Opening Acts · Scripture-led sequence
From Jerusalem
toward the nations
Follow the forty days, Pentecost, the growing Jerusalem church, Stephen, the scattering, Philip, and Saul without assigning dates that Acts does not state.
01
Continues from the resurrection
The risen Jesus prepares the apostles
CY 3953 · about AD 31 · stated interval: forty daysActs continues directly from the resurrection. Luke supplies forty days of appearances before the ascension, but does not divide those appearances into invented calendar dates.
Forty days
Jesus shows himself alive
Acts 1:3
King James Version“To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The forty days are an explicit interval joining the resurrection to the ascension.
Mount Olivet
Jesus ascends
Acts 1:9–11
King James Version“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The apostles return to Jerusalem and continue together in prayer.
Before Pentecost
Matthias is numbered with the eleven
Acts 1:24–26
King James Version“And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Matthias fills the place left vacant by Judas before the day of Pentecost.
02
Pentecost continues in CY 3953
The Jerusalem church receives power
Fifty days counted from the resurrection seasonPentecost belongs to the same opening Gospel-to-Acts sequence. The page keeps it with the resurrection year while making the continuation visible.
Day of Pentecost
The disciples are filled with the Holy Ghost
Acts 2:1–4
King James Version“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The promised power to bear witness begins at Jerusalem.
Peter’s sermon
Peter proclaims the risen Christ
Acts 2:32–33, 36
King James Version“This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted… God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Peter’s message centers upon the resurrection, exaltation, and lordship of Jesus.
The same day
About three thousand are added
Acts 2:41
King James Version“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Acts calls this an addition, not the creation of a church unrelated to Christ’s earlier disciples.
Daily
The Lord adds to the church
Acts 2:46–47
King James Version“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple… Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The Jerusalem believers continue in fellowship, breaking of bread, prayers, and apostolic doctrine.
03
The Jerusalem witness
The word grows amid opposition
Following years · exact Creation-year divisions under reviewActs records a clear order of events but does not attach a regnal year or month to each one. These events therefore remain sequential without false precision.
At the temple
The lame man walks
Acts 3:6–8
King James Version“In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The healing leads to Peter’s sermon in Solomon’s porch.
After Peter’s sermon
The number of the men reaches about five thousand
Acts 4:4
King James Version“Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The witness continues despite arrest and warning.
Within the church
Ananias and Sapphira lie to the Holy Ghost
Acts 5:1–10
King James Version“But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Acts places this judgment during the Jerusalem church’s early common life.
Daily witness
The apostles teach Jesus Christ
Acts 5:42
King James Version“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Neither imprisonment nor beating stops the public and household witness.
04
Stephen and the scattering
Persecution carries the word beyond Jerusalem
Sequence settled · converted years under reviewStephen’s death marks a major transition. The believers are scattered, yet the scattering spreads rather than silences the word.
The word increases
Seven are appointed
Acts 6:3–7
King James Version“Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom… And the word of God increased.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Stephen and Philip are named among the seven.
Before the council
Stephen bears witness and is killed
Acts 7:55–60
King James Version“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Saul is present and consents to Stephen’s death.
That time
The church is scattered from Jerusalem
Acts 8:1, 4
King James Version“And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem… Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The apostles remain at Jerusalem while the scattered believers carry the word outward.
Samaria and the desert road
Philip preaches Christ
Acts 8:5, 35
King James Version“Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them… Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.The witness reaches Samaria and the Ethiopian traveller.
05
Saul is called
The persecutor meets Jesus
Early Acts · exact Gregorian and Creation year under reviewActs places Saul’s conversion after the scattering and Philip’s ministry. It supplies the journey and sequence, but not a numbered civil year.
Road to Damascus
Jesus confronts Saul
Acts 9:4–5
King James Version“Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Jesus identifies the persecution of his disciples as persecution of himself.
Three days
Saul waits blind in Damascus
Acts 9:8–9
King James Version“And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man… And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Acts supplies another explicit interval.
The Lord’s commission
Ananias is sent to Saul
Acts 9:15–18
King James Version“Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.”Read the full chapter →Tap the reference again to close.Saul receives sight, is baptized, and begins preaching that Christ is the Son of God.
Chronology register
What is settled—and what is not
The narrative order and stated intervals come directly from Acts. The converted calendar years require caution because Luke does not attach a numbered Roman or Judean year to these early events.
Resurrection appearances, ascension, Pentecost, Jerusalem witness, Stephen, scattering, Philip, and Saul occur in that order.
Forty days before the ascension and Saul’s three days without sight are retained exactly as stated.
Pentecost continues from CY 3953. Later divisions remain under review rather than being spread across invented annual markers.
The working AD 31 resurrection label governs the opening. Dates often proposed for Stephen and Saul are not treated as settled facts.
Acts says believers were added to “the church” before Saul’s conversion, and Jesus identifies their persecution as persecution of himself.
Herod Agrippa, the famine, Gallio, Claudius, and later Roman rulers provide firmer historical comparison points.
The movement of Acts
Persecution does not divide the church—it spreads the witness.
The same disciples who receive Christ’s command at Jerusalem bear witness after Pentecost. When persecution scatters the believers, they preach the word elsewhere. Saul is then confronted by the same Jesus whose people he has been persecuting.