Acts 8
1 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.
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.
2 (Some faithful followers of God buried Stephen, with great mourning.)
(Devout men had buried Stephen and made a great lamentation over him.)
3 But Saul set about destroying the church, going from house to house, dragging both men and women off to prison.
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.
4 Those who had been scattered spread the word wherever they went.
So on their part those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the Word.
5 Philip went to the town of Samaria, and told them about the Messiah.
Now Philip, having gone down to a city of Samaria, was proclaiming the Christ to them;
6 When the crowds heard what Philip was saying and saw the miracles he did they all paid attention to what he was telling them.
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.
7 Many were freed from possession by evil spirits that screamed as they came out, and many who were lame or disabled were healed.
Because unclean spirits came out screaming from many who had them, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 The people who lived in the city were overjoyed.
Yes, there was great joy in that city!
9 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
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,
10 so they all paid attention to him. From the lowest to the highest in society they said, “This man is ‘God the Great Power.’”
to whom they used to pay attention, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”
11 They were impressed by him because he had amazed them with his magic for so long.
They listened to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.
12 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.
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.
13 Simon too believed and was baptized. He accompanied Philip, amazed at the miraculous signs and wonders he saw.
Even Simon himself believed, and having been baptized he stayed right with Philip; observing miracles and signs occurring, he was amazed.
14 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.
Now when the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
15 When they arrived they prayed for the converts in Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit.
who upon coming down prayed about them, so that they might receive Holy Spirit,
16 The Holy Spirit hadn't come to any of these converts yet—they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
because He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized into the name of Jesus, the Christ.
17 The apostles placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Then they laid their hands upon them and they received Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the apostles placed their hands on people, he offered them money.
Well, upon observing that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the Apostles' hands, Simon offered them money
19 “Give me this power, too,” he asked them, “so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
saying, “Give this power to me also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive Holy Spirit.”
20 “May your money be destroyed together with you for thinking God's gift is something that can be bought!” Peter replied.
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!
21 “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.
You have neither part nor portion in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent of your evil ways! Pray to the Lord and ask forgiveness for thinking like this.
Turn away therefore from this your wickedness and make petition to God, in case the intent of your heart may be forgiven you;
23 I can see that you are full of bitter envy, and chained down by your sin.”
for I see you being into a gall of bitterness and a fetter of unrighteousness.”
24 “Please pray for me, that nothing you've said may happen to me!” Simon replied.
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!”
25 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.
So when they had both thoroughly testified and spoken the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem; they also evangelized many Samaritan villages.
26 An angel of the Lord told Philip, “Get ready and go south to the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
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.”
27 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
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
28 was returning from his trip, sitting in his chariot. He was reading out loud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
—he was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go over close to the chariot.”
And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go forward and join this chariot.”
30 So Philip ran over, and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you're reading?” Philip asked him.
So running up Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you really understand what you are reading?”
31 “How can I, unless someone explains it?” the man replied. He invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
So he said, “Well how can I, unless someone guides me?” And he urged Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 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.
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.
33 He was humiliated and denied justice. No one can speak of his descendants, for his life came to an end.”
In His humiliation His justice was removed, and who will recount His generation? Because His life is removed from the earth.”
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is it himself, or someone else?”
So continuing the eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
35 Philip started explaining, beginning from this Scripture, telling him about Jesus.
So opening his mouth and beginning from this Scripture, Philip preached Jesus to him.
36 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?”
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?”
38 He ordered that the chariot be stopped. Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
So he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
39 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.
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.
40 He spread the good news in all the towns along the way until he arrived at Caesarea.
Philip was found at Azotus, and as he passed through he evangelized all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
