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.
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 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
Devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentations over him.
3 But Saul ravaged the church, entering house after house, and dragging both men and women, committed them to prison.
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 Now those that had been scattered abroad went through the country preaching the word.
So those who were scattered abroad were going everywhere preaching the word.
5 And Philip went down to a city of Samaria, and preached to them the Christ.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and began to preach Christ there.
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 crowd with one accord were giving heed to what he said, when they heard and saw the signs that he did.
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.
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 And there was great joy in that city.
There began to be 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 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 to whom they gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the Power of God, which is called Great.
Many from all classes would give heed to him, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the Great Power."
11 And to him they gave heed, because they had for a long time been amazed by his sorceries.
They were giving heed to him because, for a long time, he had amazed them with his sorceries.
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, 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 having been baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed when he beheld the miracles and signs which were wrought.
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 And the apostles at Jerusalem, hearing that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John;
The apostle at Jerusalem, when they heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, sent to them Peter and John.
15 who, having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
Who came down and prayed for them, that they might 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 he had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Then the apostles laid their hands upon 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,
But when Simon perceived that, by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, the Spirit was given, he offered them money saying,
19 saying, Give me also this power, that on whomever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
"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, Thy money perish with thee! because thou didst think to obtain the gift of God with money.
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 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 lot in this matter." Your heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if haply the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.
Repent then of this your wickedness, and beseech the Lord to forgive you this purpose of your heart.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
"For I perceive that you still stand in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage 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.
And Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, both of you, that nothing which 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.
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 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.
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 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 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 returning and sitting in his chariot; and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
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 near and join thyself to this chariot.
And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join that 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 Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the Prophet, and said to him. "Do you 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.
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 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 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 judgment was refused him; and who shall describe his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth.”
In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will declare his posterity? For his life is cut off 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?
"Pray," asked the eunuch of Philip, "of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of some one else?"
35 And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture declared to him the glad tidings concerning Jesus.
Then Philip opened his lips, and beginning from that same scripture, he preached the gospel of 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?
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?"
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 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 ordered the chariot to stop; and both of them, 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.
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 But Philip was found at Azotus; and passing through, he published the glad tidings in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town, he kept preaching the good news in all the cities until he reached Caesarea.
