Acts 8
1 At that time a major persecution arose against the church that was in Jerusalem, so all, except the Apostles, were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
And Saul approved of his execution. On that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
2 (Devout men had buried Stephen and made a great lamentation over him.)
Devout men carried Stephen away for burial and made great lamentation over him.
3 As for Saul, he was trying to destroy the Church; invading house after house and dragging away both men and women, he was putting them in prison.
But Saul was ravaging the church. Entering house after house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
4 So on their part those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the Word.
Now those who had been scattered went around preaching the message of good news.
5 Now Philip, having gone down to a city of Samaria, was proclaiming the Christ to them;
Philip went down to a city of Samaria and began proclaiming to them the Christ.
6 and the crowds gave heed with one accord to what Philip was saying, as they heard the words and saw the signs that he kept performing.
With one accord the crowds paid close attention to what Philip said as they listened to him and saw the signs he was performing.
7 Because unclean spirits came out screaming from many who had them, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
For unclean spirits came out of many who had them, crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
8 Yes, there was great joy in that city!
And there was great joy in that city.
9 Now a certain man named Simon was in the city first, practicing sorcery and astounding the people of Samaria, affirming himself to be someone great,
Now a man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, declaring himself to be someone great.
10 to whom they used to pay attention, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”
From the least to the greatest, they paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”
11 They listened to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.
They all paid close attention to him because he had amazed them with his magical arts for a long time.
12 But, when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news concerning the Kingdom of God and the name, Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
But when they believed Philip as he preached 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 having been baptized he stayed right with Philip; observing miracles and signs occurring, he was amazed.
Even Simon himself believed. After he was baptized, he kept close company with Philip and was amazed as he saw miracles and signs taking place.
14 Now when the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John.
15 who upon coming down prayed about them, so that they might receive Holy Spirit,
These two went down and prayed for the Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Spirit,
16 because He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized into the name of Jesus, the Christ.
for the Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus.
17 Then they laid their hands upon them and they received Holy Spirit.
Then Peter and John laid their hands on the Samaritan believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Well, upon observing that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the Apostles' hands, Simon offered them money
When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
19 saying, “Give this power to me also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive Holy Spirit.”
saying, “Give this power to me as well, so that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him: “May your silver go with you into perdition, for thinking that the gift of God could be acquired with money!
But Peter said to him, “May yoʋr silver be destroyed with yoʋ, because yoʋ thought yoʋ could acquire the gift of God with money!
21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.
Yoʋ have no share or portion in this matter, for yoʋr heart is not right before God.
22 Turn away therefore from this your wickedness and make petition to God, in case the intent of your heart may be forgiven you;
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yoʋrs, and plead with God in the hope that the intention of yoʋr heart might be forgiven yoʋ.
23 for I see you being into a gall of bitterness and a fetter of unrighteousness.”
For I see that yoʋ are bitterly envious and in bondage to unrighteousness.”
24 So in answer Simon said, “You make petition to the Lord on my behalf, so that nothing of what you have spoken may come upon me!”
In response Simon said, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said will happen to me.”
25 So when they had both thoroughly testified and spoken the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem; they also evangelized many Samaritan villages.
After Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the good news in many villages of the Samaritans as they went.
26 Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza; it is desolate.”
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south, to the road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)
27 So he got up and went; and there, a man, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court-official of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury, who had come worshiping to Jerusalem
So he rose and went. And behold, there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. This man had come to Jerusalem to worship
28 —he was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah.
and was sitting in his chariot on his way back home, reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go forward and join this chariot.”
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join that chariot.”
30 So running up Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you really understand what you are reading?”
So Philip ran up to it and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah. He said, “Do yoʋ understand what yoʋ are reading?”
31 So he said, “Well how can I, unless someone guides me?” And he urged Philip to come up and sit with him.
The man said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 Now the portion of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He does not open His mouth.
This is the passage of Scripture that he was reading: “Like a sheep he was led to slaughter, and like a lamb is silent before its shearer, so he did not open his mouth.
33 In His humiliation His justice was removed, and who will recount His generation? Because His life is removed from the earth.”
In his humiliation he was denied justice. Who will tell of his posterity? For his life was taken from the earth.”
34 So continuing the eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask yoʋ, who does the prophet say this about? About himself, or about someone else?”
35 So opening his mouth and beginning from this Scripture, Philip preached Jesus to him.
Then Philip opened his mouth to speak, and beginning from this Scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus.
36 Now as they were going down the road they came upon some water, and the eunuch said: “Look, water! What is keeping me from being baptized?”
As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
So he ordered the chariot to stop, and the two of them went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and Philip baptized him.
39 Now when they came up out of the water, Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, because he went on his way rejoicing.
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
40 Philip was found at Azotus, and as he passed through he evangelized all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Philip, however, found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through that region, he preached the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
