Acts 8:1-13 Lesson 235
Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."
In this lesson:
Stephen's death ushers in an era of persecution.
Believers flee Jerusalem (8:1).
Philip goes to Samaria (8:5).
God validates Philip's teaching with miracles (8:6-7; 8:13)
Byzantine icon of Philip the evangelist.
Who was -
Saul -
Saul was also called Paul (Acts 13:9). Paul was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch), Paul was deeply religious, possessed a keen intellect, and at the tender age of thirteen was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), a high honor. Paul became a strict Pharisee (Acts 23:6), "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), and a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). He gladly hunted down believers, beat them, or threw them into prison (Acts 8:3), where many were "put to death" (22:4). Paul went from city to city chasing Christians and forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). After his dramatic conversion to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the next thirty years traveling the vast Roman empire preaching the word of God. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated; it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours, and he wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured many privations and hardships during the decades he traveled spreading the Gospel, all the time supporting himself on donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was whipped five separate times, beaten with rods three times, and was once stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). He was arrested (Acts 16:23-24), and as a prisoner on his way to Rome he was shipwrecked and lost at sea (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was in constant danger from thieves he passed on the lonely stretches of road and from brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was without a home and often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, and cold. He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2) and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for another two years while waiting for his "accusers" to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and then arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and executed. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Philip -
From Caesarea (Acts 21:8), Philip was a Greek Jewish convert to Christianity and an evangelist. Not to be confused with the disciple Philip or Herod Philip. An "honest" man, "full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom" (Acts 6:3), we met Philip briefly in Acts 6:5 when he was chosen to be one of the first seven deacons. Philip was one of the first to take the Gospel to Gentiles (non-Jews). After Stephen was martyred (Acts 7:57-60), Philip fled Jerusalem to preach in Samaria. There he performed miracles and brought "great joy" (Acts 8:5-8) until an angel guided him into the Gaza desert to witness to an Ethiopian official of Queen Candace (Acts 8:26-32). This meeting helped bring the Gospel to Ethiopia. Philip then went to teach in Azotus and Caesarea (Acts 8:40).
Saul -
Saul was also called Paul (Acts 13:9). Paul was born a Roman citizen (Acts 22:27-28) in the small but wealthy city of Tarsus, Cilicia (Acts 21:39; 22:3) in modern-day Turkey. Named after King Saul (Israel's first monarch), Paul was deeply religious, possessed a keen intellect, and at the tender age of thirteen was chosen to study the Hebrew Canon under the renowned Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), a high honor. Paul became a strict Pharisee (Acts 23:6), "a Hebrew of Hebrews" (Philippians 3:5), and a fierce opponent of Christianity (Galatians 1:13). When we first met Paul, he was watching the executioner's coats as they stoned Stephen, the first Christian martyr, to death (Acts 7:58; 22:20). After Stephen's murder, Paul made it his mission to find and persecute Christians (1 Corinthians 15:9). He gladly hunted down believers, beat them, or threw them into prison (Acts 8:3), where many were "put to death" (22:4). Paul went from city to city chasing Christians and forced many to renounce their faith (26:9-11). His reputation for cruelty was well known (Acts 9:13). After his dramatic conversion to Christianity (Acts 9:1-9; 22:6-11; 26:12-18), Paul joined the Christians he had been persecuting and spent the next thirty years traveling the vast Roman empire preaching the word of God. Paul's contributions to the fledgling Christian church cannot be overstated; it is estimated that he walked over 10,000 miles on three separate evangelical tours, and he wrote thirteen of the twenty-seven books in the New Testament. Before Paul, little had been done to bring the Gospel to Gentiles. He endured many privations and hardships during the decades he traveled spreading the Gospel, all the time supporting himself on donations and working as a tentmaker (Acts 18:3). Preaching earned Paul many enemies (1 Corinthians 16:9) who repeatedly tried to kill him (Acts 19:23-41; 20:3; 23:12). Paul was whipped five separate times, beaten with rods three times, and was once stoned and left for dead (Acts 14:19). He was arrested (Acts 16:23-24), and as a prisoner on his way to Rome he was shipwrecked and lost at sea (2 Corinthians 11:24-25). He was in constant danger from thieves he passed on the lonely stretches of road and from brethren he trusted (2 Corinthians 11:26). Paul was without a home and often sick (Galatians 4:13-14), hungry, thirsty, and cold. He was insulted (Acts 17:17-18; 17:32), treated "shamefully" (1 Thessalonians 2:2) and more than once forced to flee for his life (Acts 9:28-30; 17:10; 2 Corinthians 11:33). The years on the road left Paul in despair (2 Corinthians 1:8), weary, used up, and often in pain (2 Corinthians 11:27). Finally, he was chained and imprisoned for another two years while waiting for his "accusers" to testify against him (Acts 23:35). After being released and then arrested again, Paul was found guilty of a capital offense and executed. Called "the Apostle to the Gentiles," "the Apostle of Grace," and "a servant of God" (Titus 1:1), it is difficult to name a person more responsible for spreading Christianity.
Philip -
From Caesarea (Acts 21:8), Philip was a Greek Jewish convert to Christianity and an evangelist. Not to be confused with the disciple Philip or Herod Philip. An "honest" man, "full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom" (Acts 6:3), we met Philip briefly in Acts 6:5 when he was chosen to be one of the first seven deacons. Philip was one of the first to take the Gospel to Gentiles (non-Jews). After Stephen was martyred (Acts 7:57-60), Philip fled Jerusalem to preach in Samaria. There he performed miracles and brought "great joy" (Acts 8:5-8) until an angel guided him into the Gaza desert to witness to an Ethiopian official of Queen Candace (Acts 8:26-32). This meeting helped bring the Gospel to Ethiopia. Philip then went to teach in Azotus and Caesarea (Acts 8:40).
Study Tip:
Put difficult passages into your own words.
This helps you understand the verse and to retain it longer.
Put difficult passages into your own words.
This helps you understand the verse and to retain it longer.