Did You Know?

Stephen became the first recorded Christian martyr after being stoned to death for his faith.

His powerful speech before his death is recorded in Acts 7, and his execution is described in Acts 7:54-60. Notably, a young man named Saul, who would later become the Apostle Paul, is mentioned as approving of Stephen's death (Acts 7:58, 8:1).

[Apostles & Early Church]

Philip the evangelist explained Scripture to an Ethiopian official, leading to the official's baptism.

This encounter, recorded in Acts 8:26-39, occurred as the Ethiopian was reading from the prophet Isaiah, specifically Isaiah 53. This event is often cited as an early example of the Christian gospel spreading beyond traditional Jewish and regional boundaries.

[Apostles & Early Church]

Saul, a persecutor of early Christians, experienced a dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus.

This pivotal event, recorded in Acts 9:1-19, involved a blinding light and a direct encounter with the risen Jesus, asking, 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?' Saul, later known as Paul, subsequently became one of the most significant figures in early Christian history.

[Apostles & Early Church]

Peter received a vision instructing him not to consider any food, or by extension any person, ritually unclean.

This significant vision, recorded in Acts 10:9-16, directly preceded his visit to the household of Cornelius, a Gentile Roman centurion. This event marked a significant theological turning point regarding the inclusion of Gentiles within the early Christian community (Acts 10:34-35).

[Apostles & Early Church]

Cornelius, a Roman centurion, became one of the first prominent Gentile converts to Christianity.

His household's conversion, recorded in Acts 10:44-48, included a notable outpouring of the Holy Spirit similar to the earlier event at Pentecost. This event provided significant theological justification for the broader inclusion of Gentile believers within the early church.

[Apostles & Early Church]

James, the brother of John, became one of the first apostles to be martyred.

His execution by order of King Herod Agrippa I is briefly recorded in Acts 12:1-2. This event reflects escalating persecution faced by the earliest Christian leaders.

[Apostles & Early Church]

Peter was miraculously freed from prison by an angel.

This event, recorded in Acts 12:6-11, involved chains falling off and prison doors opening without human intervention. Peter initially believed he was experiencing a vision before realizing the escape was real.

[Apostles & Early Church]

The early church in Jerusalem practiced a form of communal sharing of possessions among believers.

This practice is described in Acts 2:44-45 and further elaborated in Acts 4:32-35, with believers selling possessions to meet the needs of the wider community. This early communal model reflects significant themes of unity and mutual care within the earliest Christian community.

[Apostles & Early Church]

The Jerusalem Council addressed the significant early church question of whether Gentile converts needed to follow Jewish law.

This significant meeting, recorded in Acts 15:1-29, concluded that Gentile believers were not required to be circumcised or fully follow Mosaic law. This decision significantly shaped the future direction and identity of the growing Christian movement.

[Apostles & Early Church]

Barnabas played a significant early role in supporting and vouching for the recently converted Saul (later Paul).

His advocacy is recorded in Acts 9:26-27, helping overcome the understandable suspicion of other believers given Saul's earlier persecution of Christians. Barnabas and Paul later served together extensively on missionary journeys before eventually parting ways over a disagreement regarding John Mark (Acts 15:36-39).

[Apostles & Early Church]