Acts 8
1 And Saul was approving the killing of him. And on that day there developed a great persecution against the church at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Saul approved of his being put to death. On that very day a great persecution broke out against the Church which was in Jerusalem; and its members, with the exception of the Apostles, were all scattered over the districts of Judea and Samaria.
2 And devout men arranged to bury Stephen, and they made great lamentation over him.
Some religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.
3 But Saul was ravaging the church, entering from house to house. Dragging both men and women, he gave them over to prison.
But Saul began to devastate the Church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.
4 Indeed therefore those who were scattered abroad passed through proclaiming the good news, the word.
Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the Good News.
5 And Philip, who went down to a city of Samaria, proclaimed the Christ to them.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.
6 And the multitudes unanimously heeded the things that were spoken by Philip during their listening and seeing the signs that he did.
The people, one and all, listened attentively to what Philip told them, when they heard of, and saw, the miracles which he was working.
7 For of many of those who had unclean spirits, they came out, crying in a great voice. And many who were paralyzed, and who were lame, were healed.
For there were many instances of people with foul spirits, where the spirits, with loud screams, came out of them;
8 And there became great joy in that city.
and many who were paralysed or lame were cured, so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.
9 But a certain man in the city, Simon by name, was formerly practicing sorcery, and fascinating the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be some great man,
There was staying in the city a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic there and mystifying the Samaritan people, giving himself out to be some great Being.
10 to whom they gave heed, from small to great, saying, This man is the great power of God.
Every one, high and low, paid attention to him. ‘This man,’ they used to say, ‘must be that Power of God which men call “The Great Power.”’
11 And they heeded him, because he fascinated them for a considerable time with the sorceries.
And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching good news, the things about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were immersed, both men and women.
However, when they came to believe Philip, as he told them the Good News about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 And Simon himself also believed. And after being immersed, he was continuing with Philip. And seeing miracles and signs occurring, he was astonished.
Even Simon believed, and after his baptism attached himself to Philip, and was in his turn mystified at seeing signs and great miracles constantly occurring.
14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria has received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
When the Apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God’s Message, they sent Peter and John to them;
15 who, when they came down, prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
and they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 for it was not yet fallen upon any of them. They were only immersed in the name of the Christ Jesus.
(As yet the Spirit had not descended upon any of them; they had only been baptized into the Faith of the Lord Jesus).
17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he brought money to them,
When Simon saw that it was through the placing of the Apostles’ hands on them that the Spirit was given, he brought them a sum of money and said:
19 saying, Give me also this power, so that on whomever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
“Give me also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands upon any one, he may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, Thy silver with thee, may it be for destruction, because thou thought to obtain the gift of God by money.
“A curse upon you and upon your money,” Peter exclaimed, “for thinking that God’s free gift can be bought with gold!
21 There is no part nor lot for thee in this matter, for thy heart is not straight in the sight of God.
You have no share or part in our Message, for your ‘heart is not right with God.’
22 Repent therefore from this thine evil, and beg God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart will be forgiven thee.
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;
23 For I perceive that thou are in the gall of bitterness and the bond of unrighteousness.
for I see that you have fallen into the ‘bitterness of envy’ and the ‘fetters of sin.’”
24 And having answered, Simon said, Beg ye to the Lord for me, so that none of which things ye have spoken may come upon me.
“Pray to the Lord for me, all of you,” Simon answered, “so that none of the things you have spoken of may befall me.”
25 Indeed therefore, having solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and preached the good news in many villages of the Samaritans.
Peter and John, having borne their testimony and delivered the Lord’s Message, returned to Jerusalem, telling the Good News, as they went, in many Samaritan villages.
26 And an agent of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desolate region.
Meanwhile an angel of the Lord had said to Philip: “Set out on a journey southwards, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (It is now deserted).
27 And after rising, he went. And behold a man, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a high official of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship.
So Philip set out on a journey; and on his way he came upon an official of high rank, in the service of Candace, Queen of the Abyssinians. He was her treasurer, and had been to Jerusalem to worship,
28 And he was returning, and sitting in his chariot, and reading the prophet Isaiah.
and was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the Prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, Go near, and be joined to this chariot.
The Spirit said to Philip: “Go up to the carriage yonder and keep close to it.”
30 And after running near, Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. And he said, Do thou also really understand the things that thou read?
So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the Prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you are reading?” he asked.
31 And he said, For how can I unless some man may guide me? And he encouraged Philip, after coming up, to sit with him.
“How can I,” the other answered, “unless some one will explain it to me?” and he invited Philip to get up and sit by his side.
32 Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and as a lamb, mute before shearing him, thus he opened not his mouth.
The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this — ‘Like a sheep, he was led away to slaughter, And as a lamb is dumb in the hands of its shearer, So he refrains from opening his lips.
33 In his lowly condition his justice was taken away. And who will describe his generation, because his life was taken from the earth?
In his lowly condition justice was denied him. Who will tell the story of his generation? For his life is cut off from earth.’
34 And having answered, the eunuch said to Philip, I ask thee, about whom does the prophet say this, about himself, or about some other man?
“Now,” said the Treasurer, addressing Philip, “tell me, of whom is the Prophet speaking? Of himself, or of some one else?”
35 And Philip having opened his mouth, and having begun from this scripture, he preached the good news to him-the man Jesus.
Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the Good News about Jesus.
36 And as they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch says, Look, water! What prevents me to be immersed?
Presently, as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the Treasurer exclaimed: “Look! here is water; what is to prevent my being baptized?”
37 [This verse in not in the majority of the Greek manuscripts.]
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he immersed him.
So he ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water — both Philip and the Treasurer — and Philip baptized him.
39 And when they came up out of the water, Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
But, when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the Treasurer saw no more of him; for he continued his journey with a joyful heart.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through all the cities he preached the good news until he came to Caesarea.
But Philip was found at Ashdod, and, as he went on his way, he told the Good News in all the towns through which he passed, till he came to Caesarea.
