Acts 8:2

“And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, etc.] These men were not Jewish proselytes, but members of the Christian church; who were eminent for their religion and piety, and who had courage enough, amidst this persecution, to show a respect to the dead body of this holy martyr; which they took from under the stones, washed it, and wound it up in linen clothes, and put it into a coffin, or on a bier: they did everything preparatory to the funeral, which, is chiefly designed by the word here used, rather than the carrying of him out to his grave; though this also they did, and buried him: and to bear a corpse and follow it to the grave, and bury it, were with the Jews f382 reckoned among…”

“and devout men--pious Jews, probably, impressed with admiration for Stephen and secretly inclined to Christianity, but not yet openly declared.”

“And devout men - Religious men. The word used here does not imply of necessity that they were Christians. There might have been Jews who did not approve of the popular tumult, and the murder of Stephen, who gave him a decent burial. Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, both Jews, thus gave to the Lord Jesus a decent burial, John 19:38-39. Carried Stephen - The word translated “carried” means properly to “collect,” as fruits, etc. Then it is applied to all the preparations necessary for fitting a dead body for burial, as “collecting,” or confining it by bandages, with spices, etc. And made great lamentation - This was usual among the Jews at a funeral. See the notes on Matthew 9:23. return to…”

“Devout men - Who feared God more than persecution. And yet were they not of little faith? Else they would not have made so great lamentation. Acts 8:3”

“devout: Act 2:5, Act 10:2; Luk 2:25 made: Gen 23:2, Gen 50:10, Gen 50:11; Num 20:29; Deu 34:8; Sa1 28:3; Sa2 3:31; Ch2 32:33; Ch2 35:25; Isa 57:1, Isa 57:2; Jer 22:10, Jer 22:18; Joh 11:31-35 Acts 8:3”