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

And Saul was consenting to his being killed. And on that day there arose a great persecution against the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and all were scattered into the countries of Judaea and Samaria except the apostles. 2And pious men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into the houses one after another, and dragging off both men and women delivered them up to 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

• SaulΣαῦλοςSaulos · SaulG4569
• wasεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
• dayἡμέραhēmera · dayG2250
• aroseγίνομαιginomai · to beG1096
• greatμέγαςmegas · greatG3173
• persecutionδιωγμόςdiōgmos · persecutionG1375
• assemblyἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• JerusalemἹεροσόλυμαHierosoluma · JerusalemG2414
• scatteredδιασπείρωdiaspeirō · to scatterG1289
• SamariaΣαμάρειαSamareia · SamariaG4540
• apostlesἀπόστολοςapostolos · apostleG652

Cross-references for Acts 8:1

• Acts 7:58and having cast [him] out of the city, they stoned [him]. And the witnesses laid aside their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul.
• Acts 22:20and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, I also myself was standing by and consenting, and kept the clothes of them who killed him.
• Acts 5:33But they, when they heard [these things], were cut to the heart, and took counsel to kill them.
• Acts 7:54And hearing these things they were cut to the heart, and gnashed their teeth against him.
• Matthew 10:25[It is] sufficient for the disciple that he should become as his teacher, and the bondman as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more those of his household?
• Matthew 22:6And the rest, laying hold of his bondmen, ill-treated and slew [them].
• Matthew 23:34Therefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and [some] of them ye will kill and crucify, and [some] of them ye will scourge in your synagogues, and will persecute from city to city;
• Luke 11:49For this reason also the wisdom of God has said, I will send to them prophets and apostles, and of these shall they kill and drive out by persecution,
• John 15:20Remember the word which I said unto you, The bondman is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my word, they will keep also yours.
• John 16:2They shall put you out of the synagogues; but the hour is coming that every one who kills you will think to render service to God;
• Acts 2:47praising God, and having favour with all the people; and the Lord added [to the assembly] daily those that were to be saved.
• Acts 7:38This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received living oracles to give to us;
• Acts 11:22And the report concerning them reached the ears of the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go through as far as Antioch:
• Acts 13:1Now there were in Antioch, in the assembly which was [there], prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius the Cyrenian, and Manaen, foster-brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
• Acts 8:4Those then that had been scattered went through [the countries] announcing the glad tidings of the word.
• Acts 11:19They then who had been scattered abroad through the tribulation that took place on the occasion of Stephen, passed through [the country] to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one but to Jews alone.

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