Acts 8
8
Saul Persecutes the Church
1Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen’s death.
And on that day a great and relentless persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. 2Some devout men buried Stephen, and #8:2 It was customary to hire professional mourners for most funerals to ensure that the deceased would be properly mourned, but those who mourned Stephen needed no such assistance because they expressed their own heartfelt grief.mourned greatly over him [expressing a personal sense of loss]. 3But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
4Now those [believers] who had been scattered went from place to place preaching the word [the good news of salvation through Christ]. 5#8:5 One of the Seven named in 6:5; 21:8.Philip [the evangelist] went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) to them. [Acts 6:5] 6The crowds gathered and were paying close attention to everything Philip said, as they heard [the message] and saw the [miraculous] signs which he was doing [validating his message]. 7For unclean spirits (demons), shouting loudly, were coming out of many who were possessed; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8So there was great rejoicing in that city.
9Now there was a man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 10They all paid [a great deal of] attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God!” 11They were paying attention to him because for a long time he had mystified and dazzled them with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the #8:12 In ancient Greece the word translated as “good news” or “gospel” was used to denote any good fortune, including success in a battle.good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women. 13Even Simon believed [Philip’s message of salvation]; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he watched the attesting signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.
14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that [the people of] Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15They came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16for He had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [as His possession]. 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and they received the Holy Spirit. 18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me this authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter said to him, “May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could buy the [free] gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God. [Ps 78:37] 22So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are #8:23 Lit in the gall of.provoked by bitterness and bound by sin.” [Deut 29:18; Is 58:6] 24But Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me both of you, so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me.”
An Ethiopian Receives Christ
25So, when Peter and John had given their testimony and preached the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, preaching the good news [about salvation] in many Samaritan villages [along the way].
26But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” (This is a desert road). 27So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch [a man of great authority], a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading [the scroll of] the prophet Isaiah. 29Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” 30Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31And he said, “Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading:
“Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He does not open His mouth.
33“In humiliation His judgment was taken away [justice was denied Him].
Who will describe His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.” [Is 53:7, 8]
34The eunuch replied to Philip, “Please tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else?” 35Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation]. 36As they continued along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, “Look! Water! What forbids me from being baptized?” 37#8:37 Early mss do not contain this v.[Philip said to him, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] 38And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [suddenly] took Philip [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at #8:40 OT Ashdod.Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the good news [of salvation] to all the cities, until he came to #8:40 Caesarea Maritima (Caesarea-on-the-Sea) was a coastal city and artificial harbor built by Herod the Great. It was an important city, both politically and militarily, and its harbor was the largest on the eastern Mediterranean coast. It was the capital of Judea, and the official residence of the prefects and procurators appointed by Rome. Both Pontius Pilate (prefect, a.d. 26-36) and Antonius Felix (procurator, a.d. 52-60) would have been based here during their respective terms of office.Caesarea [Maritima].
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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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