Testament is a daring adaptation of the Book of Acts. But it works

Pentecost on what appears to be the quintessential British council estate.

That’s how the show opens, and it’s an opening that rather fittingly captures the bold premise behind Testament. Angel Studios’ new series reimagines the Book of Acts in an alternate-modern world where the Roman Empire never fell and the city of Salem — a stylised stand-in for Jerusalem — is under the watchful eye and oppression of the Imperium regime, led by Caiaphas.

Testament begins with the movement sparked by Jesus’ resurrection, as his followers risk everything to spread the good news in a world far more familiar to us than ancient Jerusalem.

The series transports a 2,000-year-old story into a world that feels urgently alive. There’s no tunics and sandals here. Instead we have cardigans, parkas and suburban-style houses with electric SUVs parked on gravel driveways.

Risk and reward

By retelling the book of Acts in a setting so far removed from its original context, there’s a risk that authenticity will be lost. But Testament walks the tightrope boldly — and, more often than not, impressively.

Watching the apostles operate under the pressure of sharing the gospel — not in ancient synagogues but in public spaces you’ve actually walked, in clothes you’ve worn — makes their courage feel all the more real.

Salem, reimagined as a seemingly futuristic militant city, is eerie and strange, as are the red-cloaked guards in their Star Wars-esque uniforms.

For all the modern reimagining, Testament holds tightly to the truth of the early church.

It’s the kind of creative innovation that raises eyebrows — will the heart of Acts be lost in translation? But in a Q&A before the screening I attended of the first two episodes, writer Faith Syrstad made a joke that addressed this concern: “There were times we’d be in church on a Sunday, someone would say something and we’d be like, ‘that’s going in the show!’”

If the first two episodes are anything to go by, this isn’t a series trying to be clever at the expense of scripture. For all the modern reimagining, Testament holds tightly to the truth of the early church.

Performances that bridge millennia

By spotlighting Stephen — a man who never met Jesus in the flesh — the show offers a mirror for modern believers who’ve come to know Christ through the faith of others. It’s a powerful choice that, like dressing apostles in our clothes and placing them in our streets, breaks down the 2,000-year distance between then and now. It makes the story feel close — not ancient history, but like something happening in our world. As it really is, for Christians all over the world.

There’s a scene where Stephen sits with the man Peter healed, gently trying to help him recognise Jesus as the true power that healed him. When Craig, the layman, asks if Stephen ever met Jesus himself, the question hangs — and Stephen’s own reaction, a slight disheartened look, informs us he had been brought back down to earth.

Stephen’s story reflects the tension between those who had a direct, visceral experience of Jesus — like the disciples who walked with him — and those who come to faith through testimony and faith alone.

For those deeply familiar with Acts, the show’s modern setting might feel like a fresh lens on a beloved story — a vivid reminder that the Spirit’s power still moves today. For newer believers, or those less familiar with the Acts, some parallels might feel confusing or distant at first. Removing the story from its original context requires patience and attention.

But perhaps that’s part of the point. It seems Testament isn’t designed for passive viewing; it wants engagement and hopefully a reflection that reminds you, or makes you newly aware of how real and relevant the early church still is.

Testament is released on June 8, 2025. Watch it on angel.com, the Angel TV & Mobile app.