Acts 8:3

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Acts 8:3 · World English Bible (WEB)

“But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison.”

Tip: highlight any word or phrase above to go deeper on exactly that.

Overview Confusing Elements Cultural Context Original Language Related Passages

Overview

Theme

Saul’s violent persecution of the church in Jerusalem

Core Message

After Stephen’s death, Saul did not merely oppose the believers publicly; he invaded their homes and imprisoned both men and women. The verse shows the ferocity of persecution against Christ’s assembly before Saul’s own miraculous conversion.

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Difficulty Level

What Makes This Verse Confusing?

Explanation

The word translated “ravaged” is unusually forceful. It describes destructive, violent harm—not mild harassment or verbal opposition. Saul was actively trying to tear apart the church of Jesus Christ.

Why Confusing

The English word “ravaged” is strong, but the verse does not spell out the intensity of the underlying term or how severe Saul’s campaign was.

Why It Matters

This makes Saul’s later conversion even more breathtaking: the Lord Jesus did not merely save a critic of the church, but one who had been violently destroying His people.

Cultural & Historical Context

Original Audience

Acts was written for believers needing a faithful account of how the risen Lord spread the gospel from Jerusalem outward through His witnesses.

Historical Situation

This verse follows Stephen’s martyrdom and the outbreak of a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem. Saul appears here as a fierce enemy of the disciples before the Lord confronts him on the road to Damascus.

Relevant Customs

✦Early Christians commonly met in homes, so a house-to-house persecution was a direct attack on the gathered life of the church.

Original Language

Strong’s G3075λυμαίνομαιlumainomai(greek)

As it appearsἐλυμαίνετοMeaning

to ravage — λυμαίνομαι (λύμη, outrage), [in LXX chiefly for שָׁחַת pi., hi., also for כִּרְסֵם, etc. ;] __1. to outrage, maltreat : with accusative, Act.8:3. __2. to corrupt, defile ( Eze.16:25 , Pro.23:8 , 4Ma.18:8 , al.).† (AS)

Why it matters

This word carries the sense of violent destruction. It helps show that Saul’s actions were not a measured legal inquiry but a brutal assault on Christ’s assembly.

Strong’s G4951σύρωsurō(greek)

As it appearsσύρωνMeaning

to drag — σύρω [in LXX: 4Ki.17:13 (סָחַב), 4Ma.6:1 , al. ;] to draw, drag : with accusative of thing(s), Jhn.21:8 , Rev.12:4 ; with accusative of person(s), of taking to trial or punishment, Act.8:3; ἔξω τ. πόλεως, Act.14:19; ἐπὶ τ. πολιτάρχας (cf. 4Mac, l.with), Act.17:6 (cf. κατα-ούρω).† (AS)

Why it matters

The verb translated “dragged” emphasizes force. Saul was not merely summoning believers to answer charges; he was physically hauling them away to imprisonment.

Strong’s G1577ἐκκλησίαekklēsia(greek)

As it appearsἐκκλησίανMeaning

assembly — ἐκκλησία , -ας, ἡ (ἐκ-καλέω), [in LXX chiefly for קָהָל, otherwise for one of its cogn. forms ;] __1. prop., an assembly of citizens regularly convened (in Thuc., ii, 22, opposite to σύλλογος, a concourse ): Act.19:32, 39 41 . __2. In LXX of the assembly, congregation, community of Israel ( Deu.4:10 23:2 , al.): Act.7:38 , Heb.2:12 " (LXX) . __3. NT, esp. of an assembly or company of Christians, a…

Why it matters

“Assembly” identifies the believers as the gathered people of God. Saul was attacking not an organization only, but the covenant people assembled under the lordship of Jesus.

Lexicon & word tagging: STEP Bible (Tyndale House, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0)