Acts continues · Gentiles and Antioch
From Cornelius
to the first journey
Follow Saul’s stated intervals, Peter’s visit to Cornelius, the growing church at Antioch, Herod Agrippa’s death, and the sending of Barnabas and Saul.
01
Saul’s early witness continues
Damascus, Arabia, Jerusalem, and Tarsus
After the Damascus road · stated interval: after three yearsActs gives the narrative movement while Galatians supplies Paul’s own three-year and fifteen-day notices. The intervals are retained without forcing their endpoints into a guessed civil year.
Straightway
Saul preaches Christ in Damascus
Acts 9:20–22
King James Version“And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Saul’s first recorded preaching follows his baptism.
Arabia and Damascus
Paul supplies an interval omitted from Acts
Galatians 1:17–18
King James Version“But I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Galatians expands the compressed movement in Acts 9. Whether the three years are inclusive is not stated.
Damascus escape
Saul is let down by the wall in a basket
Acts 9:23–25
King James Version“Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The escape precedes Saul’s Jerusalem visit.
Jerusalem
Barnabas brings Saul to the apostles
Acts 9:26–30
King James Version“But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.After threats in Jerusalem, the brethren send Saul toward Tarsus.
02
Peter and Cornelius
God opens the door to a Gentile household
Sequence settled · exact Creation and Gregorian year not statedPeter’s ministry at Lydda and Joppa leads directly to Cornelius. Acts supplies the order, named locations, and repeated divine direction, but no numbered year.
Joppa
Peter raises Tabitha
Acts 9:36, 40–42
King James Version“But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Peter remains many days in Joppa with Simon a tanner.
Caesarea and Joppa
Cornelius and Peter receive matching direction
Acts 10:1–20
King James Version“Now there was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius… And on the morrow… Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The angel’s instruction and Peter’s vision bring the two households together.
Cornelius’s house
Peter declares that God is no respecter of persons
Acts 10:34–35
King James Version“Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Peter then preaches Jesus’ ministry, death, resurrection, and forgiveness.
While Peter speaks
The Holy Ghost falls on the Gentiles
Acts 10:44–48
King James Version“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Peter commands the household to be baptized in the name of the Lord.
Jerusalem
The church glorifies God for Gentile repentance
Acts 11:17–18
King James Version“Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Peter recounts the complete matter from the beginning, and the hearers cease their objection.
03
The church at Antioch
Barnabas finds Saul and brings him to Antioch
Following the scattering · one whole year statedThe scattered believers reach Phoenice, Cyprus, and Antioch. A new center of witness grows, and Barnabas deliberately seeks Saul in Tarsus.
After the scattering
The Lord’s hand is with the witness at Antioch
Acts 11:19–21
King James Version“And some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, which, when they were come to Antioch, spake unto the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.A great number believes and turns unto the Lord.
Sent from Jerusalem
Barnabas sees the grace of God
Acts 11:22–24
King James Version“Who, when he came, and had seen the grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Barnabas is described as a good man, full of the Holy Ghost and faith.
Tarsus to Antioch
Barnabas brings Saul to Antioch
Acts 11:25–26
King James Version“Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Barnabas’s search reconnects Saul with the expanding work.
One whole year
The disciples are first called Christians
Acts 11:26
King James Version“And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The full year is explicit; its precise Creation-year boundaries are not.
04
Famine relief and Herod Agrippa
A disputed ruler meets a fixed end
CY 3966 · about AD 44 at Agrippa’s deathAgabus’s prophecy belongs to the days of Claudius. Acts 12 and Josephus independently place Agrippa’s final public acclamation and death at Caesarea, giving this section a strong historical comparison point.
Days of Claudius
Agabus foretells a great dearth
Acts 11:27–30
King James Version“And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The disciples determine to send relief to Judea by Barnabas and Saul. The prophecy and the relief should not be forced into the same moment.
Days of unleavened bread
Herod kills James and imprisons Peter
Acts 12:1–4
King James Version“And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Acts explicitly places Peter’s arrest in the days of unleavened bread.
That night
Peter is delivered from prison
Acts 12:6–11
King James Version“And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison… And his chains fell off from his hands.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Peter goes to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark.
Caesarea
Herod Agrippa accepts divine praise and dies
Acts 12:21–23
King James Version“And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Josephus also records Agrippa’s public acclamation, sudden abdominal affliction, and death after five days. The project places the death at CY 3966 / AD 44.
05
The first journey begins
The Holy Ghost sends Barnabas and Saul
After Agrippa’s death · exact departure year under reviewActs closes the Agrippa account by saying the word grew. Barnabas and Saul return from their service, and the narrative turns decisively toward the missionary journeys.
After Herod’s death
The word of God grows and multiplies
Acts 12:24–25
King James Version“But the word of God grew and multiplied. And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when they had fulfilled their ministry.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.John, whose surname was Mark, accompanies them.
At Antioch
Prophets and teachers minister to the Lord
Acts 13:1–2
King James Version“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Acts names Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen, and Saul.
Sent forth
Barnabas and Saul depart
Acts 13:3–4
King James Version“And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.This is the opening of the first missionary journey.
Chronology register
Intervals, anchors, and open boundaries
This section gains one firm historical comparison while leaving undated apostolic movements in their biblical order.
Galatians states the interval and the fifteen-day visit. It does not name their opening month or settle whether the years are inclusive.
Acts firmly places Cornelius after Peter’s Joppa ministry, but supplies no emperor’s year for the meeting.
The duration is exact even though its placement across Creation-year boundaries remains open.
Acts foretells it and Josephus records severe famine in Judea. The prophecy, relief journey, and famine’s full duration are not collapsed into one date.
Acts and Josephus provide independent narrative witnesses. AD 44 corresponds to CY 3966 on the project’s working conversion.
The journey begins after the relief ministry and Agrippa narrative; the precise departure year remains under review.
The same work moves outward
Jerusalem receives the report; Antioch sends the witnesses.
Peter’s testimony concerning Cornelius is received at Jerusalem. Barnabas then brings Saul into the Antioch church, where the disciples teach for a whole year. From that same church the Holy Ghost sends Barnabas and Saul toward the nations.