< Acts 8 >
1 And Saul was well pleased with his slaughter. And at that time there was a great persecution against the congregation in Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed through the regions of Judea, and Samaria, except the Apostles.
2 And devout men carried away Stephen, and made great lamentation for him.
3 But Saul made havoc of the congregation, entering into houses, and dragging men and whom, whom he committed to prison.
4 Nevertheless, they who were dispersed, went about declaring the glad tidings of the word.
5 Then came Philip to the city of Samaria, and announced the Messiah to them.
6 And the people unanimously attended to the things that were spoken by Philip; as they heard them, and saw the miracles which he performed.
7 For, unclean spirits, which had possessed many, crying with a loud voice, came out of them; and many, who were paralytic and lame, were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
9 But there was a certain man named Simon, who had, before, in that city, used magic, and astonished the nation of Samaria; pretending himself to be some extraordinary person:
10 to whom they all paid regard, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
11 And they paid regard to him; because he had, for a long time, astonished them wit his enchantments.
12 But when they gave credit to Philip, declaring the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ: they were immersed, both men and women.
13 And Simon himself also believed; and being immersed, he kept near to Philip, beholding with amazement, the great and powerful miracles which were done.
14 Now when the Apostles, who were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John;
15 who, going down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 (For he was not yet fallen on any of them; only, they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given by the imposition of the Apostles' hands, he offered them money,
19 saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
20 But Peter said to him, Let your money go with you to destruction, since you have thought that the free gift of God might be purchased with money.
21 You have no part nor lot in this matter; for your heart is not upright in the sight of God.
22 Reform, therefore, from this your wickedness; and beg of God, if, indeed, the thought of your heart may be forgiven you;
23 for I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and bond of iniquity.
24 And Simon answered, and said, Make your supplications to the Lord on my behalf; that none of these things which you have spoken, may come upon me.
25 Now when they had borne their testimony, and had spoke the word of the Lord, they turned back for Jerusalem; and declared the glad tidings in many villages of the Samaritans.
26 And a messenger of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south, by the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose, and took his journey; and, behold, a certain Ethiopian officer, a grandee of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, that was over all her treasure, who had come to worship at Jerusalem,
28 was returning, and sat in his chariot, reading the Prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, Approach, and join yourself to this chariot.
30 And Philip, running up, heard him read in the Prophet Isaiah, and said, Do you understand what you are reading?
31 And he said, How can I, unless some one should guide me? And he requested Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32 Now the passage of scripture which he was reading, was this, "He was brought to the slaughter, as a sheep; and as a lamb before its shearer, is dumb; so he opened not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation his condemnation was extorted; and who shall describe his generation? for his life is cut off from the earth."
34 The officer answering Philip, said, I beseech you, of whom does the prophet say this? --of himself, or of some other person?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from the scripture, told him the glad tidings concerning Jesus.
36 And as they went along the way, they came to a certain water, and the officer said, Behold, water; what hinders my being immersed?
37
38 And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the officer; and he immersed him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly conveyed away Philip, and the officer saw him no more: so he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus; and going on thence, he proclaimed the glad tidings in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea.
