The interpretation timeline

Acts 8:3

How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.

From the early Church Fathers to now.

1 Patristic · 1 Orthodox

Acts 8:3 · Douay-Rheims

“But Saul made havock of the church, entering in from house to house, and dragging away men and women, committed them to prison.”

Patristic before A.D. 750

407

A.D.

John Chrysostom Patristic

A.D. 347–407

“"As for Saul, he made havoc of the Church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison." Great was his frenzy: that he was alone, that he even entered into houses: for indeed he was ready to give his life for the Law. "Haling," it says, "men and women:" mark both the confidence, and the violence, and the frenzy. All that fell into his hands, he put to all manner of ill-treatment: for in consequence of the recent murder, he was become more daring.”

Source

719 years pass — nothing from this stretch is hosted yet

Scholastic c. 1100 – 1500

1126

A.D.

Theophylact of Ohrid Orthodox

c. 1055–1107

“"And Saul was ravaging the church." Great was his madness, both to be alone and to break into houses. This was because he had devoted his soul to the law.”

Source

Modern · 1953 →

The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.