< Acts 8 >
1 With these words he fell asleep. And Saul fully approved of his murder. On this very day there broke out a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostle were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2 Devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentations over him.
3 But Saul was laying waste the church. He was wont to enter into every house, and to drag off men and women, and to commit them to prison.
4 So those who were scattered abroad were going everywhere preaching the word.
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and began to preach Christ there.
6 The crowd with one accord were giving heed to what he said, when they heard and saw the signs that he did.
7 For with a loud cry unclean spirits would come out of many possessed by them, and many that were palsied and lame were healed.
8 There began to be great joy in that city.
9 Now for some time a man named Simon had been practising sorcery in that city, and had amazed the people of Samaria. He gave himself out to be some great person.
10 Many from all classes would give heed to him, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the Great Power."
11 They were giving heed to him because, for a long time, he had amazed them with his sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philip, who was preaching glad tidings about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.
13 And Simon himself also believed, and after his baptism he remained with Philip, and was full of amazement as he beheld the signs and striking miracles which were performed.
14 The apostle at Jerusalem, when they heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, sent to them Peter and John.
15 Who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 For he had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then the apostles laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 But when Simon perceived that, by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, the Spirit was given, he offered them money saying,
19 "Give me, too, this power, so that on whomever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit."
20 But Peter said to him. "Your money perish with you, because you have supposed that with money you can obtain God’s free gift!"
21 "You have no part or lot in this matter." Your heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent then of this your wickedness, and beseech the Lord to forgive you this purpose of your heart.
23 "For I perceive that you still stand in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of unrighteousness."
24 And Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, both of you, that nothing which you have said may happen to me."
25 So the apostles, after bearing solemn witness, and declaring the message of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, evangelizing many Samaritan villages as they went.
26 And an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go on your way south, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert way."
27 So he arose and went. And behold an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, who was a high official (a chief treasurer) of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia, who had come to Jerusalem to worship
28 Was now on his way home, and was reading the Prophet Isaiah as he sat in his chariot.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join that chariot."
30 So Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the Prophet, and said to him. "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 The eunuch answered, "Why, how can I unless someone shall show me the way?" And he begged Philip to get up and sit with him.
32 Now the portion of Scripture which he was reading was as follows. He was led a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, So he opened not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will declare his posterity? For his life is cut off from the earth.
34 "Pray," asked the eunuch of Philip, "of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of some one else?"
35 Then Philip opened his lips, and beginning from that same scripture, he preached the gospel of Jesus to him.
36 And as they were going on their way they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said. "See, here is water! What hinders my being baptized?"
37 And Philip said, "If you believe with your whole heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39 And when they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing.
40 Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town, he kept preaching the good news in all the cities until he reached Caesarea.
