Acts 8:3

Acts 8:3 in other versions

• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

Context of Acts 8:3

1And 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. 2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. 4Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. 5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

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

• 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 cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
• Acts 9:1And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
• Acts 22:3I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
• Acts 26:9I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• Galatians 1:13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
• Philippians 3:6Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
• 1 Timothy 1:13Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in 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