Acts 8
1 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.
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 religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.
And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
3 But Saul began to devastate the church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.
But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
4 Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the good news.
They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word.
5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.
And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ.
6 The people, one and all, listened attentively to what Philip told them, when they heard of, and saw, the miracles which he was working.
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 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,
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 so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.
And there was much joy in that city.
9 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.
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 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.’”
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 And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.
And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
12 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.
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 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.
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 at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God’s message, they sent Peter and John to 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 and they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.
who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16 (As yet the Spirit had not descended on any of them; 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 Then Peter and John 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 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,
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 also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands on anyone, he may receive the Holy Spirit.’
saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
20 ‘A curse on you and on your silver,’ Peter exclaimed, ‘for thinking that God’s free gift can be bought with money!
But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.
21 You have no share or part in our message, for your heart is not right with God.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God.
22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee.
23 for I see that you have fallen into the bitterness of envy and the fetters of sin.’
For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
24 ‘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.’
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 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.
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 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).
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 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,
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 and was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the prophet Isaiah.
and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up to the carriage over there and keep close to it.’
And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the prophet Isaiah. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ he asked.
And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 ‘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.
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 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.
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 justice was denied him. Who will tell the story of his generation? For his life is cut off from earth.”
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth.
34 ‘Now,’ said the Treasurer, addressing Philip, ‘tell me, of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of 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 Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the good news about Jesus.
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture, preached unto him Jesus.
36 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?’
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 So he ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water – both Philip and the Treasurer – 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 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.
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 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.
But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
