Acts 8
1 And Saul gave approval to his death. Now at that time a violent attack was started against the church in Jerusalem; and all but the Apostles went away into all parts of Judaea 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 And God-fearing men put Stephen's body in its last resting-place, making great weeping over him.
(Some faithful followers of God buried Stephen, with great mourning.)
3 But Saul was burning with hate against the church, going into every house and taking men and women and putting them in prison.
But Saul set about destroying the church, going from house to house, dragging both men and women off to prison.
4 But those who had gone in flight went everywhere preaching the word.
Those who had been scattered spread the word wherever they went.
5 And Philip went down to Samaria and was teaching them about Christ.
Philip went to the town of Samaria, and told them about the Messiah.
6 And all the people gave attention to the words which Philip said, when they saw the signs which he did.
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 For unclean spirits came out from those who had them, crying with a loud voice; and a number of those who were ill and broken in body were made well.
Many were freed from possession by evil spirits that screamed as they came out, and many who were lame or disabled were healed.
8 And there was much joy in that town.
The people who lived in the city were overjoyed.
9 But there was a certain man named Simon, who in the past had been a wonder-worker and a cause of surprise to the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was a great man:
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 To whom they all gave attention, from the smallest to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is named Great.
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 And they gave attention to him, because for a long time his wonder-working powers had kept them under his control.
They were impressed by him because he had amazed them with his magic for so long.
12 But when they had faith in the good news given by Philip about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, a number of men and women had baptism.
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 And Simon himself had faith and, having had baptism, he went with Philip and, seeing the signs and the great wonders which he did, he was full of surprise.
Simon too believed and was baptized. He accompanied Philip, amazed at the miraculous signs and wonders he saw.
14 Now when the Apostles at Jerusalem had news that the people of Samaria had taken the word of God into their hearts, they sent to them Peter and John;
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 Who, when they came there, made prayer for them, that the Holy Spirit might be given to them:
When they arrived they prayed for the converts in Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit.
16 For up to that time he had not come on any of them; only baptism had been given to them in 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 they put their hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came on them.
The apostles placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the touch of the Apostles' hands, he made them an offering of money, saying,
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, so that when I put my hands on anyone he may get 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 said, May your money come to destruction with you, because you had the idea that what is freely given by God may be got for a price.
“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 in this business, 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 Let your heart be changed, and make prayer to God that you may have forgiveness for your evil thoughts.
Repent of your evil ways! Pray to the Lord and ask forgiveness for thinking like this.
23 For I see that you are prisoned in bitter envy and the chains of sin.
I can see that you are full of bitter envy, and chained down by your sin.”
24 And Simon, answering, said, Make prayer for me to the Lord, so that these things which you have said may not come on me.
“Please pray for me, that nothing you've said may happen to me!” Simon replied.
25 So they, having given their witness and made clear the word of the Lord, went back to Jerusalem, giving the good news on their way in a number of the small towns of Samaria.
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 But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, Get up, and go to the south, to the road which goes from Jerusalem to Gaza, through the waste land.
An angel of the Lord told Philip, “Get ready and go south to the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27 And he went and there was a man of Ethiopia, a servant of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, and controller of all her property, who had come up to Jerusalem for 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 He was going back, seated in his carriage, and was reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.
was returning from his trip, sitting in his chariot. He was reading out loud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, Go near, and get on his carriage.
The Spirit told Philip, “Go over close to the chariot.”
30 And Philip, running up to him, saw that he was reading Isaiah the prophet, and said to him, Is the sense of what you are reading clear to you?
So Philip ran over, and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you're reading?” Philip asked him.
31 And he said, How is that possible when I have no guide? And he made Philip get up by his side.
“How can I, unless someone explains it?” the man replied. He invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
32 Now the place in the book where he was reading was this: He was taken, like a sheep, to be put to death; and as a lamb is quiet when its wool is being cut, so he made no sound:
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 Being of low degree, his cause was not given a hearing: who has knowledge of his family? for his life is cut off from the earth.
He was humiliated and denied justice. No one can speak of his descendants, for his life came to an end.”
34 And the Ethiopian said to Philip, About whom are these words said by the prophet? about himself, or some other?
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is it himself, or someone else?”
35 So Philip, starting from this writing, gave him the good news about Jesus.
Philip started explaining, beginning from this Scripture, telling him about Jesus.
36 And while they were going on their way, they came to some water, and the Ethiopian said, See, here is water; why may I not have baptism?
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 for the carriage to be stopped, and the two of them went down into the water, and Philip gave him baptism.
He ordered that the chariot be stopped. Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; and the Ethiopian saw him no more, for he went on his way full of joy.
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 came to Azotus, and went through all the towns, preaching the good news, till he came to Caesarea.
He spread the good news in all the towns along the way until he arrived at Caesarea.
