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 was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. 4Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to 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

• SaulΣαῦλοςSaulos · SaulG4569
• ravagingλυμαίνομαιlumainomai · to ravageG3075
• the churchἐκκλησίαekklēsia · assemblyG1577
• enteringεἰσπορεύωeisporeuomai · to enterG1531
• houseοἶκοςoikos · house: homeG3624
• afterκατάkata · according toG2596
• draggingσύρωsurō · to dragG4951
• off menἀνήρanēr · manG435
• and womenγυνήgunē · womanG1135
• he would putπαραδίδωμιparadidōmi · to deliverG3860
• them in prisonφυλακήphulakē · prison/watch: prisonG5438

Cross-references for Acts 8:3

• Acts 7:58When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
• Acts 9:1Now Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
• Acts 22:3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.
• Acts 26:9“So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
• 1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
• Galatians 1:13For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it;
• Philippians 3:6as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
• 1 Timothy 1:13even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted 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