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.
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 But Saul ravaged the church, entering house after house, and dragging both 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 Now those that had been scattered abroad went through the country preaching the word.
So on their part those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the Word.
5 And Philip went down to a city of Samaria, and preached to them the Christ.
Now Philip, having gone down to a city of Samaria, was proclaiming 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.
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 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.
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 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;
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 gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the Power of God, which is called Great.
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 gave heed, because they had for a long time been amazed by his sorceries.
They listened to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.
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 proclaimed the good news concerning the Kingdom of God and the name, 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 having been baptized he stayed right with Philip; observing miracles and signs occurring, he was amazed.
14 And the apostles at Jerusalem, hearing that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to 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, having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
who upon coming down prayed about them, so that they might receive 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.
because He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized into the name of Jesus, the Christ.
17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Then they laid their hands upon them and they received Holy Spirit.
18 But Simon, seeing that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, 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 whomever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
saying, “Give this power to me also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive 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 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 the Lord, if haply the thought of thy 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 And Simon answering said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of the things which ye have spoken may 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 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.
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 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.
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 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 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; and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
—he was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Spirit said to 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 up, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Well, but dost thou understand what thou art reading?
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, unless some one shall guide me? And he invited Philip to 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 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.
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 judgment was refused him; and who shall describe his generation? for his life is taken away 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 answering said, I pray thee, of whom doth the prophet say 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 And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture declared to him the glad tidings concerning Jesus.
So opening his mouth and beginning from this Scripture, Philip preached Jesus to him.
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?
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?”
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.
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 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.
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 published the glad tidings in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
Philip was found at Azotus, and as he passed through he evangelized all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
