peter preaches to Cornelius
Persons: Peter, Cornelius
Places: Joppa, Syrian Antioch
Problems: prejudice
"The word of the Lord continued to grow and be multiplied"(Acts 12:24).
4 Cyprus and Galatia
Acts 12:25 to 16:5
Paul begins his first missionary journey to Cyprus and regions south of Galatia (Acts 13:4)
Council at Jerusalem
Paul's begins his second missionary journey (Acts 15:36)
Persons: Paul (Saul), Barnabas, Silas.
Places: Cyprus, Pisidia, Jerusalem
Problems: heresy
"So the churches were established in the faith, and increased in number daily"(Acts 16:5).
5 Macedonia, Achaia, Asia
Acts 16:6 to 19:20
Paul journeys from Syria to Macedonia
Conversion of Lydia and the jailer at Philippi
Paul goes on down to Achaia (Greece), preaches in Athens
Paul returns to Syria via Ephesus
Paul begins his third missionary journey (Acts 18:23)
Apollos’s missionary journeys
Paul spends more than two years teaching in Ephesus
Persons: Paul, Lydia, Silas, Timothy
Places: Ephesus, Macedonia, Achaia (Greece)
Problems: idolatry
"So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing"(Acts 19:20).
6 Rome
Acts 19:21 to 28:31
An uproar in Ephesus
Paul's fourth journey begins (Acts 20:1)
Macedonia and Achaia revisited
Paul’s journey to Jerusalem and trials there (chapters 21-26)
Paul’s journey to Rome where he is placed under house arrest
Persons: Paul
Places: Jerusalem, Rome
Problems: imprisonment
"...preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about Christ quite openly and unhindered"(Acts 28:31).
—“Spread of Christianity ” ...You can have the article on this page filed on your device in PDF format, yours to keep and share. Tap “Download or Save” on the button if you would like to do this.
