THE WRITER

The opening words of Acts refer to the Gospel of Luke as “the first account.” And since both accounts are addressed to the same individual, Theophilus, we know that Luke, though not signing his name, was the writer of Acts. (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1) Both accounts have a similar style and wording. The Muratorian Fragment of about 170 C.E. also attributes the writership to Luke. Other ecclesiastical writings of the second century C.E. by Irenaeus of Lyons, Clement of Alexandria and Tertullian of Carthage, when quoting from Acts, cite Luke as the writer.

WHEN AND WHERE WRITTEN

The book covers a period of approximately twenty-eight years, from Jesus’ ascension in 33 C.E. to the end of the second year of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome about 61 C.E. During this period four Roman emperors ruled in succession: Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero. Since it relates events down to the year 61 it could not have been completed earlier. Had the account been written later than 61, it is reasonable to expect that Luke would have provided more information about Paul; if written after the year 64, mention surely would have been made of Nero’s violent persecution that began then; and if written after 70 C.E., as some contend, we would expect to find Jerusalem’s destruction recorded. The writer Luke accompanied Paul much of the time during his travels, including the perilous voyage to Rome, which is apparent from his use of the first-person plural pronouns “we,” “our,” and “us” in Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-37; 28:1-16. Paul, in his letters written from Rome, mentions that Luke was also there. (Col. 4:14; Philem. 24) It was, therefore, in Rome that the book of Acts was written.

As already observed, Luke himself was an eyewitness to much of what he wrote, and in his travels he contacted fellow Christians who either participated in or observed certain events described. For example John Mark could tell him of Peter’s miraculous prison release (Acts 12:12), while the events described in chapters six through eight could have been learned from the missionary Philip. And Paul, of course, as an eyewitness, was able to supply many details of events that happened when Luke was not with him.

AUTHENTICITY

The accuracy of the book of Acts has been verified over the years by a number of archaeological discoveries. For example, Acts 13:7 says that Sergius Paulus was the proconsul of Cyprus. Now it is known that shortly before Paul visited Cyprus it was ruled by a propraetor or legatus, but the discovery of Cyprian coins proves that when Paul was there the island was under the direct rule of the Roman Senate in the person of a provincial governor called a proconsul. Moreover, an inscription found at Soli on the northern coast of Cyprus dated “in the proconsulship of Paulus” testifies to Luke’s exactness and accuracy. Similarly in Greece, during the rule of Augustus Caesar, Achaia was a province under the direct rule of the Roman Senate, but when Tiberius was emperor it was ruled directly by him. Later, under Emperor Claudius, it again became a senatorial province, according to Tacitus. A fragment of a rescript from Claudius to the Delphians of Greece has been discovered, which says “in Gallio’s proconsulship . . . Claudius being Imperator for the 26th time.” Therefore, Acts 18:12 is correct in speaking of Gallio as the “proconsul” when Paul was there in Corinth the capital of Achaia. Also, an inscription on an archway in Thessalonica shows that Acts 17:8 is correct in speaking of the “city rulers” (“politarchs,” governors of the citizens), even though this title is not found in classical literature.

To this day in Athens the Areopagus, or Mars Hill, where Paul preached, stands as a silent witness to the truthfulness of Acts. (Acts 17:19) Medical terms and expressions found in Acts are in agreement with the Greek medical writers of that time. Modes of travel used in the Near East in the first century were essentially as described in Acts: overland, by walking, horseback or horse-drawn chariots (23:24, 31, 32; 8:27-38); overseas, by cargo ships. (21:1-3; 27:1-5) Those ancient vessels did not have a single rudder but were controlled by two large oars, hence accurately spoken of in the plural number. (27:40) The description of Paul’s voyage by ship to Rome (27:1-44) as to the time taken, the distance traveled and the places visited is acknowledged by modern seamen familiar with the region as completely reliable and trustworthy.

Acts of Apostles was accepted without question as inspired Scripture and canonical by Scripture cataloguers from the second through the fourth centuries C.E. Portions of the book, along with fragments of the four Gospels, are found in the Chester Beatty No. 1 papyrus manuscript (P⁴⁵) of the early third century C.E. The Michigan No. 1571 manuscript of the third or fourth century contains portions of chapters 18 and 19, and a fourth-century manuscript, Aegyptus No. 8683, contains parts of chapters 4 through 6. The book of Acts was quoted from by Polycarp of Smyrna about 115 C.E., by Ignatius of Antioch about 110 C.E., and by Clement of Rome perhaps as early as 95 C.E. Athanasius, Jerome and Augustine of the fourth century all confirm the earlier listings that included Acts.

See the book “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial.”

ADADAH

(A·daʹdah) [festival, or bordering].

One of the cities in the southern part of the territory originally assigned to Judah, lying toward the border of Edom.—Josh. 15:22.

ADAH

(Aʹdah) [ornament].

1. The first of Lamech’s two living wives. She was the mother of Jabal and Jubal, the founders of nomadic herdsmen and musicians respectively.—Gen. 4:19-23.

2. A Canaanite daughter of Elon the Hittite, and one of Esau’s wives. As such she was “a source of bitterness of spirit to Isaac and Rebekah.” Her son’s name was Eliphaz, the father of Amalek. She may be the one called Basemath in Genesis 26:34.—Gen. 26:35; 36:2, 4, 10, 12.

ADAIAH

(A·daiʹah) [Jehovah has adorned himself].

1. A descendant of Levi’s son Gershom and an ancestor of Asaph.—1 Chron. 6:39-43.

2. A Benjaminite, son of Shimei.—1 Chron. 8:1, 21.

3. The father of Maaseiah, who was one of “the chiefs of hundreds” that helped Jehoiada the priest overthrow wicked Athaliah’s rule and set Jehoash upon the throne of Judah.—2 Chron. 23:1.

4. The father of Jedidah, who was the mother of King Josiah. (2 Ki. 22:1) He was a native of Bozkath, located in the Shephelah in the territory of Judah due W of Hebron.—Josh. 15:21, 33, 39.

5. A son of Joiarib of the tribe of Judah.—Neh. 11:4, 5.

6. A priest dwelling in Jerusalem after the return from Babylonian exile, the son of Jeroham.—1 Chron 9:10-12; Neh. 11:12.

7. An Israelite, one of the sons of Bani who divorced their foreign wives and sent away their sons after the Babylonian exile.—Ezra 10:29, 44.

8. Another of the Israelites who sent away their foreign wives and sons, his father being Binnui.—Ezra 10:38, 39, 44.

ADALIA

(A·daʹli·a) [perhaps of Persian origin, honorable].

One of Haman’s ten sons.—Esther 9:7-10; see HAMAN.

ADAM

(Adʹam) [earthling man, mankind; from a root meaning “red” or “ruddy”].

The Hebrew word occurs as “man,” “mankind” or “earthling man”