Saved: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Acts

by Nancy Guthrie, Crossway (publisher)

Nancy Guthrie Presents a Theologically Rich and Comprehensive Guide through the Book of Acts

The book of Acts is set within the larger story of the outworking of God's plan to save for himself a people from every nation—the story that runs from Genesis to Revelation. Within its pages are dramatic accounts of the Spirit falling, the apostles' preaching, conflict with Jewish opposition to welcoming in the Gentiles, and the invasion of the good news of King Jesus into the Roman Empire.

In Saved, bestselling author Nancy Guthrie provides an accessible, theologically sound guide to the book of Acts. Over 17 chapters, she invites listeners to peer into the lives of the apostles in the days following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus as they experienced new power from the indwelling Holy Spirit and a new understanding of the Old Testament scriptures. With a friendly and engaging tone, Saved covers the entire book of Acts, providing a solid and accessible study resource for individuals and groups. Additional Saved resources are available separately, including a personal Bible study, a leader's guide for group study, and a companion video series.

Covers the entire book of Acts in 17 short, engaging chapters, with personal application for listeners Connects the events of the resurrection, the ascension, Pentecost, and the gospel going to Gentiles to the Old Testament, putting the events in the book of Acts in context of the whole of Scripture's presentation of God's salvation plans and purposes Part of the Saved Suite of Also includes an extensive leader's guide for group study, a personal Bible study, and a companion video series (sold separately) Ideal for Individuals and Small Groups

Genres: Christian, Theology, Nonfiction, Faith, Christianity, Audiobook, Christian Non Fiction

Audible Audio

Published July 2, 2024

About the author

Nancy Guthrie teaches the Bible at her home church, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, as well as at conferences around the country and internationally, including through her Biblical Theology Workshops for Women. She is the author of numerous books and the host of the Help Me Teach the Bible podcast at The Gospel Coalition. She and her husband host Respite Retreats for couples who have faced the death of child and are co-hosts of the GriefShare video series.

Reviews

[Emily Waits (emilylovesreading_) · Rating 5 out of 5]

{Thank you to @crosswaybooks for my gifted copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.}

“The enthroned Lord Jesus is at work by his Spirit through his apostles who are preaching the word, taking the gospel to every nation, and it is accomplishing its intended purpose: people are being saved.”

Nancy Guthrie is one of my absolute favorite Bible teachers. I was so excited to read her newest release, “Saved: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Acts.”

What an incredible resource this book is! This book is so theologically rich and provides so much historical context. You can think of this book as a complete guide through the book of Acts, as the book covers every chapter in great detail offering insight and important context to the historical, geographical, and political happenings of the time related to the text.

I learned so much from this book and am so thankful for it!

Highly recommend!

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Luke in preparation for Easter, I wanted to dive right into his sequal to the Gospel in Acts. I've enjoyed books from Guthrie in the past, and found this to be in the same vain- solid, Biblically sound, and well researched. I felt the pacing was a bit off, as the first section of Acts goes verse by verse, but the later sections suggest using an accompanying study guide for that same level of depth. Overall, this is a good resource to accompany reading through the entirety of Acts and I'd recommend it to anyone interested

Format: Book, owned physical
Rating: 4 stars
Book 11 of 2025

[Elizabeth Haarsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Acts is a great book to study and Nancy Guthrie is such a solid guide.

[Blessing Bloodworth (naptimereaders) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 17 concise but captivating chapters, Guthrie walks you through the entire book of Acts section by section. She brings rich insight to passages while guiding the reader to think critically and apply it personally. As you read and study Acts, you will begin to see how the events of Jesus’ time on earth, the giving of the Spirit, and the Gospel spread is connected to the Old Testament. Not only that, you’ll see the shining light of God’s salvation plan for all nations. As you read, you will be drawn to worshipful gratitude for the grace of God in your own life and in the lives of those He draws to Himself.

It’s designed to be studied within either individual or small group contexts. If done in your own personal study time, like me, you’ll benefit from the in-depth examination of each section of Acts. There’s also a companion personal Bible study available to take your learning a bit further!

Thank you to crossway for a complimentary book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

[Erin Genua · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so incredibly theologically deep and historically helpful about Paul and the way God used his life for the spread of the Gospel. I not only learned some new things, but also grew in my knowledge of Jesus and was challenged to live out my faith in my daily life.

I listened to the audiobook partly because buying another book isn’t in the budget right now, but also because no library in Michigan has this book. (Come on!) However, having the opportunity to listen to Nancy in my earbuds for 8 hours was a pure delight!
(I *do* hope to be able to own this one someday though and go through it with a friend to study it more in depth!)

[Ellie (elliehojreads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first study with Nancy Guthrie and my first deeper study in Acts. It was a study throughout the book, and Guthrie walks you through essentially verse by verse.

Her insights were clear, profound, and it was a helpful guide to the book of Acts. One thing I loved was there is a map at the beginning of each chapter, so it was a helpful visual to be able to see where the apostles were going on their missionary journeys and how the gospel was spread.

This will definitely not be my last Guthrie study!


My rating: 5/5 stars

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This commentary has some excellent reflections and considerations on the book of Acts. Personally I preferred Guthrie’s Blessed commentary on Revelation, and I think here I was expecting a little more depth to her exposition. This is probably more so me coming in with wrong expectations for the book, and it achieves what it sets out to do: it reads like some brief sermons on different sections of Acts. Guthrie has written some books that are dear to my heart, I just think this wasn’t my favourite of them.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything by Nancy Guthrie is recommended 👏

[Amber Thiessen · Rating 4 out of 5]

{full review here:https://www.amberthiessen.com/post/sa...}

Are you looking for a personal bible study or something for your small group?

As fall approaches we're on the lookout for materials to gather us around the Word, and if you've been thinking about the book of Acts, Saved: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Acts by Nancy Guthrie should be added to your list!

Nancy journeys through the book of Acts, exploring themes, narratives of the lives of the apostles after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, and the work of the Spirit empowering the Word to spread. Salvation is the promise of Scripture and we see how the Lord is working this out.

Quick Stats
# of Pages: 304
Level of Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: 4 stars

*A big thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC and for the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so easy to read and flowed so nicely as Nancy Guthrie took the readers through Acts. She made this so easy to understand that it could be used for middle school and up. Once you started, it was very hard to put down because she made the stories so easy to understand with incredible background and detail and the Bible text. This is a great book for morning Bible study as you read the Book of Acts.

One thing I really liked and appreciated about this book was how organized it was. She would quote a passage and then talk about it from every angle, almost like you were in the story watching this all happen with Luke. The stories about Paul and his travels were described so well and so much context to understand what Paul was doing, the risk he put himself in for the sake of Jesus, and the mission that Jesus told his disciples to go to the ends of the earth with this gospel message. My understanding of Acts has deepened tremendously by reading this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crossway Publishing for the advance copy to review, which has my honest impressions.

[Aja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book study I have read by Nancy and she is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. Saved walks you through the entire book of Acts while also giving useful insight as well as historical context. My church is currently going through Acts very slowly and meticulously and I still gleaned a lot while reading this. Nancy really helps paint a clearer picture of what was going on during the time of the early church, exactly where geographically the Bible is referring to, and politically and culturally what our early church fathers were dealing with.

[Becky McCreath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I struggle to make it through whole devotion books but this was the perfect level of - helping mature Christians grow in understanding without expecting them to be theology students! I enjoyed how each chapter had a map to show the journey of the gospel and it broke it into small enough pieces that getting through acts felt manageable, and that it really did go through the whole passage. Looking forward to reading more by this author!

[Sandy Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Nancy Guthrie did not disappoint. Great work drawing out the Gospel message in Acts, that what God says will be will be and it cannot be otherwise. I love especially how Guthrie puts the stories in both historical perspective and what they teach us about who God is and what He still does today. This was my third time through the book of Acts this year so I’m sure that also played a role in the depth I got out of this book. Highly recommend!

[Nicole Morgan]

Though this took me the longest to finish, it was one of my favorite books so far this year. Over the spring I did the study guide of hers through Acts and that was also very encouraging. Technically this book would work great to be read at the same time as going through her study book - I just didn’t have the capacity at that point.

But very Biblically grounded in her observations of Acts, thoughtful, encouraging and engaging to read.

[Misty Schoephoerster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Nancy’s books but this one was not my favorite. It could just be the book she reviewed since I’m not a huge Acts fan but I took away some good concepts to meditate on.

[Susan Mather Barone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian author Nancy Guthrie's Saved: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Acts took me on a journey through the second part of Luke's writing. The apostle presented Jesus’ birth narrative, ministry, death, and resurrection in the book bearing his name. Luke gives an account of the continuing story after Jesus' ascension into Heaven in Acts and what happened when the third person of the triune God descended on His people.

Nancy gave a straight-forward, expository reading of the book of Acts in her Bible study. She provided historical background and commentaries she referenced as she demonstrated how Acts fits into the bigger picture of God’s rescue plan for His people. Her companion book, Saved Personal Bible Study will have added questions and lessons for individual or small group study. That book will release Aug. 27, 2024.

At the end of Luke 24, Jesus opened the minds of His disciples to understand everything written about Him in the Law of Moses, as well as the prophets and psalmists. Those 40 days after Christ's resurrection (Acts 1) became a time of preparation for the apostles. Jesus gave them a key message to use when they spoke to first the Jews and then Gentiles in Luke 24: 46-68,

“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things."

Nancy chose to organize this study into three parts based where Jesus sent His disciples to share the Gospel: Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:7-9) She also organized this study by what the third-century church might have been thinking when they named the book "Acts."

The Acts of the 12 Apostles

Nancy said Acts is about the actions of Jesus' chosen twelve as the Holy Spirit leads them to carry out the great commission. (Matthew 28: 16-20). The divinely called apostles of Christ were those who witnessed His death, resurrection, and ascension. Jesus used his chosen twelve to continue His ministry. (John 15: 26-27) Luke focuses on Peter’s ministry in the first half since Jesus had said in Matthew 16:18,

“I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

I learned something about naming in Scripture. Jesus called Simon or Simeon "the rock" - Cephas or Peter. I found this blog post by Mike Leake who explained why these men had different names in the Bible. The short answer is that people spoke multiple languages in ancient times.

Later in Acts 9, God added Saul after he meets Jesus on the road to Damascus. In the second half of Acts, Luke focuses on Paul’s conversion and ministry. (Saul is his Jewish name, while Paul is his Greek name.) Paul included in his compelling testimony about the fact he had been a Pharisee who hunted down and killed people of the Way, seen then as a sect of Jews. And then Paul would tell them about his miraculous encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus that changed the course of his life. Luke provides an account of other times Christ shows up to speak with Paul. Paul must make it to Rome. The Lord meets with him to encourage him to press on and not fear (Acts 23: 11 ), and He also sends an angel of the Lord while Paul is journeying to see Caesar while on a doomed ship on stormy seas (Acts 27: 24).

The Actions of the Holy Spirit

The book of Acts is about the actions of the promised Holy Spirit. John the Baptist, a forerunner of Christ, told his followers in Luke 3:16, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Jesus told the disciples that He would provide a Helper. (John 14:15-17) Before He ascended to Heaven, Jesus told the disciples to wait for this Helper, the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s descent and indwelling is central to this book, Nancy said. "In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit was a rare gift that was only given to a few people, and usually for only short periods of time." (GotQuestions.org)

On the day of Pentecost, 120 believers were in the upper room when the Holy Spirit rushed in like a mighty wind. Tongues of fire rested on each believer. (Acts 2:1-4)

"All the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. Devout Jewish men from every nation were living in Jerusalem. They gathered when they heard the wind. Each person was startled to recognize his own dialect when the disciples spoke” (Acts 2:3-6)

The Holy Spirit enabled these “largely uneducated Galileans” to speak foreign languages. Nancy said. People from other nations dwelt in Jerusalem and heard the sound of the wind and marveled over what they heard: the full Gospel in their native tongue. But some scoffed and thought those testifying were drunk.

Peter used this moment to tell them about the Messiah and how they crucified Him. Nancy said the Jews were "cut to the heart" when they heard this and wanted to know what to do. Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to Himself."(Acts 2: 38-39)

Thousands came to Christ. The Gospel message spread like a wildfire. (Acts 2) They baptized people in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Just as before, the new believers received the promised Holy Spirit. They showed the same outward signs as the 120 believers on the day of Pentecost.

Nancy wanted readers to keep the theme of “tongues” in mind while studying Acts. Luke made sure to add "filled in the Spirit" as he gave an account of all that was spoken on the journey to every nation. The Spirit of Jesus speaks through God’s people then and now to share the good news about the kingdom of God.

The Actions of the Enthroned Jesus

The book of Acts is also about the actions of the “enthroned Jesus.” Luke doesn't transition from Jesus’ ministry to the disciple’s ministry. Jesus Christ is alive and at the center of the action, Nancy said. In fact, the apostles didn't make a move until the Spirit told them to move. Nancy said they often planned out their journey, but sometimes Jesus would step in and tell them not to go to certain places. An example of this is found in Acts 16:6-10. His Spirit is at work within His apostles. The apostles also heal people in Jesus' name. Two books Nancy mentioned about the theme of the enthroned Jesus in Acts are The Acts of the Risen Lord Jesus by Alan J. Thompson, and In the Fullness of Time by Richard B. Gaffin, Jr..

Opposition to the Gospel followed the apostles as they made the journey. The Pharisees didn't believe Jesus was the Messiah, and the Sadducees took issue with Christ's resurrection since they didn't believe in life after death. These bold men of faith would face the same chief priests who condemned Jesus Christ to die on the cross. They experienced the same persecution Christ suffered. Nancy pointed out the places in Luke's account where the apostles also experienced the same events Christ encountered during his time on earth.

Nancy wished to show believers today how the Holy Spirit acted through those first believers to renew a desire within each one to boldly reach others for Christ. While the early acts of the Holy Spirit are unique to that time, the same power of the Spirit is at work in us. He helps us pray, obey Christ, and proclaim the Gospel. (Acts 16:31) The Spirit uses Scripture to "cut to the heart" of each person God calls to Him, and He helps us read God's Word. The book of Acts in particular provides a number of examples for us to follow on how to tell others about Jesus.

Salvation in the Old Testament was but a shadow of what Jesus did for us, Nancy said. God is actively pursuing us, not sitting back and hoping people find Him. We should think of saving faith in Jesus like this: “I am saved. I am being saved. And I will be saved.”  

I enjoyed reading about those supernatural moments experienced in Acts. The Spirit carried Philip away after he finished talking to the Ethiopian eunuch about Isaiah, confirming his status as God's representative. (Acts 8:26-40) Peter slept chained to two guards in jail one moment, and another moment is led out by an angel, not leaving a trace of how that happened. (Acts 12: 6-19) Paul and Silas are in prison when a great earthquake opens the doors, and everyone's shackles are unfastened. The guard panics and is about to commit suicide, thinking the prisoners escaped on his watch. Better that than to face humiliation and a painful, Roman death. Paul and Silas assure him they are all still with him, and the jailer wants to know how to be saved. You can read about this here in Acts 16: 25-34.

I think I would use this book as a jumping off point, but not as the only source when studying the Book of Acts. She has solid information in here. I just noticed Nancy sometimes veered from talking about textual facts to imagining what people might have been thinking and feeling. I counted at least 75 “perhaps,” 22 maybes, 10 “I wonders" about thoughts and behavior. I'll give you an example. Peter went up on a roof to pray while waiting for a meal to be prepared. He went into a trance and three times had this vision,

“He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, ‘Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.’

‘Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.’ The voice spoke to him a second time, ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.’ This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.” (Acts 10: 9-16)

Peter would soon take the Gospel message to the Gentiles. He would stay with them in their homes. Associating with Gentiles wasn't the norm for Jews. Nancy heard pride in Peter's voice about never eating anything impure or unclean, but I thought Peter had a conditioned response. Those Levitical dietary restrictions and practices have been a part of his Jewish identity since birth. The "surely not, Lord!" might have been him balking over the "Kill and eat." Eating is easy, but he may have been repulsed by killing. We can't know for sure though how he felt, just what the text said Peter said and did.

Nancy also talked about Christians who put themselves in harm's way to tell others about Jesus. She said personal safety has become an accepted idol for many of us. We'd rather be safe and secure than advance the Gospel. That's probably true to some extent; however, I thought God called people to different assignments. He places the desire in the hearts of those He calls. He will equip us, just like His chosen apostles.  

I looked up information about Nancy Guthrie since she is a new-to-me author. Her bio says she leads Bible studies at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, and teaches Bible at conferences, including her Biblical Theology Workshops for Women. She is finishing her degree at Reformed Theological Seminary.

Nancy and her husband David host Respite Retreats for couples who have faced the death of a child. She and David lost two children, a daughter, Hope, and a son, Gabriel, who each lived only six months. They were born with a rare genetic disorder called Zellweger Syndrome. Nancy shared what she learned about grief in her 2002 book, Holding On to Hope: A Pathway of Suffering to the Heart of God. David and Nancy also co-host the GriefShare video series.

Thank you, Crossway and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of Saved: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Acts.

[Cassie Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully written as always and deeply convicting. One that I will reread again!

[Melissa Board · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Bible study is written well, but I didn't enjoy it as much as some of her other books. Guthrie is exceptional at Biblical theology but given the nature of the book this study didn't dig into it as much as her other books.

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Guthrie is one of those authors I trust, and this new book she wrote on the book of Acts didn’t disappoint. Saved – Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Acts by Nancy Guthrie is a book that will help you read through the book of Acts, and learn more of the history and meaning behind what the apostle’s were doing at that time, the importance of the Holy Spirit, and along with helping the reader understand the conflict the Jewish had with the Gentiles. Nancy is a great writer and also explains things to help make it easy to understand and apply.

She stated another title or explanation of the book of Acts is: “The enthroned Lord Jesus is at work by his Spirit through his apostles who are preaching the word, taking the gospel to every nation, and it is accomplishing its intended purpose: people are being saved.”

This is also a timely book for me, as our Sunday school class is studying through the book of Acts.

Here are a few highlights from the book I found helpful:

“He works through His Word. It is usually slow rather than instant. It is more often ordinary rather than dramatic.“

“Our role is to proclaim what these witnesses saw and heard and were taught from the Scriptures. We are to proclaim the gospel according to the apostles as recorded in the New Testament. We are to hold fast to the gospel they proclaimed rather than embellish or alter it. And in the same way, they were dependent on the Holy Spirit to make their witness effective, so we are to be completely dependent on the Holy Spirit…“

“Why would Jesus specifically choose twelve to be named as apostles? Israel as a nation had been built on the foundation of the twelve tribes of Israel. To be a part of God’s people was to be connected to these twelve tribes.”

“The people of Israel thought of themselves as the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, the nation through whom all the Families on the earth would be blessed. But Peter says no, this blessing comes through Jesus, the true Israelite.”

“They’re not depressed about the increased violence against them. They’re rejoicing. They’re not wondering if speaking of Jesus is going to be worth what it may cost them. They’ve done the math and are happy to be “counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.”

There is more I could share because Nancy is great at explaining, and she uses the Scriptures to explain. So yes, while we are learning about and reading Acts, she is also sharing many other parts of the Bible too that help with putting it all together.

This would be a great book to use as a resource as you study the book of Acts and also with others. Nancy offers a study guide to go along with this and helpful tips on how to use the book. I always find I get more out of a book when I study it with others, so I highly encourage the reader to do that.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daily devotions in the Ligonier Ministries Tabletalk magazine followed the book of Acts this year. Alongside those readings I have been reading through R.C. Sproul's commentary Acts.

Then I discovered that Nancy Guthrie was releasing her own book about the book of Acts. It has been a blessing to add this encouraging read to my December quiet time. Not only was it a helpful review of what Jesus has been doing through his church, but also reinforced the call to the church to be his witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

The more I study particular books of the Bible, the more I see how they are tell the one story. If you, like me, have been blessed by Nancy's book Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation, I encourage you to try this one as well.

Why study Acts? Here is Nancy Guthrie's answer:
Why do we invest ourselves in studying Acts? Aren't the stories that some of us learned in Sunday School enough? . . . We want to see how those stories fit into the larger story of the way God is working out his salvation purposes around the world. We want the power that only comes as the Spirit works through his word in the interior of our lives. We want the salvation at the center of this book to become the joy and longing of our hearts. We want to revel in the reality that we are being saved; and we will, one day, be fully and finally saved.

[Michele Morin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Guthrie guides readers into a robust understanding of what it means to be saved, and since Luke uses the word or some form of it twenty-one times, he’s clearly interested in challenging his readers to open our eyes to all the ways God is working out his salvation purposes in our own unique stories. Guthrie begins each chapter with a compelling hook, dives into a manageable chunk of Luke’s story, and then captures the implications for present-day believers. I especially appreciated her skillful connection of Old Testament themes that have been picked up and carried forward in Acts.

For those of us trusting for Spirit-motivated obedience in our walk with God, the book of Acts is both a kick in the seat of the pants and a reassuring hand on the shoulder. Like Jesus’s New Testament witnesses, we can be assured that Jesus is active in our lives enabling us to:
*boldly speak the name of Jesus
*give generously toward the needs of others
*carry his name to people who are still spiritually blind
*reject pride, exclusivity, and ethnic superiority
*practice wisdom in evaluating disagreements within the church
*submit to the decrees of King Jesus
*receive the deep and lasting impression of the word of God
*reject self-preservation and follow Jesus wherever he leads
*desire holiness and a clear conscience
*trust that God’s purposes will be accomplished

More than any other resource on the book of Acts, Saved has pointed my heart’s affection and my mind’s attention to the big picture story that God’s glory will indeed reach the ends of the earth. He will accomplish the work of salvation, all his promises will be fulfilled, and we are honored to cooperate with him in his great work.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saved: Experiencing The Promise of The Book of Acts is the Bible study our ladies’ group at church has been going through. We used the Saved Personal Bible Study notebook along with the book, reading each lesson’s verses and thinking through them to answer questions before reading that lesson’s chapter. Acts has 28 chapters to study, so most lessons cover more then one chapter, finishing in 17 weeks (not counting any weeks off for holidays, sickness, etc.).

Our group discussion, due to many lessons having around 11 questions, took longer to go through some weeks than our allotted time. I think a leader’s guide section included in the book and/or Study notebook to help guide study leaders in things like how to manage discussions and “best practices” for how to lead a Bible study like this would have been helpful. Especially since our group did not have the video lessons to watch.

Overall, I thought the book itself well-written and, as I’ve read and studied Acts before, I didn’t find anything problematic in this particular study. In order to help me focus, I would read the paperback while listening to the audiobook (via hoopla). The author of Saved reads the book herself, and it’s done well.

One thing I didn’t like…the author uses personal anecdotes at the beginning of each chapter, and several of them felt unnecessary to me. A few of them sort of exemplified what was been studied, but I personally didn’t care for them and would have preferred to just dive into the Scriptures without the personal story “tie-ins”. Even if the author had used the occasional personal example interspersed throughout the chapter content, I think it would have been better.

[Patrick S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Guthrie does here is walk through the book of Acts and layout an already historical narrative in another walkthrough fashion. If you're familiar with doing a good Bible study there isn't going to be anything super hard-hitting but if you're just getting into Bible study or want to walk with someone through Acts, this is a great little book to do it with. Guthrie pulls in references to the Old Testament either directly referenced or indirectly alluded to and that's where the biggest strength of the book comes in. Acts is a good starting place for someone getting into Bible study as it can be read like the Gospels in historic narrative, but we can't forget its place in the whole story of God and that includes important points of Old Testament prophecy fulfilment and allusions. There are a few personal stories that I didn't really want more of (kind of like a receipt where you just want to know the process) but they are not distracting and don't happen too often, mostly at the beginning of chapters. So this could make a good gift for a new Christian or even a family Bible study walkthrough of Acts. Final Grade - A

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: If you think about it, Acts is kind of a funny name for a book, isn't it? It immediately raises the question, "Whose acts? what acts?"

Saved is a commentary for the book of Acts by Nancy Guthrie. It is more detailed than a general, broad overview. It is not thorough, however. IF by thorough you mean it covers (in a commentary style, method) verse by verse, chapter by chapter. There are seventeen chapters that cover twenty-eight chapters of Acts.

It definitely provides a good, basic overview or outline of the book of Acts. You do pick up on recurring themes and significant, key passages. The 'lens' through which Acts is viewed is SALVATION and what it means to be saved, to live saved, to walk that 'saved' life. Salvation has a "now what?" element to it. Salvation changes, transforms, etc.

This blends devotional elements into the commentary, HOWEVER, it isn't a traditional devotional OR a traditional commentary. If you are looking for something less-blended, and more strictly one or the other, this might disappoint.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an Amazon Vine reviewer, I was only offered the Leader's Guide, not the accompanying video or participant's workbook. Thus I can't really comment on the study as a whole. The Leader' Guide started with some directions on how to lead a Bible study in general and this one in specific. It then took the questions from the study (first the personal study, then the group questions) and offered possible answers to those questions. For each chapter, you read a section of Acts and then answer the questions about what was going on and what you think about it. The group discussion questions sometimes repeated one or two of the personal study questions. Some of the answers appear to involve knowing the Old Testament as you're supposed to find verses referring to the events happening in Acts. It could be that the Scripture references are provided and the participant just has to look them up. The leader has the verses printed out in the book. It seems like a Bible study that would be acceptable to most Protestant denominations.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Guthrie is an excellent Bible teacher, and her latest book is no exception. Saved: Experiencing the Promise of God in the Book of Acts is a high level, expository overview of the book of Acts. In the same vein as her other studies, this book really dials in to finding Jesus in the body of the work; and for the book of Acts, which is primarily describing the building of the early church and Paul’s missionary journeys, the reframe is particularly refreshing and thought provoking.

This book would be so helpful done as a group study with time for discussion. Unlike some of her other Bible study books, there are no discussion questions at the end of each chapter; however, the content lends itself to discussion in a group setting. I really enjoyed this commentary.

I’d like to thank Crossway and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nancy Guthrie is an extremely gifted writer and teacher, and this book is an excellent addition to her repertoire. This book is intended to be used along with a Bible study on the book of Acts. Guthrie encourages you to read each section of scripture and complete the personal Bible study (in a separate, spiral-bound book) as you read each chapter in this book. However, at this point, I simply read the book, and it is excellent. Guthrie very clearly studied the book of Acts, and wrote about it in such a way that is engaging, encouraging, and convicting. I look forward to doing the Bible study in the future, but if you are not able to, simply reading this book will be beneficial to your Christian faith.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big 'thank you' to NetGalley and Crossway for an advanced read copy of this book!

I've completed several studies by Nancy Guthrie over the years and appreciate the Biblical wisdom she shares in her books. I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this book at the same time I was engaging in a personal study of the book of Acts. This book was a welcomed resource to my personal devotion time. Nancy's summery of Acts paired beautifully with my bible study and the commentary I used. I love how each of her chapters wraps up with implications for your life that are grounded in Biblical truths.

[Melody Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros:
Guthrie has a real knack for making sense of the book of Acts as a whole, breaking it down into smartly organized chunks. I really appreciated this.

Cons:
As should be expected from a Crossway author, she approaches the text as inerrant and thus historical. She also has a definite Calvinist theological bent that will leave anyone who isn’t of that ilk a bit breathless at the sheer disregard for anyone who “doesn’t accept the gospel.”

Giving 3 stars because it helped me organize my thoughts while reading, and I can’t help but hesitate to knock her any lower for having bad theology since I knew it going in and still picked up the book anyway.

[Geneva Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a helpful and enjoyable read alongside Acts. I wish I had had the discussion guide/questions to go along with it, but the commentary was really good.

Nancy Guthrie is a favorite Bible teacher of mine, and her writing is very easy to follow/understand.

Though I have read Acts many times on its own, it was good to slow down and read it more intentionally.

Obviously there is so much to the book of Acts that one small commentary cannot cover, and there were a few times I pivoted to deeper study when Nancy did not cover something particular. But overall I recommend this book for either personal study or a group read.