Acts 8:3

3 But ¹Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and ²dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.

Acts 8:3 Meaning and Commentary

Acts 8:3

As for Saul, he made havoc of the church
Did evil to the saints, destroyed them that called upon the name of Christ, ( Acts 9:13 Acts 9:21 ) and persecuted and wasted the church of God, as he himself says, ( 1:13 ) and now did Benjamin, of which tribe Saul was, ravine as a wolf, ( Genesis 49:27 )

Entering into every house;
where the saints dwelt:

and haling men and women:
in a violent manner, without any regard to age or sex:

committed them to prison;
delivered them up into the hands of the chief priests and magistrates, in order to be committed and sent to prison; this he himself confesses, ( Acts 22:4 ) ( 26:10 ) .

Acts 8:3 In-Context

1 Saul 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.

2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.

4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.

Cross References

• 1. Acts 9:1, 13, 21; Acts 22:4, 19; Acts 26:10; 1 Corinthians 15:9; Galatians 1:13; Philippians 3:6; 1 Timothy 1:13
• 2. James 2:6