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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Acts 8: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Acts 8
8
1And Saul had agreed with the Sanhedrin that Stephen should die.
The Church Is Treated Badly and Scattered
On that day the church in Jerusalem began to be attacked and treated badly. All except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly Jews buried Stephen. They mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. He went from house to house. He dragged away men and women and put them in prison.
Philip Goes to Samaria
4The believers who had been scattered preached the word everywhere they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria. There he preached about the Messiah. 6The crowds listened to Philip and saw the signs he did. All of them paid close attention to what he said. 7Evil spirits screamed and came out of many people. Many people who were disabled or who couldn’t walk were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.
Simon the Evil Magician
9A man named Simon lived in the city. For quite a while he had practiced evil magic there. He amazed all the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great. 10And all the people listened to him, from the least important of them to the most important. They exclaimed, “It is right to call this man the Great Power of God!” 11He had amazed them for a long time with his evil magic. So they followed him. 12But Philip announced the good news of God’s kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ. So men and women believed and were baptized. 13Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip everywhere. He was amazed by the great signs and miracles he saw.
14The apostles in Jerusalem heard that people in Samaria had accepted God’s word. So they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15When they arrived there, they prayed for the new believers. They prayed that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16The Holy Spirit had not yet come 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 watched as the apostles placed their hands on them. He saw that the Spirit was given to them. So he offered money to Peter and John. 19He said, “Give me this power too. Then everyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20Peter answered, “May your money be destroyed with you! Do you think you can buy God’s gift with money? 21You have no part or share in this holy work. Your heart is not right with God. 22Turn away from this evil sin of yours. Pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23I see that you are very bitter. You are a prisoner of sin.”
24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me. Pray that nothing you have said will happen to me.”
25Peter and John continued to preach the word of the Lord and tell people about Jesus. Then they returned to Jerusalem. On the way they preached the good news in many villages in Samaria.
Philip and the Man From Ethiopia
26An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. “Go south to the desert road,” he said. “It’s the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So Philip started out. On his way he met an Ethiopian official. The man had an important position in charge of all the wealth of the Kandake. Kandake means queen of Ethiopia. This official had gone to Jerusalem to worship. 28On his way home he was sitting in his chariot. He was reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Holy Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot. Stay near it.”
30So Philip ran up to the chariot. He heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you’re reading?” Philip asked.
31“How can I?” he said. “I need someone to explain it to me.” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32Here is the part of Scripture the official was reading. It says,
“He was led like a sheep to be killed.
Just as lambs are silent while their wool is being cut off,
he did not open his mouth.
33When he was treated badly, he was refused a fair trial.
Who can say anything about his children?
His life was cut off from the earth.” (Isaiah 53:7,8)
34The official said to Philip, “Tell me, please. Who is the prophet talking about? Himself, or someone else?” 35Then Philip began with that same part of Scripture. He told him the good news about Jesus.
36-37As they traveled along the road, they came to some water. The official said, “Look! Here is water! What can stop me from being baptized?” 38He gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the official went down into the water. Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official did not see him again. He went on his way full of joy. 40Philip was seen next at Azotus. From there he traveled all around. He preached the good news in all the towns. Finally he arrived in Caesarea.
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