Stephen was just the beginning. Saul gets involved in the inquisition, most of the church is scattered from Jerusalem, but the apostles hang on there. Phillip has success in Samaria, and baptizes many. Apostles are sent to lay hands on them, so they receive the Spirit. This was needed to authorize the before-unheard-of inclusion of Samaritans in the church, the second of four phases Jesus predicts in Acts 1:8. Simon Magus' gross misunderstanding of the Spirit does not get him killed, and he appears to repent.
Phillip then goes south and meets an Ethiopian going home from worshiping in Jerusalem, reading Isaiah 53. He preaches Jesus and the eunuch is baptized.
Application: the Spirit converts many who would not normally be included, but a persecution from the Jews was required to get the apostles out to them. Hm.
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