Acts 8
8
1#Ac 7:58; 5:33And Saul was consenting to his death.
Saul Persecutes the Church
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2Devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him. 3#1Co 15:9; Gal 1:13But Saul ravaged the church, entering house by house and dragging out both men and women and committing them to prison.
The Gospel Preached in Samaria
4#Ac 8:1Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5#Ac 6:5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miracles which he did, they listened in unity to what he said. 7#Mk 16:17–18For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed. And many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8So there was much joy in that city.
Simon the Sorcerer Believes
9#Ac 5:36; 13:6Now a man named Simon was previously in the city practicing sorcery and astonishing the nation of Samaria, saying he was someone great, 10#Ac 14:11; 28:6to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11#Gal 3:1They listened to him, because for a long time he had astonished them by his sorceries. 12#Ac 1:3; 2:38But when they believed Philip preaching about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13#Ac 8:6–7; 19:11Even Simon himself believed. And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and was amazed as he watched the miracles and signs which were done.
Samaritans Receive the Holy Spirit
14#Ac 8:1Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15#Ac 2:38When they came down, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16#Mt 28:19; Ac 2:38; 19:2for still He had come on none of them. They were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17#Ac 6:6; 9:17Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18When Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20#Da 5:17; Ac 2:38Peter said to him, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could purchase the gift of God with money! 21You have neither part nor share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22#Da 4:27Therefore repent of your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23#Heb 12:15For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”
24#Ex 8:8; Nu 21:7Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me that nothing you have spoken may come upon me.”
25When they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26#Ac 5:19; 27:23; 12:23Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise up and go toward the south on the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27#Ps 68:31; 87:4So he rose up and went. And there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in command of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28He was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29#Ac 10:19; 11:12The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to this chariot and stay with it.”
30Then Philip ran to him, and heard him read the book of Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31#Ro 10:14He said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32#Isa 53:7–8The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
“He was led as a sheep to slaughter;
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so He opened not His mouth.
33#Isa 53:8; 53:12 In His humiliation justice was denied Him;
who will speak of His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.”
34The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet speak, of himself or of someone else?” 35#Lk 24:27; Ac 18:28Then Philip spoke, beginning with the same Scripture, and preached Jesus to him.
36#Ac 10:47As they went on their way, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38And he commanded the chariot to halt. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39#1Ki 18:12; 2Ki 2:16When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. And the eunuch saw him no more, and he went his way rejoicing. 40#Ac 10:1; 21:8But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached the gospel in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
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Acts 8: MEV
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Military Bible Association
Acts 8
8
1And Saul had agreed with the Sanhedrin that Stephen should die.
The Church Is Treated Badly and Scattered
On that day the church in Jerusalem began to be attacked and treated badly. All except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly Jews buried Stephen. They mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. He went from house to house. He dragged away men and women and put them in prison.
Philip Goes to Samaria
4The believers who had been scattered preached the word everywhere they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria. There he preached about the Messiah. 6The crowds listened to Philip and saw the signs he did. All of them paid close attention to what he said. 7Evil spirits screamed and came out of many people. Many people who were disabled or who couldn’t walk were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.
Simon the Evil Magician
9A man named Simon lived in the city. For quite a while he had practiced evil magic there. He amazed all the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great. 10And all the people listened to him, from the least important of them to the most important. They exclaimed, “It is right to call this man the Great Power of God!” 11He had amazed them for a long time with his evil magic. So they followed him. 12But Philip announced the good news of God’s kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ. So men and women believed and were baptized. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip everywhere. He was amazed by the great signs and miracles he saw.
14The apostles in Jerusalem heard that people in Samaria had accepted God’s word. So they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15When they arrived there, they prayed for the new believers. They prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16The Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them. And they received the Holy Spirit.
18Simon watched as the apostles placed their hands on them. He saw that the Spirit was given to them. So he offered money to Peter and John. 19He said, “Give me this power too. Then everyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20Peter answered, “May your money be destroyed with you! Do you think you can buy God’s gift with money? 21You have no part or share in this holy work. Your heart is not right with God. 22Turn away from this evil sin of yours. Pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23I see that you are very bitter. You are a prisoner of sin.”
24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me. Pray that nothing you have said will happen to me.”
25Peter and John continued to preach the word of the Lord and tell people about Jesus. Then they returned to Jerusalem. On the way they preached the good news in many villages in Samaria.
Philip and the Man From Ethiopia
26An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. “Go south to the desert road,” he said. “It’s the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So Philip started out. On his way he met an Ethiopian official. The man had an important position in charge of all the wealth of the Kandake. Kandake means queen of Ethiopia. This official had gone to Jerusalem to worship. 28On his way home he was sitting in his chariot. He was reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Holy Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot. Stay near it.”
30So Philip ran up to the chariot. He heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you’re reading?” Philip asked.
31“How can I?” he said. “I need someone to explain it to me.” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32Here is the part of Scripture the official was reading. It says,
“He was led like a sheep to be killed.
Just as lambs are silent while their wool is being cut off,
he did not open his mouth.
33When he was treated badly, he was refused a fair trial.
Who can say anything about his children?
His life was cut off from the earth.” (Isaiah 53:7,8)
34The official said to Philip, “Tell me, please. Who is the prophet talking about? Himself, or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that same part of Scripture. He told him the good news about Jesus.
36-37As they traveled along the road, they came to some water. The official said, “Look! Here is water! What can stop me from being baptized?” 38He gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the official went down into the water. Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official did not see him again. He went on his way full of joy. 40Philip was seen next at Azotus. From there he traveled all around. He preached the good news in all the towns. Finally he arrived in Caesarea.
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