Acts 8:3

3 But Saul cruelly harassed the Church. He went into house after house, and, dragging off both men and women, threw them into 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 And Saul fully approved of his murder. At this time a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria.

2 A party of devout men, however, buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

3 But Saul cruelly harassed the Church. He went into house after house, and, dragging off both men and women, threw them into prison.

4 Those, however, who were scattered abroad went from place to place spreading the Good News of God's Message;

5 while Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ there.