laws, and Acts ends with Paul in Rome proclaiming the Christian message under Roman protection; at the same time, Luke makes clear that the Romans, like all earthly rulers, receive their authority from Satan, while Christ is ruler of the kingdom of God. Structure and content Structure Acts has two key structural principles. The first is the geographic movement from Jerusalem, centre of God's Covenantal people, the Jews, to Rome, centre of the Gentile world. This structure reaches back to the author's preceding work, the Gospel of Luke, and is signaled by parallel scenes such as Paul's utterance in Acts 19:21, which echoes Jesus's words in Luke 9:51: Paul has Rome as his destination, as Jesus had Jerusalem. The second key element is the roles of Peter and Paul, the first representing the Jewish Christian church, the second the mission to the Gentiles. Transition: reprise of the preface addressed to Theophilus and the closing events of the gospel (Acts 1–1:26) Petrine Christianity: the Jewish church from Jerusalem to Antioch (Acts 2:1–12:25) 2:1–8:1 – beginnings in Jerusalem 8:2–40 – the church expands to Samaria and beyond 9:1–31 – conversion of Paul 9:32–12:25 – the conversion of Cornelius, and the formation of the Antioch church Pauline Christianity: the Gentile mission from Antioch to Rome (Acts 13:1–28:31) 13:1–14:28 – the Gentile mission is promoted from Antioch 15:1–35 – the Gentile mission is confirmed in Jerusalem 15:36–28:31 – the Gentile mission, climaxing in Paul's passion story in Rome (21:17–28:31) Outline Dedication to Theophilus (1:1–2) Resurrection appearances (1:3) Great Commission (1:4–8) Ascension (1:9) Second Coming Prophecy (1:10–11) Matthias replaced Judas (1:12–26) the Upper Room (1:13) The Holy Spirit came at Shavuot (Pentecost) (2:1-47), see also Paraclete Peter healed a crippled beggar (3:1–10) Peter's speech at the Temple (3:11–26) Peter and John before the Sanhedrin (4:1–22) Resurrection of the dead (4:2) Believers' Prayer (4:23–31) Everything is shared (4:32–37) Ananias and Sapphira (5:1–11) Signs and Wonders (5:12–16) Apostles before the Sanhedrin (5:17–42) Seven Deacons appointed (6:1–7) Stephen before the Sanhedrin (6:8–7:60) The "Cave of the Patriarchs" was located in Shechem (7:16) "Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians" (7:22) First mentioning of Saul (Paul the Apostle) in the Bible (7:58) Paul the Apostle confesses his part in the martyrdom of Stephen (7:58–60) Saul persecuted the Church of Jerusalem (8:1–3) Philip the Evangelist (8:4–40) Simon Magus (8:9–24) Ethiopian eunuch (8:26–39) Conversion of Paul the Apostle