Acts 8:3
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But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Saul . . . entering into every house--like as inquisitor [BENGEL]. haling men and women, &c.--See his own affecting confessions afterwards (Act 22:4; Act 26:9-10; Co1 15:9; Gal 1:13; Phi 3:6; Ti1 1:13).
Open source ↗In this chapter we have an account of the persecutions of the Christians, and the propagating of Christianity thereby. It was strange, but very true, that the disciples of Christ the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied. I. Here is the church suffering; upon the occasion of putting Stephen to death a very sharp storm arose, which forced many from Jerusalem (Act 8:1-3). II. Here is the church spreading by the ministry of Philip and others that were dispersed upon that occasion. We have here, 1. The gospel brought to Samaria, preached there (Act 8:4, Act 8:5), embraced there (Act 8:6-8), even by Simon Magus (Act 8:9-13); the gift of the Holy Ghost conferred upon some of the believing Samaritans by the imposition of the hands of Peter and John (Act 8:14-17); and the severe rebuke given by Peter to Simon Magus for offering money for a power to bestow that gift (Act 8:18-25). 2. The gospel sent to Ethiopia, by the eunuch, a person of quality of that country. He is returning home in his chariot from Jerusalem (Act 8:26-28). Philip is sent to him, and in his chariot preaches Christ to him (Act 8:29-35), baptizes him upon his profession of the Christian faith (Act 8:36-38), and the leaves him (Act 8:39-40). Thus in different ways and methods the gospel was dispersed among the nations, and, one way or other, "Have they not all heard?"
Open source ↗Cross-references
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I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a violent man; yet because I had acted in ignorance and unbelief, I was shown mercy.
For I am the least of the apostles and am unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.
as to zeal, persecuting the church; as to righteousness in the law, faultless.
‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
All who heard him were astounded and asked, “Isn’t this the man who wreaked havoc in Jerusalem on those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”
But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?