Our purpose is to reveal that the book of acts is not only merely a history book, but also foreshadows end time events in detail. Its narrative supplies a bridge connecting the life and ministry of jesus to the life of the church and the witness of the earliest believers. Pauls conversion why three accounts, and how do they. Nov 27, 2017 the conversion of saulpaul is so important to the author of the book of acts that he presents the story three times acts 9, 22, 26. It contains nine distinct accounts of how people became christians. On his way to damascus he fell blinded to the ground when a bright light shone from heaven. Conversions in the book of acts examples of conversions as recorded in the history of the early church this material is from, a web site containing sermon outlines and bible studies by mark a. Sauls conversion is a watershed event in the new testament. Main ethnic group involved in the coming of the spirit upon peters preaching at pentecost in acts 2. The book of acts tells the accounts of paul s conversion on three occasions acts 9, 22, 26. Why are the three accounts of pauls conversion on the road.
Write 45 pages reflecting the significance of what you observe from the chart. How pauls conversion can strengthen your faith in joseph. What todays church needs to learn from the book of acts. By comparison to other portions of the new testament the special significance of the holy spirit in the book of acts can be demonstrated. Hedrick observed that the three episodes supplement each other, for the first account is a healing narrative, the second features healing and call, and the third is a commissioning. Jun 28, 20 a contrast of pauls conversion accounts 28 jun luke records pauls conversion three times in acts, first in chapter 9 where he simply narrates the event, and secondly, through pauls testimony in chapter 22 before the jews after they tried to kill him, and finally before festus and king agrippa in chapter 26.
Acts 10 new international version niv cornelius calls for peter. Support for this conclusion is based on the research of the classic scholar, dr. The conversion of paul the book of acts amazing facts. The differences among the three accounts in acts of the apostles do not show that paul was confused, but that the author of acts was exercising some literary licence. According to both sources, paul was not a follower of jesus and did not know him before his crucifixion. Ricard dillon, in fact, understands this as an account of the first gentile conversion, told in hellenistic circles and rival to the cornelius story chap. These accounts are more detailed, literary, and vary from audience to audience. Paul himself makes no mention of a conversion on the road to damascus, whereas acts of the apostles has not one, but three accounts. After being a ringleader in persecuting christians in jerusalem and judea, paul obtained permission from the high priest, and then set out for damascus, hoping to find. This also excludes the thief on the cross, who lived and died under the law of moses. The holy spirit in the book of acts preaching source. The tradition from the earliest days of the church has been that luke, a companion of the apostle paul, wrote the books of luke and acts colossians 4. How many times is pauls conversion recounted in acts answers.
In only three decades, a small group of frightened believers in jerusalem transformed. We have three different accounts of pauls unsupported claim of conversion. Why are the three accounts of pauls conversion on the. After being a ringleader in persecuting christians in jerusalem and judea, paul obtained permission from the high priest, and then set out for damascus, hoping to find and arrest christians who had fled his persecution. Do the three accounts of pauls conversion in acts contradict. Wikipedias article clear exposition of inconsistency. Conversion in the book of acts part three livingston.
Acts is the only biblical book that chronicles the history of the church immediately after jesuss ascension. Review the examples of conversion illustrated in the chart below. The author of acts speaks about himself in the first person acts 27. After his conversion he went to the opposite extreme of loving god and preaching his word with power and fervency in the spirit of the true and living god. Many charts listing examples of conversions in the book of acts do not include it b. In the american standard version of acts there are fiftysix references to the holy spirit. Specifically, this essay is focused upon the eighth chapter of the book of acts, and the conversion narratives of the samaritans, simon the sorceror, and of the ethiopian eunuch.
Contradictions in the book of acts for the damascus road. Actually starts in verse 15, i am jesus, who you are persecuting. Also, during this time luke recorded three accounts of pauls conversion and his witness to three rulers. Philip teaches the ethiopian eunuch who responds by being baptized. Matson ex plains that his goal here is to read the stories of household conversions inacts. As we summarize bible conversions, we will list only the facts that are specifically mentioned. Do the 3 accounts of pauls conversion in luke contradict. Paul begins this passage by reminding his readers of the man he used to be. Sometimes a person gives the condensed version of the story. Accounts of conversion the ethiopian eunuch proposition.
Baptism in the book of acts and throughout the new testament is always practiced by adults who have. In this piece, we continue our series on conversion in the book of acts. Pauls conversion 1 chapter 3 pauls conversion acts 9 a. Saul of tarsus acts 9, 22, 26 to get the complete story of the conversion of saul we combine the three accounts of his conversion. The purpose of the book of acts is governed by the jews response to peter and paul.
Many grievous errors have crept into the teaching of many socalled christian churches across the centuries, since the church was first established on the day of pentecost in acts 2. This website has an excellent article that also points out other inconsistencies in the appearance accounts. From this account of conversion we learn the following great truths 1 god wants people, 2 god uses preachers, 3 gods proposal is jesus, 4 gods plan includes baptism, 5 gods plan produces joy. Our lord ascended into heaven in acts 1 and as we have seen, after the gospels, the rest of the new testament is written to christians. Examples of conversion in the book of acts conversion account believe repent confess be baptized after baptism 3000 saved acts 2 repented v37, 38 baptized v3841 remission of sins v38 samaritans acts 8 believed v12 baptized v12 simon acts 8 believed v baptized v ethiopian acts 8 believed v37 confessed v37 baptized v38 rejoiced v39 saul. To put it differently, the account of sauls conversion in acts 9 is but the first of three accounts, the other two coming from the lips of paul himself. The book of acts serves a unique role in the new testament and the history of the church. Peter and john had just been admonished to not to speak at all nor teach in the name of jesus. There are some differences in how pauls experience is told. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto peter and the rest of the apostles, brethren, what shall we do.
It picks up where the gospels leave off, and serves as the backdrop for the epistles b. Sermon on conversion accounts of conversion the ethiopian. Is the ethiopian eunuch the first gentile convert in acts. Look at each text and the corresponding information found at the bottom of the chart. Inconsistency in paul vision accounts jesus words only. Book of acts a prophetic witness bible numbers for life. Examples of conversions as recorded in the history of the early church. Acts of the apostles, written decades after pauls death, provides a miraculous explanation, with three parallel but different stories in which jesus appeared to paul on the road to damascus. I dont think these skeptics are paying very close attention when they say that there are irreconcilable discrepencies. These differences are from different things luke used to write.
This occurred three times, in acts, acts 18, and acts 28. An apparent contradiction in the details of the account of pauls revelatory vision given in acts has been the subject of much debate. The bible is the greatest book of instruction known to humanity. The book of acts, which continues the narrative that luke began in his gospel, is especially important because it was the first written history of the christian church. Examples of conversion in the book of acts parkway church. Acts concerns the very vital period in christian history between the resurrection of jesus and the death of the apostle paul, the time when christian ideas and beliefs were. Luke dedicated both his gospel account and the book of acts to this man. The book of acts is not only a book of history, but also a book of conversions. The three other accounts come from the book of acts, which was written by the author of the gospel of luke acts 9. What is the significance of the different things we observe from the chart. Acts 10 niv cornelius calls for peter bible gateway. May 02, 2020 before he was converted, paul zealously persecuted christians.
So when luke records the conversion of paul, he doesnt record everything jesus said to paul you read pauls own testimony, he expands on it. Actus apostolorum, often referred to simply as acts, or formally the book of acts, is the fifth book of the new testament. That we would know what the bible teaches regarding true conversion and faithfulness. Some few of these errorsa very fewhave come through interpretation. As such, it provides us with a valuable account of how the church was able to grow and spread out from jerusalem into the rest of the roman empire. Acts of the apostles discusses pauls conversion experience at three different points in the text, in far more detail than in the accounts in pauls letters. The book of acts course a, lesson 2 free bible study. Each version is different, and this fact has led some critics to say that the accounts are contradictory. Our lord began preaching the kingdom of god after the death of john the baptist, who had preached a baptism of repentance and had prepared the way for the lord.
Acts, as he did with the three accounts of the conversion of cornelius and the two accounts of the vision of peter acts 10. In the book of acts we have not one, not two, but three accounts of sauls conversion. The lord told him to enter the city, and he would be told what he must do 9. He would have had access to the disciples and eyewitness accounts he used to compile the book of luke luke 1. We will study many examples of conversion in the book of acts. In household conversion narratives in acts, david matson investigates the narrative function of the household conversion stories in acts 10. Another account of ananiass visit to saul appears later in the book of acts acts 22. Theyre all a little bit different, and because of that, some critics have cried foul. What about the multiple accounts of pauls conversion. Jul 30, 2019 the three other accounts come from the book of acts, which was written by the author of the gospel of luke acts 9. We have gained these insights partly through spiritual numbers related to the order of books in the. Conversions in the book of acts acts of the apostles. Pauls conversion is recorded three times in the bible 1. Pauls own testimonies provide significant insight as to how and when the apostle saw his own conversion.
And peter said unto them, repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of jesus christ unto the remission of your sins. The first account, in acts 9, narrated pauls conversion when it actually happened. The article the conversion of apostle paul reads in pertinent part, and reveals the contradiction and the efforts to obscure this by translation differences between the accounts. Therefore, we can conclude that the conversion story for saul of tarsus does not contain any contradictions. Copeland hundreds of free sermon outlines and bible study materials available for online browsing and downloading. Fforts onversions book acts efforts at conversions in the. Modern teachings on this subject often disagree with apostolic practice. Acts of the apostles book of conversions introduction.
Book of acts overview insight for living ministries. The conversion of the apostle paul 1282 words bartleby. We can compare the accounts of conversion in acts to learn how god requires us to become christians. A contrast of pauls conversion accounts 28 jun luke records pauls conversion three times in acts, first in chapter 9 where he simply narrates the event, and secondly, through pauls testimony in chapter 22 before the jews after they tried to kill him, and finally before festus and king agrippa in chapter 26. Book of acts a prophetic witness we present to you the notion that the book of acts is a prophetic witness. Paul barnett says, in the birth of christianity, page 23, we do not even know whether the fourteen years of galatians 2. The account of pauls conversion in acts is relatively brief. Sermon on conversion conversion accounts samaritans. With the account of the conversion of the ethiopian eunuch. The combined sixtyeight chapters of the synoptic gospels contain only thirtyfour references to the holy spirit.
Conversions in the book of acts from the executable outlines series by mark a. Our lord began preaching the kingdom of god after the death of john the baptist, who. The book of acts says that paul was on his way from jerusalem to syrian damascus with a mandate issued by the high priest to seek out and arrest followers of jesus, with the intention of. Household conversion narratives in acts, david lertis matson. With jesus command to evangelize households in luke 10.
Conversion stories in the book of acts be baptized. Dec 19, 2011 the first account, in acts 9, narrated pauls conversion when it actually happened. Sometimes when people tell a story they give many details, but other times they give fewer details. The promise of the holy spirit in the first book, theophilus, i wrote about all that jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the holy spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. How many times is pauls conversion recounted in acts. One can hardly overestimate the impact paul has had on christianity. Let us reflect deeply upon these conversions in order to better understand. One converted to christ has turned from the ways of the world to jesus. Thus, examples of conversions into the kingdom of god, into the church take place in the book of acts only. Conversions in the book of acts executable outlines. The final question which i raised at the beginning of this lesson is this. Acts, as he did with the three accounts of the conversion of cornelius and the two accounts. If one genuinely wants to know what to do to be saved, he can read the book of acts and find the biblical answer. Luke emphasized the conversion of this man by including it 3 times in the acts account.
The book of acts provides a detailed, orderly, eyewitness account of the birth and growth of the early church and the spread of the gospel immediately after the resurrection of jesus christ. No wonder we find three different accounts of his conversion in the book of acts. There are several accounts of conversions that go somewhat into detail as to. But there is so much more found in the book of acts which differs so radically from what we find in most churches today. In each account there was a blinding light, which appeared only to paul in the version at acts 9.
Pauls conversion experience is discussed in both the pauline epistles and in the acts of the apostles. Aug 30, 2014 the events of sauls conversion are recorded in acts 9 paul later recounts his conversion in acts chapters 22 and 26. Saul received a vision of the resurrected christ while en route to damascus. One who wants to know if he is a genuine convert to christ will test what he did with what they did in the book of acts to determine its genuineness. In the account in acts 9 paul was carried into the city of damascus and was. There are three accounts of pauls conversion to christianity found in the book of acts. In acts, chapters 10 and 11, there are two accounts of the conversion of the roman centurion, cornelius. Although this study will focus on the conversion of saul of tarsus paul, let us first consider eight examples of conversions found in the book of acts. The story line written into the book of acts is credible at the 99. The book of acts, also called acts of the apostles, does not specifically identify its author.
Luke and acts both focus on jesuss ministry to the gentiles. Conversions in the book of acts 3 conversions in the book of acts the 3000 on pentecost 2. By reading these accounts one learns exactly how god saved paul by his mercy. Pauls dramatic conversion on the damascus road acts 9. The conversion of saulpaul is so important to the author of the book of acts that he presents the story three times acts 9, 22, 26. By merging the two accounts, we learn that ananias had a dual purpose. God tells ananias to go to where he is and lay hands on him to restore his sight. Examples of conversion in the book of acts conversion account believe repent confess be baptized after baptism 3000 saved acts 2 repented v37, 38 baptized v3841 remission of sins v38 samaritans acts 8 believed v12 baptized v12 simon acts 8 believed v baptized v ethiopian acts 8 believed v37 confessed v37 baptized.