Acts 1:1

Acts 1:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
• New International Version (NIV)In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach
• English Standard Version (ESV)In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,
• New King James Version (NKJV)The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Context of Acts 1:1

Jesus did many things when he was living on earth. He also taught people many things. I told you about all these things in the first book that I wrote for you, Theophilus. 2Those are the things that Jesus did before God took him up into heaven. Jesus had chosen some men to be his apostles. With the power of the Holy Spirit he told them what they must do. 3After Jesus died on the cross, he became alive again. During the 40 days after that, he showed himself many times to his apostles. He showed himself in different ways. Then they could be really sure that he was alive again. During this time, Jesus spoke to his apostles about the kingdom of God.

Acts 1:1 word by word

Τὸν μὲν πρῶτον λόγον ἐποιησάμην περὶ πάντων, ὦ Θεόφιλε, ὧν ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς ποιεῖν τε καὶ διδάσκεινRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• ·μένmen · on the other handG3303
• ·ὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• The formerπρῶτοςprōtos · firstG4413
• treatiseλόγοςlogos · wordG3056
• have I madeποιέωpoieō · to do/make: doG4160
• Oὦō · oh!G5599
• TheophilusΘεόφιλοςTheophilos · TheophilusG2321
• ofπερίperi · aboutG4012
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• thatὅςhos hē ho · whichG3739
• JesusἸησοῦςIēsous · JesusG2424
• beganἄρχομαιarchomai · to rule/beginG756
• bothτεte · and/bothG5037
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• teachδιδάσκωdidaskō · to teachG1321

Cross-references for Acts 1:1

• Luke 1:24Soon, a baby was growing inside his wife Elizabeth. She stayed in her house for five months.
• Luke 1:3I have checked the facts about what really happened. So now, I know about all the things that happened from the beginning. I am writing to make the facts clear to you, my important friend Theophilus.
• Acts 2:22Peter then said, ‘People of Israel, listen to what I am saying! Jesus, the man from Nazareth, came with God's authority to do his work. God did many powerful and special things through him. These miracles showed you clearly that God had sent him. You know about all this. These things happened here, and you saw them.
• Matthew 4:23Jesus travelled everywhere in Galilee. He taught the people in the Jewish meeting places. He told them the good news about God's kingdom. He also caused sick people to become well again from all their different pains and illnesses.
• Matthew 11:5Blind people can now see again. People who could not walk can now walk again. People who had a bad disease of the skin are now well again. Deaf people can now hear again. People who had died now live again. Poor people are hearing God's good news.
• Luke 7:21At that time, Jesus was making many people well. They had many different illnesses. Some had bad spirits in them. Jesus also caused many blind people to see again.
• Luke 24:19Jesus asked them, ‘What things have happened?’ They replied, ‘The things that happened to Jesus who was from Nazareth. He was a prophet from God. He did many great things and he spoke powerful messages. God showed that his message was true. All the people believed him.
• John 10:32Jesus said to them, ‘I have done many good things. The Father sent me to do them, and I have shown them to you. Which of those good things make you want to kill me with stones?’
• John 18:19The leader of the priests asked Jesus questions about his disciples. He also asked about what Jesus taught.
• 1 Peter 2:21When God chose you to be his servants, he wanted you to be brave like that. Christ had trouble and pain on your behalf. He has shown you how you should live when trouble comes.

Commentaries on Acts 1:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1The former treatise - The Gospel according to Luke, which is here most evidently intended. O Theophilus - See the note on Luke 1:3. To do and teach - These two words comprise his miracles and sermons. This introduction seems to intimate that, as he had already in his Gospel given an account of the life and actions of our Lord, so in this second treatise he was about to give an account of the lives and acts of some of the chief apostles, such as Peter and…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1The former treatise - The former book. The Gospel of Luke is here evidently intended. Greek: the former ́ logosmeaning “a discourse,” or “a narrative.” O Theophilus - See the notes on Luke 1:3. Since this book was written to the same individual as the former, it was evidently written with the same design to furnish an authentic and full narrative of events concerning which there would be many imperfect and exaggerated accounts. See Luke 1:1-4. Since these…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1This book unites the Gospels to the Epistles. It contains many particulars concerning the apostles Peter and Paul, and of the Christian church from the ascension of our Saviour to the arrival of St. Paul at Rome, a space of about thirty years. St. Luke was the writer of this book; he was present at many of the events he relates, and attended Paul to Rome. But the narrative does not afford a complete history of the church during the time to which it…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3Here, Luke summarizes his first book, the Gospel of Luke, which he wrote for Theophilus. Luke also calls him “most excellent” (Luke 1:3). This title indicates that he was a person of very important social status (compare Acts 23:26; 24:2; 26:25). He was probably a financial donor or patron who helped Luke with the costs of publishing or distributing his work (see study note on Luke 1:3).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1This book is to the Gospels what the fruit is to the tree that bears it. In the Gospels we see the corn of wheat falling into the ground and dying: in the Acts we see it bringing forth much fruit (Joh 12:24). There we see Christ purchasing the Church with His own blood: here we see the Church, so purchased, rising into actual existence; first among the Jews of Palestine, and next among the surrounding Gentiles, until it gains a footing in the great…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 1:1

• Epistles
• Friendship
• Jesus Continued
• Letters
• Luke
• Theophilus
• Worship

In the dictionaries

• Jesus
• Jesus, Jesus Christ, Christ Jesus
• Accord
• Acts of the Apostles
• Apostle
• Blood
• Gaze
• Ministry
• Passion
• Pertain

Commentaries on Acts 1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings