1 And G1161 Saul G4569 was G2258 consenting G4909 unto his G846 death. G336 And G1161 at G1722 that G1565 time G2250 there was G1096 a great G3173 persecution G1375 against G1909 the church G1577 which G3588 was at G1722 Jerusalem; G2414 and G5037 they were G1289 all G3956 scattered abroad G1289 throughout G2596 the regions G5561 of Judaea G2449 and G2532 Samaria, G4540 except G4133 the apostles. G652
2 And G1161 devout G2126 men G435 carried G4792 Stephen G4736 to his burial, and G2532 made G4160 great G3173 lamentation G2870 over G1909 him. G846
3 As G1161 for Saul, G4569 he made havock G3075 of the church, G1577 entering into G1531 every G2596 house, G3624 and haling G4951 G5037 men G435 and G2532 women G1135 committed G3860 them to G1519 prison. G5438
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 8
Commentary on Acts 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
In this chapter we have an account of the persecutions of the Christians, and the propagating of Christianity thereby. It was strange, but very true, that the disciples of Christ the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied.
Act 8:1-3
In these verses we have,
Act 8:4-13
Samson's riddle is here again unriddled: Out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness. The persecution that was designed to extirpate the church was by the overruling providence of God made an occasion of the enlargement of it. Christ had said, I am come to send fire on the earth; and they thought, by scattering those who were kindled with that fire, to have put it out, but instead of this they did but help to spread it.
Act 8:14-25
God had wonderfully owned Philip in his work as an evangelist at Samaria, but he could do no more than an evangelist; there were some peculiar powers reserved to the apostles, for the keeping up of the dignity of their office, and here we have an account of what was done by two of them there-Peter and John. The twelve kept together at Jerusalem (v. 1), and thither these good tidings were brought them that Samaria had received the word of God (v. 14), that a great harvest of souls was gathered, and was likely to be gathered in to Christ there. The word of God was not only preached to them, but received by them; they bade it welcome, admitted the light of it, and submitted to the power of it: When they heard it, they sent unto them Peter and John. If Peter had been, as some say he was, the prince of the apostles, he would have sent some of them, or, if he had seen cause, would have gone himself of his own accord; but he was so far from this that he submitted to an order of the house, and, as a servant to the body, went whither they sent him. Two apostles were sent, the two most eminent, to Samaria,
Act 8:26-40
We have here the story of the conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch to the faith of Christ, by whom, we have reason to think, the knowledge of Christ was sent into that country where he lived, and that scripture fulfilled, Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands (one of the first of the nations) unto God, Ps. 68:31.