Note 2 at Ac 8:3: Saul's actions show a total rejection of Jesus and His followers, but that does not mean he was not under conviction. On the contrary, the Lord said to him in Ac 9:5 that it was hard for him to resist the conviction ("kick against the pricks"). The Holy Ghost was already dealing with Saul.

The conviction of the Holy Ghost upon people's lives will always produce a reaction but not necessarily a positive one. Many times, those who protest the loudest are the ones who were convicted the most (see note 6 at Ac 5:28). Don't be discouraged by a negative response to the Gospel. That is a sure sign that people got the message.