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 approved of putting Stephen to death. On that day widespread persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem. Most believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him. 3Saul tried to destroy the church. He dragged men and women out of one home after another and threw them into 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 7:58and after they had thrown him out of the city, they began to stone him to death. The witnesses left their coats with a young man named Saul.
• Acts 22:20When Stephen, who witnessed about you, was being killed, I was standing there. I approved of his death and guarded the coats of those who were murdering him.’
• Acts 5:33When the men on the council heard this, they became furious and wanted to execute the apostles.
• Acts 7:54As council members listened to Stephen, they became noticeably furious.
• Matthew 10:25It is enough for a student to become like his teacher and a slave like his owner. If they have called the owner of the house Beelzebul, they will certainly call the family members the same name.
• Matthew 22:6The rest grabbed the king’s servants, mistreated them, and then killed them.
• Matthew 23:34I’m sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers of the Scriptures. You will kill and crucify some of them. Others you will whip in your synagogues and persecute from city to city.
• Luke 11:49That’s why the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles. They will murder some of those prophets and apostles and persecute others.’
• John 15:20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant isn’t greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they did what I said, they will also do what you say.
• John 16:2You will be thrown out of synagogues. Certainly, the time is coming when people who murder you will think that they are serving God.
• Acts 2:47At the same time, they praised God and had the good will of all the people. Every day the Lord saved people, and they were added to the group.
• Acts 7:38This is the Moses who was in the assembly in the desert. Our ancestors and the Messenger who spoke to him on Mount Sinai were there with him. Moses received life-giving messages to give to us,
• Acts 11:22After the news about Antioch reached the church in Jerusalem, Barnabas was sent to Antioch.
• Acts 13:1Barnabas, Simeon (called the Black), Lucius (from Cyrene), Manaen (a close friend of Herod since childhood), and Saul were prophets and teachers in the church in Antioch.
• Acts 8:4The believers who were scattered went from place to place, where they spread the word.
• Acts 11:19Some of the believers who were scattered by the trouble that broke out following Stephen’s death went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and the city of Antioch. They spoke God’s word only to Jewish people.

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