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Friday, July 18th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Young's Literal Translation

Acts 8:4

they then indeed, having been scattered, went abroad proclaiming good news -- the word.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Jerusalem;   Persecution;   Philip;   Zeal, Religious;   Scofield Reference Index - Churches;   Thompson Chain Reference - Dispersion;   Missionaries;   Missions, World-Wide;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Afflictions Made Beneficial;   Ministers;   Missionaries, All Christians Should Be as;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Preaching;   Stephen;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Caesarea;   Church;   Evangelist;   Hellenist;   Jerusalem;   Mission;   Philip;   Preaching;   Samaria, samaritans;   Stephen;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Holy Spirit;   Word;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Acts of the Apostles;   Evangelist;   Providence;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acts;   Evangelism;   Hebrews;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Evangelist;   Gnosticism;   Mark, Gospel According to;   Peter;   Philip;   Power of the Keys;   Simon Magus;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Evangelist;   Minister, Ministration;   Philip the Evangelist;   Preaching;   Samaria ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Evangelist,;   New Testament;   Preaching;   Samaria ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Evangelist;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Romans, Epistle to the;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom or Church of Christ, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Church;   Evangelist;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.
King James Version (1611)
Therefore they that were scattered abroad, went euery where preaching the word.
King James Version
Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
English Standard Version
Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
New American Standard Bible
Therefore, those who had been scattered went through places preaching the word.
New Century Version
And wherever they were scattered, they told people the Good News.
Amplified Bible
Now those [believers] who had been scattered went from place to place preaching the word [the good news of salvation through Christ].
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
Legacy Standard Bible
Therefore, those who had been scattered went about, proclaiming the good news of the word.
Berean Standard Bible
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
Contemporary English Version
The Lord's followers who had been scattered went from place to place, telling the good news.
Complete Jewish Bible
However, those who were scattered announced the Good News of the Word wherever they went.
Darby Translation
Those then that had been scattered went through [the countries] announcing the glad tidings of the word.
Easy-to-Read Version
They were scattered everywhere, and in every place they went, they told people the Good News.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore they that were scattered abroad, went to and fro preaching the worde.
George Lamsa Translation
So that they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word of God.
Good News Translation
The believers who were scattered went everywhere, preaching the message.
Lexham English Bible
Now those who had been scattered went about proclaiming the good news of the word.
Literal Translation
Then, indeed, the ones who being scattered passed through, preaching the gospel, the Word.
American Standard Version
They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word.
Bible in Basic English
But those who had gone in flight went everywhere preaching the word.
Hebrew Names Version
Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word.
International Standard Version
Now those who were scattered went from place to place preaching the word.Matthew 10:23; Acts 11:19;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
And they who were dispersed went about and preached the word of Aloha.
Murdock Translation
And they who were dispersed, travelled about and preached the word of God.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Therfore, they that were scattered abrode, went euery where preachyng the worde of God.
English Revised Version
They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word.
World English Bible
Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word.
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Therefore they that were scattered abroad, went every where, preaching the word.
Weymouth's New Testament
Those, however, who were scattered abroad went from place to place spreading the Good News of God's Message;
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And thei that weren scaterid, passiden forth, prechynge the word of God.
Update Bible Version
They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word.
Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore they that were dispersed went every where preaching the word.
New English Translation
Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word.
New King James Version
Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
New Living Translation
But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.
New Life Bible
Those who had been made to go to other places preached the Word as they went.
New Revised Standard
Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
They, indeed, therefore, who were scattered abroad, passed through, telling the good-news of the word;
Douay-Rheims Bible
They therefore that were dispersed went about preaching the word of God.
Revised Standard Version
Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
They that were scattered abroade went every where preachyng the worde.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They now yt were scatered abrode wete aboute & preached the worde.
Mace New Testament (1729)
but they that were dispers'd, preach'd the gospel wherever they went.
Simplified Cowboy Version
Now just because the believers were scattered didn't mean they weren't preaching wherever they went.

Contextual Overview

4 they then indeed, having been scattered, went abroad proclaiming good news -- the word. 5 And Philip having gone down to a city of Samaria, was preaching to them the Christ, 6 the multitudes also were giving heed to the things spoken by Philip, with one accord, in their hearing and seeing the signs that he was doing, 7 for unclean spirits came forth from many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who have been paralytic and lame were healed, 8 and there was great joy in that city. 9 And a certain man, by name Simon, was before in the city using magic, and amazing the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be a certain great one, 10 to whom they were all giving heed, from small unto great, saying, `This one is the great power of God;' 11 and they were giving heed to him, because of his having for a long time amazed them with deeds of magic. 12 And when they believed Philip, proclaiming good news, the things concerning the reign of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women; 13 and Simon also himself did believe, and, having been baptized, he was continuing with Philip, beholding also signs and mighty acts being done, he was amazed.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Acts 11:19, Acts 14:2-7, Matthew 10:23, 1 Thessalonians 2:2

Reciprocal: Zechariah 10:9 - sow Matthew 9:38 - that Mark 16:20 - the Lord Luke 10:2 - the Lord Luke 14:21 - Go John 4:38 - sent Acts 8:1 - and they Acts 14:7 - General Philippians 1:12 - rather 1 Peter 1:1 - scattered 3 John 1:7 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 8:17
and they have teemed in the earth, and been fruitful, and have multiplied on the earth.'
Genesis 8:19
every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl; every creeping thing on the earth, after their families, have gone out from the ark.
2 Kings 19:37
and it cometh to pass, he is bowing himself in the house of Nisroch his god, and Adramelech and Sharezar [his sons] have smitten him with the sword, and they have escaped to the land of Ararat, and Esar-Haddon his son reigneth in his stead.
Isaiah 37:38
And it cometh to pass, he is bowing himself in the house of Nisroch his god, and Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons have smitten him with the sword, and they have escaped to the land of Ararat, and Esar-Haddon his son reigneth in his stead.
Jeremiah 51:27
Lift ye up an ensign in the land, Blow a trumpet among nations, Sanctify against it nations, Summon against it the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz, Appoint against it an infant head, Cause the horse to ascend as the rough cankerworm.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Therefore they that were scattered abroad,.... By reason of the persecution in Jerusalem: the seventy disciples, and other ministers of the word; or the hundred and twenty, excepting the apostles,

went every where; or went through the countries of Judea and Samaria, as far as Phenice, Cyrus, and Antioch:

preaching the word; the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions add, "of God", and so some copies; the Gospel, which is the word of God, and not man; which was not of men, nor received from men, but came from God, and by the revelation of Christ; and which was good news and glad tidings, of peace, pardon, righteousness and salvation, by Jesus Christ.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Went everywhere - That is, they traveled through the various regions where they were scattered. In all places to which they came, they preached the Word.

Preaching the word - Greek: “evangelizing,” or announcing the good news of the message of mercy, or the Word of God. This is not the usual word which is rendered “preach,” but it means simply announcing the good news of salvation. There is no evidence, nor is there any probability, that all these persons were “ordained” to preach. They were manifestly common Christians who were scattered by the persecution; and the meaning is, that they communicated to their fellow-men in conversation wherever they met them, and probably in the synagogues, where all Jews had a right to speak, the glad tidings that the Messiah had come. It is not said that they set themselves up for public teachers, or that they administered baptism, or that they founded churches, but they proclaimed everywhere the news that a Saviour had come. Their hearts were full of it. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks; and they made the truth known to “all” whom they met. We may learn from this:

  1. That persecution tends to promote the very thing which it would destroy.

(2)That one of the best means to make Christians active and zealous is to persecute them.

(3)That it is right for all Christians to make known the truths of the gospel. When the heart is full the lips will speak, and there is no more impropriety in their speaking of redemption than of anything else.

(4)It should be the great object of all Christians to make the Saviour known “everywhere.” By their lives, their conversation, and their pious exhortations and entreaties, they should beseech dying sinners to be reconciled to God. And especially should this be done when they “are traveling.” Christians when away from home seem almost to imagine that they lay aside the obligations of religion. But the example of Christ and his early disciples has taught us that this is the very time to attempt to do good.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 8:4. They that were scattered - went every where preaching — Thus the very means devised by Satan to destroy the Church became the very instruments of its diffusion and establishment. What are counsel, or might, or cunning, or rage, or malice, against the Lord, whether they are excited by men or devils!


 
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