Acts 8
1 And at that time there was a great persecution against the church that was in Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed 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 But devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
Some religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.
3 But Saul attempted to destroy the church; entering every house, and dragging men and women, he delivered them up 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 Then they that were dispersed went everywhere preaching the word.
Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the Good News.
5 And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached the Christ to them.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.
6 And the multitudes with one mind gave heed to the things which were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which 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 unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many paralytics and lame persons were cured.
For there were many instances of people with foul spirits, where the spirits, with loud screams, came out of them;
8 And there was 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 there was a certain man, named Simon, who had, before this time, been practicing magic in the city, and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying that he was some great one;
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 all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, 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 gave heed to him because he had, for a long time, astonished them with his magic arts.
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, who preached the good news concerning 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 he was immersed, he continued with Philip; and, seeing the mighty deeds and the signs which were done, 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, who were in Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John;
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 had gone down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
and they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 For he had not yet fallen on any of them; only they had been immersed into the name of the Lord 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 their 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 And when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money,
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 authority, that whoever I shall lay my hands on, 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: Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God might be purchased with money.
“A curse upon you and upon your money,” Peter exclaimed, “for thinking that God’s free gift can be bought with gold!
21 You have neither part nor share in this matter; for your heart is not right 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, of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the purpose of your heart may be forgiven you.
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 you are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
for I see that you have fallen into the ‘bitterness of envy’ and the ‘fetters of sin.’”
24 But Simon answered and said: Pray you both to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken 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 Then, when they had given their testimony, and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel 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 angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying: Arise, and go toward the south, to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza; this is desert.
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 he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasure, and 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 was returning, and, sitting in his chariot, read 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 forward and join yourself to this chariot.
The Spirit said to Philip: “Go up to the carriage yonder and keep close to it.”
30 And Philip ran forward, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah; and he said: Do you understand what you are reading?
So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the Prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you are reading?” he asked.
31 He answered: How can I, unless some one instruct me? And he invited Philip to come up and 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 The passage of the scripture which he was reading, was this: As a sheep for the slaughter was he led; and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so opened he 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 humiliation. The sentence against him was taken away; but who shall describe the men of his generation? For 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 the eunuch answered Philip, and said: I pray you, of whom speaks the prophet this? Of himself, or of 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 opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached to him Jesus.
Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the Good News about Jesus.
36 And as they went along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said: See, here is water; what hinders me from being 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?”
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, the 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, he preached the gospel in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea
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.
