Gospels and Acts
The book of Luke
An orderly account of Jesus’ life for Theophilus, with special attention to the poor, women, and the outcast.
Luke tells us he carefully investigated everything from the beginning (Luke 1:1–4). He was Paul’s travelling companion (Colossians 4:14). His Gospel and the Acts were written as a two-part work to the same reader.
Kinds of writing
- Narrative 78%
- Discourse 15%
- Prophecy 4%
- Song and psalm 1%
- Genealogy 1%
Key verses
A Savior is born. For there is born to you today, in David’s city, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11 (World English Bible)
The Spirit of the Lord is on me. “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed,”
Luke 4:18 (World English Bible)
He set his face to go to Jerusalem. It came to pass, when the days were near that he should be taken up, he intently set his face to go to Jerusalem
Luke 9:51 (World English Bible)
To seek and to save the lost. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.
Luke 19:10 (World English Bible)
Repentance preached to all the nations. He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
Luke 24:46-47 (World English Bible)
People
ZachariasElizabethMaryJosephJohnJesusPeterZacchaeus
Places
BethlehemNazarethGalileeCapernaumJerichoJerusalemEmmausBethany
On the timeline
Gabriel announces Jesus' birth to MaryJesus is born in BethlehemSimeon and Anna welcome the child in the templeThe boy Jesus in the templeRejected at Nazareth, Jesus makes Capernaum his homeThe Good Samaritan and the lost son: parables on the road to JerusalemOn the road to EmmausJesus ascends to heaven
Luke quotes or alludes to the Old Testament 32 times (counted in the site’s Old in the New).
Dating notes
This timeline plots AD 62 for Luke and Acts together. The span is an estimate; Scripture doesn’t say when the book was written.