14 Now G1161 when the apostles G652 which G3588 were at G1722 Jerusalem G2414 heard G191 that G3754 Samaria G4540 had received G1209 the word G3056 of God, G2316 they sent G649 unto G4314 them G846 Peter G4074 and G2532 John: G2491
And G1161 Saul G4569 was G2258 consenting G4909 unto his G846 death. G336 And G1161 at G1722 that G1565 time G2250 there was G1096 a great G3173 persecution G1375 against G1909 the church G1577 which G3588 was at G1722 Jerusalem; G2414 and G5037 they were G1289 all G3956 scattered abroad G1289 throughout G2596 the regions G5561 of Judaea G2449 and G2532 Samaria, G4540 except G4133 the apostles. G652
And G2532 when James, G2385 G2532 Cephas, G2786 and G2532 John, G2491 who G3588 seemed G1380 to be G1511 pillars, G4769 perceived G1097 the grace G5485 that was given G1325 unto me, G3427 they gave G1325 to me G1698 and G2532 Barnabas G921 the right hands G1188 of fellowship; G2842 that G2443 we G2249 should go unto G1519 the heathen, G1484 and G1161 they G846 unto G1519 the circumcision. G4061
For this G5124 cause G1223 also G2532 thank G2168 we G2249 God G2316 without ceasing, G89 because, G3754 when ye received G3880 the word G3056 of God G2316 which ye heard G189 of G3844 us, G2257 ye received G1209 it not G3756 as the word G3056 of men, G444 but G235 as G2531 it is G2076 in truth, G230 the word G3056 of God, G2316 which G3739 effectually worketh G1754 also G2532 in G1722 you G5213 that believe. G4100
And G2532 sent G3992 Timotheus, G5095 our G2257 brother, G80 and G2532 minister G1249 of God, G2316 and G2532 our G2257 fellowlabourer G4904 in G1722 the gospel G2098 of Christ, G5547 to G1519 establish G4741 you, G5209 and G2532 to comfort G3870 you G5209 concerning G4012 your G5216 faith: G4102
But G1161 he that received seed G4687 into G1909 the good G2570 ground G1093 is G2076 he G3778 that heareth G191 the word, G3056 and G2532 understandeth G4920 it; which G3739 also G1211 beareth fruit, G2592 and G2532 bringeth forth, G4160 some G3739 G3303 an hundredfold, G1540 G1161 some G3739 sixty, G1835 G1161 some G3739 thirty. G5144
He that rejecteth G114 me, G1691 and G2532 receiveth G2983 not G3361 my G3450 words, G4487 hath G2192 one that judgeth G2919 him: G846 the word G3056 that G3739 I have spoken, G2980 the same G1565 shall judge G2919 him G846 in G1722 the last G2078 day. G2250
Then G3303 G3767 they that gladly G780 received G588 his G846 word G3056 were baptized: G907 and G2532 the same G1565 day G2250 there were added G4369 unto them about G5616 three thousand G5153 souls. G5590
Now G1161 Peter G4074 and G2532 John G2491 went up G305 together G1909 G846 into G1519 the temple G2411 at the hour G5610 of prayer, G4335 being the ninth G1766 hour. And G2532 a certain G5100 man G435 lame G5225 G5560 from G1537 his G846 mother's G3384 womb G2836 was carried, G941 whom G3739 they laid G5087 daily G2250 G2596 at G4314 the gate G2374 of the temple G2411 which G3588 is called G3004 Beautiful, G5611 to ask G154 alms G1654 of G3844 them that entered G1531 into G1519 the temple; G2411 Who G3739 seeing G1492 Peter G4074 and G2532 John G2491 about G3195 to go G1524 into G1519 the temple G2411 asked G2065 G2983 an alms. G1654
And G1161 the apostles G652 and G2532 brethren G80 that were G5607 in G2596 Judaea G2449 heard G191 that G3754 the Gentiles G1484 had G1209 also G2532 received G1209 the word G3056 of God. G2316
Now G3767 G3303 they which were scattered abroad G1289 upon G575 the persecution G2347 that arose G1096 about G1909 Stephen G4736 travelled G1330 as far as G2193 Phenice, G5403 and G2532 Cyprus, G2954 and G2532 Antioch, G490 preaching G2980 the word G3056 to none G3367 but G1508 unto the Jews G2453 only. G3440 And G1161 some G5100 of G1537 them G846 were G2258 men G435 of Cyprus G2953 and G2532 Cyrene, G2956 which, G3748 when they were come G1525 to G1519 Antioch, G490 spake G2980 unto G4314 the Grecians, G1675 preaching G2097 the Lord G2962 Jesus. G2424 And G2532 the hand G5495 of the Lord G2962 was G2258 with G3326 them: G846 and G5037 a great G4183 number G706 believed, G4100 and turned G1994 unto G1909 the Lord. G2962 Then G1161 tidings G3056 of G4012 these things G846 came G191 unto G1519 the ears G3775 of the church G1577 which G3588 was in G1722 Jerusalem: G2414 and G2532 they sent forth G1821 Barnabas, G921 that he should go G1330 as far as G2193 Antioch. G490
G1161 These G3778 were G2258 more noble G2104 than those in G1722 Thessalonica, G2332 in that they G3748 received G1209 the word G3056 with G3326 all G3956 readiness of mind, G4288 and searched G350 the scriptures G1124 daily, G2250 G2596 whether G1487 those things G5023 were G2192 so. G3779
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Acts 8
Commentary on Acts 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
In this chapter we have an account of the persecutions of the Christians, and the propagating of Christianity thereby. It was strange, but very true, that the disciples of Christ the more they were afflicted the more they multiplied.
Act 8:1-3
In these verses we have,
Act 8:4-13
Samson's riddle is here again unriddled: Out of the eater comes forth meat, and out of the strong sweetness. The persecution that was designed to extirpate the church was by the overruling providence of God made an occasion of the enlargement of it. Christ had said, I am come to send fire on the earth; and they thought, by scattering those who were kindled with that fire, to have put it out, but instead of this they did but help to spread it.
Act 8:14-25
God had wonderfully owned Philip in his work as an evangelist at Samaria, but he could do no more than an evangelist; there were some peculiar powers reserved to the apostles, for the keeping up of the dignity of their office, and here we have an account of what was done by two of them there-Peter and John. The twelve kept together at Jerusalem (v. 1), and thither these good tidings were brought them that Samaria had received the word of God (v. 14), that a great harvest of souls was gathered, and was likely to be gathered in to Christ there. The word of God was not only preached to them, but received by them; they bade it welcome, admitted the light of it, and submitted to the power of it: When they heard it, they sent unto them Peter and John. If Peter had been, as some say he was, the prince of the apostles, he would have sent some of them, or, if he had seen cause, would have gone himself of his own accord; but he was so far from this that he submitted to an order of the house, and, as a servant to the body, went whither they sent him. Two apostles were sent, the two most eminent, to Samaria,
Act 8:26-40
We have here the story of the conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch to the faith of Christ, by whom, we have reason to think, the knowledge of Christ was sent into that country where he lived, and that scripture fulfilled, Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands (one of the first of the nations) unto God, Ps. 68:31.