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.
Acts 8
8
Saul Attempts to Destroy the Church
1 And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2And devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3But Saul was attempting to destroy the church. Entering house after house,#Literally “from house” to house he dragged off both men and women and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“dragged off”) has been translated as a finite verb delivered them#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation to prison.
Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria
4Now those who had been scattered went about proclaiming the good news of the word. 5And Philip came down to the city of Samaria and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came down”) has been translated as a finite verb began proclaiming#*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began proclaiming”) the Christ#Or “Messiah” to them. 6And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, as they heard him#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and saw the signs that he was performing. 7For many of those who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them,#*The words “of them” are supplied in the translation to indicate that the unclean spirits were coming out of the people crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8And there was great joy in that city.
Simon the Magician
9Now a certain man named#Literally “by name” Simon had been in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great. 10They were all paying attention to him,#Literally “whom” from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’ ” 11And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with his#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was proclaiming the good news”) which is understood as temporal was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized. 13And Simon himself also believed, and after he#*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was baptized”) which is understood as temporal was baptized he was keeping close company with#Literally “attaching himself to” Philip. And when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal saw the signs and great miracles that were taking place, he was astonished.
14Now when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15who went down and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went down”) has been translated as a finite verb prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16(For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized#Literally “but they were only having been baptized” in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17Then they placed their#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
18Now Simon, when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, 19saying, “Give to me also this power, so that whomever I place my#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun hands on may receive the Holy Spirit!” 20But Peter said to him, “May your silver be destroyed along with you,#Literally “be for destruction with you” because you thought you could acquire#Literally “to acquire” the gift of God by means of money! 21You have no#Literally “there is for you no” part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. 22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask the Lord if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you!” 23For I see you are in a state of bitter envy#Literally “the gall of bitterness” and bound by unrighteousness.”#Literally “the fetter of unrighteousness” 24But Simon answered and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb said, “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me.” 25So when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had solemnly testified”) which is understood as temporal they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they turned back toward Jerusalem, and were proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up and go toward the south#Or “go about noon” on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) 27And he got up and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“got up”) has been translated as a finite verb went, and behold, there was a man, an Ethiopian eunuch (a court official of Candace,#Or “the Candace” (the title of the queen of Ethiopia) queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury) who had come to worship in Jerusalem 28and was returning and sitting in his chariot, and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. 29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Approach and join this chariot.” 30So Philip ran up to it#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“ran up to”) has been translated as a finite verb heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet and said, “So then, do you understand what you are reading?” 31And he said, “So how could I, unless someone will guide me?” And he invited Philip to come up and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“come up”) has been translated as an infinitive sit with him. 32Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun humiliation justice was taken from him.
Who can describe his descendants?#Or perhaps “family history”; literally “generation”
For his life was taken away from the earth.”#A quotation from Isa 53:7–8
34And the eunuch answered and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this—about himself or about someone else?” 35So Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, proclaimed the good news to him about Jesus. 36And as they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”#A few later manuscripts add v. 37, with minor variations: “He said to him, ‘If you believe with your whole heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ ” The verse is almost certainly not an original part of the text of Acts. 38And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water—Philip and the eunuch—and he baptized him. 39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer, for he went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“passed through”) which is understood as temporal passed through, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
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