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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The Acts 8
8
1And Saul was consenting to his being killed. And on that day there arose a great persecution against the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and all were scattered into the countries of Judaea and Samaria except the apostles. 2And pious men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into the houses one after another, and dragging off both men and women delivered them up to prison.
4Those then that had been scattered went through the countries announcing the glad tidings of the word. 5And Philip, going down to a city of Samaria, preached the Christ to them; 6and the crowds with one accord gave heed to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he wrought. 7For from many who had unclean spirits they went out, crying with a loud voice; and many that were paralysed and lame were healed. 8And there was great joy in that city. 9But a certain man, by name Simon, had been before in the city, using magic arts, and astonishing the nation of Samaria, saying that himself was some great one. 10To whom they had all given heed, from small to great, saying, This is the power of God which is called great. 11And they gave heed to him, because that for a long time he had astonished them by his magic arts. 12But when they believed Philip announcing the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women. 13And Simon also himself believed; and, having been baptised, continued constantly with Philip; and, beholding the signs and great works of power which took place, was astonished.
14And the apostles who were in Jerusalem, having heard that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John; 15who, having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16for he was not yet fallen upon any of them, only they were baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18But Simon, having seen that by the laying on of the hands of the apostles the Holy Spirit was given, offered them money, 19saying, Give to me also this power, in order that on whomsoever I may lay hands he may receive the Holy Spirit. 20And Peter said to him, Thy money go with thee to destruction, because thou hast thought that the gift of God can be obtained by money. 21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not upright before God. 22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and supplicate the Lord, if indeed the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee; 23for I see thee to be in the gall of bitterness, and bond of unrighteousness. 24And Simon answering said, Supplicate ye for me to the Lord, so that nothing may come upon me of the things of which ye have spoken. 25They therefore, having testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and announced the glad tidings to many villages of the Samaritans.
26But the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Rise up and go southward on the way which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza: the same is desert. 27And he rose up and went. And lo, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a man in power under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship at Jerusalem, 28was returning and sitting in his chariot: and he was reading the prophet Esaias. 29And the Spirit said to Philip, Approach and join this chariot. 30And Philip, running up, heard him reading the prophet Esaias, and said, Dost thou then know what thou art reading of? 31And he said, How should I then be able unless some one guide me? And he begged Philip to come up and sit with him. 32And the passage of the scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in presence of him that shears him, thus he opens not his mouth. 33In his humiliation his judgment has been taken away, and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34And the eunuch answering Philip said, I pray thee, concerning whom does the prophet say this? of himself or of some other? 35And Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from that scripture, announced the glad tidings of Jesus to him. 36And as they went along the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch says, Behold water; what hinders my being baptised? 37#Ver. 37 in the Authorized Version is recognized as not genuine. 38And he commanded the chariot to stop. And they went down both to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptised him. 39But when they came up out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no longer, for he went on his way rejoicing. 40And Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through he announced the glad tidings to all the cities till he came to Caesarea.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.