Acts 8
1 Saul approved of his killing. On that very day terrible persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except for the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 (Some faithful followers of God buried Stephen, with great mourning.)
And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
3 But Saul set about destroying the church, going from house to house, dragging both men and women off to prison.
But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
4 Those who had been scattered spread the word wherever they went.
They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word.
5 Philip went to the town of Samaria, and told them about the Messiah.
And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ.
6 When the crowds heard what Philip was saying and saw the miracles he did they all paid attention to what he was telling them.
And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did.
7 Many were freed from possession by evil spirits that screamed as they came out, and many who were lame or disabled were healed.
For [from] many of those which had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice: and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were healed.
8 The people who lived in the city were overjoyed.
And there was much joy in that city.
9 Now there was a man named Simon who lived in the city. He practiced sorcery. He claimed that he was someone very important, and had astounded the people of Samaria
But there was a certain man, Simon by name, which beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10 so they all paid attention to him. From the lowest to the highest in society they said, “This man is ‘God the Great Power.’”
to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great.
11 They were impressed by him because he had amazed them with his magic for so long.
And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
12 But when they believed in what Philip told them about the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Simon too believed and was baptized. He accompanied Philip, amazed at the miraculous signs and wonders he saw.
And Simon also himself believed: and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great miracles wrought, he was amazed.
14 When the apostles back in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to visit them.
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 When they arrived they prayed for the converts in Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit.
who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16 The Holy Spirit hadn't come to any of these converts yet—they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
for as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 The apostles placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18 When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the apostles placed their hands on people, he offered them money.
Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19 “Give me this power, too,” he asked them, “so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 “May your money be destroyed together with you for thinking God's gift is something that can be bought!” Peter replied.
But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.
21 “You're not part of any of this. None of this work belongs to you, because in God's eyes your attitude is totally wrong.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God.
22 Repent of your evil ways! Pray to the Lord and ask forgiveness for thinking like this.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee.
23 I can see that you are full of bitter envy, and chained down by your sin.”
For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
24 “Please pray for me, that nothing you've said may happen to me!” Simon replied.
And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me.
25 After they had given their testimony and shared the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, sharing the good news in many Samaritan villages along the way.
They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
26 An angel of the Lord told Philip, “Get ready and go south to the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert.
27 So Philip set out, and met an Ethiopian man, a eunuch who had a high position in the service of the Kandake, Queen of Ethiopia. He was her chief treasurer. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship there, and
And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem for to worship;
28 was returning from his trip, sitting in his chariot. He was reading out loud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go over close to the chariot.”
And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 So Philip ran over, and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you're reading?” Philip asked him.
And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 “How can I, unless someone explains it?” the man replied. He invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 The Scripture passage he was reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to be slaughtered. Like a lamb is silent in front of his shearer, he didn't say a word.
Now the place of the scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth:
33 He was humiliated and denied justice. No one can speak of his descendants, for his life came to an end.”
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth.
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is it himself, or someone else?”
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other?
35 Philip started explaining, beginning from this Scripture, telling him about Jesus.
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture, preached unto him Jesus.
36 As they continued on, they came to a stretch of water. The eunuch said, “Look, there's water here—why shouldn't I be baptized?”
And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
38 He ordered that the chariot be stopped. Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39 When they came out of the water the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again, but he continued on his way full of joy. Philip found himself at Azotus.
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 went on his way rejoicing.
40 He spread the good news in all the towns along the way until he arrived at Caesarea.
But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
