Acts 8
8
1And Saul approved of his murder.
Saul Persecutes the Church
That very day the church in Jerusalem began to suffer cruel persecution. All the believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout the provinces of Judea and Samaria. 2Some devout men buried Stephen, mourning for him with loud cries.
3 #
Acts 22.4–5; 26.9–11 But Saul tried to destroy the church; going from house to house, he dragged out the believers, both men and women, and threw them into jail.
The Gospel is Preached in Samaria
4The believers who were scattered went everywhere, preaching the message. 5Philip went to the principal city#8.5 the principal city; some manuscripts have a city. in Samaria and preached the Messiah to the people there. 6The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said, as they listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed. 7Evil spirits came out from many people with a loud cry, and many paralysed and lame people were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.
9A man named Simon lived there, who for some time had astounded the Samaritans with his magic. He claimed that he was someone great, 10and everyone in the city, from all classes of society, paid close attention to him. “He is that power of God known as ‘The Great Power’,” they said. 11They paid this attention to him because for such a long time he had astonished them with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip's message about the good news of the Kingdom of God and about Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Simon himself also believed; and after being baptized, he stayed close to Philip and was astounded when he saw the great wonders and miracles that were being performed.
14The apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the word of God, so they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for the believers that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16For the Holy Spirit had not yet come down 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 saw that the Spirit had been given to the believers when the apostles placed their hands on them. So he offered money to Peter and John, 19and said, “Give this power to me too, so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20But Peter answered him, “May you and your money go to hell, for thinking that you can buy God's gift with money! 21You have no part or share in our work, because your heart is not right in God's sight. 22Repent, then, of this evil plan of yours, and pray to the Lord that he will forgive you for thinking such a thing as this. 23For I see that you are full of bitter envy and are a prisoner of sin.”
24Simon said to Peter and John, “Please pray to the Lord for me, so that none of these things you spoke of will happen to me.”
25After they had given their testimony and proclaimed the Lord's message, Peter and John went back to Jerusalem. On their way they preached the Good News in many villages of Samaria.
Philip and the Ethiopian Official
26An angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get ready and go south#8.26 south; or at midday. to the road that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This road is not used nowadays.)#8.26 This road is not used nowadays; or This is the desert road. 27-28So Philip got ready and went. Now an Ethiopian eunuch, who was an important official in charge of the treasury of the queen of Ethiopia, was on his way home. He had been to Jerusalem to worship God and was going back home in his carriage. As he rode along, he was reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. 29The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that carriage and stay close to it.” 30Philip ran over and heard him reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. He asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31The official replied, “How can I understand unless someone explains it to me?” And he invited Philip to climb up and sit in the carriage with him. 32#Is 53.7–8 (LXX)The passage of scripture which he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep that is taken to be slaughtered,
like a lamb that makes no sound when its wool is cut off,
he did not say a word.
33He was humiliated, and justice was denied him.
No one will be able to tell about his descendants,
because his life on earth has come to an end.”
34The official asked Philip, “Tell me, of whom is the prophet saying this? Of himself or of someone else?” 35Then Philip began to speak; starting from this passage of scripture, he told him the Good News about Jesus. 36As they travelled down the road, they came to a place where there was some water, and the official said, “Here is some water. What is to keep me from being baptized?”#8.36 Some manuscripts add verse 37: Philip said to him, “You may be baptized if you believe with all your heart.” “I do,” he answered; “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38The official ordered the carriage to stop, and both Philip and the official went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The official did not see him again, but continued on his way, full of joy. 40Philip found himself in Azotus; he went on to Caesarea, and on the way he preached the Good News in every town.
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Acts 8: GNBUK
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Gevurot Meyruach Hakodesh 8
8
1And there came about in that day a great pogrom keneged (against) the Brit Chadasha Kehillah in Yerushalayim, and everyone was scattered throughout the regions of Yehudah and Shomron except the Moshiachʼs Shlichim.
2And chasidim came and gave kevurah (burial) to Stefanos and they made loud lamentation over him.
3But Rav Sha'ul was making havoc of the Moshiachʼs Kehillah, barging in bais by bais, dragging off both anashim and nashim, and delivering them over to the beis hasohar.
4The ones therefore having been scattered went about darshenen the dvar Hashem.
5Now Philippos,#8:5 Ac 6:5 having gone down to the city of Shomron, was preaching to them the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.
6And the multitudes with one accord were paying attention to the things being said by Philippos, as they heard him and saw the otot which he was accomplishing.
7For many had ruchot teme'ot coming out, crying out with a kol gadol, and many having been paralyzed and many pisechim (lame ones) were given refu'ah shleimah.
8And there was great simchah in that city.
9Now a certain ish by name Shim'on was previously in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Shomron, saying that he himself was an ish of gadlus (with remarkable superiority) and gadol.
10And to this certain Shim'on everyone from katon to gadol was paying attention, saying, Hinei! This man is the ko'ach (power) of Hashem, the ko'ach hagadol.
11And they were giving heed to him, because he for a long time had astonished them by magic tricks.
12But with emunah in the darshenen of Philippos about the Malchut Hashem and the Shem of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, they, both anashim and nashim, were submitting to Moshiachʼs mikveh tevilah of teshuva.
13And Shim'on himself also had emunah, and, having submitted to Moshiachʼs tevilah of teshuva, was following Philippos, and, seeing otot and nifla'ot and moftim hagedolim taking place, he was constantly nispoyel (standing in awe).
14And when Moshiachʼs Shlichim heard in Yerushalayim that Shomron has accepted the dvar Hashem, they sent Kefa and Yochanan to them,
15Who, having come down, davened for them that they might receive the Ruach Hakodesh.
16For the Ruach Hakodesh had not yet fallen upon any one of them, but only they had received a tevilah of teshuva in a mikveh mayim b'Shem Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Adoneinu.
17Then Kefa and Yochanan were laying their hands upon them, and they were receiving the Ruach Hakodesh.
18And when Shim'on saw that through the laying on of hands of Moshiachʼs Shlichim that the Ruach Hakodesh is given, he brought to them kesef,
19Saying, Give me also this samchut that on whomever I may lay my hands such may receive the Ruach Hakodesh.
20But Kefa said to him, May your kesef perish with you because the matnat Hashem you thought by kesef to acquire.#8:20 2Kgs 5:16; Dt 5:17
21There is not to you a chelek (allotted portion) nor share in this matter, for your lev (heart) is krum (deviant) and not upright before Hashem.#8:21 Neh 2:20; Ps 78:37
22Therefore make teshuva from your wickedness and daven (pray) to Hashem if efsher (perhaps) you will receive selicha (forgiveness) for the intent of your lev,
23For I see you are in bitter gall and the bond of haresha.#8:23 Dt 29:18 TARGUM HASHIVIM; Jer 4:18; Isa 58:6
24And in reply Shim'on said, Daven for me to Hashem that nothing may come upon me of which you have spoken.#8:24 Ex 8:8; Num 21:7; 1Kgs 13:6; Jer 42:2
25The ones then having testified and spoken the dvar Adonoi were returning to Yerushalayim and to many villages of the Shomronim preaching the Besuras HaGeulah.
26And a malach Adonoi spoke to Philippos, saying, Get up and go south on the derech going down from Yerushalayim to Gaza. This is desert.
27And having got up, Philippos went. And, hinei, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, a court official of the Kandake of the Ethiopians! He was over all of her Otzrot (treasury) and had come worshipping to Yerushalayim,#8:27 Ps 68:31; 87:4; Zeph 3:10; Isa 56:3-5; 1Kgs 8:41-43
28And he was returning and sitting in his chariot and he was reading Yeshayah HaNavi.
29And the Ruach Hakodesh said to Philippos, Approach and join this chariot.
30And having run, Philippos heard him reading Yeshayah HaNavi, and Philippos said, So do you have binah of what you are reading?
31And he said, How then might I be able, unless someone will guide me? And he invited Philippos to come up and sit with him.
32Now the keta (section) of the Tanakh which he was reading was this: KASEH LATEVACH YUVAL (He#8:32 Moshiach was led as a lamb to the slaughter) and as a Seh#8:32 Isa 53:7 (Lamb) before the one having sheared it is silent, LO YIFTACH PIV (He does not open his mouth).
33In humiliation his justice was taken away. The descendants of him who will tell? Because he is taken away from HA'ARETZ CHAYYIM.#8:33 Isa 53:7,8 TARGUM HASHIVIM
34And in reply the eunuch said to Philippos, I ask you about whom the Navi (prophet) says this? About himself or about some other person?
35And having opened his mouth, and beginning from this keta (section) of the Kitvei Hakodesh, Philippos began to preach and fier ois (elucidate) Yehoshua/Yeshua to him.
36And as they were going along the derech, they came upon some mayim and the eunuch says, Hinei, mayim! What prevents me from being given Moshiachʼs tevilah of teshuva in the mikveh mayim?
[37And Philippos said, If you have emunah b'chol levavcha, it is mutar. And he answered, saying, Ani ma'amin ki Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Ben HaElohim hu.]
38And he commanded the chariot to stop and both went down into the mikveh mayim, both Philippos and the eunuch, and Philippos gave him Moshiachʼs tevilah of teshuva in the mikveh mayim.
39And when they came up from the mikveh mayim, the Ruach Hakodesh of Hashem took Philippos away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer, but was going on his way with lev same'ach.#8:39 1Kgs 18:12; 2Kgs 2:16; Ezek 3:12,14; 8:3; 11:1,24; 43:5
40But Philippos was found in Ashdod, and passing through, he was preaching the Besuras HaGeulah to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
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