When was Acts written?

The book of Acts continues the story that started in the Gospel of Luke. It opens with Jesus’ ascension into heaven and the Holy Spirit descending at Pentecost. Upon the Spirit’s arrival, He empowered the apostles for evangelism and helped them understand Scripture, leading to the birth of the church. Luke, the author of Acts, drew both from eyewitness accounts and his own experiences to write the book. He wrote Acts after his Gospel, likely between AD 58 and 62.

Understanding the evidence for Luke’s authorship of Acts helps narrow down the timeframe of its writing. As in his Gospel, Luke does not name himself in Acts, but strong internal and external evidence supports his authorship. One key piece of internal evidence is Luke’s participation in missionary work with the apostle Paul. This explains the sections of Acts where the pronouns shift from third person to first person. For example, “After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them” (Acts 16:10, emphasis added; see also 20:5–21:18; 27:1—28:16).

Second, Paul mentions Luke three times in his letters, confirming their relationship and verifying that they ministered together. For instance, Colossians 4:14, Paul writes, “Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings” (Colossians 4:14; see also 2 Timothy 4:11; Philemon 1:24). The personal relationship between Luke and Paul reinforces the internal evidence of Acts and helps narrow down its date of writing.

Third, both Luke and Acts are addressed to Theophilus (Luke 1:3). Acts even refers to the Gospel, as Luke writes, “In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach” (Acts 1:1). This continuity supports the conclusion that Acts was written shortly after Luke’s Gospel, with both likely composed between AD 58 and 62.

In addition to the internal evidence for authorship and timing, there is strong support from early Christian leaders. Church fathers such as Irenaeus (AD 130—202), Clement of Alexandria (150—215), Tertullian (155—220), Origen (185—253), Eusebius (260—339), and Jerome (342—420) identified Luke as the author of Acts. It also supports placing the writing of Acts within Luke’s lifetime, strengthening the case for dating it between AD 58 and 62.

Acts concludes with Paul in prison in Rome. The last verses read, “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” (Acts 28:30–31). The abrupt ending of Acts suggests that it was written soon after these events, while Paul was still alive, rather than at a later date.

In Acts, Luke begins the story of Jesus’ followers receiving power from the Holy Spirit. In turn, they become witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Both internal and external evidence suggest that Luke wrote Acts as the gospel spread along this geographical path in the first few decades after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension.