Acts 8
1 And Saul was consenting to his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and all were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
3 But Saul ravaged the church, entering house after house, and dragging both men and women, committed them to prison.
But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
4 Now those that had been scattered abroad went through the country preaching the word.
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
5 And Philip went down to a city of Samaria, and preached to them the Christ.
Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
6 And the multitudes with one accord gave heed to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he wrought.
The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform.
7 For from many that had unclean spirits came they out crying with a loud voice; and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were cured.
With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
So there was great joy in that city.
9 But before their arrival a certain man, named Simon, was in the city, a man practising sorcery, and amazing the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was some great person;
Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great,
10 to whom they gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the Power of God, which is called Great.
and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.”
11 And to him they gave heed, because they had for a long time been amazed by his sorceries.
They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.
12 But when they believed Philip, publishing the glad tidings 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 preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 And Simon himself also believed, and having been baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed when he beheld the miracles and signs which were wrought.
Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.
14 And the apostles at Jerusalem, hearing that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John;
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
15 who, having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
16 For it had not yet fallen upon any of them; but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 But Simon, seeing that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money,
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
19 saying, Give me also this power, that on whomever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
“Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, Thy money perish with thee! because thou didst think to obtain the gift of God with money.
But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God 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 no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if haply the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.
Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.”
24 And Simon answering said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of the things which ye have spoken may come upon me.
Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
25 They then, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, were returning to Jerusalem, and publishing the glad tidings in many villages of the Samaritans.
And after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages.
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go towards the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert way.
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27 And he arose and went; and lo! a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a high officer of Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,
So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
28 was returning and sitting in his chariot; and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot.
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”
30 And Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Well, but dost thou understand what thou art reading?
So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 And he said, How can I, unless some one shall guide me? And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 And the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he openeth not his mouth.
The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
33 In his humiliation judgment was refused him; and who shall describe his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth.”
In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”
34 And the eunuch answering said, I pray thee, of whom doth the prophet say this? Of himself, or of some other man?
“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35 And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture declared to him the glad tidings concerning Jesus.
Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 And as they went along the road, they came to a certain water; and the eunuch saith, See, here is water; what is there to hinder my being baptized?
As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?”
38 And he commanded that the chariot should stop; and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39 But when they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus; and passing through, he published the glad tidings in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
