{And the disciples} (hoi te or hoi de math(8874)ai). The
Gentile Christians in Antioch in Pisidia. Persecution had
precisely the opposite effect to the intention of the Jews for
they "were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit" (epl(8872)ounto
charas kai pneumatos hagiou). Imperfect passive, they kept on
being filled. It had been so before ( Ac 4:31  8:4  9:31  12:24 ). The blood of the martyrs is still the seed of the
church.