< Acts 8 >
1 Shaul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the church which was in Urishlim in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Yehuda and Samaria, except for the apostles.
2 Devout men buried Astapanos, and lamented greatly over him.
3 But Shaul ravaged the church, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison.
4 Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around proclaiming the word.
5 And Philipus went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Meshikha.
6 The crowds listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philipus, when they heard and saw the signs which he did.
7 For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 There was great joy in that city.
9 But there was a certain man, Shimon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,
10 to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that power of God which is called Great."
11 They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philipus as he preached good news concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Yeshua Meshikha, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Shimon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philipus. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
14 Now when the apostles who were at Urishlim heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Kipha and Yukhanan to them,
15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Rukha d'Qudsha;
16 for he had not yet fallen upon any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Yeshua.
17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Rukha d'Qudsha.
18 Now when Shimon saw that the Rukha was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
19 saying, "Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Rukha d'Qudsha."
20 But Kipha said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money.
21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask the Lord if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."
24 Shimon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me."
25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Urishlim, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philipus, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Urishlim to Gahza. This is a desert."
27 And he arose and went. And look, there was a man from Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Kandake, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge over all her treasure. He had come to Urishlim to worship,
28 and he was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Eshaya.
29 And the Rukha said to Philip, "Go and join up with that chariot."
30 And running near, Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 He said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philipus to come up and sit with him.
32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation his justice was taken away. Who will declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth."
34 The eunuch answered Philipus, "Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?"
35 Philipus opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Yeshua.
36 And as they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?"
37 And he said to him, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Yeshua Meshikha is the Son of God."
38 He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philipus and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Rukha of the Lord caught Philipus away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philipus was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Qesarya.
