Acts 8:3

Acts 8:3 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
• New International Version (NIV)But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
• New King James Version (NKJV)As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Context of Acts 8:3

1Saul 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. Saul tried to destroy the church. He dragged men and women out of one home after another and threw them into prison. 4The believers who were scattered went from place to place, where they spread the word. 5Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about the Messiah.

Acts 8:3 word by word

Σαῦλος δὲ ἐλυμαίνετο τὴν ἐκκλησίαν κατὰ τοὺς οἴκους εἰσπορευόμενος, σύρων τε ἄνδρας καὶ γυναῖκας παρεδίδου εἰς φυλακήν.¶Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Asδέde · thenG1161
• for SaulΣαῦλοςSaulos · SaulG4569
• he made havockλυμαίνομαιlumainomai · to ravageG3075
• of the churchὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
• of the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• entering intoεἰσπορεύωeisporeuomai · to enterG1531
• everyκατάkata · according toG2596
• houseοἶκοςoikos · house: homeG3624
• andτεte · and/bothG5037
• halingσύρωsurō · to dragG4951
• menἀνήρanēr · manG435
• andκαίkai · andG2532
• womenγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• committedπαραδίδωμιparadidōmi · to deliverG3860
• toεἰςeis · towardG1519
• prisonφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: prisonG5438

Cross-references for Acts 8:3

• 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 9:1Saul kept threatening to murder the Lord’s disciples. He went to the chief priest
• Acts 22:3“I’m a Jew. I was born and raised in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia and received my education from Gamaliel here in Jerusalem. My education was in the strict laws handed down by our ancestors. I was as devoted to God as all of you are today.
• Acts 26:9“I used to think that I had to do a lot of things to oppose the one named Jesus of Nazareth.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9I’m the least of the apostles. I’m not even fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted God’s church.
• Galatians 1:13You heard about the way I once lived when I followed the Jewish religion. You heard how I violently persecuted God’s church and tried to destroy it.
• Philippians 3:6When it comes to being enthusiastic, I was a persecutor of the church. When it comes to winning God’s approval by obeying Jewish laws, I was perfect.
• 1 Timothy 1:13In the past I cursed him, persecuted him, and acted arrogantly toward him. However, I was treated with mercy because I acted ignorantly in my unbelief.

Commentaries on Acts 8:3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Saul made havoc of the Church - The word , from , to destroy, devastate, ravage, signifies the act of ferocious animals, such as bears, wolves, and the like, in seeking and devouring their prey. This shows with what persevering rancour this man pursued the harmless Christians; and thus we see in him what bigotry and false zeal are capable of performing. Entering into every house - For, however it might be to others, a Christian man's house was not his…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3As for Saul - But Saul. He took no interest or part in the pious attentions shown to Stephen, but engaged with zeal in the work of persecution. He made havoc - ̓́ elumainetoThis word is commonly applied to wild beasts, to lions, wolves, etc., and denotes the “devastations” which they commit. Saul raged against the church like a wild beast - a strong expression, denoting the zeal and fury with which he engaged in persecution. Entering into every house - To…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. 33. Saul ... entering into every house--like as inquisitor [Bengel]. haling men and women, &c.--See his own affecting confessions afterwards (Ac 22:4; 26:9, 10; 1Co 15:9; Ga 1:13; Php 3:6; 1Ti 1:13).Read the comment

Topics related to Acts 8:3

• Church
• Intolerance, Religious
• Jerusalem
• Paul

In the dictionaries

• Saul
• Paul, Saul
• Believe
• Bitterness
• Consent
• Devout
• Havock
• Join
• Pray
• Prison

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