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.
Saul was in agreement with his death. So there began on that day a great persecution against the church that was in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
3 But Saul ravaged the church, entering house after house, and dragging both men and women, committed them to prison.
But Saul greatly harmed the church; he went into house after house and dragged out men and women, and put them into prison.
4 Now those that had been scattered abroad went through the country preaching the word.
Yet the believers who had been scattered went about proclaiming 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 proclaimed to them the Christ.
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.
When multitudes of people heard and saw the signs that Philip did, they paid attention together to what he said.
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.
Unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
So there was much 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;
But there was a certain man in the city named Simon, who had earlier been practicing sorcery; he used to astonish the people of Samaria, while claiming that he was an important 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.
All the Samaritans, from the least to the greatest, paid attention to him; they said, “This man is that power of God which is called Great.”
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 astonished them for a long time 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 as he proclaimed the good news about 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 after he was baptized he stayed with Philip constantly. When he saw signs and mighty deeds taking place, 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 to them Peter and John.
15 who, having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
When they had come down, they 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 until that time, the Holy Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only 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 placed 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,
Now when Simon saw that the Holy 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.
He said, “Give me this power, too, that whoever I place my hands on might 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, “May your silver perish along with you, because you thought to obtain 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 this matter, because your heart is not right with God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if haply the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, so that he might perhaps forgive you for the intention 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 in the poison of bitterness and in the bonds of sin.”
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.
Simon answered and said, “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.
When they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
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 spoke to Philip and said, “Arise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This road is in a desert.)
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,
He arose and went. Behold, there was a man from Cush, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Cushites. He was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship.
28 was returning and sitting in his chariot; and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot.
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and stay close to 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 Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “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 Cushite said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” He begged Philip to come up into the chariot 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 passage of the scripture which the Ethiopian was reading was this, “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before his 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 justice was taken away from him. Who can fully describe his descendants? For his life was taken 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 the eunuch asked Philip, and said, “I beg you, who is the prophet speaking about, himself, or someone else?”
35 And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture declared to him the glad tidings concerning Jesus.
Philip began to speak, and beginning with this scripture he proclaimed the good news about 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?
As they went on the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water here. What prevents 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 the Ethiopian commanded the chariot to stop. They went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, 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 took 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 he went through that region, proclaiming the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
