Acts 8
8
1Saul approved of his killing. On that very day terrible persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except for the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2(Some faithful followers of God buried Stephen, with great mourning.) 3But Saul set about destroying the church, going from house to house, dragging both men and women off to prison.
4Those who had been scattered spread the word wherever they went. 5Philip went to the town of Samaria, and told them about the Messiah. 6When the crowds heard what Philip was saying and saw the miracles he did they all paid attention to what he was telling them. 7Many were freed from possession by evil spirits that screamed as they came out, and many who were lame or disabled were healed. 8The people who lived in the city were overjoyed.
9Now there was a man named Simon who lived in the city. He practiced sorcery. He claimed that he was someone very important, and had astounded the people of Samaria 10so they all paid attention to him. From the lowest to the highest in society they said, “This man is ‘God the Great Power.’” 11They were impressed by him because he had amazed them with his magic for so long.
12But when they believed in what Philip told them about the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon too believed and was baptized. He accompanied Philip, amazed at the miraculous signs and wonders he saw.
14When the apostles back in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to visit them. 15When they arrived they prayed for the converts in Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit. 16The Holy Spirit hadn't come to any of these converts yet—they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17The apostles placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the apostles placed their hands on people, he offered them money. 19“Give me this power, too,” he asked them, “so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20“May your money be destroyed together with you for thinking God's gift is something that can be bought!” Peter replied. 21“You're not part of any of this. None of this work belongs to you, because in God's eyes your attitude is totally wrong. 22Repent of your evil ways! Pray to the Lord and ask forgiveness for thinking like this. 23I can see that you are full of bitter envy, and chained down by your sin.”
24“Please pray for me, that nothing you've said may happen to me!” Simon replied.
25After they had given their testimony and shared the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, sharing the good news in many Samaritan villages along the way.
26An angel of the Lord told Philip, “Get ready and go south to the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So Philip set out, and met an Ethiopian man, a eunuch who had a high position in the service of the Kandake,#8:27. Kandake is not the personal name of the Queen, but her title, like “Pharaoh.” Queen of Ethiopia. He was her chief treasurer. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship there, and 28was returning from his trip, sitting in his chariot. He was reading out loud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
29The Spirit told Philip, “Go over close to the chariot.” 30So Philip ran over, and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah.
“Do you understand what you're reading?” Philip asked him.
31“How can I, unless someone explains it?” the man replied. He invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32The Scripture passage he was reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to be slaughtered. Like a lamb is silent in front of his shearer, he didn't say a word. 33He was humiliated and denied justice. No one can speak of his descendants, for his life came to an end.”#8:33. Literally, “his life was taken from the earth.” The quotation is from Isaiah 53:7-8.
34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is it himself, or someone else?” 35Philip started explaining, beginning from this Scripture, telling him about Jesus. 36As they continued on, they came to a stretch of water. The eunuch said, “Look, there's water here—why shouldn't I be baptized?” 37#8:37. This verse is not found in the earliest manuscripts. 38He ordered that the chariot be stopped. Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came out of the water the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again, but he continued on his way full of joy. Philip found himself at Azotus. 40He spread the good news in all the towns along the way until he arrived at Caesarea.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
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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