Acts 8
8
1Saul agreed that the killing of Stephen was good.
Troubles for the Believers
On that day the church of Jerusalem began to be persecuted, and all the believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2And some religious people buried Stephen and cried loudly for him. 3Saul was also trying to destroy the church, going from house to house, dragging out men and women and putting them in jail. 4And wherever they were scattered, they told people the Good News.
Philip Preaches in Samaria
5Philip went to the city of Samaria and preached about the Christ. 6When the people there heard Philip and saw the miracles he was doing, they all listened carefully to what he said. 7Many of these people had evil spirits in them, but Philip made the evil spirits leave. The spirits made a loud noise when they came out. Philip also healed many weak and crippled people there. 8So the people in that city were very happy.
9But there was a man named Simon in that city. Before Philip came there, Simon had practiced magic and amazed all the people of Samaria. He bragged and called himself a great man. 10All the people—the least important and the most important—paid attention to Simon, saying, “This man has the power of God, called ‘the Great Power’!” 11Simon had amazed them with his magic so long that the people became his followers. 12But when Philip told them the Good News about the kingdom of God and the power of Jesus Christ, men and women believed Philip and were baptized. 13Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized, he stayed very close to Philip. When he saw the miracles and the powerful things Philip did, Simon was amazed.
14When the apostles who were still in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When Peter and John arrived, they prayed that the Samaritan believers might receive the Holy Spirit. 16These people had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, but the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them. 17Then, when the two apostles began laying their hands on the people, they received the Holy Spirit.
18Simon saw that the Spirit was given to people when the apostles laid their hands on them. So he offered the apostles money, 19saying, “Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20Peter said to him, “You and your money should both be destroyed, because you thought you could buy God’s gift with money. 21You cannot share with us in this work since your heart is not right before God. 22Change your heart! Turn away from this evil thing you have done, and pray to the Lord. Maybe he will forgive you for thinking this. 23I see that you are full of bitter jealousy and ruled by sin.”
24Simon answered, “Both of you pray for me to the Lord so the things you have said will not happen to me.”
25After Peter and John told the people what they had seen Jesus do and after they had spoken the message of the Lord, they went back to Jerusalem. On the way, they went through many Samaritan towns and preached the Good News to the people.
Philip Teaches an Ethiopian
26An angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get ready and go south to the road that leads down to Gaza from Jerusalem—the desert road.” 27So Philip got ready and went. On the road he saw a man from Ethiopia, a eunuch. He was an important officer in the service of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians; he was responsible for taking care of all her money. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship. 28Now, as he was on his way home, he was sitting in his chariot reading from the Book of Isaiah, the prophet. 29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30So when Philip ran toward the chariot, he heard the man reading from Isaiah the prophet. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31He answered, “How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?” Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him. 32The portion of Scripture he was reading was this:
“He was like a sheep being led to be killed.
He was quiet, as a lamb is quiet while its wool is being cut;
he never opened his mouth.
33He was shamed and was treated unfairly.
He died without children to continue his family.
His life on earth has ended.”#Isaiah 53:7–8
34The officer said to Philip, “Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about —himself or someone else?” 35Philip began to speak, and starting with this same Scripture, he told the man the Good News about Jesus.
36While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The officer said, “Look, here is water. What is stopping me from being baptized?” [37Philip answered, “If you believe with all your heart, you can.” The officer said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] 38Then the officer commanded the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer never saw him again. And the officer continued on his way home, full of joy. 40But Philip appeared in a city called Azotus and preached the Good News in all the towns on the way from Azotus to Caesarea.
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Acts 8: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
Ma`asei (Acts) 8
8
1And Sha’ul was giving approval to his death. And on that day there was a great persecution against the assembly which was at Yerushalayim, and they were all scattered throughout the countries of Yehuḏah and Shomeron, except the emissaries.
2And dedicated men buried Stephanos, and made great lamentation over him.
3But Sha’ul was ravaging the assembly, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.
4Then those who had been scattered went everywhere bringing the Good News: the Word!
5And going down to the city of Shomeron Philip proclaimed Messiah to them.
6And the crowds with one mind heeded what Philip said, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who were paralysed and lame were healed.
8And there came to be great joy in that city.
9Now there was a certain man called Shim‛on, who formerly was practising magic in the city and astonishing the people of Shomeron, claiming to be someone great,
10to whom they all were giving heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This one is the power of Elohim, which is great.”
11And they were giving heed to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.
12And when they believed Philip as he brought the Good News about the reign of Elohim and the Name of יהושע Messiah, both men and women were immersed.
13And Shim‛on himself also believed. And when he was immersed he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which took place.
14And when the emissaries who were at Yerushalayim heard that Shomeron had received the Word of Elohim, they sent Kĕpha and Yoḥanan to them,
15who, when they had come down, prayed for them to receive the Set-apart Spirit,
16for He had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been immersed in the Name of the Master יהושע.
17Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Set-apart Spirit.
18And Shim‛on, seeing that through the laying on of the hands of the emissaries the Set-apart Spirit was given, he offered them money,
19saying, “Give me this authority too, so that anyone I lay hands on shall receive the Set-apart Spirit.”
20But Kĕpha said to him, “Let your silver perish with you, because you thought to buy the gift of Elohim through money!
21“You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before Elohim.
22“Repent therefore of this evil of yours, and plead with Elohim to forgive you the intention of your heart.
23“For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by unrighteousness.
24But Shim‛on answering, said, “Plead with the Master for me, so that none of what you had said shall come upon me.”
25Then after they had earnestly witnessed and spoken the Word of יהוה, they returned to Yerushalayim, bringing the Good News in many villages of the Shomeronim.
26But a messenger of יהוה spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the way which goes down from Yerushalayim to Azzah.” This is desert.
27And he arose and went, and saw, a man of Kush, a eunuch of great authority under Kandake the sovereigness of the Kushites, who was in charge of all her treasury, and had come to Yerushalayim to worship,
28and was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Yeshayahu.
29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and join him in that chariot.”
30And running up, Philip heard him reading the prophet Yeshayahu, and said, “Do you know what you are reading?”
31And he said, “How am I able, unless someone guides me?” And he called Philip near, to come up and sit with him.
32And the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, “He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so He opened not His mouth.
33“In His humiliation He was deprived of right-ruling. And who shall declare His generation? Because His life was taken from the earth.”# Isa. 53:7, 8
34And the eunuch, answering Philip, said, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about some other?”
35And Philip opening his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, brought to him the Good News: יהושע!
36And as they were going on the way, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “Look, water! What hinders me from being immersed?”
37And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, it is permitted.” And he answering, said, “I believe the Son of Elohim#See Mat. 16:16 - Some manuscripts omit verse 8:37 to be יהושע the Messiah.”
38And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he immersed him.
39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of יהוה caught Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went his way, rejoicing.
40Philip, however, was found at Ashdoḏ. And passing through, he brought the Good News in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
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