What do you think?
Rate this book
New Testament For Everyone #8
Acts for Everyone, Part Two: Chapters 13-28
Writing in an accessable and anecdotal style, Tom Wright helps us to approach the rich and many-sided story of the book of Acts. Wright shows how the book builds on Luke's Gospel, laying out the continuing work and teaching of the now risen and ascended Jesus in the power of the Spirit. His writing captures the vivid way in which Luke's work draws us all into he story, while leaving the ending open and challenging, inviting Christians today to pick up and carry on the story as we in turn live our lives in the service of Jesus.Tom Wright has undertaken a tremendous task: to provide guides to all the books of the New Testament and to include in them his own translation of the entire text. Each short passage is followed by a highly readable discussion with background information, useful explanations and suggestions, and thoughts as to how the text can be relevant to our lives today. A glossary is included at the back of the book. The series is suitable for group study, personal study, or daily devotions.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 1, 2006
128 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Tom Wright
120 books233 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
He also publishes under N.T. Wright.
He also publishes under N.T. Wright.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 25, 2021
I’m already very familiar with the book of Acts, but reading it through this month, a chapter or two a day, with commentary from N. T. Wright’s Acts for Everyone volumes and the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, really brought it to life for me in a new way. I see the bigger structure that Luke was crafting—the working out of the progression of the gospel throughout the world, and the connections to the narrative framework of Luke’s Gospel. Wright apparently has a story for every section of the New Testament, and the comments and stories he wove together in the Acts volumes were extremely helpful. I appreciate his honesty about what we know for certain about the events in Acts, what we can reasonably guess at, and what we just really can't know.
March 22, 2023
Read this book and Part 1 for my morning devotions. I love that NT Wright pours some of the depth of his scholarly knowledge into bite sized passages for the daily reader to dive into when one does not have time to read something more extensive.
August 10, 2025
Part 2 down. As with the rest of the series, easily absorbable for the layman, and still insightful for the more well-read. I read alongside the M'cheyne bible reading plan and it took maybe 30 mins reading a day.
NT Wright loves Luke, he often praises him as a literary genius. I was interested at the end of this book when Wright drew parallels between Pauls shipwreck and 'salvation' and the resurrection in Luke...
I was very interested when he hypothesised that Acts was written as a defence for Paul to present to Caesar..
"I think it is much more likely that Luke was writing this book, quite deliberately, in order for it to be primary, detailed and very powerful evidence available for when Paul himself came before Caesar."
Here are some further quotes I found interesting and am putting here for my own future reference:)
Eternal Life - what that means
"But the phrase which has so often been translated ‘eternal life’ actually means ‘the life of the age’. No wonder, you may think, we don’t put it like that; nobody would have a clue what we were talking about. But Jews of Paul’s day and many other times would know exactly what was meant. For them, there were two ‘ages’, or ‘periods of world history’: the present age and the age to come. And the ‘life’ of the ‘age to come’ is the state to which all devout Jews would aspire. Indeed, we know of debates among Jews of Paul’s day and thereafter as to precisely who will inherit this life, the life of ‘the age to come’. But the point is: nobody, thinking within the framework of thought which this phrase reflects, imagined that this ‘age’ would be ‘eternal’ in our sense – timeless, spaceless, matterless. It will be a whole new period of history, when everything will be put right at last. It will be the ‘great restoration’ we met in Acts 3.21. Everything will be different."
How might I be saved - Phillipian jailer
"But of course the Philippian jailer knew none of this. In his pagan world there were all kinds of theories about the afterlife, but none of them was anything like so clear, or so precise, as the medieval heaven-and-hell scenario which dominated later Western thought. In any case, it was midnight; there had just been an earthquake; the prison he was in charge of had burst open; he was going to be held responsible for escaped prisoners, which would probably mean torture and death; he was on the point of committing suicide — and was he about to ask these strange visitors for a detailed exposition of justification by grace through faith?
No, of course not, said Bishop Neill. In any case, as we have seen, ‘salvation’ in the ancient world didn’t mean ‘going to heaven when you die’, and that is by no means how the New Testament writers use it. Jesus himself frequently speaks of someone being ‘saved’ when he means ‘healed’ (e.g. Luke 8.48: ‘your faith has saved you’, in other words, ‘has made you well’). So ‘saved’ meant, simply, ‘rescued’, ‘delivered’ — from whatever problem, be it sickness, financial disaster, personal catastrophe, or anything else, might be threatening."
NT Wright loves Luke, he often praises him as a literary genius. I was interested at the end of this book when Wright drew parallels between Pauls shipwreck and 'salvation' and the resurrection in Luke...
I was very interested when he hypothesised that Acts was written as a defence for Paul to present to Caesar..
"I think it is much more likely that Luke was writing this book, quite deliberately, in order for it to be primary, detailed and very powerful evidence available for when Paul himself came before Caesar."
Here are some further quotes I found interesting and am putting here for my own future reference:)
Eternal Life - what that means
"But the phrase which has so often been translated ‘eternal life’ actually means ‘the life of the age’. No wonder, you may think, we don’t put it like that; nobody would have a clue what we were talking about. But Jews of Paul’s day and many other times would know exactly what was meant. For them, there were two ‘ages’, or ‘periods of world history’: the present age and the age to come. And the ‘life’ of the ‘age to come’ is the state to which all devout Jews would aspire. Indeed, we know of debates among Jews of Paul’s day and thereafter as to precisely who will inherit this life, the life of ‘the age to come’. But the point is: nobody, thinking within the framework of thought which this phrase reflects, imagined that this ‘age’ would be ‘eternal’ in our sense – timeless, spaceless, matterless. It will be a whole new period of history, when everything will be put right at last. It will be the ‘great restoration’ we met in Acts 3.21. Everything will be different."
How might I be saved - Phillipian jailer
"But of course the Philippian jailer knew none of this. In his pagan world there were all kinds of theories about the afterlife, but none of them was anything like so clear, or so precise, as the medieval heaven-and-hell scenario which dominated later Western thought. In any case, it was midnight; there had just been an earthquake; the prison he was in charge of had burst open; he was going to be held responsible for escaped prisoners, which would probably mean torture and death; he was on the point of committing suicide — and was he about to ask these strange visitors for a detailed exposition of justification by grace through faith?
No, of course not, said Bishop Neill. In any case, as we have seen, ‘salvation’ in the ancient world didn’t mean ‘going to heaven when you die’, and that is by no means how the New Testament writers use it. Jesus himself frequently speaks of someone being ‘saved’ when he means ‘healed’ (e.g. Luke 8.48: ‘your faith has saved you’, in other words, ‘has made you well’). So ‘saved’ meant, simply, ‘rescued’, ‘delivered’ — from whatever problem, be it sickness, financial disaster, personal catastrophe, or anything else, might be threatening."
June 4, 2022
There can be a tendency when reading the book of Acts (or even the Gospels) to read them like a novel. After all it is a jolly good story. Starting with Jesus’ ascension and commission, to the disciples in the Upper Room being baptised in the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. Onwards goes the march of the Gospel and the Kingdom till it eventually reaches Rome, ‘the end of the earth’. There are salvations of whole households, miracles in abundance, confrontations, riots and shipwrecks – as a story it has it all. But what Dr Wright does is lift the lid and explain to us the work of the Holy Spirit in the spread of the Kingdom. For Gentile believers (such as myself) it is so helpful to have the conflict between the ministers of the Gospel and the Jewish people, especially the religious leaders and the role of the Roman ruling authority explained.
What the author also does is show the depth and purpose of Luke’s writing in this book and reveals his great skill as an author.
Even now, I feel I have only just scratched the surface of the deeper things that Dr Wright is explaining. These two books are definitely ones to return to.
What the author also does is show the depth and purpose of Luke’s writing in this book and reveals his great skill as an author.
Even now, I feel I have only just scratched the surface of the deeper things that Dr Wright is explaining. These two books are definitely ones to return to.
June 18, 2018
Really there is not much different that I would say from my review on Acts for Everyone, Part One. I still found N.T. Wright's approach very enjoyable. He is insightful without being overwhelming and really tries to get the points of a passage through in a relatable way. The way it is done it could be used as a help for a Bible study, as I used it, or a daily devotional taking one section a day, which is how my wife is using it.
Again the main potential weaknesses surrounding the book is that it may not be academic enough for people. It's focused on getting the main point across. So Wright doesn't spend a lot of time in the minutia and doesn't have an exhaustive list of source material, but it is still a useful read. I still wonder why this was split into two parts, but it doesn't really detract from the book's usefulness.
So overall, I really enjoyed Wright's work both in this book and part one. It really makes me want to pick up his whole New Testament for Everyone series. It's accessible and insightful and makes for interesting reading.
Again the main potential weaknesses surrounding the book is that it may not be academic enough for people. It's focused on getting the main point across. So Wright doesn't spend a lot of time in the minutia and doesn't have an exhaustive list of source material, but it is still a useful read. I still wonder why this was split into two parts, but it doesn't really detract from the book's usefulness.
So overall, I really enjoyed Wright's work both in this book and part one. It really makes me want to pick up his whole New Testament for Everyone series. It's accessible and insightful and makes for interesting reading.
May 13, 2018
Acts for Everyone. Such an excellent work by NT Wright, helping me reading and interpreting Acts in a fresher way. Easy to read due to his ability to seamlessly weave anecdotal stories and historical research into the passages. Sure this is not a thorough commentary on Acts, but it really helps lay readers like myself to get a bigger picture and deeper insight of what Acts tried to tell to its readers. In the end, I believe he is right when he said that the Bible as a whole, including Acts, is telling us a beautiful story that invites its readers to take part in the story, for His will to be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
July 21, 2018
One's As Good As the Other
Like volume 1 of Acts by N.T. Wright, volume 2 keeps your attention as you work your way through the ministry of the apostle Paul from Antioch to Rome. Anyone acquainted with ships and oceans will appreciate Luke's descriptions of trips and trials in this volume.
Like volume 1 of Acts by N.T. Wright, volume 2 keeps your attention as you work your way through the ministry of the apostle Paul from Antioch to Rome. Anyone acquainted with ships and oceans will appreciate Luke's descriptions of trips and trials in this volume.
November 6, 2022
William Barclay devoted one volume to Acts and said more and in fewer pages. Wright makes good comments, too, but more digging is required of the reader. His long introductions to each section seemed forced and sometimes extraneous and eventually make the book seem padded. I know, too harsh, too harsh, but I had to push myself to get through this thing, and that is what I thought.
May 18, 2018
This is the best devotional style commentary on the book of Acts that I have ever read. It is accessible without being shallow. It has deep insights without being academic or overwhelming. Highly recommended.
June 28, 2020
N. T. Wright is an insightful Biblical scholar who brings Scripture to life and causes the reader to examine and question their own beliefs versus what is written. Thought provoking! Love the maps and pictures.
March 9, 2022
This was a helpful supplement to the Acts for Everyone Study. If you feel like you want a more in-depth analysis of the scripture itself, but don’t feel like diving into big commentaries, this is a great place to start!
February 9, 2024
Big fan of Tom Wright's style - he's approachable and great at getting to the point of what you're reading, while also bringing in relevant theology/ context etc. The second part of Acts is harder to read but I feel Wright really helped me to appreciate what Luke was doing towards the end!
February 20, 2019
These are just really so great. :)
May 12, 2019
Readable, thought provoking and all around amazing! Highly recommended! At times I felt like I was reading a novel (even though I knew the ending). Hopefully I can read more from this series.
December 17, 2019
A nice introduction to the book of Acts. N.T. Wright's writting style is accessible and entertaing as well as informative.
September 17, 2020
Both Part 1and Part 2 have really helped me understand Acts better and got me into the narrative so much more than before
August 18, 2021
Tom Wright has made a great translation and really ties it all togegther in a clear and overarching narrative.
April 9, 2022
Makes it so clear
September 5, 2024
The “for everyone” series is my go to for commentary whenever I am studying the Bible. This one did not disappoint
August 23, 2025
Great way to read Acts
March 1, 2017
As I have written on every other review of a book in the Everyone series of N.T. Wright, this volume is once again superb! With the start of the new year and season Epiphany, I thought it a good connection to read Wright's comments about Acts and the birth/explosion of the new community of faith as the Light went out to all the world. Wright has the ability to glean deep insights and truth about the text, due to his profound theological and historical insight, yet convey it in a very straightforward way that nearly everyone can understand. Using everyday experiences, he makes connections and insights with the text which bring the words to life for living the Christian faith today. Like every other work of Wright's that I have read, I can highly commend this book to any, and every, one.
July 31, 2014
As I mentioned in my review of the first part of N.T. Wright's commentary on the book of Acts, which covered chapters 1-12, Mr. Wright's individual commentaries have lengthened and become more impassioned. This is especially true of this commentary, which covers chapters 13-28 of the book of Acts. As the first 12 chapters centered mostly around the apostle Peter, the second half of Acts and this commentary center around the apostle Paul, his three missionary trips throughout Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and Greece, and his harrowing journey to Rome. As Paul and his writings are Mr. Wright's main scholarly focus (he just recently published the 1,000+ page book on him, Paul and the Faithfulness of God), he brings a passion and insight to this that is quite amazing. Of particular note are his commentaries on Paul's speech to the Athenians in the Areopagus, which can be found in Acts 17:22-34. Yes, commentaries plural because, for the first time in this series, he writes about a passage twice. In this, N.T. Wright brings his considerable scholarly knowledge and insight to bear and shows how Paul engaged the major philosophies of Greece while still expounding the Judeo-Christian God as king and declaring "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent..." (v. 30). Also of note is Mr. Wirght's commentaries on the last chapters, which covers Paul's arrest in Jerusalem, his trials before Felix, Festus, and Herod Agrippa I, and Paul's journey to Rome. He compares and contrasts this with Luke's account of Christ's journey to the cross, an interesting comparison if you ask me. Still, in keeping with the rest of this series, nothing is too difficult to understand and Mr. Wright's commentaries never go more than 4 or 5 pages, making it a very manageable commentary series for those who have never paired their Bible readings with a commentary. I highly recommend this series and this book in particular to all those interested in delving deeper into the New Testament.
April 12, 2017
I was somewhat disappointed by Luke for Everyone as I mentioned when I reviewed it. But somehow, in this sequel, Wright manages to sustain the incredible momentum and sense of unfolding excitement of the original.
Moreover, he makes it spectacularly clear. The Book of Acts is often quite confusing to amateur readers, trying to work out where everything is going on, trying to harmonize the history of this with the often unhelpful statements in Paul's letters, and also trying to reconcile the two characters of Paul. Wright dismisses these problems with the ease of an expert scholar, and the passion of someone who genuinely loves what he writes about. In fact, I defy anyone (Christian or otherwise) to read his commentary without - there is no other expression for it - falling in love with Paul as a character, both his writing and his mission, here nimbly synthesized. This is a theological, literary and yes, spiritual achievement that is un-matched by thousands of pages of scholarly treatises. It is a fine chapter in the on-going story of the works of the Spirit that Luke left so tantalizingly open: 'He announced the kingdom of God, and taught the things about the Lord Jesus the Messiah, with all boldness, and with no-one stopping him.'
'Luke's writing, like Paul's journey, has reached its end, but in his end is our beginning.'
Moreover, he makes it spectacularly clear. The Book of Acts is often quite confusing to amateur readers, trying to work out where everything is going on, trying to harmonize the history of this with the often unhelpful statements in Paul's letters, and also trying to reconcile the two characters of Paul. Wright dismisses these problems with the ease of an expert scholar, and the passion of someone who genuinely loves what he writes about. In fact, I defy anyone (Christian or otherwise) to read his commentary without - there is no other expression for it - falling in love with Paul as a character, both his writing and his mission, here nimbly synthesized. This is a theological, literary and yes, spiritual achievement that is un-matched by thousands of pages of scholarly treatises. It is a fine chapter in the on-going story of the works of the Spirit that Luke left so tantalizingly open: 'He announced the kingdom of God, and taught the things about the Lord Jesus the Messiah, with all boldness, and with no-one stopping him.'
'Luke's writing, like Paul's journey, has reached its end, but in his end is our beginning.'
July 8, 2012
N.T. Wright's easily accessible contextual commentary on Acts 13-28.
The book continues the themes of the volume on Acts 1-12, but now focuses, as the book of Acts does, on Paul and his promotion of the Gospel. Wright does well in exploring how many of the themes of Paul's theology as expressed in his letters are found in his speeches in Acts as well, but he also remains sensitive to how Luke is writing the whole narrative and how it ties in with what has been said in the Gospel of Luke as well as Acts 1-12. He also keeps the original audience in mind as well.
There are some particular oddities in the work. The attempt to demonstrate parallels between the end of the Gospel of Luke and the end of Acts is stretching things a bit, although it does highlight some details that might otherwise been missed in Acts 27-28.
On the whole, however, as with the other volumes in the NT For Everyone series, this remains a most excellent and accessible commentary providing the non-specialist an understanding of Acts 13-28 in its original context as well as providing potential applications for faith in the twenty-first century. Worth consideration when studying Acts.
The book continues the themes of the volume on Acts 1-12, but now focuses, as the book of Acts does, on Paul and his promotion of the Gospel. Wright does well in exploring how many of the themes of Paul's theology as expressed in his letters are found in his speeches in Acts as well, but he also remains sensitive to how Luke is writing the whole narrative and how it ties in with what has been said in the Gospel of Luke as well as Acts 1-12. He also keeps the original audience in mind as well.
There are some particular oddities in the work. The attempt to demonstrate parallels between the end of the Gospel of Luke and the end of Acts is stretching things a bit, although it does highlight some details that might otherwise been missed in Acts 27-28.
On the whole, however, as with the other volumes in the NT For Everyone series, this remains a most excellent and accessible commentary providing the non-specialist an understanding of Acts 13-28 in its original context as well as providing potential applications for faith in the twenty-first century. Worth consideration when studying Acts.
October 12, 2015
I enjoyed part 2 of Acts for Everyone even more than I enjoyed Part 1! There are so many times in Acts when Paul retells his story and explains how he came to follow Jesus. When I read them before, I would kind of skim them thinking, "yeah, we already know this and why is Luke using up valuable paper space telling that story again?" But now, with Wrights explanations, I can see how each telling is uniquely designed for the setting and that Paul is saying over and over that he is not breaking from the traditions handed down to him as a Jew, but he has faith that their fulfillment has happened. I especially enjoyed Wright's comments about Festus's summary of Paul's beliefs in Acts 25:24-27.
April 20, 2015
Wright walks readers through the second half of the book of Acts, pericope by pericope, with his own translation of the passage, anecdotal stories, historical insights, and modern applications.
Once again I found myself learning and seeing new things with Wright's help in a book I have read countless times. The maps throughout are very helpful in getting a better grasp on things going on. The sections are all very readable, but also extremely informative and insightful. Wright has a gift in taking his vast knowledge and breaking it down for the average person to be able to grasp.
Once again I found myself learning and seeing new things with Wright's help in a book I have read countless times. The maps throughout are very helpful in getting a better grasp on things going on. The sections are all very readable, but also extremely informative and insightful. Wright has a gift in taking his vast knowledge and breaking it down for the average person to be able to grasp.
Read
August 30, 2015Wright on Paul
Wright is one of the monumental Pauline scholars of our day. Yet he takes Paul's life as recorded in the book of Acts and makes him understandable to everyone, as always living up to the name of the series. Wright brings the first century to life, with its political and religious factions and intrigues, creating a context for the drama that unfolds.
This book should be your companion as you read through the book of Acts.
Wright is one of the monumental Pauline scholars of our day. Yet he takes Paul's life as recorded in the book of Acts and makes him understandable to everyone, as always living up to the name of the series. Wright brings the first century to life, with its political and religious factions and intrigues, creating a context for the drama that unfolds.
This book should be your companion as you read through the book of Acts.
August 14, 2015
Full of the stuff Wright does best - tracing the big picture storyline of the kingdom of God in inspiring sermons. Would be excellent to use devotionally. I found regular help in Wright's emphases, and was frequently moved by his passionate joy as he charted the spreading of the kingdom news to the end of the earth.
January 18, 2016
This was an excellent commentary to use as I journeyed through the Book of Acts. Wright does a great job at helping me understand the scripture better. I read Part 1 and loved it, Part 2 was equally as helpful. Thank you N.T. Wright for writing these books.
April 28, 2024
Luke's writing of Acts reads like a current day suspense novel; you are sort of pulled along wanting to see what's next. Wright's commentary is insightful, provides interesting details about the environment of the day, and enhances Luke's story telling.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews