約 5,669,594 件
https://w.atwiki.jp/tokitowa/pages/15.html
ストーリー・世界観 [#o9d484c5] ストーリー・世界観 [#o9d484c5]ストーリー [#p3101246] 世界観[#e8549ed2]コクーンとパルス [#hbbca5e7] ファルシとルシ [#cc8d3a3d] 聖府とノラ [#p0e4617a] パージ政策 [#dcd2d4c4] シ骸の存在 [#t13958ec] クリスタル[#lc1ef907] ストーリー [#p3101246] #ref error ：ご指定のページがありません。ページ名を確認して再度指定してください。 天空に浮かぶ楽園―― 「コクーン」に生きる人々は、 自らの世界を理想郷と信じていた。 楽園コクーンは、 聖府の総治のもとで平和と反映を亭受している。 人類の守護者 「ファルシ」たちの祝福を受けて、 安らかな日々が永遠に続くかに思われた。 だが、楽園を憎悪するファルシが出現する。 禁忌の魔境として恐れられる下界 「パルス」より到来したファルシが眠りから目覚めた時、 コクーンの平和は終焉を迎えた。 ファルシは人に呪いをかけて、 魔性の尖兵へと変える。 ファルシに選ばれし者――ルシ。 ルシの刻印を刻まれた彼らは、 果たすべき使命を背負って、 死よりも過酷な宿命に立ち向かう。 救済を求める祈り。 世界を守る願い。 運命を変える誓い。 想いが交錯する13日間が終わる時、 彼らの戦いが始まる 世界観[#e8549ed2] コクーンとパルス [#hbbca5e7] FF13にはコクーンとパルスという世界が存在する。 現在の世界に合わせるとコクーンは地球、パルスは月といった具合になる また、コクーンは理想郷と呼ばれ、パルスは下界と呼ばれてる。 パルスコクーンの遥か下にある地上世界。コクーンからパルスに行った人間はだれ一人として戻ってきたことがなく、コクーン市民からは非常に恐れられている。 コクーンパルスから人類を守るためファルシによってに作られた空中に浮かぶ繭のような都市。聖府によって管理されている。 聖府コクーンを管理している機関。コクーンの繁栄のためパージを強行した。 大量の兵器を所持しており多くの謎が残る。 ファルシとルシ [#cc8d3a3d] ファルシとはコクーンを創造したものであり、クリスタルを守るものとされている ルシはファルシに選ばれた者であるというが、その身は使命と烙印を背負う者として呪われている。 聖府とノラ [#p0e4617a] 聖府とは"聖府軍"と精鋭部隊"PSICOM"により、コクーンを統治している機関。 コクーンの平和を危険にさらすとしてパルスを危険視している。 スノウをリーダーとして活動を行っている反聖府組織 その活動理念には何か深い事情があるらしい…… パージ政策 [#dcd2d4c4] 聖府が行っている政策。 パルスの影響を受けたコクーンの者をパルスへ追放しようとしている。 シ骸の存在 [#t13958ec] ファルシによる使命を果たせなかったルシの果ての姿 魔物となり絶望に心を閉ざし永久に生きることとなる 心の無い"魔物"となり、絶望に心を閉ざしたまま永遠に生きなければならない。 クリスタル[#lc1ef907] コクーン・パルスに存在する物体 生活に必要な機械のエネルギー源となっている
https://w.atwiki.jp/yogame/pages/10.html
概要 長編アクションで名高いGeneretion Forceが贈る、終末救世主アクション！ 数々の装備や兵器、そして地形を利用した多彩なアクションを使用するアクションモードに加え、特定の兵器に搭乗し、好きなように『オザキユタカゲーム』の世界を飛び回る、爽快感MAXのレーシングモードを搭載！ ストーリーから、アクションから、もうあなたは目が離せない！ ストーリー 破滅した街『所沢』の廃墟で、一人の少年が目を覚ます。 彼には自身が生まれてここに至るまでの記憶が一切存在しなかった…。 記憶にあるのはオザキユタカという名前と、不確かなメロディ。 断片的にフラッシュバックする記憶をたどるうちに出会う人々。窓ガラスの中から忍び寄るモノ。 彼を待ち受ける残酷な運命とは。
https://w.atwiki.jp/rpgtkoolo/pages/17.html
プレイヤー向け ●ストーリー 気がつくとあなたは薄暗い施設の牢に入っていたモニタだった なぜか部屋の鍵が開いていたので外に出る するとあなたと同じように牢に閉じ込められた少女と出逢う 少女は外に出たいと言う あなたは少女の願いを叶えようと少女と共に外を目指すのだった ●隔離施設 主人公とヒロインが始めにいる場所 クリーチャーもいるが見た目はかわいい ●アナザーワールド もう１つの世界 おぞましい化け物が存在し世界がぐにゃぐにゃ 開発者向け（ネタバレ） ●ストーリー 人体実験でヤバイ病気になった少女が隔離施設に入れられた 少女は記憶をなくしてここがどこなのか分からない ●隔離施設 軍が行っている軍事実験の失敗作を捨てる施設 公にはできない実験生物が多く存在し化け物の巣窟 軍は中で何が起こっていても関与しない ●アナザーワールド ドラッグの幻覚作用が切れて見える現実世界
https://w.atwiki.jp/persona5-kousatu/pages/13.html
本編ストーリー 他作品とのコラボイベント Persona5 Thievery in Blue - 「グランブルーファンタジー」でのコラボイベント
https://w.atwiki.jp/mythicmobs/pages/21.html
正式名 日本語 ARMOR_STAND アーマースタンド BABY_PIG_ZOMBIE 豚ゾンビの赤子 BABY_PIG_ZOMBIE_VILLAGER ？ BABY_ZOMBIE チビゾンビ BABY_ZOMBIE_VILLAGER チビ村人ゾンビ BAT コウモリ BLAZE ブレイズ CAVE_SPIDER 毒蜘蛛 CHICKEN 鶏 COW 牛 CREEPER クリーパー ENDER_DRAGON エンダードラゴン ENDERMAN エンダーマン ENDERMITE エンダーマイト GHAST ガスト GIANT ジャイアント GUARDIAN ガーディアン HORSE 馬 IRON_GOLEM アイアンゴーレム MAGMA_CUBE マグマキューブ MUSHROOM_COW マッシュルームの牛 OCELOT 猫 PIG 豚 PIG_ZOMBIE ピッグゾンビ PIG_ZOMBIE_VILLAGER ？ PRIMED_TNT 起爆したTNT RABBIT 兎 SHEEP 羊 SILVERFISH シルバーフィッシュ SKELETON スケルトン SLIME スライム SNOWMAN スノーマン SPIDER 蜘蛛 SQUID イカ VILLAGER 村人 WITCH ウィッチ WITHER ウィザー WITHER_SKELETON ウィザースケルトン WOLF 狼 ZOMBIE ゾンビ ZOMBIE_VILLAGER 村人ゾンビ
https://w.atwiki.jp/cwcwiki/pages/689.html
デッドエンド Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dead End デッドエンド Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dead EndID+ゲーム名 ID+ゲーム名 _S ULJM-05907 _G Dead End -Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dead End-
https://w.atwiki.jp/utapri_shininglive/pages/39.html
概要 コメント 概要 終了したイベントストーリーは、「イベントストーリーチケット」を使って解放することが出来る。「イベントストーリーチケット」はメモリアルバングル交換所で入手可能。 1話読了ごとにプリズム5個、10話読了で背景がメダルショップに追加される。 「Shining Valentine 2018」及び各スコアバトルはストーリー無し 編集 2020年前期 [部分編集] 分類 イベント名 開始日時 終了日時 コレクション Magic on your fingertips 2020/2/3 2020/2/10 セットリスト Shiny Star Live starring MASATO 2020/1/21 2020/1/28 コレクション 心あったか♪しんしん雪まつり 2020/1/10 2020/1/17 2019年後期 +... [部分編集] 分類 イベント名 開始日時 終了日時 その他 SHINING COUNTDOWN LIVE 2019-2020 2019/12/27 2020/1/8 セットリスト Shiny Star Live starring NATSUKI 2019/12/18 2019/12/25 コレクション 優麗な騎行 2019/12/2 2019/12/9 セットリスト Shiny Star Live starring CECIL 2019/11/20 2019/11/27 スコアバトル 第22回スコアバトル 2019/11/13 2019/11/18 コレクション World Travel Magazines -アメリカ編- 2019/11/4 2019/11/11 セットリスト Shiny Star Live starring AI 2019/10/18 2019/10/25 スコアバトル 第21回スコアバトル 2019/10/11 2019/10/16 コレクション Daring Attack! 2019/10/2 2019/10/9 スコアバトル 第20回スコアバトル 2019/9/25 2019/9/30 コレクション どっちの☆ベストショット！～古都編～ 2019/9/17 2019/9/24 セットリスト どっちの☆ベストショット！～都会編～ 2019/9/5 2019/9/12 セットリスト Cast a spell on me 2019/8/20 2019/8/27 コレクション 狂瀾の交響曲 2019/8/11 2019/8/18 スコアバトル 第19回スコアバトル 2019/8/3 2019/8/8 セットリスト 波瀾の旋律 2019/7/24 2019/7/31 コレクション The Mystical Tours -運び屋編- 2019/7/10 2019/7/17 スコアバトル 第18回スコアバトル 2019/7/3 2019/7/8 2019年前期 +... [部分編集] 分類 イベント名 開始日時 終了日時 コレクション The Mystical Tours -寝台特急編- 2019/6/21 2019/6/28 セットリスト Yummy！魅惑のカレー 2019/6/10 2019/6/17 スコアバトル 第17回スコアバトル 2019/6/3 2019/6/8 セットリスト World Travel Magazines -UK編- 2019/5/24 2019/5/31 コレクション the Fateful Encounter 2019/5/13 2019/5/20 スコアバトル 第16回スコアバトル 2019/5/5 2019/5/10 コレクション Face the Destiny 2019/4/26 2019/5/3 セットリスト Spring Memories 2019/4/10 2019/4/17 スコアバトル 第15回スコアバトル 2019/4/3 2019/4/8 その他 Dream Star Live 2019/4/1 2019/4/1 セットリスト ココロハピネス☆My dear Doctor 2019/3/22 2019/3/29 その他 全員でチャレンジ！大型ミッション 2019/3/15 2019/3/20 コレクション Dreamy AQUARIUM 2019/3/6 2019/3/13 スコアバトル 第14回スコアバトル 2019/2/27 2019/3/4 コレクション 月夜に踊る物の怪奇譚 2019/2/18 2019/2/25 その他 Shining Valentine 2019 2019/2/9 2019/2/14 セットリスト 百花繚乱あやかし絵巻 2019/2/1 2019/2/8 コレクション World Travel Magazines -スペイン編- 2019/1/21 2019/1/28 セットリスト 早朝！山登りチャレンジ 2019/1/11 2019/1/18 2018年後期 +... [部分編集] 分類 イベント名 開始日時 終了日時 その他 SHINING COUNTDOWN LIVE 2018-2019 2018/12/27 2019/1/8 その他 Shining Christmas Night 2018 2018/12/24 2018/12/27 コレクション JUMP☆ウィンタースポーツ-スキー編- 2018/12/18 2018/12/25 スコアバトル 第13回スコアバトル 2018/12/12 2018/12/17 セットリスト JUMP☆ウィンタースポーツ-スノボ編- 2018/12/3 2018/12/10 コレクション TRY NEW STAGE! side.NATSUKI 2018/11/22 2018/11/29 その他 全員でチャレンジ！大型ミッション 2018/11/16 2018/11/21 セットリスト どっちの☆ベストショット！～南国編～ 2018/11/8 2018/11/15 スコアバトル 第12回スコアバトル 2018/11/2 2018/11/7 セットリスト どっちの☆ベストショット！～北国編～ 2018/10/25 2018/11/1 スコアバトル 第11回スコアバトル 2018/10/19 2018/10/24 セットリスト 書架の誘惑 2018/10/10 2018/10/17 スコアバトル 第10回スコアバトル 2018/10/4 2018/10/9 セットリスト TRY NEW STAGE! side.SYO 2018/9/26 2018/10/3 スコアバトル 第9回スコアバトル 2018/9/20 2018/9/25 セットリスト TRY NEW STAGE! side.OTOYA 2018/9/12 2018/9/19 スコアバトル 第8回スコアバトル 2018/9/6 2018/9/11 セットリスト TRY NEW STAGE! side.REN 2018/8/29 2018/9/5 スコアバトル 第7回スコアバトル 2018/8/22 2018/8/27 セットリスト Steal your Heart 2018/8/10 2018/8/17 スコアバトル 第6回スコアバトル 2018/8/1 2018/8/6 セットリスト ヘリクリサムは夜に咲く 2018/7/19 2018/7/26 スコアバトル 第5回スコアバトル 2018/7/12 2018/7/17 セットリスト はぐれ者の斉唱 2018/7/4 2018/7/11 2018年前期 +... [部分編集] 分類 イベント名 開始日時 終了日時 スコアバトル 第4回スコアバトル 2018/6/28 2018/7/3 セットリスト 決意の行進曲 2018/6/19 2018/6/26 スコアバトル 第3回スコアバトル 2018/6/13 2018/6/18 セットリスト TRY NEW STAGE! side.MASATO 2018/6/5 2018/6/12 セットリスト No More Bets 2018/5/21 2018/5/28 スコアバトル 第2回スコアバトル 2018/5/11 2018/5/16 セットリスト No More to Say 2018/5/1 2018/5/8 スコアバトル 第1回スコアバトル 2018/4/25 2018/4/30 セットリスト TRY NEW STAGE! side.TOKIYA 2018/4/17 2018/4/24 その他 April Fools Day Other Memories（2回目） 2018/4/15 2018/4/15 セットリスト TRY NEW STAGE! side.CECIL 2018/4/3 2018/4/10 その他 April Fools Day Other Memories 2018/4/1 2018/4/1 セットリスト レンアーティ教授の謀略 2018/3/20 2018/3/27 セットリスト クルスタン警部の追及 2018/3/6 2018/3/13 セットリスト Aqua Crystal 2018/2/20 2018/2/27 その他 Shining Valentine 2018 2018/2/9 2018/2/14 セットリスト 戸惑いの独奏者 2018/2/2 2018/2/9 セットリスト 流離いの狂騒曲 2018/1/24 2018/1/31 セットリスト 見習い陰陽師 音晴奮闘記 2018/1/12 2018/1/19 2017年後期 +... [部分編集] 分類 イベント名 開始日時 終了日時 その他 SHINING COUNTDOWN LIVE 2017-2018 2017/12/27 2018/1/8 セットリスト Lavender Crystal 2017/12/19 2017/12/26 セットリスト Crimson Crystal 2017/12/5 2017/12/12 セットリスト 深闇の好敵手 ダーク・W・ムーン 2017/11/21 2017/11/28 セットリスト 正義のヒーロー ライト・W・ウイング 2017/11/7 2017/11/14 セットリスト Autumn Memories 2017/10/19 2017/10/26 セットリスト Viridian Crystal 2017/10/5 2017/10/12 セットリスト 探偵トキヤーロックの事件簿 2017/9/19 2017/9/28 セットリスト 怪盗オトヤーヌの活躍記 2017/9/5 2017/9/14 コメント
https://w.atwiki.jp/mheroes/pages/536.html
盟約 EP1 カルブラム傭兵団 EP2 魔族の影 EP3 三日月を斬り裂く剣 EP4 ノール種族の王 EP5 失われた聖なるアーティファクト ExEP アイダン EP6 燃えるコレン ExEP タイタン EP7 2番目の巫女 EP8-Part1- 我々をひとり残らず殺しても EP8-Part2- 我々をひとり残らず殺しても EP9 破滅の歌 ストーリー/メインストーリー/EP7：2番目の巫女
https://w.atwiki.jp/tfla00/pages/2.html
◆ストーリーについて ストーリーは大まかに。 大まか…か…な？ 十年前、ラグナロクという大規模な戦争が勃発。 正確には十年以上前から始まっており、終戦が十年前になる。 太古から神と崇められる者達が、自らの欲望の為に"器"を巡り争った。 人間や共存する生物を根絶やしにしていった。 器というものが何なのかわからなかった。 だが、ただ有り余る程の力を手にすることが出来るのだと、信じてやまなかった。 意味も無い争いを繰り返し、長きにわたる戦争に終止符がうたれる。 終戦より十年経ち、大分傷跡は癒えた。 しかし各地で異変が起き、世界が傾きつつある。 何人かが異変にいち早く気付き原因を突き止め、解決する…のが一番望ましいが、それぞれ壁に直面してしまう。 それを越えた先に何があるか。 ……gdgdしてますね…すみません。 シナリオ構成に力を貸してくださる方がいてほしい…。
https://w.atwiki.jp/jikkyosha_ust/pages/399.html
The Acts of the Apostles (Ancient Greek Πράξεις τῶν Ἀποστόλων, Práxeis tôn Apostólōn; Latin Āctūs Apostolōrum), often referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian church and the spread of its message to the Roman empire.[1] Acts is the second half of a two-part work, referred to as Luke-Acts, by the same anonymous author, referred to as Luke the Evangelist, and usually dated to around 80-90 CE.[2][3] The first part, the Gospel of Luke, tells how God fulfilled his plan for the world s salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the promised Messiah. Acts continues the story of Christianity in the 1st century, beginning with the Ascension of Christ. The early chapters, set in Jerusalem, describe the Day of Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit) and the growth of the church in Jerusalem. Initially the Jews are receptive to the Christian message, but soon they turn against the followers of the Messiah. Rejected by the Jews, under the guidance of the Apostle Peter the message is taken to the Gentiles. The later chapters tell of Paul s conversion, his mission in Asia Minor and the Aegean, and finally his imprisonment in Rome, where, as the book ends, he awaits trial. Luke-Acts is an attempt to answer a theological problem, namely how the Messiah of the Jews came to have an overwhelmingly non-Jewish church; the answer it provides, and its central theme, is that the message of Christ was sent to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected it.[1] Contents [hide] 1 Composition and setting 1.1 Title, unity of Luke-Acts, authorship and date 1.2 Genre, sources and historicity of Acts 1.3 Audience and authorial intent 1.4 Manuscripts 2 Structure and content 2.1 Structure 2.2 Outline 2.3 Content 3 Theology 4 Comparison with other writings 4.1 Gospel of Luke 4.2 Pauline epistles 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External links Composition and setting[edit] Main article Authorship of Luke–Acts Ministry of the Apostles Russian icon by Fyodor Zubov, 1660 Title, unity of Luke-Acts, authorship and date[edit] The title "Acts of the Apostles" (Greek Πράξεις ἀποστόλων Praxeis Apostolon) was first used by Irenaeus in the late 2nd century. It is not known whether this was an existing title or one invented by Irenaeus; it does seem clear, however, that it was not given by the author.[4] The gospel of Luke and Acts make up a two-volume work which scholars call Luke-Acts.[3] Together they account for 27.5% of the New Testament, the largest contribution attributed to a single author, providing the framework for both the Church s liturgical calendar and the historical outline into which later generations have fitted their idea of the story of Jesus and the early church.[5] The author is not named in either volume.[6] According to Church tradition dating from the 2nd century, he was the "Luke" named as a companion of the apostle Paul in three of the letters attributed to Paul himself; this view is still sometimes advanced, but "a critical consensus emphasizes the countless contradictions between the account in Acts and the authentic Pauline letters."[7] (An example can be seen by comparing Acts accounts of Paul s conversion (Acts 9 1-31, 22 6-21, and 26 9-23) with Paul s own statement that he remained unknown to Christians in Judea after that event (Galatians 1 17-24).)[8] He admired Paul, but his theology was significantly different from Paul s on key points and he does not (in Acts) represent Paul s views accurately.[9] He was educated, a man of means, probably urban, and someone who respected manual work, although not a worker himself; this is significant, because more high-brow writers of the time looked down on the artisans and small business-people who made up the early church of Paul and were presumably Luke s audience.[10] The earliest possible date for the composition of Acts is set by the events with which it ends, Paul s imprisonment in Rome c.63 CE, but an early date is now rarely put forward.[11][12] The last possible date would be set by its first definite citation by another author, but there is no unanimity on this–some scholars find echoes of Acts in a work from c.95 CE called I Clement, while others see no indisputable citation until the middle of the 2nd century.[11] If Acts uses Josephus as a source, as has been proposed, then it must have been composed after 93 CE; it does not show any knowledge of Paul s letters, a fact which also supports a late date; and the social situation it reflects is one in which the faithful need "shepherds" to protect them from heretical (possibly Marcionite) "wolves", which again reflects a late date.[11] Most experts therefore date it to around 80-90 CE, although some suggest 90-110, [2] and there is evidence that it was still being substantially revised well into the 2nd century.[13] Genre, sources and historicity of Acts[edit] Luke (or more accurately the anonymous author of Luke-Acts) describes his work, Luke-Acts, as a "narrative" (diegesis). Acts, the second part, is widely thought of as a history, but it lacks exact analogies in Hellenistic or Jewish literature.[14] The title "Acts of the Apostles" (Praxeis Apostolon) would seem to identify it with the genre telling of the deeds and achievements of great men (praxeis), but it was not the title given by the author.[4] Luke seems to have taken as his model the works of two respected Classical authors, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, who wrote a well-known history of Rome, and the Jewish historian Josephus, author of a history of the Jews.[15] Like them he anchors his history by dating the birth of the founder (Romulus for Dionysius, Moses for Josephus, Jesus for Luke) and like them he tells how the founder is born from God, taught authoritatively, and appeared to witnesses after death before ascending to heaven.[15] By and large the sources for Acts can only be guessed at,[16] but Luke would have had access to the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures), the gospel of Mark and the collection of "sayings of Jesus" called the Q source.[17] He transposed a few incidents from Mark s gospel to the time of the Apostles – for example, the material about "clean" and "unclean" foods in Mark 7 is used in Acts 10, and Mark s account of the accusation that Jesus has attacked the Temple (Mark 14 58) is used in a story about Stephen (Acts 6 14).)[18] There are also points of contacts (meaning suggestive parallels but something less than clear evidence) with 1 Peter, the Letter to the Hebrews, and 1 Clement.[19] Other sources can only be inferred from internal evidence – the traditional explanation of the three "we" passages, for example, is that they represent eye-witness accounts.[20] The search for such inferred sources was popular in the 19th century, but by the mid-20th it had largely been abandoned.[21] Acts was read as a reliable history of the early church well into the post-Reformation era. By the 17th century, however, biblical scholars began to notice that it was incomplete and tendentious – its picture of a harmonious church is quite at odds with that given by Paul s letters, and it omits important events such as the deaths of both Peter and Paul. The mid-19th century scholar Ferdinand Baur suggested that Luke had re-written history to present a united Peter and Paul and advance a single orthodoxy against the Marcionites. (Marcion was a 2nd-century heretic who wished to cut Christianity off entirely from the Jews). Baur continues to have enormous influence, but today there is less interest in determining Luke s historical accuracy (although this has never died out) than in understanding his theological program.[22] Audience and authorial intent[edit] Luke was written to be read aloud to a group of Jesus-followers gathered in a house to share the Lord s supper.[15] The author assumes an educated Greek-speaking audience, but directs his attention to specifically Christian concerns rather than to the Greco-Roman world at large.[23] He begins his gospel with a preface addressed to Theophilus, informing him of his intention to provide an "ordered account" of events which will lead his reader to "certainty".[10] He did not write in order to provide Theophilus with historical justification – "did it happen?" – but to encourage faith – "what happened, and what does it all mean?"[24] Acts (or Luke-Acts) is intended as a work of "edification."[25] Edification means "the empirical demonstration that virtue is superior to vice,"[26] but is not all of Luke s purpose. He also engages with the question of a Christian s proper relationship with the Roman Empire, the civil power of the day could a Christian obey God and also Caesar? The answer is ambiguous.[27] The Romans never move against Jesus or his followers unless provoked by the Jews, in the trial scenes the Christian missionaries are always cleared of charges of violating Roman laws, and Acts ends with Paul in Rome proclaiming the Christian message under Roman protection; at the same time, Luke makes clear that the Romans, like all earthly rulers, receive their authority from Satan, while Christ is ruler of the kingdom of God. [28] Luke-Acts can be also seen as a defense of (or "apology" for) the Jesus movement addressed to the Jews the bulk of the speeches and sermons in Acts are addressed to Jewish audiences, with the Romans featuring as external arbiters on disputes concerning Jewish customs and law.[27] On the one hand Luke portrays the Christians as a sect of the Jews, and therefore entitled to legal protection as a recognised religion; on the other, Luke seems unclear as to the future God intends for Jews and Christians, celebrating the Jewishness of Jesus and his immediate followers while also stressing how the Jews had rejected God s promised Messiah.[29] Manuscripts[edit] There are two major textual variants of Luke-Acts, the Western text-type and the Alexandrian. The oldest complete Alexandrian manuscripts date from the 4th century and the oldest Western ones from the 6th, with fragments and citations going back to the 3rd. Western texts of Acts are 10% longer than Alexandrian texts, the additions tending to enhance the Jewish rejection of the Messiah and the role of the Holy Spirit, in ways that are stylistically different from the rest of Acts.[30] These conflicts suggest that Luke-Acts was still being substantially revised well into the 2nd century.[13] The majority of scholars prefer the Alexandrian (shorter) text-type over the Western as the more authentic, but this same argument would favour the Western over the Alexandrian for the gospel of Luke, as in that case the Western version is the shorter. The debate therefore continues.[30] Structure and content[edit] Acts 1 1-2a from the 14th century Minuscule 223 Structure[edit] Acts has two key structural principles. The first is the geographic movement from Jerusalem, centre of God s Covenantal people the Jews, to Rome, centre of the Gentile world. This structure reaches back to the author s preceding work, the Gospel of Luke, and is signaled by parallel scenes such as Paul s utterance in Acts 19 21, which echoes Jesus words 9 51 (Paul has Rome as his destination, as Jesus had Jerusalem). The second key element is the roles of Peter and Paul, the first representing the Jewish Christian church, the second the mission to the Gentiles.[31] Transition reprise of the preface addressed to Theophilus and the closing events of the gospel (Acts 1-1 26) Petrine Christianity the Jewish church from Jerusalem to Antioch (Acts 2 1-12 25) 2 1-8 1 - beginnings in Jerusalem 8 2-40 - the church expands to Samaria and beyond 9 1-31 - conversion of Paul 9 32-12 25 - the conversion of Cornelius, and the formation of the Antioch church Pauline Christianity the Gentile mission from Antioch to Rome (Acts 13 1-28 21) 13 1-14 28 - the Gentile mission is promoted from Antioch 15 1-35 - the Gentile mission is confirmed in Jerusalem 15 36-28 31 - the Gentile mission, climaxing in Paul s passion story in Rome (21 17-28 31) Outline[edit] Dedication to Theophilus (1 1–2) Resurrection appearances (1 3) Great Commission (1 4–8) Ascension (1 9) Second Coming Prophecy (1 10–11) Matthias replaced Judas (1 12–26) the Upper Room (1 13) Holy Spirit came at Pentecost (2), see also Paraclete Peter healed a crippled beggar (3 1–10) Peter s speech at the Temple (3 11–26) Peter and John before the Sanhedrin (4 1–22) Resurrection of the dead (4 2) Believers Prayer (4 23–31) Everything is shared (4 32–37) Ananias and Sapphira (5 1–11) Signs and Wonders (5 12–16) Apostles before the Sanhedrin (5 17–42) Seven Greeks appointed (6 1–7) Saint Stephen before the Sanhedrin (6 8–7 60) The "Cave of the Patriarchs" was located in Shechem (7 16) "Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (7 22) First mentioning of Saul (Paul the Apostle) in the Bible (7 58) Paul the Apostle confesses his part in the martyrdom of Stephen (7 58-60) Saul persecuted the Church of Jerusalem (8 1–3) Philip the Evangelist (8 4–40) Simon Magus (8 9–24) Ethiopian eunuch (8 26–39) Conversion of Paul the Apostle (9 1–31, 22 1–22, 26 9–24) Paul the Apostle confesses his active part in the martyrdom of Stephen (22 20) Peter healed Aeneas and raised Tabitha from the dead (9 32–43) Conversion of Cornelius (10 1–8, 24–48) Peter s vision of a sheet with animals (10 9–23, 11 1–18) Church of Antioch founded (11 19–30) term "Christian" first used (11 26) Saint James the Great executed (12 1–2) Peter s rescue from prison (12 3–19) Death of Herod Agrippa I [in 44] (12 20–25) "the voice of a god" (12 22) Mission of Barnabas and Saul (13–14) "Saul, who was also known as Paul" (13 9) called "gods ... in human form" (14 11) Council of Jerusalem (15 1–35) Paul separated from Barnabas (15 36–41) 2nd and 3rd missions (16–20) Areopagus sermon (17 16-34) "God...has set a day" (17 30–31) Trial before Gallio c. 51–52 (18 12–17) Trip to Jerusalem (21) Before the people and the Sanhedrin (22–23) Before Felix–Festus–Agrippa II (24–26) Trip to Rome (27–28) called a god on Malta (28 6) Content[edit] See also Early Christianity and Jewish Christians The Gospel of Luke began with a prologue addressed to Theophilus; Acts likewise opens with an address to Theophilus and refers to "my earlier book", almost certainly the gospel. The apostles and other followers of Jesus meet and elect Matthias to replace Judas as a member of The Twelve. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends and confers God s power on them, and Peter, along with John, preaches to many in Jerusalem, and performs Christ-like healings, casting out of evil spirits, and raising of the dead. At first many Jews follow Christ and are baptized, but the Christians begin to be increasingly persecuted by the Jews. Stephen is arrested for blasphemy, and after a trial, is found guilty and stoned by the Jews. Stephen s death marks a major turning point the Jews have rejected the message, and henceforth it will be taken to the Gentiles.[32] The message is taken to the Samaritans, a people rejected by Jews, and to the Gentiles. Saul of Tarsus, one of the Jews who persecuted the Christians, is converted by a vision to become a follower of Christ (an event which Luke regards as so important that he relates it three times). Peter, directed by a series of visions, preaches to Cornelius the Centurion, a Gentile God-fearer, who becomes a follower of Christ. The Holy Spirit descends on Peter and Cornelius, thus confirming that the message of eternal life in Christ is for all mankind. The Gentile church is established in Antioch (north-western Syria, the third-largest city of the empire), and here Christ s followers are first called Christians.[33] The mission to the Gentiles is promoted from Antioch and confirmed at meeting in Jerusalem between Paul and the leadership of the Jerusalem church. Paul spends the next few years traveling through western Asia Minor and the Aegean,preaching, converting Gentiles, and founding new churches. On a visit to Jerusalem he is set on by a Jewish mob. Saved by the Roman commander, he is accused by the Jews of being a revolutionary, the "ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes", and imprisoned. Paul asserts his right as a Roman citizen, to be tried in Rome and is sent by sea to Rome, where he spends another two years under house arrest, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching the "Lord Jesus Christ". Acts ends abruptly without recording the outcome of Paul s legal troubles.[citation needed] Theology[edit] Paul s conversion, from Livre d Heures d Étienne Chevalier (c. 1450–1460), Jean Fouquet, in the Château de Chantilly. Prior to the 1950s Luke-Acts was seen as a historical work, written to defend Christianity before the Romans or Paul against his detractors; since then, however, the tendency has been to see the work as primarily theological.[34] Luke s theology is expressed primarily through his overarching plot, the way scenes, themes and characters combine to construct his specific worldview.[35] His "salvation history" stretches from the Creation to the present time of his readers, in three ages first, the time of "the Law and the Prophets" (Luke 16 16), the period beginning with Genesis and ending with the appearance of John the Baptist (Luke 1 5-3 1); second, the epoch of Jesus, in which the Kingdom of God was preached (Luke 3 2-24 51); and finally the period of the Church, which began when the risen Christ was taken into Heaven, and would end with his second coming.[36] Luke-Acts is an attempt to answer a theological problem, namely how the Messiah promised to the Jews came to have an overwhelmingly non-Jewish church; the answer it provides, and its central theme, is that the message of Christ was sent to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected it.[1] This theme is introduced at the opening of the gospel of Luke, when Jesus, rejected in Nazareth, recalls that the prophets were rejected by Israel and accepted by Gentiles; at the end of the gospel he commands his disciples to preach his message to all nations, "beginning from Jerusalem." He repeats the command in Acts, telling them to preach "in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the Earth." They then proceed to do so, in the order outlined first Jerusalem, then Judea, then Samaria, then the entire (Roman) world.[37] For Luke, the Holy Spirit is the driving force behind the spread of the Christian message, and he places more emphasis on it than do any of the other evangelists. The Spirit is "poured out" at Pentecost, on the first Samaritan and Gentile believers, and on disciples who had been baptised only by John the Baptist, each time as a sign of God s approval. The Holy Spirit represents God s power (At his ascension, Jesus tells his followers, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you") through it the disciples are given speech to convert thousands in Jerusalem, forming the first church (the term is used for the first time in Acts 5).[38] Comparison with other writings[edit] Saint Paul Writing His Epistles, ascribed to Valentin de Boulogne, 17th century Gospel of Luke[edit] As the second part of the two-part work Luke-Acts, Acts has significant links to the gospel of Luke. Major turning points in the structure of Acts, for example, find parallels in Luke the presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple parallels the opening of Acts in the Temple, Jesus forty days of testing in the wilderness prior to his mission parallel the forty days prior to his Ascension in Acts, the mission of Jesus in Samaria and the Decapolis (the lands of the Samaritans and Gentiles) parallels the missions of the Apostles in Samaria and the Gentile lands, and so on (see Gospel of Luke). These parallels continue through both books.[39] There are also differences between Luke and Acts, amounting at times to outright contradiction. For example, the gospel seems to place the Ascension on Easter Sunday, immediately after the Resurrection, while Acts 1 puts it forty days later.[40] There are similar conflicts over the theology. While not seriously questioning the single authorship of Luke-Acts, these differences do suggest the need for caution in seeking too much consistency in books written in essence as popular literature.[41] Pauline epistles[edit] Acts agrees with Paul s letters on the major outline of Paul s career as Saul he is converted and becomes Paul the Christian missionary and apostle, establishing new churches in Asia Minor and the Aegean and struggling to free Gentile Christians from the Jewish Law. There are also agreements on many incidents, such as Paul s escape from Damascus, where he is lowered down the walls in a basket. But details of these same incidents are frequently contradictory for example, according to Paul it was a pagan king who was trying to arrest him in Damascus, but according to Luke it was, characteristically, the Jews (2 Corinthians 11 33 and Acts 9 24). Many of the disagreements are not so immediately obvious Acts speaks of "Christians" and "disciples", but Paul never uses either term, and there are striking differences in the accounts of Paul s relationship with the Jerusalem church and its leaders (Acts 9-15 vs. Galatians 1-2). Acts omits much from the letters, notably Paul s problems with his congregations (internal difficulties are said to be the fault of the Jews instead), and his apparent final rejection by the church leaders in Jerusalem (Acts has Paul and Barnabas deliver an offering that is accepted, a trip that has no mention in the letters). There are also major differences between Acts on Paul on Christology (the understanding of Christ s nature), eschatology (understanding of the "last things"), and apostleship.[42] See also[edit] Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles List of Gospels List of omitted Bible verses Textual variants in the Acts of the Apostles Acts of the Apostles (genre) Acts of Andrew Acts of Barnabas Acts of John Acts of the Martyrs Acts of Paul Acts of Paul and Thecla Acts of Peter Acts of Peter and Paul Acts of Peter and the Twelve Acts of Pilate Acts of Philip Acts of Thomas Acts of Timothy The Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles References[edit] ^ Jump up to a b c Burkett 2002, p. 263. ^ Jump up to a b Charlesworth 2008, p. no page number. ^ Jump up to a b Burkett 2002, p. 195. ^ Jump up to a b Matthews 2011, p. 12. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 556. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 196. Jump up ^ Theissen Merz 1998, p. 32. Jump up ^ Perkins 1998, p. 253. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 590. ^ Jump up to a b Green 1997, p. 35. ^ Jump up to a b c Boring 2012, p. 587. Jump up ^ Theissen Merz 1996 [tr. 1998], p. 32. ^ Jump up to a b Perkins 2009, p. 250-253. Jump up ^ Aune 1988, p. 77. ^ Jump up to a b c Balch 2003, p. 1104. Jump up ^ Bruce 1990, p. 40. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 577. Jump up ^ Witherington 1998, p. 8. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 578. Jump up ^ Bruce 1990, p. 40-41. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 579. Jump up ^ Holladay 2011, p. no page numbers. Jump up ^ Green 1995, p. 16-17. Jump up ^ Green 1997, p. 36. Jump up ^ Fitzmyer 1998, p. 55-65. Jump up ^ Aune 1988, p. 80. ^ Jump up to a b Pickett 2011, p. 6-7. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 562. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 563. ^ Jump up to a b Thompson 2010, p. 332. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 569-570. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 265. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 266. Jump up ^ Buckwalter 1996, p. 6. Jump up ^ Allen 2009, p. 326. Jump up ^ Evans 2011, p. no page numbers. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 264. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 268-270. Jump up ^ Tremmel 2011, p. 59. Jump up ^ Zwiep 2010, p. 39. Jump up ^ Parsons 1993, p. 17-18. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 581, 588-590.The Acts of the Apostles (Ancient Greek Πράξεις τῶν Ἀποστόλων, Práxeis tôn Apostólōn; Latin Āctūs Apostolōrum), often referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian church and the spread of its message to the Roman empire.[1] Acts is the second half of a two-part work, referred to as Luke-Acts, by the same anonymous author, referred to as Luke the Evangelist, and usually dated to around 80-90 CE.[2][3] The first part, the Gospel of Luke, tells how God fulfilled his plan for the world s salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the promised Messiah. Acts continues the story of Christianity in the 1st century, beginning with the Ascension of Christ. The early chapters, set in Jerusalem, describe the Day of Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit) and the growth of the church in Jerusalem. Initially the Jews are receptive to the Christian message, but soon they turn against the followers of the Messiah. Rejected by the Jews, under the guidance of the Apostle Peter the message is taken to the Gentiles. The later chapters tell of Paul s conversion, his mission in Asia Minor and the Aegean, and finally his imprisonment in Rome, where, as the book ends, he awaits trial. Luke-Acts is an attempt to answer a theological problem, namely how the Messiah of the Jews came to have an overwhelmingly non-Jewish church; the answer it provides, and its central theme, is that the message of Christ was sent to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected it.[1] Contents [hide] 1 Composition and setting 1.1 Title, unity of Luke-Acts, authorship and date 1.2 Genre, sources and historicity of Acts 1.3 Audience and authorial intent 1.4 Manuscripts 2 Structure and content 2.1 Structure 2.2 Outline 2.3 Content 3 Theology 4 Comparison with other writings 4.1 Gospel of Luke 4.2 Pauline epistles 5 See also 6 References 7 Bibliography 8 External links Composition and setting[edit] Main article Authorship of Luke–Acts Ministry of the Apostles Russian icon by Fyodor Zubov, 1660 Title, unity of Luke-Acts, authorship and date[edit] The title "Acts of the Apostles" (Greek Πράξεις ἀποστόλων Praxeis Apostolon) was first used by Irenaeus in the late 2nd century. It is not known whether this was an existing title or one invented by Irenaeus; it does seem clear, however, that it was not given by the author.[4] The gospel of Luke and Acts make up a two-volume work which scholars call Luke-Acts.[3] Together they account for 27.5% of the New Testament, the largest contribution attributed to a single author, providing the framework for both the Church s liturgical calendar and the historical outline into which later generations have fitted their idea of the story of Jesus and the early church.[5] The author is not named in either volume.[6] According to Church tradition dating from the 2nd century, he was the "Luke" named as a companion of the apostle Paul in three of the letters attributed to Paul himself; this view is still sometimes advanced, but "a critical consensus emphasizes the countless contradictions between the account in Acts and the authentic Pauline letters."[7] (An example can be seen by comparing Acts accounts of Paul s conversion (Acts 9 1-31, 22 6-21, and 26 9-23) with Paul s own statement that he remained unknown to Christians in Judea after that event (Galatians 1 17-24).)[8] He admired Paul, but his theology was significantly different from Paul s on key points and he does not (in Acts) represent Paul s views accurately.[9] He was educated, a man of means, probably urban, and someone who respected manual work, although not a worker himself; this is significant, because more high-brow writers of the time looked down on the artisans and small business-people who made up the early church of Paul and were presumably Luke s audience.[10] The earliest possible date for the composition of Acts is set by the events with which it ends, Paul s imprisonment in Rome c.63 CE, but an early date is now rarely put forward.[11][12] The last possible date would be set by its first definite citation by another author, but there is no unanimity on this–some scholars find echoes of Acts in a work from c.95 CE called I Clement, while others see no indisputable citation until the middle of the 2nd century.[11] If Acts uses Josephus as a source, as has been proposed, then it must have been composed after 93 CE; it does not show any knowledge of Paul s letters, a fact which also supports a late date; and the social situation it reflects is one in which the faithful need "shepherds" to protect them from heretical (possibly Marcionite) "wolves", which again reflects a late date.[11] Most experts therefore date it to around 80-90 CE, although some suggest 90-110, [2] and there is evidence that it was still being substantially revised well into the 2nd century.[13] Genre, sources and historicity of Acts[edit] Luke (or more accurately the anonymous author of Luke-Acts) describes his work, Luke-Acts, as a "narrative" (diegesis). Acts, the second part, is widely thought of as a history, but it lacks exact analogies in Hellenistic or Jewish literature.[14] The title "Acts of the Apostles" (Praxeis Apostolon) would seem to identify it with the genre telling of the deeds and achievements of great men (praxeis), but it was not the title given by the author.[4] Luke seems to have taken as his model the works of two respected Classical authors, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, who wrote a well-known history of Rome, and the Jewish historian Josephus, author of a history of the Jews.[15] Like them he anchors his history by dating the birth of the founder (Romulus for Dionysius, Moses for Josephus, Jesus for Luke) and like them he tells how the founder is born from God, taught authoritatively, and appeared to witnesses after death before ascending to heaven.[15] By and large the sources for Acts can only be guessed at,[16] but Luke would have had access to the Septuagint (a Greek translation of the Jewish scriptures), the gospel of Mark and the collection of "sayings of Jesus" called the Q source.[17] He transposed a few incidents from Mark s gospel to the time of the Apostles – for example, the material about "clean" and "unclean" foods in Mark 7 is used in Acts 10, and Mark s account of the accusation that Jesus has attacked the Temple (Mark 14 58) is used in a story about Stephen (Acts 6 14).)[18] There are also points of contacts (meaning suggestive parallels but something less than clear evidence) with 1 Peter, the Letter to the Hebrews, and 1 Clement.[19] Other sources can only be inferred from internal evidence – the traditional explanation of the three "we" passages, for example, is that they represent eye-witness accounts.[20] The search for such inferred sources was popular in the 19th century, but by the mid-20th it had largely been abandoned.[21] Acts was read as a reliable history of the early church well into the post-Reformation era. By the 17th century, however, biblical scholars began to notice that it was incomplete and tendentious – its picture of a harmonious church is quite at odds with that given by Paul s letters, and it omits important events such as the deaths of both Peter and Paul. The mid-19th century scholar Ferdinand Baur suggested that Luke had re-written history to present a united Peter and Paul and advance a single orthodoxy against the Marcionites. (Marcion was a 2nd-century heretic who wished to cut Christianity off entirely from the Jews). Baur continues to have enormous influence, but today there is less interest in determining Luke s historical accuracy (although this has never died out) than in understanding his theological program.[22] Audience and authorial intent[edit] Luke was written to be read aloud to a group of Jesus-followers gathered in a house to share the Lord s supper.[15] The author assumes an educated Greek-speaking audience, but directs his attention to specifically Christian concerns rather than to the Greco-Roman world at large.[23] He begins his gospel with a preface addressed to Theophilus, informing him of his intention to provide an "ordered account" of events which will lead his reader to "certainty".[10] He did not write in order to provide Theophilus with historical justification – "did it happen?" – but to encourage faith – "what happened, and what does it all mean?"[24] Acts (or Luke-Acts) is intended as a work of "edification."[25] Edification means "the empirical demonstration that virtue is superior to vice,"[26] but is not all of Luke s purpose. He also engages with the question of a Christian s proper relationship with the Roman Empire, the civil power of the day could a Christian obey God and also Caesar? The answer is ambiguous.[27] The Romans never move against Jesus or his followers unless provoked by the Jews, in the trial scenes the Christian missionaries are always cleared of charges of violating Roman laws, and Acts ends with Paul in Rome proclaiming the Christian message under Roman protection; at the same time, Luke makes clear that the Romans, like all earthly rulers, receive their authority from Satan, while Christ is ruler of the kingdom of God. [28] Luke-Acts can be also seen as a defense of (or "apology" for) the Jesus movement addressed to the Jews the bulk of the speeches and sermons in Acts are addressed to Jewish audiences, with the Romans featuring as external arbiters on disputes concerning Jewish customs and law.[27] On the one hand Luke portrays the Christians as a sect of the Jews, and therefore entitled to legal protection as a recognised religion; on the other, Luke seems unclear as to the future God intends for Jews and Christians, celebrating the Jewishness of Jesus and his immediate followers while also stressing how the Jews had rejected God s promised Messiah.[29] Manuscripts[edit] There are two major textual variants of Luke-Acts, the Western text-type and the Alexandrian. The oldest complete Alexandrian manuscripts date from the 4th century and the oldest Western ones from the 6th, with fragments and citations going back to the 3rd. Western texts of Acts are 10% longer than Alexandrian texts, the additions tending to enhance the Jewish rejection of the Messiah and the role of the Holy Spirit, in ways that are stylistically different from the rest of Acts.[30] These conflicts suggest that Luke-Acts was still being substantially revised well into the 2nd century.[13] The majority of scholars prefer the Alexandrian (shorter) text-type over the Western as the more authentic, but this same argument would favour the Western over the Alexandrian for the gospel of Luke, as in that case the Western version is the shorter. The debate therefore continues.[30] Structure and content[edit] Acts 1 1-2a from the 14th century Minuscule 223 Structure[edit] Acts has two key structural principles. The first is the geographic movement from Jerusalem, centre of God s Covenantal people the Jews, to Rome, centre of the Gentile world. This structure reaches back to the author s preceding work, the Gospel of Luke, and is signaled by parallel scenes such as Paul s utterance in Acts 19 21, which echoes Jesus words 9 51 (Paul has Rome as his destination, as Jesus had Jerusalem). The second key element is the roles of Peter and Paul, the first representing the Jewish Christian church, the second the mission to the Gentiles.[31] Transition reprise of the preface addressed to Theophilus and the closing events of the gospel (Acts 1-1 26) Petrine Christianity the Jewish church from Jerusalem to Antioch (Acts 2 1-12 25) 2 1-8 1 - beginnings in Jerusalem 8 2-40 - the church expands to Samaria and beyond 9 1-31 - conversion of Paul 9 32-12 25 - the conversion of Cornelius, and the formation of the Antioch church Pauline Christianity the Gentile mission from Antioch to Rome (Acts 13 1-28 21) 13 1-14 28 - the Gentile mission is promoted from Antioch 15 1-35 - the Gentile mission is confirmed in Jerusalem 15 36-28 31 - the Gentile mission, climaxing in Paul s passion story in Rome (21 17-28 31) Outline[edit] Dedication to Theophilus (1 1–2) Resurrection appearances (1 3) Great Commission (1 4–8) Ascension (1 9) Second Coming Prophecy (1 10–11) Matthias replaced Judas (1 12–26) the Upper Room (1 13) Holy Spirit came at Pentecost (2), see also Paraclete Peter healed a crippled beggar (3 1–10) Peter s speech at the Temple (3 11–26) Peter and John before the Sanhedrin (4 1–22) Resurrection of the dead (4 2) Believers Prayer (4 23–31) Everything is shared (4 32–37) Ananias and Sapphira (5 1–11) Signs and Wonders (5 12–16) Apostles before the Sanhedrin (5 17–42) Seven Greeks appointed (6 1–7) Saint Stephen before the Sanhedrin (6 8–7 60) The "Cave of the Patriarchs" was located in Shechem (7 16) "Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (7 22) First mentioning of Saul (Paul the Apostle) in the Bible (7 58) Paul the Apostle confesses his part in the martyrdom of Stephen (7 58-60) Saul persecuted the Church of Jerusalem (8 1–3) Philip the Evangelist (8 4–40) Simon Magus (8 9–24) Ethiopian eunuch (8 26–39) Conversion of Paul the Apostle (9 1–31, 22 1–22, 26 9–24) Paul the Apostle confesses his active part in the martyrdom of Stephen (22 20) Peter healed Aeneas and raised Tabitha from the dead (9 32–43) Conversion of Cornelius (10 1–8, 24–48) Peter s vision of a sheet with animals (10 9–23, 11 1–18) Church of Antioch founded (11 19–30) term "Christian" first used (11 26) Saint James the Great executed (12 1–2) Peter s rescue from prison (12 3–19) Death of Herod Agrippa I [in 44] (12 20–25) "the voice of a god" (12 22) Mission of Barnabas and Saul (13–14) "Saul, who was also known as Paul" (13 9) called "gods ... in human form" (14 11) Council of Jerusalem (15 1–35) Paul separated from Barnabas (15 36–41) 2nd and 3rd missions (16–20) Areopagus sermon (17 16-34) "God...has set a day" (17 30–31) Trial before Gallio c. 51–52 (18 12–17) Trip to Jerusalem (21) Before the people and the Sanhedrin (22–23) Before Felix–Festus–Agrippa II (24–26) Trip to Rome (27–28) called a god on Malta (28 6) Content[edit] See also Early Christianity and Jewish Christians The Gospel of Luke began with a prologue addressed to Theophilus; Acts likewise opens with an address to Theophilus and refers to "my earlier book", almost certainly the gospel. The apostles and other followers of Jesus meet and elect Matthias to replace Judas as a member of The Twelve. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends and confers God s power on them, and Peter, along with John, preaches to many in Jerusalem, and performs Christ-like healings, casting out of evil spirits, and raising of the dead. At first many Jews follow Christ and are baptized, but the Christians begin to be increasingly persecuted by the Jews. Stephen is arrested for blasphemy, and after a trial, is found guilty and stoned by the Jews. Stephen s death marks a major turning point the Jews have rejected the message, and henceforth it will be taken to the Gentiles.[32] The message is taken to the Samaritans, a people rejected by Jews, and to the Gentiles. Saul of Tarsus, one of the Jews who persecuted the Christians, is converted by a vision to become a follower of Christ (an event which Luke regards as so important that he relates it three times). Peter, directed by a series of visions, preaches to Cornelius the Centurion, a Gentile God-fearer, who becomes a follower of Christ. The Holy Spirit descends on Peter and Cornelius, thus confirming that the message of eternal life in Christ is for all mankind. The Gentile church is established in Antioch (north-western Syria, the third-largest city of the empire), and here Christ s followers are first called Christians.[33] The mission to the Gentiles is promoted from Antioch and confirmed at meeting in Jerusalem between Paul and the leadership of the Jerusalem church. Paul spends the next few years traveling through western Asia Minor and the Aegean,preaching, converting Gentiles, and founding new churches. On a visit to Jerusalem he is set on by a Jewish mob. Saved by the Roman commander, he is accused by the Jews of being a revolutionary, the "ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes", and imprisoned. Paul asserts his right as a Roman citizen, to be tried in Rome and is sent by sea to Rome, where he spends another two years under house arrest, proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching the "Lord Jesus Christ". Acts ends abruptly without recording the outcome of Paul s legal troubles.[citation needed] Theology[edit] Paul s conversion, from Livre d Heures d Étienne Chevalier (c. 1450–1460), Jean Fouquet, in the Château de Chantilly. Prior to the 1950s Luke-Acts was seen as a historical work, written to defend Christianity before the Romans or Paul against his detractors; since then, however, the tendency has been to see the work as primarily theological.[34] Luke s theology is expressed primarily through his overarching plot, the way scenes, themes and characters combine to construct his specific worldview.[35] His "salvation history" stretches from the Creation to the present time of his readers, in three ages first, the time of "the Law and the Prophets" (Luke 16 16), the period beginning with Genesis and ending with the appearance of John the Baptist (Luke 1 5-3 1); second, the epoch of Jesus, in which the Kingdom of God was preached (Luke 3 2-24 51); and finally the period of the Church, which began when the risen Christ was taken into Heaven, and would end with his second coming.[36] Luke-Acts is an attempt to answer a theological problem, namely how the Messiah promised to the Jews came to have an overwhelmingly non-Jewish church; the answer it provides, and its central theme, is that the message of Christ was sent to the Gentiles because the Jews rejected it.[1] This theme is introduced at the opening of the gospel of Luke, when Jesus, rejected in Nazareth, recalls that the prophets were rejected by Israel and accepted by Gentiles; at the end of the gospel he commands his disciples to preach his message to all nations, "beginning from Jerusalem." He repeats the command in Acts, telling them to preach "in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the Earth." They then proceed to do so, in the order outlined first Jerusalem, then Judea, then Samaria, then the entire (Roman) world.[37] For Luke, the Holy Spirit is the driving force behind the spread of the Christian message, and he places more emphasis on it than do any of the other evangelists. The Spirit is "poured out" at Pentecost, on the first Samaritan and Gentile believers, and on disciples who had been baptised only by John the Baptist, each time as a sign of God s approval. The Holy Spirit represents God s power (At his ascension, Jesus tells his followers, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you") through it the disciples are given speech to convert thousands in Jerusalem, forming the first church (the term is used for the first time in Acts 5).[38] Comparison with other writings[edit] Saint Paul Writing His Epistles, ascribed to Valentin de Boulogne, 17th century Gospel of Luke[edit] As the second part of the two-part work Luke-Acts, Acts has significant links to the gospel of Luke. Major turning points in the structure of Acts, for example, find parallels in Luke the presentation of the child Jesus in the Temple parallels the opening of Acts in the Temple, Jesus forty days of testing in the wilderness prior to his mission parallel the forty days prior to his Ascension in Acts, the mission of Jesus in Samaria and the Decapolis (the lands of the Samaritans and Gentiles) parallels the missions of the Apostles in Samaria and the Gentile lands, and so on (see Gospel of Luke). These parallels continue through both books.[39] There are also differences between Luke and Acts, amounting at times to outright contradiction. For example, the gospel seems to place the Ascension on Easter Sunday, immediately after the Resurrection, while Acts 1 puts it forty days later.[40] There are similar conflicts over the theology. While not seriously questioning the single authorship of Luke-Acts, these differences do suggest the need for caution in seeking too much consistency in books written in essence as popular literature.[41] Pauline epistles[edit] Acts agrees with Paul s letters on the major outline of Paul s career as Saul he is converted and becomes Paul the Christian missionary and apostle, establishing new churches in Asia Minor and the Aegean and struggling to free Gentile Christians from the Jewish Law. There are also agreements on many incidents, such as Paul s escape from Damascus, where he is lowered down the walls in a basket. But details of these same incidents are frequently contradictory for example, according to Paul it was a pagan king who was trying to arrest him in Damascus, but according to Luke it was, characteristically, the Jews (2 Corinthians 11 33 and Acts 9 24). Many of the disagreements are not so immediately obvious Acts speaks of "Christians" and "disciples", but Paul never uses either term, and there are striking differences in the accounts of Paul s relationship with the Jerusalem church and its leaders (Acts 9-15 vs. Galatians 1-2). Acts omits much from the letters, notably Paul s problems with his congregations (internal difficulties are said to be the fault of the Jews instead), and his apparent final rejection by the church leaders in Jerusalem (Acts has Paul and Barnabas deliver an offering that is accepted, a trip that has no mention in the letters). There are also major differences between Acts on Paul on Christology (the understanding of Christ s nature), eschatology (understanding of the "last things"), and apostleship.[42] See also[edit] Historical reliability of the Acts of the Apostles List of Gospels List of omitted Bible verses Textual variants in the Acts of the Apostles Acts of the Apostles (genre) Acts of Andrew Acts of Barnabas Acts of John Acts of the Martyrs Acts of Paul Acts of Paul and Thecla Acts of Peter Acts of Peter and Paul Acts of Peter and the Twelve Acts of Pilate Acts of Philip Acts of Thomas Acts of Timothy The Lost Chapter of the Acts of the Apostles References[edit] ^ Jump up to a b c Burkett 2002, p. 263. ^ Jump up to a b Charlesworth 2008, p. no page number. ^ Jump up to a b Burkett 2002, p. 195. ^ Jump up to a b Matthews 2011, p. 12. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 556. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 196. Jump up ^ Theissen Merz 1998, p. 32. Jump up ^ Perkins 1998, p. 253. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 590. ^ Jump up to a b Green 1997, p. 35. ^ Jump up to a b c Boring 2012, p. 587. Jump up ^ Theissen Merz 1996 [tr. 1998], p. 32. ^ Jump up to a b Perkins 2009, p. 250-253. Jump up ^ Aune 1988, p. 77. ^ Jump up to a b c Balch 2003, p. 1104. Jump up ^ Bruce 1990, p. 40. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 577. Jump up ^ Witherington 1998, p. 8. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 578. Jump up ^ Bruce 1990, p. 40-41. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 579. Jump up ^ Holladay 2011, p. no page numbers. Jump up ^ Green 1995, p. 16-17. Jump up ^ Green 1997, p. 36. Jump up ^ Fitzmyer 1998, p. 55-65. Jump up ^ Aune 1988, p. 80. ^ Jump up to a b Pickett 2011, p. 6-7. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 562. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 563. ^ Jump up to a b Thompson 2010, p. 332. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 569-570. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 265. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 266. Jump up ^ Buckwalter 1996, p. 6. Jump up ^ Allen 2009, p. 326. Jump up ^ Evans 2011, p. no page numbers. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 264. Jump up ^ Burkett 2002, p. 268-270. Jump up ^ Tremmel 2011, p. 59. Jump up ^ Zwiep 2010, p. 39. Jump up ^ Parsons 1993, p. 17-18. Jump up ^ Boring 2012, p. 581, 588-590.