Acts / J. Bradley Chance.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 537-542) and indexes.

Part One: Acts 1:1-8:3 -- Waiting for the promise of the Father (Acts 1:1-26) -- Filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-47) -- By the name of Jesus, this man stands before you well (Acts 3:1-4:37) -- They did not cease teaching Jesus as the Christ (Acts 5:1-42) -- Stephen: Full of grace and power (Acts 6:1-8:3) -- Part Two: Acts 8:4-12:25 -- They went about preaching the Word (Acts 8:4-40) -- Saul: A chosen instrument of Christ (Acts 9:1-31) -- The Gentiles receive repentance unto life (Acts 9:32-11:18) -- From Jerusalem to Antioch (Acts 11:19-30) -- Violent hands and the response of God's people (Acts 12:1-25) -- Part Three: Acts 13:1-28:31 -- A. Phase One: (Acts 13:1-15:35) -- Sent out by the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1-52) -- Proclaiming the Gospel to the surrounding country (Acts 14:1-28) -- Gentiles: A people for God's name (Acts 15:1-35) -- B. Phase Two: (Acts 15:36-20:38) -- Returning to every city ... and beyond (Acts 15:36-16:40) -- They came to Thessalonica, Beroea, and Athens (Acts 17:1-34) -- Paul went to Corinth and reached Ephesus (Acts 18:1-28) -- Teaching the Word of God among the Ephesians (Acts 19:1-41) -- "You will never see my face again" (Acts 20:1-38) -- C. Phase Three: (Acts 21:12-28:31) -- "We arrived in Jerusalem" (Acts 21:1-40) -- "Listen to the defense that I now make" (Acts 22:1-30) -- From Jerusalem to Caesarea (Acts 23:1-35) -- Paul before Felix and the Council (Acts 24:1-27) -- Festus, King Agrippa, and Bernice arrive in Caesarea (Acts 25:1-27) -- Paul's final defense (Acts 26:1-32) -- "It was decided that we should sail for Italy" (Acts 27:1-44) -- Adventures on Malta and arrival in Rome (Acts. 28:1-31).

"The Acts of the Apostles explores the story of the early church, from its inception in Jerusalem to the hub of the Roman Empire. The early church firmly believed that it was not a new religion, but the realization and fulfillment of Judaism and the Scriptures that Judaism revered. But as the church lived out its mission as 'the fulfillment' of its own religious heritage, it had to learn to reach beyond the comfortable boundaries of its traditions. It had to learn that central to the fulfillment of the hopes of Scripture was the incorporation of all persons, Jews and non-Jews, into the people of God. The primary goal of the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series is to make available serious, credible biblical scholarship in an accessible and less intimidating format. A visual generation of believers deserves a commentary series that contains not only the all-important textual commentary on Scripture, but images, photographs, maps, works of fine art, and drawings that bring the text to life. Each volume of the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series features a CD-ROM, which expands the uses and capabilities of the Commentary even more"--Publisher description.