Acts 8
1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles.
With these words he fell asleep. And Saul fully approved of his murder. On this very day there broke out a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostle were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2 And devout men carried Stephen [to his burial], and made great lamentation over him.
Devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentations over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed [them] to prison.
But Saul was laying waste the church. He was wont to enter into every house, and to drag off men and women, and to commit them to prison.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
So those who were scattered abroad were going everywhere preaching the word.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and began to preach Christ there.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
The crowd with one accord were giving heed to what he said, when they heard and saw the signs that he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed [with them]: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
For with a loud cry unclean spirits would come out of many possessed by them, and many that were palsied and lame were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.
There began to be great joy in that city.
9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
Now for some time a man named Simon had been practising sorcery in that city, and had amazed the people of Samaria. He gave himself out to be some great person.
10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
Many from all classes would give heed to him, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the Great Power."
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
They were giving heed to him because, for a long time, he had amazed them with his sorceries.
12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
But when they believed Philip, who was preaching glad tidings about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.
13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
And Simon himself also believed, and after his baptism he remained with Philip, and was full of amazement as he beheld the signs and striking miracles which were performed.
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
The apostle at Jerusalem, when they heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, sent to them Peter and John.
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
Who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
For he had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
Then the apostles laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
But when Simon perceived that, by the laying on of the apostles’ hands, the Spirit was given, he offered them money saying,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
"Give me, too, this power, so that on whomever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit."
20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
But Peter said to him. "Your money perish with you, because you have supposed that with money you can obtain God’s free gift!"
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
"You have no part or lot in this matter." Your heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
Repent then of this your wickedness, and beseech the Lord to forgive you this purpose of your heart.
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and [in] the bond of iniquity.
"For I perceive that you still stand in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of unrighteousness."
24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
And Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, both of you, that nothing which you have said may happen to me."
25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
So the apostles, after bearing solemn witness, and declaring the message of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, evangelizing many Samaritan villages as they went.
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
And an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go on your way south, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert way."
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
So he arose and went. And behold an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, who was a high official (a chief treasurer) of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia, who had come to Jerusalem to worship
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
Was now on his way home, and was reading the Prophet Isaiah as he sat in his chariot.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join that chariot."
30 And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
So Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the Prophet, and said to him. "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
The eunuch answered, "Why, how can I unless someone shall show me the way?" And he begged Philip to get up and sit with him.
32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
Now the portion of Scripture which he was reading was as follows. He was led a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, So he opened not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will declare his posterity? For his life is cut off from the earth.
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
"Pray," asked the eunuch of Philip, "of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of some one else?"
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
Then Philip opened his lips, and beginning from that same scripture, he preached the gospel of Jesus to him.
36 And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And as they were going on their way they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said. "See, here is water! What hinders my being baptized?"
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
And Philip said, "If you believe with your whole heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
And he ordered the chariot to stop; and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
And when they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.
Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town, he kept preaching the good news in all the cities until he reached Caesarea.
