The Church is Scattered

8 Now Saul heartily approved of putting Stephen^[a] to death. That day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except for the apostles was scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. ² Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him. ³ But Saul kept trying to destroy the church. Going into one house after another, he began dragging off men and women and throwing them in prison.