8:1 Saul agreed heartily with putting him to death And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. |
8:2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. |
8:3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. |
8:4 Therefore, those who had become scattered went about preaching the word. |
8:5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. |
8:6 The crowds with one accord gave attention to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs which he performed. |
8:7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they came out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had suffered paralysis and lameness received healing. |
8:8 Many rejoiced in that city. |
8:9 Now a man named Simon, who formerly practiced magic in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming to having attained greatness; |
8:10 and they all, from smallest to greatest, gave attention to him, saying, " This man people called the Great Power of God." |
8:11 And they gave him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts. |
8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they requested baptism, men and women alike. |
8:13 Even Simon himself believed; and after receiving baptism, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he felt constantly amazed. |
8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, |
8:15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. |
8:16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply received baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus. |
8:17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. |
8:18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit transferred through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, |
8:19 saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." |
8:20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! |
8:21 "You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart has not become right before God. |
8:22 "Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may receive forgiveness. |
8:23 "For I see that you reside in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." |
8:24 But Simon answered and said, " Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me." |
8:25 So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. |
8:26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (a desert road.) |
8:27 So he got up and went; and there stood an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who she had placed in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, |
8:28 and he returned and sat in his chariot, and read the prophet Isaiah. |
8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." |
8:30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you read?" |
8:31 And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. |
8:32 Now the passage of Scripture which he read stated:" HE BECAME LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER REMAINS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. |
8:33 " IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT BECAME TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE WILL DISAPPEAR FROM THE EARTH." |
8:34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?" |
8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. |
8:36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from becoming baptized?" |
8:37 [ And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God."] |
8:38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. |
8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. |
8:40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. |