< Acts 8 >
1 But Shaol willed to take part in his killing. And there was made in those days a great persecution against the church that was in Urishlem; and they were all dispersed in the country of Jihud and also among the Shomroyee, excepting only the apostles.
2 And faithful men laid Estephanos in his tomb, and mourned over him greatly.
3 BUT Shaol persecuted the church of Aloha, going to the houses, and drawing men and women delivered them to the house of the bound.
4 And they who were dispersed went about and preached the word of Aloha.
5 But Philipos descended to a city of the Shomroyee, and preached concerning the Meshiha.
6 And when they heard his word, the men who were there attended to him, and were persuaded of all that he said: for they saw the signs that he wrought.
7 For many whom unclean spirits possessed cried with a high voice, and they came out from them; and others, palsied and lame, were healed:
8 and great joy was in that city.
9 But a certain man was there whose name was Simon, who had dwelt in that city much time, and with his sorceries had deceived the people of the Shomroyee, magnifying himself, and saying, I am the Great.
10 And all inclined to him, great and small, and said, This is the great Power of Aloha.
11 And they were persuaded by him, because that much time by his sorceries he had astonished them.
12 But when they believed Philipos, who evangelized the kingdom of Aloha in the name of our Lord Jeshu Meshiha, they were baptized, men and women.
13 And Simon also himself believed, and was baptized, and adhered to Philipos. And when he saw the signs and great works which were done by his hands, he wondered and was astonished.
14 AND when the apostles who were at Urishlem heard that the people of the Shomroyee had received the word of Aloha, they sent to them Kipha and Juhanon.
15 And they went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Spirit of Holiness:
16 for he was not upon one of them yet; but they were only baptized in the name of our Lord Jeshu.
17 Then they laid upon them the hand, and they received the Spirit of Holiness.
18 And when Simon saw that by the hand-laying of the apostles the Spirit of Holiness was given, he offered to them silver,
19 saying, Give also to me this power, that he on whom I shall lay the hand may receive the Spirit of Holiness.
20 Shemun Kipha said to him, Thy silver go with thee into perdition, because thou thoughtest that the gift of Aloha with the possessions of the world might he obtained.
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this faith, because thine heart hath not been right before Aloha.
22 Nevertheless, repent of this thy wickedness, and pray of Aloha, that the guile of thy heart may haply be forgiven thee;
23 for in bitter gall and in the bonds of iniquity I see that thou art.
24 Simon answered and said, Pray you on my behalf, of Aloha, that not any of these things which you have spoken may come upon me.
25 But Shemun and Juhanon, when they had testified and taught the word of Aloha, returned to Urishlem, and evangelized in many villages of the Shomroyee.
26 AND the angel of the Lord spake with Philipos, and said to him, Arise, go to the south, in the desert way which goeth down from Urishlem to Gaza.
27 And arising he went. And there met him a certain eunuch who had come from Cush, an officer of Kandak, queen of the Cushoyee; and he was officer over all her treasure. And he had been to worship at Urishlem;
28 and while returning that he might go, he sat in the chariot and read in Eshaia the prophet.
29 And the Spirit of Holiness said to Philipos, Approach, and join the chariot.
30 And being near, he heard that he read in Eshaia the prophet; and he said to him, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I understand, unless one teach me? And he prayed of him, of Philipos, to ascend and sit with him.
32 But the section (phosuka) of the scripture in which he was reading is this: As a lamb to the slaughter was he led; And as a sheep before the shearer is silent, So opened not he his mouth in his humiliation.
33 From oppression and from judgment was he led; And his age who shall recount? For his life is taken from the earth.
34 That eunuch said Unto Philipos, I pray thee, of whom speaketh this the prophet? of himself, or of another man?
35 Then Philipos opened his mouth and began, from that very scripture, preaching to him concerning our Lord Jeshu.
36 And as they went in the way they came to a certain place which had water in it, and that eunuch said, Behold the water; what is the hinderance that I should be baptized?
37
38 And he commanded that the chariot should stand; and they descended both of them to the water, and Philipos baptized that eunuch.
39 And when they had ascended from the water, the Spirit of the Lord rapt away Philipos, and the eunuch again saw him not; but he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philipos was found at Azotos, and from thence he itinerated and evangelized in all the cities until he came to Cesarea.
