Acts 8

1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.2 And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.3 But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men and women committed them to prison.4 They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word.5 And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ.6 And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did.7 For from many of those that had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice: and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were healed.8 And there was much joy in that city.9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great.11 And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.12 But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.13 And Simon also himself believed: and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great miracles wrought, he was amazed.14 Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:15 who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit:16 for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.18 Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,19 saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.20 But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God.22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee.23 For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.24 And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me.25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.26 But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert.27 And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship;28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.29 And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.30 And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?31 And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him.32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth:

33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth.

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other?35 And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached unto him Jesus.36 And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

Acts 8

Stephen is Killed

1 And Saul agreed completely with killingt him.
Now on that day a greatt persecution begant against the church in Jerusalem,s and alls except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regionst of Judea and Samaria.

Saul Begins to Persecute the Church

2 Somet devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentations over him.t

3 But Saul was trying to destroyt the church; entering one house after another, he dragged offt both men and women and put them in prison.t

Philip Preaches in Samaria

4 Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word.5 Philip went down to the main city of Samariats and began proclaimingt the Christts to them.6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said,t as they heard and saw the miraculous signst he was performing.7 For unclean spirits,s crying with loud shrieks, were coming out of many who were possessed,t and many paralyzed and lame people were healed.

8 So there wast great joys in that city.
9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magict and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.10 All the people,t from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’”t11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic.12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of Gods and the name of Jesus Christ,t they began to be baptized,t both men and women.

13 Even Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized, he stayed close tot Philip constantly, and when he saw the signs and great miracles that were occurring, he was amazed.s
14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalems heard that Samaria had accepted the wordt of God, they sents Peter and John to them.15 These twot went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit.16 (For the Spiritt had not yet come upont any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)s

17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans,t and they received the Holy Spirit.s
18 Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirits was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money,19 saying, “Give me this powert too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you,t because you thought you could acquiret God’s gift with money!21 You have no share or partt in this mattert because your heart is not right before God!22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lordt that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart.t23 For I see that you are bitterly envioust and in bondage to sin.”

24 But Simon replied,ts “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen tot me.”

25 So after Peter and Johnt had solemnly testifiedt and spoken the word of the Lord,s they started back to Jerusalem, proclaimingt the good news to many Samaritan villagess as they went.tt

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

26 Then an angel of the Lordt said to Philip,t “Get up and go southt on the road that goes down from Jerusalems to Gaza.” (This is a desertt road.)ts27 Sot he got upt and went. Theret he mett an Ethiopian eunuch,s a court official of Candace,ts queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. Het had come to Jerusalem to worship,s28 and was returning home, sittingt in his chariot, readingts the prophet Isaiah.29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”30 So Philip ran upt to itt and heard the mant reading Isaiah the prophet. Het asked him,t “Do you understand what you’re reading?”31 The mant replied, “How in the world can I,t unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 Now the passage of scripture the mant was reading was this:
“He was led like a sheep to slaughter,
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he didtnot open his mouth.

33 In humiliationsjustice was taken from him.t
Who can describe his posterity?ts
For his life was taken awaytfrom the earth.”s
34 Then the eunuch saidt to Philip, “Please tell me,t who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?”s35 So Philip started speaking,t and beginning with this scriptures proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him.36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop met from being baptized?”ss38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water,t and Philip baptizeds him.39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, butt went on his way rejoicing.s

40 Philip, however, found himselft at Azotus,s and as he passed through the area,t he proclaimed the good newst to all the townst until he came to Caesarea.ss