A surprising summary

After the murder of Stephen, the persecution of the church by Saul of Tarsus, the conversion of the Ethopian eunuch, the conversion of Saul, and his beginning to preach Jesus as the Christ, Luke gives us a surprising summary:  "So the church, throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase."  Acts 9.31