Acts of the Apostles

Definition and Meaning

The Acts of the Apostles is the fifth book of the New Testament and consists of twenty-eight chapters. The Korean term haengjeon (行傳) in the book's title means "a record of deeds done." The book narrates how, after the ascension of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit came and the church was established and spread through the apostles. Placed between the four Gospels and the Pauline Epistles, it serves as a bridge between the life of Jesus and the letters of the apostles.

Biblical and Historical Background

At the outset, the author refers to "the former treatise" addressed to Theophilus (Acts 1:1). For this reason, Acts is regarded as a sequel by the same author as the Gospel of Luke. Church tradition has identified the author as Luke the physician, a coworker of Paul. Some date the book to the early AD 60s, while others place it later.

The contents are commonly divided according to the sequence in Acts 1:8: "in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

• Chapters 1–7: The ascension, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (chapter 2), the beginning of the Jerusalem church, and the martyrdom of Stephen
• Chapters 8–12: The gospel reaches Samaria and the Gentile Cornelius; the conversion of Saul (Paul)
• Chapters 13–28: Paul's missionary journeys, the Council of Jerusalem (chapter 15), and Paul's journey to Rome

Practice in the Korean Church

In the Korean church, Acts 1:8 is frequently cited as a motto for missions and evangelism. The expression "a church writing Acts chapter 29" is also commonly used to convey the idea of carrying on the church's mission. The portrait of the early church in Acts 2:42–47 has served as a model for the small group and house church movements. Chapter 2 is often read publicly on Pentecost Sunday.

Interpretation of certain passages differs by denomination.

• The Holy Spirit: Denominations in the Pentecostal tradition, citing the accounts in chapters 2, 10, and 19 in which speaking in tongues accompanied the coming of the Spirit, regard speaking in tongues as the sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit. Presbyterians and others in the Reformed tradition tend to view Pentecost as a once-for-all event within redemptive history (the history of God's work of salvation). Accordingly, they do not regard it as a pattern of experience that every believer must undergo in the same form. This question is connected to the cessationism and continuationism debate.
• Baptism: Baptists argue for believer's baptism by immersion, citing passages such as the account of a convert going down into the water to be baptized after confessing faith (Acts 8:36–38). Presbyterians, Methodists, and others cite the accounts of entire households being baptized (Acts 16:15, 16:33) as among the grounds for infant baptism. This topic is discussed in detail in the article Baptism and Immersion.