Saul Ravages the Church

8 And ^(A)Saul ^(B)approved of his execution.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and ^(C)they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

^16 (A)Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If this be so, ^(B)our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.^{[a] 18} But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

²⁰ And when the blood of Stephen ^(A)your witness was being shed, ^(B)I myself was standing by and ^(C)approving and ^(D)watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

⁵⁸ Then ^(A)they cast him out of the city and ^(B)stoned him. And ^(C)the witnesses laid down their garments ^(D)at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁴⁰ and ^(A)when they had called in the apostles, ^(B)they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

⁸ But you will receive ^(A)power ^(B)when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and ^(C)you will be ^(D)my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and ^(E)Samaria, and ^(F)to the end of the earth.”

⁴⁹ Therefore also ^(A)the Wisdom of God said, ^(B)‘I will send them ^(C)prophets and apostles, ^(D)some of whom they will ^(E)kill and persecute,’ ⁵⁰ so that ^(F)the blood of all the prophets, shed ^(G)from the foundation of the world, may be ^(H)charged against this generation,

¹⁴ Now when ^(A)the apostles at Jerusalem heard that ^(B)Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

³³ When they heard this, they ^(A)were enraged and wanted to kill them.