Acts 8
8
Saul Persecutes Messiah’s Community
1Now Saul was in agreement with Stephen’s execution. On that day a great persecution arose against Messiah’s community in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the emissaries.
2Some devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him.
3But Saul was destroying Messiah’s community, entering house after house; and dragging off men and women, he was throwing them into prison.
The Good News Spreads to Samaria
4Now those who had been scattered went around proclaiming the Word.
5Philip went down to the main city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.
6The crowds were paying close attention to what Philip was saying—as they both heard and saw the signs that he was doing.
7For unclean spirits were coming out of many who were plagued, shrieking with a loud voice. Many paralyzed and crippled were healed also.
8So there was great joy in that city.
9Now a man named Simon had been practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great.
10They all were paying special attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’”
11And they kept paying attention to him, because for a long time he had astonished them with his magical arts.
12But when they believed Philip proclaiming the Good News about the kingdom of God and the name of Messiah Yeshua, both men and women were immersed.
13Even Simon himself believed; and after being immersed, he continued with Philip. And when he saw signs and great miracles happening, he was continually amazed.
14Now when the emissaries in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the message of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
15They came down and prayed for them to receive the Ruach ha-Kodesh.
16For He had not yet come upon them; they had only been immersed in the name of the Lord Yeshua.
17Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Ruach ha-Kodesh.
18Now when Simon saw that the Ruach ha-Kodesh was given through the laying on of hands by the emissaries, he offered them money,
19saying, “Give this power to me, too—so that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Ruach ha-Kodesh.”
20Peter said to him, “May your silver go to ruin, and you with it—because you thought you could buy God’s gift with money!
21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.
22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be pardoned.
23For I see in you the poison of bitterness and the bondage of unrighteousness!”
24Simon replied, “Pray for me, so that none of what you have said may come upon me.”
25So when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the Good News to many Samaritan villages.
An Ethiopian Asks about Isaiah 53
26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up, and go south on the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)
27So he got up and went. And behold, an Ethiopian eunuch—an official who was responsible for all the treasure of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians—had traveled to Jerusalem to worship
28and was now returning. Sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29The Ruach said to Philip, “Go, catch up with this chariot.”
30Philip ran up and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this: “He was led as a sheep to slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opens not His Mouth.
33In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who shall recount His generation? For His life is taken away from the earth.”
34The eunuch replied to Philip, “Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about—himself or someone else?”
35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he proclaimed the Good News about Yeshua.
36Now as they were going down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, water! What’s to prevent me from being immersed?”
37
38He ordered the chariot to stop. They both got down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and Philip immersed him.
39When they came up out of the water, the Ruach Adonai snatched Philip away. The eunuch saw no more of him, for he went on his way, rejoicing.
40But Philip found himself at Azotus. And as he passed through, he kept proclaiming the Good News to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Currently Selected:
Acts 8: TLV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Acts 8
8
Saul Persecutes the Church
1Now Saul was consenting to his death.
At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and #John 16:2; Acts 8:4; 11:19they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and #Gen. 23:2made great lamentation over him.
3As for Saul, #Acts 7:58; 1 Cor. 15:9; Gal. 1:13; Phil. 3:6; 1 Tim. 1:13he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.
Christ Is Preached in Samaria
4Therefore #Matt. 10:23those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5Then #Acts 6:5; 8:26, 30Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7For #Mark 16:17unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8And there was great joy in that city.
The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith
9But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously #Acts 8:11; 13:6practiced sorcery in the city and #Acts 5:36astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the things #Acts 1:3; 8:4concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
The Sorcerer’s Sin
14Now when the #Acts 5:12, 29, 40apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15who, when they had come down, prayed for them #Acts 2:38; 19:2that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16For #Acts 19:2as yet He had fallen upon none of them. #Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38They had only been baptized in #Acts 10:48; 19:5the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then #Acts 6:6; 19:6; Heb. 6:2they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because #2 Kin. 5:16; Is. 55:1; Dan. 5:17; (Matt. 10:8)you thought that #(Acts 2:38; 10:45; 11:17)the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your #Jer. 17:9heart is not right in the sight of God. 22Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God #Dan. 4:27; 2 Tim. 2:25if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are #Heb. 12:15poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”
24Then Simon answered and said, #Gen. 20:7, 17; Ex. 8:8; Num. 21:7; 1 Kin. 13:6; Job 42:8; James 5:16“Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”
25So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
Christ Is Preached to an Ethiopian
26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to #Acts 6:5Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. 27So he arose and went. And behold, #Ps. 68:31; 87:4; Is. 56:3; Zeph. 3:10a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and #1 Kin. 8:41, 42; John 12:20had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”
30So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The place in the Scripture which he read was this:
#Is. 53:7, 8“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
#Matt. 26:62, 63; 27:12, 14; John 19:9So He opened not His mouth.
33In His humiliation His #Luke 23:1–25justice was taken away,
And who will declare His generation?
For His life is #Luke 23:33–46taken from the earth.”
34So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35Then Philip opened his mouth, #Luke 24:27; Acts 17:2; 18:28; 28:23and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. #Acts 10:47; 16:33What hinders me from being baptized?”
37Then Philip said, #Matt. 28:19; (Mark 16:16; Rom. 10:9, 10)“If you believe with all your heart, you may.”
And he answered and said, #Matt. 16:16; John 6:69; 9:35, 38; 11:27“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39Now when they came up out of the water, #1 Kin. 18:12; 2 Kin. 2:16; Ezek. 3:12, 14; 2 Cor. 12:2the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to #Acts 21:8Caesarea.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.