# Connecting Statement:

Luke tells about what happened to the believers who fled after the stoning of Stephen.

# Now

This introduces the new part of the story. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-newevent]])

# those who had been scattered by the persecution that arose over Stephen spread

The Jews began persecuting Jesus' followers because Stephen had said and done things that the Jews did not like. Because of this persecution, many of Jesus' followers left Jerusalem and went to many different places.

# those ... spread

"those went in many different directions"

# who had been scattered by the persecution

This can be translated in active form. AT: "whom the Jews had been persecuting and so had left Jerusalem" (See: [[:en:ta:vol2:translate:figs-activepassive]])

# the persecution that arose over Stephen

the persecution that happened because of what Stephen had said and done

# only to Jews

The believers thought God's message was for the Jewish people, and not for the Gentiles.

# spoke also to Greeks

These Greek-speaking people were Gentiles, not Jews. AT: "also spoke to Gentiles who spoke Greek" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# The hand of the Lord was with them

God's hand signifies his powerful help. AT: "God was powerfully enabling those believers to preach effectively" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# turned to the Lord

Here "turned to the Lord" is a metaphor for starting to obey the Lord. AT: "and they repented of their sins and began to obey the Lord" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/persecute]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/stephen]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/phonecia]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/cyprus]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/cyrene]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/antioch]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/names/greek]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/lord]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/jesus]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/hand]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/kt/believe]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/turn]]