Acts 8:1

Acts 8:1 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
• New International Version (NIV)And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Context of Acts 8:1

Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria. 2Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3Saul, however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.

Acts 8:1 word by word

Σαῦλος δὲ ἦν συνευδοκῶν τῇ ἀναιρέσει αὐτοῦ.¶ Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ διωγμὸς μέγας ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις· πάντες δὲ διεσπάρησαν κατὰ τὰς χώρας τῆς Ἰουδαίας καὶ Σαμαρείας πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Andδέde · thenG1161
• SaulΣαῦλοςSaulos · SaulG4569
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• consenting untoσυνευδοκέωsuneudokeō · to agree toG4909
• hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
• deathὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• deathἀναίρεσιςanairesis · murderG336
• atἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
• thatἐκεῖνοςekeinos · thatG1565
• timeἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• there wasγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• a greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• persecutionδιωγμόςdiōgmos · persecutionG1375
• againstἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
• the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414
• andτεte · and/bothG5037
• they wereδιασπείρωdiaspeirō · to scatterG1289
• allπᾶςpas · allG3956
• throughoutκατάkata · according toG2596
• the regionsχώραchōra · countryG5561
• of JudeaἸουδαίαIoudaia · JudeaG2449
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• SamariaΣαμάρειαSamareia · SamariaG4540
• exceptπλήνplēn · but/howeverG4133
• the apostlesἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652

Cross-references for Acts 8:1

• Acts 7:58They dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
• Acts 22:20And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I stood there giving approval and guarding the clothes of those who killed him.’
• Acts 5:33When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them.
• Acts 7:54When they heard these things, they were enraged and gnashed their teeth at him.
• Matthew 10:25It is enough for a disciple to become like his teacher and a slave like his master. If they called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more the members of his household!
• Matthew 22:6while the rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
• Matthew 23:34This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.
• Luke 11:49Because of this, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,’
• John 15:20Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
• John 16:2They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God.
• Acts 2:47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
• Acts 7:38He is the one who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors. He received living oracles to give to us.
• Acts 11:22News about them reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to travel as far as Antioch.
• Acts 13:1Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen, a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
• Acts 8:4So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.
• Acts 11:19Now those who had been scattered as a result of the persecution that started because of Stephen made their way as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.

Commentaries on Acts 8:1

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1Saul was consenting unto his death - So inveterate was the hatred that this man bore to Christ and his followers that he delighted in their destruction. So blind was his heart with superstitious zeal that he thought he did God service by offering him the blood of a fellow creature, whose creed he supposed to be erroneous. The word signifies gladly consenting, being pleased with his murderous work! How dangerous is a party spirit; and how destructive may…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1And Saul was consenting … - Was pleased with his being put to death and approved it. Compare Acts 22:20. This part of the verse should have been connected with the previous chapter. And at that time. - That is, immediately following the death of Stephen. The persecution arose on account of Stephen, Acts 11:19. The tumult did not subside when Stephen was killed. The anger of his persecutors continued to be excited against all Christians. They had become so…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Saul persecutes the church. (1-4) Philip's success at Samaria. Simon the sorcerer baptized. (5-13) The hypocrisy of Simon detected. (14-25) Philip and the Ethiopian. (26-40) Verses 1-4 Though persecution must not drive us from our work, yet it may send us to work elsewhere. Wherever the established believer is driven, he carries the knowledge of the gospel, and makes known the preciousness of Christ in every place. Where a simple desire of doing good…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4Saul was there: Compare 9:1–2; 22:4; 26:9–11; Galatians 1:13–14. This major attack against the church caused all believers except the apostles to flee. Instead of losing enthusiasm, they preached the good news about Jesus wherever they went.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-41. Saul was consenting unto his death--The word expresses hearty approval. they were all scattered abroad--all the leading Christians, particularly the preachers, agreeably to their Lord's injunctions (Mt 10:23), though many doubtless remained, and others (as appears by Ac 9:26-30) soon returned. except the apostles--who remained, not certainly as being less exposed to danger, but, at whatever risk, to watch over the infant cause where it was most needful…Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 8:1

• Church
• Intolerance, Religious
• Jerusalem
• Paul
• Persecution
• Stephen

In the dictionaries

• Jerusalem
• Judea
• Samaria
• Saul
• Judaea, or Judea
• Judea, Judah
• Paul, Saul
• Samaria, Samaritan
• Scattered Abroad
• Believe

Commentaries on Acts 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Illustrated New Testament
• Burkitt’s Expository Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Family Bible Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• The People’s New Testament
• Robertson’s Word Pictures
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings