New King James Version
Acts 8:3
3As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
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 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
1Now 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. 2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. 4Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
Read all of Acts 8Acts 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 they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- Acts 9:1Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
- Acts 22:3“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.
- Acts 26:9“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
- 1 Corinthians 15:9For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
- Galatians 1:13For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
- Philippians 3:6concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
- 1 Timothy 1:13although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; 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
In the dictionaries
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries