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.
Saul totally agreed with Stephen's execution. Right after that, the church in Jerusalem got hit hard with serious persecution. Everyone scattered across Judea and Samaria trying to stay safe, everyone except the apostles, who stayed put.
Sometimes God uses our worst moments to spread his people exactly where they need to be.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Acts, this verse describes events shortly after the stoning of Stephen, the first Christian martyr, which ignited intense opposition to the early church. Saul, a zealous Pharisee who would later become the Apostle Paul, approved of Stephen's death and actively persecuted believers in Jerusalem, leading to widespread scattering. This scattering fulfilled Jesus' earlier instructions to his disciples to spread the gospel beyond Jerusalem.
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