Acts 8
1 And Saul fully approved of his murder. At this time a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria.
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 A party of devout men, however, buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.
God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
3 But Saul cruelly harassed the Church. He went into house after house, and, dragging off both men and women, threw them into 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 Those, however, who were scattered abroad went from place to place spreading the Good News of God's Message;
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
5 while Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ there.
Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
6 Crowds of people, with one accord, gave attention to what they heard from him, listening, and witnessing the signs which he did.
The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform.
7 For, with a loud cry, foul spirits came out of many possessed by them, and many paralytics and lame persons were restored to health.
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 Now for some time past there had been a man named Simon living there, who had been practising magic and astonishing the Samaritans, pretending that he was more than human.
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 him people of all classes paid attention, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the great Power."
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 His influence over them arose from their having been, for a long time, bewildered by his sorceries.
They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.
12 But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the Kingdom of God and about the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced the faith, they were baptized, men and women alike.
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 Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized remained in close attendance on Philip, and was full of amazement at seeing such signs and such great miracles performed.
Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.
14 When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
15 They, when they came 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 He had not as yet fallen upon any of them. 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 the Apostles placed their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 When, however, Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the Apostles' hands that the Spirit was bestowed, he offered them money.
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
19 "Give me too," he said, "that power, so that every one on whom I place my hands will 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 "Perish your money and yourself," replied Peter, "because you have imagined that you can obtain God's free gift with money!
But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
21 No part or lot have you in this matter, for your heart is not right in God's sight.
You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, in the hope that the purpose which is in your heart may perhaps be forgiven you.
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 you have fallen into the bitterest bondage of unrighteousness."
For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.”
24 "Pray, both of you, to the Lord for me," answered Simon, "that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
25 So the Apostles, after giving a solemn charge and delivering the Lord's Message, travelled back to Jerusalem, making known the Good News also in many of the Samaritan villages.
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 And an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and proceed south to the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza, crossing the Desert."
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 Upon this he rose and went. Now, as it happened, an Ethiopian eunuch who was in a position of high authority with Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, as her treasurer, had visited Jerusalem to worship there,
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 and was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the Prophet Isaiah.
and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go and enter that chariot."
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”
30 So Philip ran up and heard the eunuch reading the Prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked.
So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 "Why, how can I," replied the eunuch, "unless some one explains it to me?" And he earnestly 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 The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "Like a sheep He was led to slaughter, and just as a lamb before its shearer is dumb so He opened 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 justice was denied Him. Who will make known His posterity? For He is destroyed from among men."
In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”
34 "Pray, of whom is the Prophet speaking?" inquired the eunuch; "of himself or of some one else?"
“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35 Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that same portion of Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus.
Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 So they proceeded on their way till they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "See, here is water; what is there to prevent 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 So he stopped the chariot; and both of them--Philip and the eunuch--went down into the water, and Philip 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 no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again. With a glad heart he resumed his journey;
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 found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town he everywhere made known the Good News until he reached Caesarea.
But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
