8 And Saul^(A) approved of their killing him.

The Church Persecuted and Scattered

On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered^(B) throughout Judea and Samaria.^{(C) 2} Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. ³ But Saul^(D) began to destroy the church.^(E) Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

⁴ Those who had been scattered^(F) preached the word wherever they went.^{(G) 5} Philip^(H) went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. ⁶ When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. ⁷ For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many,^(I) and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.^{(J) 8} So there was great joy in that city.

³⁵ Then Jesus declared, “I am^(A) the bread of life.^(B) Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes^(C) in me will never be thirsty.^(D)

⁴¹ At this the Jews there began to grumble about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” ⁴² They said, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph,^(A) whose father and mother we know?^(B) How can he now say, ‘I came down from heaven’?”^(C)

⁴³ “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” Jesus answered. ⁴⁴ “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them,^(D) and I will raise them up at the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’^[a](E) Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me. ⁴⁶ No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God;^(F) only he has seen the Father. ⁴⁷ Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.^{(G) 48} I am the bread of life.^{(H) 49} Your ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness, yet they died.^{(I) 50} But here is the bread that comes down from heaven,^(J) which anyone may eat and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread^(K) that came down from heaven.^(L) Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”^(M)