Book of Acts (KJV)
The Acts of the Apostles is the story of the early church — how the gospel spread from Jerusalem to Rome through the power of the Holy Spirit. Read all 28 chapters below in the King James Version, or jump to a key passage like Acts 2. Looking for a specific word or phrase? Search all three translations.
Read Acts by Chapter
Key Verses in Acts
A handful of verses carry the message of Acts: the promise of the Spirit, the call to repentance and baptism, and the singular name in which there is salvation. Each links to its full chapter in the KJV.
The risen Christ's commission and the outline of the whole book — the gospel moving from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth.
Acts 1:8Peter's answer on the day of Pentecost, when the church is born and about three thousand are baptized.
Acts 2:38Peter before the Sanhedrin, declaring that salvation is found in no name but that of Jesus Christ.
Acts 4:12About the Book of Acts
Author.Acts is traditionally attributed to Luke, the physician and travelling companion of the Apostle Paul. It is the second half of a two-volume work — the Gospel of Luke and Acts — both addressed to a reader named Theophilus. The Gospel records what Jesus “began both to do and teach”; Acts continues the story through his followers.
Date. The book is most often dated to the second half of the first century, roughly AD 62 to 90. It closes with Paul under house arrest in Rome, awaiting trial.
Themes.Acts follows the outline Jesus gives in Acts 1:8 — witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Its great themes are the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the birth and growth of the church, the preaching of Peter and Paul, the mission to the Gentiles, and the unstoppable advance of the gospel despite opposition.
Recommended reading
Study Bibles & devotionals
Go deeper than a single verse. These study Bibles and daily devotionals pair well with the topics here — adding context, commentary, and a rhythm for daily reading.
ESV Study Bible
Crossway
Over 20,000 study notes, maps, and articles — the go-to one-volume study Bible for understanding scripture in context.
Life Application Study Bible (NIV)
Tyndale / Zondervan
Notes that connect each passage to everyday life — ideal alongside the topical verses on this page.
Jesus Calling
Sarah Young
A year of short daily devotions written as if Jesus is speaking — a gentle companion to daily scripture reading.
My Utmost for His Highest
Oswald Chambers
The classic daily devotional — 365 readings that have shaped Christian devotion for over a century.
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Keep Exploring
Explore the scriptures by subject on the Topics index, or keep reading the New Testament.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Book of Acts about?
Acts tells the story of the early church from the ascension of Jesus to Paul's imprisonment in Rome. It opens with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2), follows the apostles as they preach and heal in Jerusalem, and traces the gospel spreading through Judaea, Samaria, and the wider Roman world — fulfilling the pattern Jesus gives in Acts 1:8. Its full title is the Acts of the Apostles, and it has 28 chapters.
Who wrote the Book of Acts and when?
Acts is traditionally attributed to Luke, the physician and companion of the Apostle Paul. It is the second volume of a two-part work — the Gospel of Luke and Acts — both addressed to a reader named Theophilus. Scholars commonly date its composition to the second half of the first century, roughly AD 62 to 90.
What happens in Acts chapter 2?
Acts 2 records the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost fills the disciples and they speak in other tongues. Peter preaches to the gathered crowd, and in Acts 2:38 he calls them to “repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” About three thousand people are added to the church that day.