^4 (A)I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,

¹⁹ So I said, ‘Lord, ^(A)they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and ^(B)beat those who believe on You. ^20 (C)And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by ^(D)consenting ^[a]to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

¹³ although ^(A)I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an ^[a]insolent man; but I obtained mercy because ^(B)I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ^14 (C)And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, ^(D)with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ^15 (E)This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that ^(F)Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

^9 (A)“Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things ^[a]contrary to the name of ^(B)Jesus of Nazareth. ^10 (C)This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority ^(D)from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. ^11 (E)And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

⁹ For I am ^(A)the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because ^(B)I persecuted the church of God.

Saul Persecutes the Church

8 Now Saul was consenting to his death.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and ^(A)they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and ^(B)made great lamentation over him.

³ As for Saul, ^(C)he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Christ Is Preached in Samaria

⁴ Therefore ^(D)those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

⁶ concerning zeal, ^(A)persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

¹⁴ But this I confess to you, that according to ^(A)the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the ^(B)God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in ^(C)the Law and in the Prophets.

²³ And ^(A)about that time there arose a great commotion about ^(B)the Way.