Acts 8
1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles.
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 And devout men carried Stephen [to his burial], and made great lamentation over him.
(Devout men had buried Stephen and made a great lamentation over him.)
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed [them] 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 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
So on their part those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the Word.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
Now Philip, having gone down to a city of Samaria, was proclaiming the Christ to them;
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
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 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed [with them]: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
Because unclean spirits came out screaming from many who had them, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
Yes, there was great joy in that city!
9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
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 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
to whom they used to pay attention, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
They listened to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning 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 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Even Simon himself believed, and having been baptized he stayed right with Philip; observing miracles and signs occurring, he was amazed.
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Now when the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
who upon coming down prayed about them, so that they might receive Holy Spirit,
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were 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 Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
Then they laid their hands upon them and they received Holy Spirit.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, 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 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
saying, “Give this power to me also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
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 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
You have neither part nor portion in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Turn away therefore from this your wickedness and make petition to God, in case the intent of your heart may be forgiven you;
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and [in] the bond of iniquity.
for I see you being into a gall of bitterness and a fetter of unrighteousness.”
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
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 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
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 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
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 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
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, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
—he was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go forward and join this chariot.”
30 And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
So running up Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you really understand what you are reading?”
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with 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 place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
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 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
In His humiliation His justice was removed, and who will recount His generation? Because His life is removed from the earth.”
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
So continuing the eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
So opening his mouth and beginning from this Scripture, Philip preached Jesus to him.
36 And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to 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?”
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he 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 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
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 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.
Philip was found at Azotus, and as he passed through he evangelized all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
