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Literary structure (chiasmus, chiasm) of Acts of the Apostles

Chiasmus and Concentric Structure of whole text

The center of the text is "Peter delivered from prison" (no. 25, Acts 12:1-24). No. 25 includes stories both martyrdom of Jacob and rescue for Peter. This structure would indicate both martyrdom and rescue from persecution.


1-1

1 The Ascension of Jesus (1:1-11)
  2 Mathias chosen to replace Judas (1:12-26)
    3 The coming of the Holy Spirit (2:1-13)
      4 Peter addresses the crowd (2:14-39)
        5 Life among the believers (2:40-47)
          6 Peter heals a crippled beggar (3:1-4:4)
            7 Peter and John before the council (4:5-22)
              8 The believers pray for boldness (4:23-31)
                9 The believers share their possessions (4:32-37)
                  10 Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11)
                    11 The apostles are persecuted (5:12-42)
                      12 Seven chosen to serve (6:1-7)
                        13 Stephen's speech to the council (6:8-7:60)
                          14 Saul persecutes the church (8:1-3)
                            15 Philip preaches in Samaria (8:4-25)
                              16 Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40)
                                17 The conversion of Saul (9:1-22)
                                  18 Saul in Jerusalem (9:23-31)
                                    19 Peter in Lydda and Joppa (9:32-43)
                                      20 A vision of Cornelius (10:1-23)
                                        21 Peter goes to the house of Cornelius (10:24-48)
                                          22 Peter's report to the church at Jerusalem (11:1-18)
                                            23 Barnabas goes to Antioch (11:19-24)
                                              24 The church in Antioch (11:25-30)
                                                25 Peter delivered from prison (12:1-24)
                                              26 Barnabas and Saul commissioned (12:25-13:13)
                                            27 Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia (13:14-49)
                                          28 Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe (13:50-14:28)
                                        29 The council at Jerusalem (15:1-16:5)
                                      30 Paul's vision of the man of Macedonia (16:6-10)
                                    31 Paul and Silas in prison (16:11-40)
                                  32 The uproar in Thessalonica (17:1-15)
                                33 Paul in Athens (17:16-34)
                              34 Paul in Corinth (18:1-23)
                            35 Paul in Ephesus (18:24-19:20)
                          36 The riot in Ephesus (19:21-20:2)
                        37 Paul's farewell visit to Troas (20:3-14)
                      38 The voyage from Troas to Miletus (20:15-38)
                    39 Paul goes to Jerusalem (21:1-17)
                  40 Paul visits James at Jerusalem (21:18-26)
                41 Paul tells of his conversion (21:27-23:10)
              42 The plot to kill Paul (23:11-35)
            43 Paul before Felix at Caesarea (24:1-26)
          44 Paul appeals to the emperor (24:27-25:12)
        45 Festus consults king Agrippa (25:13-22)
      46 Paul defends himself before Agrippa (25:23-26:32)
    47 The storm at sea (27:1-44)
  48 Paul on the Island of Malta (28:1-15)
49 Paul preaches in Rome (28:16-31)
Former halfRelationLatter half
1 The Ascension of Jesus (1:1-11)
1:3 He presented himself alive to them by many proofs after he had suffered, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.(1:3)
The kingdom of God49 Paul preaches in Rome (28:16-31)
28:31 and with complete assurance and without hindrance he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.(28:31)
2 Mathias chosen to replace Judas (1:12-26)
1:18 He bought a parcel of land with the wages of his iniquity, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out. (1:18)
Punishments against sinners48 Paul on the Island of Malta (28:1-15)
28:4 When the natives saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, "This man must certainly be a murderer; though he escaped the sea, Justice has not let him remain alive."(28:4)
3 The coming of the Holy Spirit (2:1-13)
2:2 And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.(2:2)
Fierce wind47 The storm at sea (27:1-44)
27:14 Before long an offshore wind of hurricane force called a "Northeaster" struck. (27:14)
4 Peter addresses the crowd (2:14-39)
Peter's preach
Preach46 Paul defends himself before Agrippa (25:23-26:32)
Paul's apology to Agrippa
5 Life among the believers (2:40-47)
faithful life of the believer
Righteousness of the believers45 Festus consults king Agrippa (25:13-22)
25:18 His accusers stood around him, but did not charge him with any of the crimes I suspected. (25:18)
6 Peter heals a crippled beggar (3:1-4:4)
3:14 You denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.(3:14)
Accusation of innocent44 Paul appeals to the emperor (24:27-25:12)
25:7 When he appeared, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him and brought many serious charges against him, which they were unable to prove. (25:7)
7 Peter and John before the council (4:5-22)
Peter's apology
Apology43 Paul before Felix at Caesarea (24:1-26)
Paul's apology to Felix
8 The believers pray for boldness (4:23-31)
4:26 The kings of the earth took their stand and the princes gathered together against the Lord and against his anointed. (4:26)
Conspiracy42 The plot to kill Paul (23:11-35)
23:12 When day came, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. (23:12)
9 The believers share their possessions (4:32-37)
4:33 With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all. (4:33)
Witness to the resurrection41 Paul tells of his conversion (21:27-23:10)
23:6 Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he called out before the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; (I) am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead." (23:6)
10 Ananias and Sapphira (5:1-11)
5:2 He retained for himself, with his wife's knowledge, some of the purchase price, took the remainder, and put it at the feet of the apostles. (5:2)
Donation40 Paul visits James at Jerusalem (21:18-26)
21:24 Take these men and purify yourself with them, and pay their expenses that they may have their heads shaved. In this way everyone will know that there is nothing to the reports they have been given about you but that you yourself live in observance of the law.(21:24)
11 The apostles are persecuted (5:12-42)
5:18 laid hands upon the apostles and put them in the public jail. (5:18)
Arrest of apostles39 Paul goes to Jerusalem (21:1-17)
21:11 He came up to us, took Pauls belt, bound his own feet and hands with it, and said, "Thus says the holy Spirit: This is the way the Jews will bind the owner of this belt in Jerusalem, and they will hand him over to the Gentiles." (21:11)
12 Seven chosen to serve (6:1-7)
6:3 Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, (6:3)
Selection of disciples38 The voyage from Troas to Miletus (20:15-38)
20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the church of God that he acquired with his own blood.(20:28)
13 Stephen's speech to the council (6:8-7:60)
7:60 Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them"; and when he said this, he fell asleep.(7:60)
Death37 Paul's farewell visit to Troas (20:3-14)
20:9 and a young man named Eutychus who was sitting on the window sill was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Once overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and when he was picked up, he was dead. (20:9)
14 Saul persecutes the church (8:1-3)
8:1 Now Saul was consenting to his execution. On that day, there broke out a severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (8:1)
The church expands to Israel / Asia36 The riot in Ephesus (19:21-20:2)
19:26 As you can now see and hear, not only in Ephesus but throughout most of the province of Asia this Paul has persuaded and misled a great number of people by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all. (19:26)
15 Philip preaches in Samaria (8:4-25)
Simon's conversion
The end of magic35 Paul in Ephesus (18:24-19:20)
19:19 Moreover, a large number of those who had practiced magic collected their books and burned them in public. They calculated their value and found it to be fifty thousand silver pieces. (19:19)
16 Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch (8:26-40)
8:29 The Spirit said to Philip, "Go and join up with that chariot." (8:29)
Instruction of mission34 Paul in Corinth (18:1-23)
18:9 One night in a vision the Lord said to Paul, "Do not be afraid. Go on speaking, and do not be silent, (18:9)
17 The conversion of Saul (9:1-22)
Saul's conversion
Conversion33 Paul in Athens (17:16-34)
17:30 God has overlooked the times of ignorance, but now he demands that all people everywhere repent (17:30)
18 Saul in Jerusalem (9:23-31)
9:25 but his disciples took him one night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket. (9:25)
Sauls escape32 The uproar in Thessalonica (17:1-15)
17:10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas to Beroea during the night. Upon arrival they went to the synagogue of the Jews. (17:10)
19 Peter in Lydda and Joppa (9:32-43)
9:34 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed." He got up at once. (9:34)
Miracles of apostles31 Paul and Silas in prison (16:11-40)
16:18 She did this for many days. Paul became annoyed, turned, and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." Then it came out at that moment. (16:18)
20 A vision of Cornelius (10:1-23)
10:3 One afternoon about three o'clock, he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say to him, "Cornelius."(10:3)
Calling through vision30 Paul's vision of the man of Macedonia (16:6-10)
16:9 During (the) night Paul had a vision. A Macedonian stood before him and implored him with these words, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." (16:9)
21 Peter goes to the house of Cornelius (10:24-48)
10:45 The circumcised believers who had accompanied Peter were astounded that the gift of the holy Spirit should have been poured out on the Gentiles also, (10:45)
The Gentiles receive the Holy Spirit29 The council at Jerusalem (15:1-16:5)
15:8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness by granting them the holy Spirit just as he did us. (15:8)
22 Peter's report to the church at Jerusalem (11:1-18)
11:4 Peter began and explained it to them step by step, saying, (11:4)
Reports of mission to the Gentiles28 Paul and Barnabas in Lystra and Derbe (13:50-14:28)
14:27 And when they arrived, they called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. (14:27)
23 Barnabas goes to Antioch (11:19-24)
11:20 There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however, who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well, proclaiming the Lord Jesus. (11:20)
Mission to the Gentiles27 Paul and Barnabas in Antioch of Pisidia (13:14-49)
13:46 Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, "It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. (13:46)
24 The church in Antioch (11:25-30)
11:30 This they did, sending it to the presbyters in care of Barnabas and Saul.(11:30)
Barnabas and Saul are sent26 Barnabas and Saul commissioned (12:25-13:13)
13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." (13:2)

Citations of the Bible are from New American Bible, New Revised Standard Version and New Jerusalem Bible.

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Literary Structure of the Bible by Hajime Murai is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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