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 consenting and participating in his death. And there was, in that day, a great persecution against the church that was at Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed, except the legates, among the villages of Judaea and likewise among the Samaritans.
2 A party of devout men, however, buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.
And believing men gathered up and buried Stephen. And they lamented over him greatly.
3 But Saul cruelly harassed the Church. He went into house after house, and, dragging off both men and women, threw them into prison.
And Saul persecuted the church of God, entering houses, and dragging forth men and women and committing them to prison.
4 Those, however, who were scattered abroad went from place to place spreading the Good News of God's Message;
And they who were dispersed, travelled about and preached the word of God.
5 while Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ there.
And Philip went down to a city of the Samaritans, and preached concerning the Messiah.
6 Crowds of people, with one accord, gave attention to what they heard from him, listening, and witnessing the signs which he did.
And when the people who were there heard his discourse, they gave ear to him, and acquiesced in all that he said; because they saw the signs which he wrought.
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.
For many who were possessed by unclean spirits, cried with a loud voice, and came out of them: and others, who were paralytic and lame, were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
And 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.
And there was a certain man there, whose name was Simon, who had resided in that city a long time, and who seduced the people of the Samaritans by his sorceries, magnifying himself, and saying, I am a great personage.
10 To him people of all classes paid attention, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the great Power."
And they all inclined towards him, great and small; and they said, This is the mighty power of God.
11 His influence over them arose from their having been, for a long time, bewildered by his sorceries.
And they acquiesced in him, because for a long time he had astonished them by his sorceries.
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 gave credence to Philip, as he preached the kingdom of God, in the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah; 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.
And Simon himself also believed, and was baptized, and adhered to Philip. And when he saw the signs and mighty deeds which were wrought by his hand, he was surprised and astonished.
14 When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them.
And when the legates at Jerusalem, heard that the people of the Samaritans had received the word of God, they sent out to them Simon Cephas and John.
15 They, when they came down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit:
And they went down, and prayed over them, that they might 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 he was not yet on any one of them; and they had only been baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus.
17 Then the Apostles placed their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Then they laid the hand 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.
And when Simon saw that, by the imposition of a hand of the legates, the Holy Spirit was given, 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."
saying: Give me also this prerogative, that he on whom I impose a hand, 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!
Simon Cephas said to him: Thy money go with thee to perdition! because thou hast supposed, that the gift of God may be purchased by a worldly substance.
21 No part or lot have you in this matter, for your heart is not right in God's sight.
Thou hast no part nor lot in this faith; because thy 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.
Nevertheless, repent of this thy wickedness, and entreat of God, if perhaps the guile of thy heart may be forgiven thee.
23 For I perceive that you have fallen into the bitterest bondage of unrighteousness."
For I perceive that thou art in the bitter gall and in the bonds of iniquity.
24 "Pray, both of you, to the Lord for me," answered Simon, "that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
Simon answered and said: Intercede ye with God for me, that nothing of which ye have mentioned may come upon 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 Simon and John, when they had testified, and had taught them the word of God, returned to Jerusalem. And they had preached in many villages of the Samaritans.
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."
And the angel of the Lord spake with Philip, and said to him: Arise, go to the south, along the desert way that leadeth 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,
And he arose and went. And there met him a eunuch, who had come from Cush, an officer of Candace, queen of the Cushites, who had charge of all her treasure; and he had come to worship at Jerusalem.
28 and was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the Prophet Isaiah.
And as he turned to go, he was sitting in his chariot, and was reading in Isaiah the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go and enter that chariot."
And the Holy Spirit said to Philip: Go near, and join thyself to the chariot.
30 So Philip ran up and heard the eunuch reading the Prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked.
And when he came near, he heard him reading in Isaiah the prophet; and he said to him: Understandest thou what thou readest?
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.
And he said: How can I understand, unless some one instruct me? And he requested of Philip, that he would 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.
And the section of scripture in which he was reading, was this: As a lamb to the slaughter he was led away, and as a sheep before the shearer is silent, so also he in his humility opened not his mouth.
33 In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will make known His posterity? For He is destroyed from among men."
From prison and from judgment he was carried: and his generation, who will declare? for his life is taken away from the earth.
34 "Pray, of whom is the Prophet speaking?" inquired the eunuch; "of himself or of some one else?"
And the eunuch said to Philip: I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other person?
35 Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that same portion of Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus.
Then Philip opened his mouth and, from that scripture, began to preach to him concerning our Lord 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?"
And as they proceeded on the way, they came to a certain place in which there was water. And the eunuch said: Lo, here is water; what doth forbid, that I should be baptized?
And Philip said: If thou believest with all thy heart, it is allowable. And he answered, and said: I believe that Jesus Messiah is the Son of God.
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 commanded the chariot to stop; and they both went down to the water, and Philip baptized the eunuch.
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;
And when they came up from the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more; but he 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.
And Philip was found at Azotus; and from there he travelled about, and preached in all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
