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.
Currently Selected:
Acts 8: FBV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
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 Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the emissaries. 2Devout men buried Stephen and lamented greatly over him. 3But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house and dragged both men and women off to prison. 4Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around proclaiming the word. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Messiah. 6The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip when they heard and saw the signs which he did. 7For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralysed and lame were healed. 8There was great joy in that city.
9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practise sorcery in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one, 10to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is that great power of God.” 11They listened to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries. 12But when they believed Philip proclaiming good news concerning God’s Kingdom and the name of Yeshua the Messiah, they were immersed, both men and women. 13Simon himself also believed. Being immersed, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
14 Now when the emissaries who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and Yochanan to them, 15who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua. 17Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the emissaries’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God. 22Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are in the poison of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”
24 Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me.”
25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.
26 Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go towards the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.”
27 He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.”
30 Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this,
“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter.
As a lamb before his shearer is silent,
so he doesn’t open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation, his judgement was taken away.
Who will declare His generation?
For his life is taken from the earth.”#Isaiah 53:7,8
34 The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?”
35 Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Yeshua. 36As they went on the way, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being immersed?”
37 # 8:37 TR adds Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Yeshua the Messiah is the Son of God.” 38He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he immersed him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
PUBLIC DOMAIN. "World Messianic Bible" is a trademark.