Opposition to their witnessing in Jerusalem reached a climax with the religious murder of Stephen, and this set in motion a wave of persecution against the congregation of Christian witnesses in Jerusalem. The purpose of this violent opposition was to silence these witnesses of Christ. Instead, it gave a new boost to the witnessing work and extended it just where Christ wanted it to go. “All except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.”

Acts chap. 7; Ac 8:1,