Acts 8
1 Shaul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the church which was in Urishlim in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Yehuda and Samaria, except for the apostles.
Saul approved of his being put to death. On that very day a great persecution broke out against the church which was in Jerusalem; and its members, with the exception of the apostles, were all scattered over the districts of Judea and Samaria.
2 Devout men buried Astapanos, and lamented greatly over him.
Some religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.
3 But Shaul ravaged the church, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison.
But Saul began to devastate the church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.
4 Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around proclaiming the word.
Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the good news.
5 And Philipus went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Meshikha.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.
6 The crowds listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philipus, when they heard and saw the signs which he did.
The people, one and all, listened attentively to what Philip told them, when they heard of, and saw, the miracles which he was working.
7 For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.
For there were many instances of people with foul spirits, where the spirits, with loud screams, came out of them; and many who were paralysed or lame were cured,
8 There was great joy in that city.
so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.
9 But there was a certain man, Shimon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,
There was staying in the city a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic there and mystifying the Samaritan people, giving himself out to be some great being.
10 to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that power of God which is called Great."
Everyone, high and low, paid attention to him. “This man,” they used to say, “must be that power of God which people call ‘The Great Power.’”
11 They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.
12 But when they believed Philipus as he preached good news concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Yeshua Meshikha, they were baptized, both men and women.
However, when they came to believe Philip, as he told them the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Shimon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philipus. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
Even Simon believed, and after his baptism attached himself to Philip, and was in his turn mystified at seeing signs and great miracles constantly occurring.
14 Now when the apostles who were at Urishlim heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Kipha and Yukhanan to them,
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God’s message, they sent Peter and John to them;
15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Rukha d'Qudsha;
and they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 for he had not yet fallen upon any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Yeshua.
(As yet the Spirit had not descended on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).
17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Rukha d'Qudsha.
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Now when Shimon saw that the Rukha was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
When Simon saw that it was through the placing of the apostles’ hands on them that the Spirit was given, he brought them a sum of money and said,
19 saying, "Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Rukha d'Qudsha."
‘Give me also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands on anyone, he may receive the Holy Spirit.’
20 But Kipha said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money.
‘A curse on you and on your silver,’ Peter exclaimed, ‘for thinking that God’s free gift can be bought with money!
21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
You have no share or part in our message, for your heart is not right with God.
22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask the Lord if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;
23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."
for I see that you have fallen into the bitterness of envy and the fetters of sin.’
24 Shimon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me."
‘Pray to the Lord for me, all of you,’ Simon answered, ‘so that none of the things you have spoken of may happen to me.’
25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Urishlim, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.
Peter and John, having borne their testimony and delivered the Lord’s message, returned to Jerusalem, telling the good news, as they went, in many Samaritan villages.
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philipus, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Urishlim to Gahza. This is a desert."
Meanwhile an angel of the Lord had said to Philip, ‘Set out on a journey southwards, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (It is now deserted).
27 And he arose and went. And look, there was a man from Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Kandake, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge over all her treasure. He had come to Urishlim to worship,
So Philip set out on a journey; and on his way he came on an official of high rank, in the service of Candace, Queen of the Abyssinians. He was her treasurer, and had been to Jerusalem to worship,
28 and he was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Eshaya.
and was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 And the Rukha said to Philip, "Go and join up with that chariot."
The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up to the carriage over there and keep close to it.’
30 And running near, Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the prophet Isaiah. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ he asked.
31 He said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philipus to come up and sit with him.
‘How can I,’ the other answered, ‘unless someone will explain it to me?’ and he invited Philip to get up and sit by his side.
32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth.
The passage of scripture which he was reading was this – “Like a sheep, he was led away to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in the hands of its shearer, so he refrains from opening his lips.
33 In his humiliation his justice was taken away. Who will declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth."
He was humiliated and justice was denied him. Who will tell the story of his generation? For his life is cut off from earth.”
34 The eunuch answered Philipus, "Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?"
‘Now,’ said the Treasurer, addressing Philip, ‘tell me, of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of someone else?’
35 Philipus opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Yeshua.
Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the good news about Jesus.
36 And as they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?"
Presently, as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the Treasurer exclaimed, ‘Look! Here is water; what is to prevent my being baptized?’
37 And he said to him, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Yeshua Meshikha is the Son of God."
38 He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philipus and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
So he ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water – both Philip and the Treasurer – and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Rukha of the Lord caught Philipus away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
But, when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the Treasurer saw no more of him; for he continued his journey with a joyful heart.
40 But Philipus was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Qesarya.
But Philip was found at Ashdod, and, as he went on his way, he told the good news in all the towns through which he passed, until he came to Caesarea.
