Ma`asei (Acts) 8
8
1And Sha’ul was giving approval to his death. And on that day there was a great persecution against the assembly which was at Yerushalayim, and they were all scattered throughout the countries of Yehuḏah and Shomeron, except the emissaries.
2And dedicated men buried Stephanos, and made great lamentation over him.
3But Sha’ul was ravaging the assembly, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.
4Then those who had been scattered went everywhere bringing the Good News: the Word!
5And going down to the city of Shomeron Philip proclaimed Messiah to them.
6And the crowds with one mind heeded what Philip said, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who were paralysed and lame were healed.
8And there came to be great joy in that city.
9Now there was a certain man called Shim‛on, who formerly was practising magic in the city and astonishing the people of Shomeron, claiming to be someone great,
10to whom they all were giving heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This one is the power of Elohim, which is great.”
11And they were giving heed to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.
12And when they believed Philip as he brought the Good News about the reign of Elohim and the Name of יהושע Messiah, both men and women were immersed.
13And Shim‛on himself also believed. And when he was immersed he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which took place.
14And when the emissaries who were at Yerushalayim heard that Shomeron had received the Word of Elohim, they sent Kĕpha and Yoḥanan to them,
15who, when they had come down, prayed for them to receive the Set-apart Spirit,
16for He had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been immersed in the Name of the Master יהושע.
17Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Set-apart Spirit.
18And Shim‛on, seeing that through the laying on of the hands of the emissaries the Set-apart Spirit was given, he offered them money,
19saying, “Give me this authority too, so that anyone I lay hands on shall receive the Set-apart Spirit.”
20But Kĕpha said to him, “Let your silver perish with you, because you thought to buy the gift of Elohim through money!
21“You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before Elohim.
22“Repent therefore of this evil of yours, and plead with Elohim to forgive you the intention of your heart.
23“For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by unrighteousness.
24But Shim‛on answering, said, “Plead with the Master for me, so that none of what you had said shall come upon me.”
25Then after they had earnestly witnessed and spoken the Word of יהוה, they returned to Yerushalayim, bringing the Good News in many villages of the Shomeronim.
26But a messenger of יהוה spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the way which goes down from Yerushalayim to Azzah.” This is desert.
27And he arose and went, and saw, a man of Kush, a eunuch of great authority under Kandake the sovereigness of the Kushites, who was in charge of all her treasury, and had come to Yerushalayim to worship,
28and was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Yeshayahu.
29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and join him in that chariot.”
30And running up, Philip heard him reading the prophet Yeshayahu, and said, “Do you know what you are reading?”
31And he said, “How am I able, unless someone guides me?” And he called Philip near, to come up and sit with him.
32And the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, “He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so He opened not His mouth.
33“In His humiliation He was deprived of right-ruling. And who shall declare His generation? Because His life was taken from the earth.”# Isa. 53:7, 8
34And the eunuch, answering Philip, said, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about some other?”
35And Philip opening his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, brought to him the Good News: יהושע!
36And as they were going on the way, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “Look, water! What hinders me from being immersed?”
37And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, it is permitted.” And he answering, said, “I believe the Son of Elohim#See Mat. 16:16 - Some manuscripts omit verse 8:37 to be יהושע the Messiah.”
38And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he immersed him.
39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of יהוה caught Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went his way, rejoicing.
40Philip, however, was found at Ashdoḏ. And passing through, he brought the Good News in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
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Ma`asei (Acts) 8: TS2009
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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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Good News Bible with Deuterocanonicals/Apocrypha. 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.