Acts

Acts is the sequel to Luke's Gospel and tells what happened next. It begins with the ascension and Pentecost, when a small, frightened group becomes a public movement. The first half follows Peter and the Jerusalem community: miracles, arrests, the first martyr and the hard decision to accept Gentiles without requiring the Jewish law. The second half follows Paul on three missionary journeys, with a shipwreck, riots, debates in Athens and the final arrival in Rome as a prisoner. The book ends open-endedly, without telling the outcome of the trial — as if the story continued with the reader. It is essential for understanding the context of the New Testament letters.