Acts 8
1 And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
Saul approved of his killing. On that very day terrible persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except for the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2 God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
(Some faithful followers of God buried Stephen, with great mourning.)
3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
But Saul set about destroying the church, going from house to house, dragging both men and women off to prison.
4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
Those who had been scattered spread the word wherever they went.
5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
Philip went to the town of Samaria, and told them about the Messiah.
6 The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform.
When the crowds heard what Philip was saying and saw the miracles he did they all paid attention to what he was telling them.
7 With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed.
Many were freed from possession by evil spirits that screamed as they came out, and many who were lame or disabled were healed.
8 So there was great joy in that city.
The people who lived in the city were overjoyed.
9 Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great,
Now there was a man named Simon who lived in the city. He practiced sorcery. He claimed that he was someone very important, and had astounded the people of Samaria
10 and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.”
so they all paid attention to him. From the lowest to the highest in society they said, “This man is ‘God the Great Power.’”
11 They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.
They were impressed by him because he had amazed them with his magic for so long.
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
But when they believed in what Philip told them about the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.
Simon too believed and was baptized. He accompanied Philip, amazed at the miraculous signs and wonders he saw.
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
When the apostles back in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to visit them.
15 On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
When they arrived they prayed for the converts in Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit.
16 For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
The Holy Spirit hadn't come to any of these converts yet—they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
The apostles placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the apostles placed their hands on people, he offered them money.
19 “Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
“Give me this power, too,” he asked them, “so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
“May your money be destroyed together with you for thinking God's gift is something that can be bought!” Peter replied.
21 You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
“You're not part of any of this. None of this work belongs to you, because in God's eyes your attitude is totally wrong.
22 Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart.
Repent of your evil ways! Pray to the Lord and ask forgiveness for thinking like this.
23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.”
I can see that you are full of bitter envy, and chained down by your sin.”
24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
“Please pray for me, that nothing you've said may happen to me!” Simon replied.
25 And after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages.
After they had given their testimony and shared the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, sharing the good news in many Samaritan villages along the way.
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
An angel of the Lord told Philip, “Get ready and go south to the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
So Philip set out, and met an Ethiopian man, a eunuch who had a high position in the service of the Kandake, Queen of Ethiopia. He was her chief treasurer. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship there, and
28 and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet.
was returning from his trip, sitting in his chariot. He was reading out loud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”
The Spirit told Philip, “Go over close to the chariot.”
30 So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
So Philip ran over, and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you're reading?” Philip asked him.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
“How can I, unless someone explains it?” the man replied. He invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
32 The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
The Scripture passage he was reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to be slaughtered. Like a lamb is silent in front of his shearer, he didn't say a word.
33 In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”
He was humiliated and denied justice. No one can speak of his descendants, for his life came to an end.”
34 “Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is it himself, or someone else?”
35 Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
Philip started explaining, beginning from this Scripture, telling him about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?”
As they continued on, they came to a stretch of water. The eunuch said, “Look, there's water here—why shouldn't I be baptized?”
38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
He ordered that the chariot be stopped. Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
When they came out of the water the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again, but he continued on his way full of joy. Philip found himself at Azotus.
40 But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
He spread the good news in all the towns along the way until he arrived at Caesarea.
