Early Acts
Before He was taken up into heaven, what did Jesus tell His disciples to wait for in Jerusalem?
To wait for the Holy Spirit.
Before he became a follower of Christ, what was one thing that was true about Saul?
He killed Christians.
He was a Pharisee.
(You can also accept “He persecuted the church.”)
Toward the end of Acts, why did Paul decide to go to Jerusalem?
Because the Holy Spirit told him to go.
On the voyage toward Rome, what warning did Paul give the captain about the ship?
He warned that they would lose the ship (that the voyage would be dangerous and cause great loss).
In what city did Paul spend two years as a prisoner after they sailed away from Malta?
Rome.
When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, what two main outward signs did God give the disciples?
Flames (tongues of fire) appeared on them and they began to speak in other languages.
Before believers were called “Christians” at Antioch, what name was used to describe the followers of Jesus?
They were called “The Way.”
When Paul arrived in Jerusalem, what law did some Jews falsely accuse him of breaking so that he would be arrested?
They said he brought a Greek (Gentile) into the inner courts of the temple.
What did God tell Paul about the people on the ship during the storm and shipwreck?
That no one would die; all the people on the ship would be saved.
At the end of Acts, what best describes Paul’s imprisonment?
He was in a house and allowed to have visitors.
How did the early believers treat one another? Give at least two ways.
They shared what they had so no one was in need.
They met together often.
They ate meals together and worshiped.
They cared for one another like a family.
Name two correct statements about Saul before his conversion
He killed Christians.
He was a Pharisee.
What important fact about Paul kept him from being whipped after he was arrested?
He was a Roman citizen.
Name two true things from Paul’s transfer and shipwreck story. (You can read a list and have them pick.)
Paul had appealed to Caesar.
King Agrippa found no fault with him.
He warned the captain that they would lose the ship.
God told him no one would die in the shipwreck.
What did Paul do while he was imprisoned at the end of Acts?
He wrote several letters that became New Testament books.
Who was the first martyr (the first person killed) for the Christian faith?
Stephen
Why do you think Paul continued to go to Jerusalem even though many people along the way told him he should not go?
Because he believed it was God’s will and the Holy Spirit was leading him there, and he was willing to suffer for Christ and obey God even if it meant hardship.
Why did Governor Felix not release Paul even though he found no fault in him?
Because he hoped someone would bribe him to release Paul.
When the shipwrecked group reached Malta, what really happened there?
God protected Paul and confirmed his word—no one died in the shipwreck, and the Maltese people received them kindly and did not kill his guards or make him a god.
Who wrote the book of Acts?
Luke.
In Acts 2:42–47, Luke describes how the early church lived together. Using at least three details, explain what made their life together different from normal society and what that shows about the work of the Holy Spirit.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.
They devoted themselves to the fellowship.
They broke bread together and prayed together.
They had all things in common and shared possessions.
They sold property to care for the needy so no one lacked.
They met together daily with glad and generous hearts.
Explain how Paul’s life shows the power of the gospel to change a person. Use at least one example from before he met Jesus and at least one from after his conversion in Acts.
Before:
He persecuted the church, killed Christians, and was a Pharisee who hated “the Way.”
After:
He preached Christ boldly.
He was willing to suffer, be arrested, and even die for Jesus.
He traveled to many places to plant churches and strengthen believers.
From Paul’s time in Jerusalem, trials before rulers, and eventual appeal to Caesar, what do you think Luke wants us to learn about God’s control over history and about Paul’s faithfulness? Give a thoughtful answer with at least two points.
Even false accusations, arrests, and delays (Felix hoping for a bribe, Jewish plots, appeals, etc.) were used by God to move Paul toward Rome, just as Jesus promised he would bear witness there.
God protected Paul through Roman law (his citizenship, appeals, and hearings) and through His providence.
Paul stayed faithful, continued to testify about Christ to crowds and rulers, and used every trial as an opportunity to preach the gospel.
This shows that God is sovereign over governments and trials, and His purposes for the gospel cannot be stopped.
On the voyage and during the shipwreck, how did Paul show faith and leadership, and how did God confirm His promises? Give at least two specific examples from the story.
Paul warned them not to sail because of the danger.
God promised Paul that no one would die, and Paul believed and encouraged the others with that promise.
During the storm, Paul urged them to eat and take courage, acting like a shepherd to the whole ship.
In the shipwreck, everyone’s lives were preserved exactly as God said—no one was lost, even though the ship was destroyed.
On Malta, God protected Paul (for example, from danger) and used him to bless the people there, confirming His word.
Acts ends with Paul in Rome, living under guard but “preaching the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.” Why do you think Luke ends the book this way, and what does it teach us about the spread of the gospel?
Even though Paul is a prisoner, the gospel is “without hindrance,” showing that God’s Word is not chained.
The gospel has reached Rome, the heart of the empire, just as Jesus said the apostles would be His witnesses “to the end of the earth.”
The open-ended ending suggests that the story of the church’s mission continues after Acts—God is still advancing His kingdom.
It highlights that Christ is reigning and His kingdom is spreading through preaching, even when His servants suffer.