Acts 8
1 And Saul was assenting to his death, and there came in that day a great persecution upon the assembly in Jerusalem, all also were scattered abroad in the regions of Judea 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 away Stephen, and made great lamentation over him;
Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
3 and Saul was making havoc of the assembly, into every house entering, and haling men and women, was giving them up 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 they then indeed, having been scattered, went abroad proclaiming good news — the word.
Yet the believers who had been scattered went about proclaiming the word.
5 And Philip having gone down to a city of Samaria, was preaching to them the Christ,
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
6 the multitudes also were giving heed to the things spoken by Philip, with one accord, in their hearing and seeing the signs that he was doing,
When multitudes of people heard and saw the signs that Philip did, they paid attention together to what he said.
7 for unclean spirits came forth from many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who have been paralytic and lame were healed,
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 And a certain man, by name Simon, was before in the city using magic, and amazing the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be a certain great one,
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 were all giving heed, from small unto great, saying, 'This one is the great power of God;'
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 they were giving heed to him, because of his having for a long time amazed them with deeds of magic.
They listened to him, because he had astonished them for a long time with his sorceries.
12 And when they believed Philip, proclaiming good news, the things concerning the reign 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 also himself did believe, and, having been baptized, he was continuing with Philip, beholding also signs and mighty acts being done, he was amazed.
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 in Jerusalem having heard that Samaria hath received the word of God, did send unto 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 did pray concerning them, that they may receive the Holy Spirit, —
When they had come down, they prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 for as yet he was fallen upon none of them, and only they have been baptized — to 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 were they laying 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 And Simon, having beheld that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Spirit is given, brought before 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 also to me this authority, that on whomsoever I may lay the 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 And Peter said unto him, 'Thy silver with thee — may it be to destruction! because the gift of God thou didst think to possess through 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 thing, for thy heart is not right before God;
You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right with God.
22 reform, therefore, from this thy wickedness, and beseech God, if then the purpose 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 in the gall of bitterness, and bond of unrighteousness, I perceive thee being.'
For I see that you are in the poison of bitterness and in the bonds of sin.”
24 And Simon answering, said, 'Beseech ye for me unto the Lord, that nothing may come upon me of the things ye have spoken.'
Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
25 They indeed, therefore, having testified fully, and spoken the word of the Lord, did turn back to Jerusalem; in many villages also of the Samaritans they did proclaim good news.
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 And a messenger of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, 'Arise, and go on toward the south, on the way that is going down from Jerusalem to Gaza,' — this is desert.
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 having arisen, he went on, and lo, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a man of rank, of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship to Jerusalem;
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 he was also returning, and is sitting on 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 be joined to this chariot;'
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and stay close to this chariot.”
30 and Philip having run near, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, 'Dost thou then know what thou dost read?'
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, 'Why, how am I able, if some one may not guide me?' he called Philip also, having come up, to 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 contents of the Writing that he was reading was this: 'As a sheep unto slaughter he was led, and as a lamb before his shearer dumb, so he doth not open 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 his judgment was taken away, and his generation — who shall declare? because taken from the earth is his life.'
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 Philip said, 'I pray thee, about whom doth the prophet say this? about himself, or about some other one?'
So the eunuch asked Philip, and said, “I beg you, who is the prophet speaking about, himself, or someone else?”
35 and Philip having opened his mouth, and having begun from this Writing, proclaimed good news to him — Jesus.
Philip began to speak, and beginning with this scripture he proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him.
36 And as they were going on the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch said, 'Lo, water; what doth hinder me to be 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?”
37 [And Philip said, 'If thou dost believe out of all the heart, it is lawful;' and he answering said, 'I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God;']
38 and he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down to 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 and when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he was going 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 and Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he was proclaiming good news to all the cities, till his coming 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.
