The Easy Study Bible: Acts

By Trennis Killian

Now there is a Bible translation that is easy to read, understand, and study.

This translation is unique in that it is arranged in a diagram form, which allows for easy identification of each of the points being made in any passage.

Good for Bible Study, sermon preparation, or just easy reading for understanding the Bible.

The entire New Testament has now been released.

Look for the rest of the New Testament books or the whole New Testament in one volume.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trennis E. Killian
• Release date: Aug 18, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465868480

Trennis Killian

Trennis E. Killian has been an Army Medic, high school English teacher, pastor, hospital chaplain, crisis counselor, police chaplain, and pastoral counselor. All of these occupations have helped him to understand how men and women build and keep relationships. He also knows how they repair or destroy those relationships. He has also observed how people interact in all kinds of situations. They also give him firsthand knowledge of how people live and act within each of those types of situations. He writes in all of the following areas: Bible study, Self-Help, Crisis Preparation, and Christian oriented novels. To be able to write so many different kinds of books, he has spent years of intensive study of Greek, an earned doctorate in counseling, and worked in many different occupations. He writes all of his novels under the name T. E. Killian. Because of his varied education and experience, his characters take on the characteristics and personalities of people who work in all of the occupations he knows so well. Having been in many crisis situations over the past thirty plus years, he can write about them realistically. He and his wife, Ann, live in Black Canyon City, Arizona, where he writes fulltime.

Book preview

Acts

The Easy Study Bible

Trennis E. Killian

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2011 by Trennis E. Killian

The print edition of this book may be obtained from www.trenniskillian.com

This E-Book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This E-Book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Other Books by Trennis E. Killian

The Easy Study Bible

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

The Four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John)

Acts

James (Free E-Book only)

The Relational Self Help Series

The Relational Self Help Series addresses most issues of relationships. Here are the titles published to date.

Beware of Abusive Behavior

Basic Counseling for Pastors and Other Church Leaders

Building a Godly Marriage

Conquering Grief

Controlling Your Reactions

Coping with Stress

Crisis Intervention/Suicide Prevention

Planning Communication

Relational Self Help Collection, Vol. I

There are more books coming in this series, please look for them at: www.trenniskillian.com.

Other Nonfiction Books

Victory over Gambling:

Leading Compulsive Gamblers to Freedom in Christ

Victory over Gambling: Workbook

Novels

The Real Beginning

For information or to purchase one of these titles either in paperback or EBook form please go to the webpage www.trenniskillian.com.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Outline of Acts

The Easy Study Bible Diagram of Acts

The Easy Study Bible Paragraph Form of Acts

Epilogue

About the Author

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Introduction

The Easy Study Bible translation, is the result of my twenty-six years in the Gospel Ministry, and from being a high school English teacher before that.

Many times over my early years as a pastor, I would grow frustrated in my efforts to teach the Bible for understanding to church members who didn't understand the basics of Hebrew and Greek. True, some passages jump out at anyone reading them, no matter which translation they use. My goal has always been that all who read the Bible would not only understand it the way God intended for them to, but also to be able to apply each truth to their lives. That, I think, takes greater understanding.

When I began teaching a Pastor's Sunday School Class in the early 1990s, I searched for a way to help my class understand better. I felt this was important since the class started out as a New Members Class. Too many new Christians become frustrated at their first attempts to study the Bible.

Well, the answer came to me from my English teacher background. Do you remember when you had to diagram sentences in your English classes? Please don't run away screaming yet! I know. They were usually painful experiences. I felt the same way when I was a student.

If you can get past the painful memories, please think about the finished product. Once you diagramed a long complicated sentence, it became much more clear to you. You could understand what was modifying what, and what the action was and what or who was causing it. In other words, it made the sentence much more understandable.

That is what I began to do with the Bible passages we studied in that class. I took the principles of the sentence diagram and adjusted it to fit verses of the Bible. Immediately, the whole class began to gain a better understanding of each passage we studied.

Over the years since then, I have used this method constantly, not only in small group studies, but also in church Bible studies with great success.

One benefit that I didn't expect is that this method helps tremendously in sermon preparation. When I begin to prepare a sermon, I take the focal passage and diagram it. This allows me to see how the verses naturally (the way I think God intended) fall into separate thoughts. Many times, this process will give me all the points of the outline without trying to make the passage say what it does not say.

Now, let's look at this project. Do we need another translation of the Bible? In a word, No!

I have long admired the Wycliffe Bible Translators whose goal is to translate the Bible into every language of the world so all will have the opportunity to read God's message to them. I've also admired the Gideons International whose goal is to place a Bible in every hand in the world.

My goal is a combination of the goals of the Wycliffe Bible Translators and the Gideons International. I want to take God's word and make it easier for everyone to read and understand.

Now, here is why we need a new translation of the Bible. Simply put, the major Bible publishers do not seem to be interested in a Bible version which is diagramed. Therefore, to avoid infringing on any existing copyrights, I had to start with my own translation.

You will find The Easy Study Bible translation to be as close to literal as possible while still preserving proper English grammatical structure. This is important to me. I find that many of the modern translations, especially ones that are more literal, are clumsy at best and grammatically inaccurate at worst.

James Free!

In order to give everyone an opportunity to sample the Easy Study Bible before purchasing it, the book of James will be available in E-Book version free. It will be available on my webpage, and other online distributors.

The book of James will soon be included in a new release, which will also contain 1 Peter and 2 Peter.

I want to hear from you as you use the Easy Study Bible translation. If you have suggestions, corrections, or any comments, please email me at [e-mail].

How to Use the Easy Study Bible

You may read the Easy Study Bible it the same way you would any other Bible. Each of the releases will have a paragraph version in the back of the book.

The Easy Study Bible is most effective when used as a study tool. This is where the structure of the diagram allows for better understanding of each passage that you study.

I will use James 4:7-8 to illustrate how to do several of the actions that were mentioned in the introduction.

⁷ Therefore,

submit to God.

Resist the devil,

and he will flee from you.

⁸ Draw near to God

and He will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands,

sinners,

and purify your hearts

you double-minded.

First, if I were writing a sermon on this passage, I can immediately see the perfect three-point sermon in it.

I. Submit to God

II. Resist the Devil

III. Draw Near to God

Notice how easy that was. Next I would flesh out point II. a little.

II. Resist the Devil

He will flee from you

Next, point III.

III. Draw Near to God

He will draw near to you

How do we do this?

Cleanse our hands

Purify our hearts

You can easily see how to continue from there.

Second, for those who want to get to the full meaning of the passage, they can easily answer the following questions from the diagram:

1. What is the subject of this passage?

Submission to God

2. How do we do this?

Resist the Devil

Draw near to God

3. What will be the result of this action?

The devil will flee from you.

God will draw near to you.

Do you get the idea? It's easy and fun to study the Bible, especially when you understand it better each time you do.

Try it out, and if you discover new and different ways to use the Easy Study Bible, please let me know so I can share them with others.

My webpage will have a whole section devoted to the Easy Study Bible, and one page will be dedicated to reader feedback. There will also be a page of Hints & Tips.

www.trenniskillian.com

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Outline of Acts

Chapter One

The Holy Spirit Promised 4-8

The Ascension 9-14

Matthias Chosen 15-26

Chapter Two

Pentecost 1-13

Peter's Sermon 14-40

The Early Church 41-47

Chapter Three

Peter Heals the Lame Man 1-11

Peter's Second Sermon 12-26

Chapter Four

Peter and John Arrested 1-4

Peter Preaches to the Sanhedrin 5-12

Sanhedrin Commands Peter to Preach No More 13-23

Apostles' Prayer for Boldness 23-31

The Church Sharing 32-37

Chapter Five

Ananias and Sapphira Lie to the Holy Spirit 1-11

Miracles through the Apostles 12-15

Apostles Freed from Prison 17-32

Gamaliel's Advice 33-42

Chapter Six

Seven Chosen to Serve 1-7

Stephen Accused of Blasphemy 8-15

Chapter Seven

Stephen Addresses the Council 1-60

Chapter Eight

Saul Persecutes the Church 1-3

Philip in Samaria 4-26

Philip Witnesses to the Ethiopian Eunuch 26-40

Chapter Nine

The Damascus Road 1-9

Saul's Baptism 10-19

Saul Preaches at Damascus 20-25

Saul in Jerusalem 26-31

Healing Aeneas 32-35

Peter Raises Dorcas 36-43

Chapter Ten

Cornelius' Vision 1-8

Peter's Vision 9-16

Peter Visits Cornelius 17-33

Good News for the Gentiles 34-43

Gentiles Converted and Baptized 44-48

Chapter Eleven

Peter Defends Gentile Salvation 1-18

The Church in Antioch 19-30

Chapter Twelve

James Killed and Peter Jailed 1-5

Peter Rescued 6-19

Herod Blasphemes and Dies 20-25

Chapter Thirteen

Barnabas and Saul Sent from Antioch 1-13

Paul's Sermon in Antioch of Pisidia 14-41

Paul and Barnabas in Antioch 42-52

Chapter Fourteen

Growth and Persecution in Iconium 1-7

Mistaken for Gods in Lystra 8-18

Paul Is Stoned 19-28

Chapter Fifteen

Debate over Gentiles Keeping the Law 1-5

The Jerusalem Counsel 6-21

Letter to the Gentile Believers 22-29

Results of the Letter 30-35

Paul and Barnabas Separate over John Mark 36-41

Chapter Sixteen

Paul Selects Timothy 1-10

Lydia's Conversion 11-15

Paul and Silas in Prison 16-24

Philippian Jailer Converted 25-34

Paul Released from Prison 35-40

Chapter Seventeen

Thessalonica 1-9

The Beroeans Receive the Word 10-15

Paul's Sermon on Mars Hill 16-34

Chapter Eighteen

Corinth 1-17

Return Trip to Antioch 18-28

Chapter Nineteen

Disciples of John Receive the Holy Spirit 1-20

The Riot in Ephesus 21-41

Chapter Twenty

Paul in Macedonia 1-6

Eutychus Revived at Troas 7-12

Farewell Address to the Ephesian Elders 13-38

Chapter Twenty-One

Paul Is Warned about Jerusalem 1-14

Conflict over the Gentile Mission 15-25

Paul's Arrest 26-39

Paul's Defense before the Jerusalem Mob 40

Chapter Twenty-Two

Paul's Testimony 6-29

Paul before the Sanhedrin 30

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Plot against Paul 12-22

Paul's Rescue 23-35

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Accusation against Paul 1-9

Paul's Defense before Felix 10-27

Chapter Twenty-Five

Paul Is Tried before Festus 1-9

Paul Appeals to Caesar 10-12

King Agrippa and Bernice Visit Festus 13-22

Paul before Agrippa 23-27

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Sailing for Rome 1-38

Shipwreck 39-44

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Paul's Witness on Malta 1-15

Paul's Witness in Rome 16-31

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The Easy Study Bible Diagram of Acts

Chapter One

¹ The former account

I made,

Theophilus,

about all that Jesus began

to do

and teach,

² until the day He was taken up,

after He had given orders

through the Holy Spirit

to the apostles

whom He had chosen.

³ After His suffering,

He also presented Himself

alive

to these

by many convincing proofs,

appearing to them

over a period of forty days

and speaking of the things

concerning the kingdom of God.

The Holy Spirit Promised

⁴ While He was with them,

He commanded them

not to leave Jerusalem,

but to wait for the Father's promise

Which,

He said,

"you heard of from Me;

⁵ for John baptized

with water,

but you will be baptized

with the Holy Spirit

not many days from now."

⁶ So

when they came together,

they asked Him,

"Lord,

at this time

are You restoring the kingdom

to Israel?"

⁷ He said

to them,

"It is not for you to know times or dates

that the Father has set

by His own authority.

⁸ But you will receive power

when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,

and you will be My witnesses

in Jerusalem,

and in all Judea and Samaria,

and to the end of the earth."

The Ascension

⁹ After He said these things,

He was taken up

while they were watching,

and a cloud received Him

out of their sight.

¹⁰ They were looking

intently

into the sky

as He was going,

suddenly two men

in white clothing

stood by them.

¹¹ They said,

"Men of Galilee,

why do you stand

looking into the sky?

This Jesus,

who has been taken up

from you

into heaven,

will come

in the same way

that you have seen Him go

into heaven."

¹² Then they returned

to Jerusalem

from the mount called Olivet,

which is near Jerusalem,

a Sabbath day's journey away.

¹³ When they arrived,

they went

up

to the upper room

where they were staying;

that is, Peter, John, James and Andrew,

Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew,

James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot,

and Judas the son of James.

¹⁴ All these,

with one mind,

were continually devoting themselves

to prayer,

along with the women,

including Mary the mother of Jesus,

and His brothers.

Matthias Chosen

¹⁵ In those days,

Peter stood up

among the brothers

(a group of about one hundred and twenty persons),

and said,

¹⁶ "Brothers,

the Scripture

had to be fulfilled

that the Holy Spirit spoke

before

by the mouth of David,

concerning Judas,

who became a guide

to those

who arrested Jesus.

¹⁷ "For he was one of our number

and he obtained a share

in this ministry."

¹⁸ This man bought a field

with the reward

of his wickedness,

and falling headfirst,

he burst open

in the middle

and all his intestines gushed out.

¹⁹ And it became known

to all who lived in Jerusalem,

so that in their own language

that field was called Hakeldama,

that is,

Field of Blood.

²⁰ "For it is written

in the book of Psalms,

'Let his dwelling become desolate,

and let no one dwell in it';

and, 'Let another man take his position.'

²¹ "Therefore, it is necessary

that of the men

who have accompanied us

all the time

that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us--

²² beginning with the baptism of John

until the day that He was taken up from us—

one of these must become a witness

of His resurrection

with us."

²³ So they proposed two men,

Joseph called Barsabbas,

who was also called Justus,

and Matthias.

²⁴ Then they prayed

and said,

"You,

Lord,

who know the hearts of all men,

show which one

of these two

You have chosen

²⁵ to occupy this ministry and apostleship

from which Judas left

to go to his own place."

26 Then they cast lots

for them,

and the lot fell to Matthias.

He was added