New Testament

The Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of the Apostles is the fifth of the 27 books of the New Testament: 28 chapters and 1,004 verses.

About Acts · Church history

Acts is Luke's second volume, carrying the story from the risen Jesus' ascension to Paul preaching in Rome: Pentecost, the first community, Stephen's martyrdom, the conversion of Paul, and the Gospel's leap from Jerusalem to the Gentile world. Written for the same Theophilus as the Gospel, it was composed to show that the Church's explosive growth was the work of the Holy Spirit, not human planning. It is the only inspired history of the apostolic Church, and every generation of renewal has gone back to it.

Acts in Bless
Testament	New Testament — book 5 of 27, 51 of 73 in the Bible
Canon	Protocanonical (in every Christian canon)
Chapters	28
Verses	1,004, as Bless numbers them
Latin	Clementine Vulgate, every chapter
Bp. Challoner	Summaries of all 28 chapters · 20 notes
Catechism	115 paragraphs cite it

Chapter by chapter

All 28 chapters, in brief.

Bishop Richard Challoner’s summary of each chapter, from his revision of the Douay-Rheims (1749–52). Open a chapter for the full text.

Acts 1
26 verses
The ascension of Christ. Matthias is chosen in place of Judas.
Acts 2
47 verses
The disciples receive the Holy Ghost. Peter's sermon to the people. The piety of the first converts.
Acts 3
26 verses
The miracle upon the lame man, followed by the conversion of many.
Acts 4
37 verses
Peter and John are apprehended. Their constancy. The church is increased.
Acts 5
42 verses
The judgment of God upon Ananias and Saphira. The apostles are cast into prison.
Acts 6
15 verses
The ordination of the seven deacons. The zeal of Stephen.
Acts 7
59 verses
Stephen's speech before the council. His martyrdom.
Acts 8
40 verses
Philip converts the Samaritans and baptizes the eunuch.
Acts 9
43 verses
Paul's conversion and zeal. Peter heals Eneas and raises up Tabitha to life.
Acts 10
48 verses
Cornelius is received into the church. Peter's vision.
Acts 11
30 verses
Peter defends his having received the Gentiles into the church.
Acts 12
25 verses
Herod's persecution. Peter's deliverance by an angel. Herod's punishment.
Acts 13
52 verses
Saul and Barnabas are sent forth by the Holy Ghost. They preach in Cyprus and in Antioch of Pisidia.
Acts 14
27 verses
Paul and Barnabas preach in Iconium and Lystra. Paul heals a cripple. They are taken for gods. Paul is stoned. They preach in Derbe and Perge.
Acts 15
41 verses
A dissension about circumcision. The decision and letter of the council of Jerusalem.
Acts 16
40 verses
Paul visits the churches. He is called to preach in Macedonia. He is scourged at Philippi.
Acts 17
34 verses
Paul preaches to the Thessalonians and Bereans. His discourse to the Athenians.
Acts 18
28 verses
Paul founds the church of Corinth and preaches at Ephesus and in other places. Apollo goes to Corinth.
Acts 19
40 verses
Paul establishes the church at Ephesus. The tumult of the silversmiths.
Acts 20
38 verses
Paul passes through Macedonia and Greece. He raises a dead man to life at Troas. His discourse to the clergy of Ephesus.
Acts 21
40 verses
Paul goes up to Jerusalem. He is apprehended by the Jews in the temple.
Acts 22
30 verses
Paul declares to the people the history of his conversion. He escapes scourging by claiming the privilege of a Roman citizen.
Acts 23
35 verses
Paul stands before the council. The Jews conspire his death. He is sent away to Cesarea.
Acts 24
27 verses
Paul defends his innocence before Felix the governor. He preaches the faith to him.
Acts 25
27 verses
Paul appeals to Caesar. King Agrippa desires to hear him.
Acts 26
32 verses
Paul gives an account to Agrippa of his life, conversion and calling.
Acts 27
44 verses
Paul is shipped for Rome. His voyage and shipwreck.
Acts 28
31 verses
Paul, after three months' stay in Melita, continues his voyage and arrives at Rome. His conference there with the Jews.

Bp. Richard Challoner · chapter summaries

In the comments

What the saints said.

3 quotations from 3 saints linked to passages of Acts in Bless. Each names the work it comes from.

St. John Chrysostom · on Acts 2:46

On this theme

Make your house a church.

Homily on Ephesians, 20, c. 395

St. Thomas More · on Acts 5:29

On this theme

I die the King's good servant, but God's first.

Words on the scaffold, 1535

St. Francis Xavier · on Acts 8:38

On this theme

I have not stopped since the day I arrived. I conscientiously made the rounds of the villages. I bathed in the sacred waters all the children who had not yet been baptized.

Letter from India, 1544

Coming up

Read at Mass.

From October 29, 2026 to October 28, 2027, Acts is read at the principal Mass on 56 days in the US calendar. The next 8 readings:

Date	Celebration	Reading	Citation
Sat, Dec 26, 2026	St. Stephen, First Martyr	First Reading	Acts 6:8-10; 7:54-59
Sun, Jan 10, 2027	The Baptism of the Lord	Second Reading	Acts 10:34-38
Sat, Jan 23, 2027	Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time	Alleluia	See Acts 16:14b
Mon, Jan 25, 2027	Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle	First Reading	Acts 22:3-16
Sun, Mar 28, 2027	The Resurrection of the Lord	First Reading	Acts 10:34a, 37-43
Mon, Mar 29, 2027	Monday in the Octave of Easter	First Reading	Acts 2:14, 22-33
Tue, Mar 30, 2027	Tuesday in the Octave of Easter	First Reading	Acts 2:36-41
Wed, Mar 31, 2027	Wednesday in the Octave of Easter	First Reading	Acts 3:1-10
Thu, Apr 1, 2027	Thursday in the Octave of Easter	First Reading	Acts 3:11-26
Fri, Apr 2, 2027	Friday in the Octave of Easter	First Reading	Acts 4:1-12
Sat, Apr 3, 2027	Saturday in the Octave of Easter	First Reading	Acts 4:13-21
Sun, Apr 4, 2027	Second Sunday of Easter	First Reading	Acts 4:32-35
Tue, Apr 6, 2027	Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 4:32-37
Wed, Apr 7, 2027	St. John Baptist de la Salle, Priest	First Reading	Acts 5:17-26
Thu, Apr 8, 2027	Thursday of the Second Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 5:27-33
Fri, Apr 9, 2027	Friday of the Second Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 5:34-42
Sat, Apr 10, 2027	Saturday of the Second Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 6:1-7
Sun, Apr 11, 2027	Third Sunday of Easter	First Reading	Acts 3:13-15, 17-19
Mon, Apr 12, 2027	Monday of the Third Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 6:8-15
Tue, Apr 13, 2027	Tuesday of the Third Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 7:51—8:1a
Wed, Apr 14, 2027	Wednesday of the Third Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 8:1b-8
Thu, Apr 15, 2027	Thursday of the Third Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 8:26-40
Fri, Apr 16, 2027	Friday of the Third Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 9:1-20
Sat, Apr 17, 2027	Saturday of the Third Week of Easter	First Reading	Acts 9:31-42

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option). Dates after May 31, 2027 are computed by Bless from the US Lectionary cycle — confirm with your parish.