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Acts 8

And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

And there was great joy in that city.

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

What does Acts 8:4 mean?

Explanation

Acts 8:4 refers to the early Christian believers who were scattered as a result of persecution.

The verse illustrates how, despite facing significant adversity and being forced away from their homes, these Christians continued to spread their faith by preaching the word of God wherever they went.

Literally, it describes a movement of people who carried with them the message of Jesus Christ.

On a deeper level, this verse conveys the resilience of faith and the unstoppable nature of the gospel message, even in the face of oppression.

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

The book of Acts is a sequel to the Gospel of Luke and is traditionally attributed to the physician Luke, a companion of the Apostle Paul.

Written in the first century AD, it provides a record of the early Church following the ascension of Jesus Christ.

Acts 8:4 occurs shortly after the stoning of Stephen, a deacon in the Church and the first Christian martyr.

Saul of Tarsus, who later became known as Paul after converting to Christianity, approved of the execution, and a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem as a result.

This persecution led to the dispersal of Christians beyond Judea and Samaria and marks the beginning of the wider spread of Christianity.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, Acts 8:4 can be interpreted to show God's sovereignty, as even persecution serves His purpose of spreading the gospel.

The scattering of believers is seen not as a defeat but as the fulfillment of Christ's command to be witnesses "in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

Some Christian theologians might also view this scattering as a divine strategy for missions, highlighting the Church's role in evangelism.

Practical Applications

Practically, Acts 8:4 encourages Christians to see their circumstances, even difficult ones, as opportunities to share their faith. Followers of Christ are reminded that they carry the gospel with them and are called to be ambassadors for Christ wherever they find themselves.

This verse may serve as encouragement to those who face adversity or who have been displaced from their homes, reminding them of the role they can still play in sharing their faith.

Cross-References

Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Acts 11:19 "Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only."
2 Timothy 2:9 "Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound."

Language Study

In this verse, the key phrase "preaching the word" in the original Greek is "euaggelizomenoi ton logon," with "euaggelizomenoi" denoting the action of bringing good news, and "logon" being the word for "word." The verb is found in the participle form, suggesting the continual or habitual action of spreading the Gospel.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The spreading of religious beliefs in the face of persecution is not unique to Christianity.

Other religious traditions have similar narratives, such as the dispersal of Jewish communities throughout history and the spread of Buddhism out of India.

These events show how faith traditions often flourish and evolve in new and sometimes unexpected ways as a result of their believers being scattered.

Scientific Perspectives

While Acts 8:4 is not primarily concerned with scientific perspectives, it does touch on themes that are relevant to social sciences, such as sociology and anthropology.

The movement of groups and the dissemination of beliefs are topics of study within these disciplines.

The way in which Christianity spread through the Roman Empire and became a global religion would be of interest in the study of cultural diffusion and the dynamics of social resilience.

Commentaries

Commentators offer various insights into Acts 8:4.

Matthew Henry emphasizes the unwavering resolve of the early Christians to preach the word regardless of their scattered state.

John Calvin notes that the dispersion of the church by persecution served to propagate Christianity further, which he saw as a providential plan of God.

The Expositor's Greek Testament remarks on the spontaneous and widespread nature of the evangelistic activities of the scattered believers, indicating that their efforts were not centrally organized but were prompted by a genuine commitment to their faith.

Acts 8

Acts 8

What does Acts 8:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Acts 8:4 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Acts Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?