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.
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
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.