Acts 8:3

To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

The saying is faithful and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

Then they will deliver you up to oppression, and will kill you. You will be hated by all of the nations for my name’s sake.

Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”

When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’

For I am the least of the apostles, who is not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God.

“Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to councils, and in their synagogues they will scourge you.

They rose up, threw him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill that their city was built on, that they might throw him off the cliff.

but he who didn’t know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.

But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.

All the city was moved and the people ran together. They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple. Immediately the doors were shut.

I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

“I myself most certainly thought that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

I also did this in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.

What, don’t you have houses to eat and to drink in? Or do you despise God’s assembly and put them to shame who don’t have enough? What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I don’t praise you.

For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God and ravaged it.

concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.

For most certainly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.

although I used to be a blasphemer, a persecutor, and insolent. However, I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

However, for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first, Jesus Christ might display all his patience for an example of those who were going to believe in him for eternal life.

The hands of the witnesses shall be first on him to put him to death, and afterward the hands of all the people. So you shall remove the evil from among you.

Therefore, because you trample on the poor, and take taxes from him of wheat: You have built houses of cut stone, but you will not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine.

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.

But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.

As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.

When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the rulers of the city, crying, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

I coveted no one’s silver, gold, or clothing.

Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

I have become foolish in boasting. You compelled me, for I ought to have been commended by you, for I am in no way inferior to the very best apostles, though I am nothing.

I was still unknown by face to the assemblies of Judea which were in Christ,

and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith,

that no one would be moved by these afflictions. For you know that we are appointed to this task.

so that we ourselves boast about you in the assemblies of God for your perseverance and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions which you endure.

partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions; and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.

As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Benoni, but his father named him Benjamin.

Of the children of Benjamin, their generations, by their families, by their fathers’ houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, all who were able to go out to war:

Yahweh said to Moses, “The man shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him with stones outside of the camp.”

The children of Benjamin came out of Gibeah, and on that day destroyed twenty-two thousand of the Israelite men down to the ground.

Benjamin went out against them out of Gibeah the second day, and destroyed down to the ground of the children of Israel again eighteen thousand men. All these drew the sword.

The two men, the wicked fellows, came in and sat before him. The wicked fellows testified against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king!” Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death with stones.

Don’t deliver me over to the desire of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen up against me, such as breathe out cruelty.

The princes were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.

Her princes within it are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, that they may get dishonest gain.

Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants.” ’

But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake.

praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.

“Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

But some of those who were of the synagogue called “The Libertines”, and of the Cyrenians, of the Alexandrians, and of those of Cilicia and Asia arose, disputing with Stephen.

They threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.

They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”

All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”

As we were going to prayer, a certain girl having a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much gain by fortune telling.

But when her masters saw that the hope of their gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them into the marketplace before the rulers.

and because he practiced the same trade, he lived with them and worked, for by trade they were tent makers.

whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business we have our wealth.

Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.

I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.

If others partake of this right over you, don’t we yet more? Nevertheless we didn’t use this right, but we bear all things, that we may cause no hindrance to the Good News of Christ.

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,

You have condemned and you have murdered the righteous one. He doesn’t resist you.

Don’t be afraid of the things which you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested; and you will have oppression for ten days. Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.

“Benjamin is a ravenous wolf. In the morning he will devour the prey. At evening he will divide the plunder.”

They laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was now evening.

More believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

and laid hands on the apostles, then put them in public custody.

When they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely,

But I have used none of these things, and I don’t write these things that it may be done so in my case; for I would rather die, than that anyone should make my boasting void.

For you, brothers, became imitators of the assemblies of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus; for you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews

Others were tried by mocking and scourging, yes, moreover by bonds and imprisonment.

But you have dishonored the poor man. Don’t the rich oppress you, and personally drag you before the courts?

Therefore also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles; and some of them they will kill and persecute,

When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.