reading
plan
part 1: the church in Jerusalem
READING 1:
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The Ascension and Matthias Chosen
(Acts 1).
Jesus commissions his
disciples to be his witnesses before ascending into heaven.
Matthias is chosen to
replace Judas.
READING 2:
Pentecost and the First Believers (Acts 2).
The Holy Spirit descends,
empowering the apostles to preach.
Peter gives his first sermon, and about 3,000 people are baptized.
READING 3:
Peter's Sermon and Bold Witness
(Acts 3–4).
Peter heals a crippled
beggar, leading to his and John's arrest.
They boldly witness to the Sanhedrin, which marvels at their courage.
READING 4:
Unity, Judgment, and Persecution (Acts 5).
The believers share all
things in common, but Ananias and Sapphira are struck dead for their deception.
The apostles are imprisoned but miraculously freed by an angel.
READING 5:
Stephen's Witness and Martyrdom
(Acts 6–8:3).
Seven men are
appointed to serve
the church,
including Stephen,
who delivers a
powerful sermon
to the Sanhedrin.
He is stoned to death, becoming the first Christian martyr.
part 2: the gospel spreads to Judea and Samaria
READING 6:
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Philip's Ministry and Saul's Conversion (Acts 8:4–9:42).
Persecution
scatters the believers, leading Philip to preach in Samaria and to the Ethiopian eunuch.
Saul of Tarsus,
a great persecutor,
has a dramatic conversion on the
road to Damascus.
READING 7:
Peter Reaches Gentiles (Acts 10–11:18). Peter performs miracles in
Lydia and Joppa.
A vision from God instructs him to visit the Roman centurion
Cornelius.
The Holy Spirit falls on Cornelius and his household, confirming that the gospel is for Gentiles too.
READING 8:
The Church in
Antioch and Herod's Persecution
(Acts 11:19–12).
The church grows in Antioch, where believers are first called "Christians."
King Herod Agrippa I executes James and imprisons Peter, who is then freed by an angel.
part 3: Paul's missionary journeys
READING 9:
​
The First Missionary Journey (Acts 13–14).
Paul (formerly Saul) and
Barnabas are sent out from Antioch to Cyprus and Asia Minor, preaching and
facing opposition.
They eventually return to Syrian Antioch.
READING 10:
The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:1–35).
​
The apostles and elders meet in Jerusalem to address the dispute over whether Gentiles
must follow the
Jewish law.
They conclude that salvation is by grace through faith.
READING 11:
The Second Missionary Journey Begins
(Acts 15:36–17:15).
Paul and
Silas travel to Philippi, where they are imprisoned and miraculously freed.
They continue to Thessalonica and Berea.
READING 12:
Paul in Athens
and Corinth
(Acts 17:16–18:22).
Paul preaches to the
philosophers in Athens and then spends time ministering in Corinth.
READING 13:
The Third
Missionary Journey
(Acts 18:23–21:16).
Paul travels
through Ephesus, where he performs miracles and faces opposition.
He continues
his journey, ending with a return to Jerusalem.
part 4: Paul's missionary journeys
READING 14:
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Paul's Arrest and Trials (Acts 21:17–26).
Paul is arrested in
Jerusalem.
He defends himself before the Jewish crowd, the Sanhedrin, Governor Felix, and Governor Festus.
He is moved to Caesarea.
READING 15:
Paul Sails for Rome (Acts 27–28).
Paul appeals to Caesar
and is sent to Rome.
He endures a dangerous shipwreck close to Malta but eventually arrives
in Rome, where he preaches the gospel freely while under house arrest.