In the persecution that arose about Stephen, which believers were scattered abroad?
The Jewish believers at Jerusalem who acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God and the Christ were scattered abroad throughout Judea and Samaria. The apostles were not scattered; they remained in Jerusalem during that persecution. This occurred when Saul was consenting to Stephen's death and great persecution arose against the assembly at Jerusalem.
Les teaches that this was the persecution that arose about Stephen against these Jewish believers. They were at Jerusalem and Judea, and Saul tried to go even to Damascus because there were some Jewish believers up there. In verse 1 of chapter 8, Saul was consenting to Stephen's death, and at that time there was a great persecution against the church, or assembly, at Jerusalem. All these Jewish believers—those who believed Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God, the Christ the King—were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Les points out that they should have been embracing the Great Commission and gone throughout the whole Roman Empire years earlier, but they were still in Jerusalem and would not leave even under intense persecution, because they knew they had no God-given right to.
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
More Questions
Who was scattered abroad after Stephen's death, and who stayed behind?
All the Jerusalem Jewish believers who confessed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Son of God, the Christ the King, were scattered abroad throughout Judea and Samaria—except the apostles.
Who caused the persecution that arose around Stephen and scattered the believers?
The persecution that arose around Stephen, which scattered the believers, was caused by Saul.
Who were the people 'scattered abroad' in Acts 11:19?
The believers described in Acts 11:19 as 'scattered abroad' are the same ones scattered by the persecution mentioned in Acts 8:1.
Where did the believers scattered by Stephen's persecution go?
The people who were scattered abroad because of the persecution about Stephen, referred to in Acts 8:1, went as far as Phoenix, Cyprus, and Antioch.
Who were the scattered believers in Acts 11:19 and where did they go?
The people scattered by the persecution over Stephen, referred to in Acts 11:19, are the same people described in Acts 8:1, and they went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch.