124 passages · Jesus and the church
Jesus asks who people say he is and then who the disciples say he is, and Peter answers that he is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus blesses Peter, says he will build his church on this rock, gives him the keys of the kingdom and tells the disciples to tell no one.
Jesus lays out steps: confront a brother privately, then with one or two witnesses, and then tell the church. He speaks of binding and loosing and promises that where two or three gather in his name, he is with them.
The apostles return to Jerusalem and meet in an upper room, listing the eleven by name. They pray together with the women, Mary the mother of Jesus, and Jesus' brothers.
On the day of Pentecost, a sound like rushing wind fills the house and flame-like tongues rest on each believer. All are filled with the Holy Spirit and begin speaking in other languages.
The new believers devote themselves to the apostles' teaching, fellowship, shared meals and prayer. They share their possessions with those in need, worship in the temple and gain favor with the people as more join.
Ananias and his wife Sapphira sell property but secretly keep back part of the money while presenting the rest as the full amount. Peter says Ananias has lied to God, and Ananias falls dead and is buried.
About three hours later Sapphira arrives unaware, and Peter asks whether the price they reported was the real one. She repeats the lie and also dies, and great fear comes over the church.
The apostles perform many signs, and believers meet in Solomon's Colonnade. People are held in awe, more join, and crowds from surrounding towns bring the sick, all of whom are healed.
Greek-speaking Jewish believers complain that their widows are overlooked in the daily food distribution. The Twelve have the community choose seven Spirit-filled men to handle it so they can focus on prayer and the word, and the church keeps growing.
Saul approves of Stephen's death, and a great persecution scatters believers throughout Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Saul goes house to house dragging believers to prison, while those scattered preach wherever they go.
The disciples in Jerusalem fear Saul until Barnabas vouches for him. After hostile debates, believers send him to Tarsus, and the church enjoys peace and growth.
Jewish believers criticize Peter for eating with uncircumcised men. Peter retells the vision, the Spirit's command and the Spirit coming on the Gentiles, asking who he was to hinder God, and the critics accept it and praise God.
Believers scattered after Stephen's death preach mostly to Jews, but some speak to Greeks in Antioch, and many believe. Jerusalem sends Barnabas, who fetches Saul, and the disciples are first called Christians there.
The prophet Agabus predicts a widespread famine. The Antioch disciples decide to send help to believers in Judea, sending the gifts with Barnabas and Saul.
King Herod has James the brother of John killed and, seeing it pleases people, arrests Peter during Passover week. Peter is heavily guarded while the church prays fervently for him.
Peter goes to the house where believers are praying, and the servant Rhoda is so happy she forgets to open the gate. The group doubts her until they see him, and he tells them what happened before leaving.
While the Antioch church's prophets and teachers worship and fast, the Holy Spirit tells them to set apart Barnabas and Saul for a work. After fasting and prayer, they lay hands on them and send them off.
Opponents from Antioch and Iconium turn the crowd, stone Paul and drag him out as dead, but he gets up and continues to Derbe. The pair then retrace their route, encouraging the disciples and appointing elders in each church.
The missionaries travel back through Pamphylia and sail to Syrian Antioch, where they had been sent out. They report all God had done, especially opening the door of faith to the Gentiles, and stay there a long time.
James agrees that Peter's account matches the prophets and cites Amos about God rebuilding David's fallen tent so that Gentiles may seek Him. He proposes not burdening Gentile believers, only asking them to avoid a few practices.
The church chooses Judas Barsabbas and Silas to carry a letter to Antioch, Syria and Cilicia. It says the troublemakers acted without authority and asks Gentiles only to avoid food offered to idols, blood, strangled meat and sexual immorality.
The messengers deliver the letter in Antioch, and the believers rejoice at its encouragement. Judas and Silas strengthen the church, and Paul and Barnabas keep teaching there.
The group sails to Philippi, a Roman colony, and speaks to women at a riverside place of prayer. Lydia, a seller of purple cloth, responds and is baptized with her household, then offers them hospitality.
Paul leaves Athens for Corinth and stays with Aquila and Priscilla, fellow tentmakers who had been expelled from Rome. He supports himself by trade and argues in the synagogue each Sabbath.
Paul leaves Corinth with Priscilla and Aquila, keeps a vow at Cenchrea, and briefly preaches in Ephesus. He then visits Caesarea, Jerusalem and Antioch before strengthening disciples in Galatia and Phrygia.
Apollos, an eloquent scholar of Scripture from Alexandria, teaches about Jesus but knows only John's baptism. Priscilla and Aquila explain the way of God more fully, and he goes on to Achaia to help believers and debate publicly.
After the uproar Paul encourages the disciples and travels to Macedonia and Greece, staying three months. Because of a plot he returns through Macedonia, with a group of companions who wait for him at Troas.
At Troas Paul speaks until midnight and a young man named Eutychus falls asleep, falls from a window, and is taken up dead. Paul embraces him and says he is alive, and the believers are greatly comforted.
Paul urges the elders to watch over themselves and the flock, warns that harmful men will arise even from among them, commits them to God's word, and points to his own example of working to help the weak.
Paul kneels and prays with them all. They weep, embrace him, and grieve especially over his words that they will not see him again, then accompany him to the ship.