Acts 8
8
Saul Attempts to Destroy the Church
1 And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2And devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3But Saul was attempting to destroy the church. Entering house after house,#Literally “from house” to house he dragged off both men and women and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“dragged off”) has been translated as a finite verb delivered them#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation to prison.
Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria
4Now those who had been scattered went about proclaiming the good news of the word. 5And Philip came down to the city of Samaria and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came down”) has been translated as a finite verb began proclaiming#*The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began proclaiming”) the Christ#Or “Messiah” to them. 6And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, as they heard him#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and saw the signs that he was performing. 7For many of those who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them,#*The words “of them” are supplied in the translation to indicate that the unclean spirits were coming out of the people crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8And there was great joy in that city.
Simon the Magician
9Now a certain man named#Literally “by name” Simon had been in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great. 10They were all paying attention to him,#Literally “whom” from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’ ” 11And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with his#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun magic. 12But when they believed Philip as he#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was proclaiming the good news”) which is understood as temporal was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized. 13And Simon himself also believed, and after he#*Here “after” is supplied as a component of the participle (“was baptized”) which is understood as temporal was baptized he was keeping close company with#Literally “attaching himself to” Philip. And when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal saw the signs and great miracles that were taking place, he was astonished.
14Now when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“heard”) which is understood as temporal the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15who went down and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“went down”) has been translated as a finite verb prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16(For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized#Literally “but they were only having been baptized” in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17Then they placed their#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
18Now Simon, when he#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, 19saying, “Give to me also this power, so that whomever I place my#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun hands on may receive the Holy Spirit!” 20But Peter said to him, “May your silver be destroyed along with you,#Literally “be for destruction with you” because you thought you could acquire#Literally “to acquire” the gift of God by means of money! 21You have no#Literally “there is for you no” part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. 22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask the Lord if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you!” 23For I see you are in a state of bitter envy#Literally “the gall of bitterness” and bound by unrighteousness.”#Literally “the fetter of unrighteousness” 24But Simon answered and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb said, “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me.” 25So when#*Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“had solemnly testified”) which is understood as temporal they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they turned back toward Jerusalem, and were proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up and go toward the south#Or “go about noon” on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) 27And he got up and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“got up”) has been translated as a finite verb went, and behold, there was a man, an Ethiopian eunuch (a court official of Candace,#Or “the Candace” (the title of the queen of Ethiopia) queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury) who had come to worship in Jerusalem 28and was returning and sitting in his chariot, and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. 29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Approach and join this chariot.” 30So Philip ran up to it#*Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“ran up to”) has been translated as a finite verb heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet and said, “So then, do you understand what you are reading?” 31And he said, “So how could I, unless someone will guide me?” And he invited Philip to come up and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“come up”) has been translated as an infinitive sit with him. 32Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his#*Literally “the”; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun humiliation justice was taken from him.
Who can describe his descendants?#Or perhaps “family history”; literally “generation”
For his life was taken away from the earth.”#A quotation from Isa 53:7–8
34And the eunuch answered and#*Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this—about himself or about someone else?” 35So Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, proclaimed the good news to him about Jesus. 36And as they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”#A few later manuscripts add v. 37, with minor variations: “He said to him, ‘If you believe with your whole heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ ” The verse is almost certainly not an original part of the text of Acts. 38And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water—Philip and the eunuch—and he baptized him. 39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer, for he went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he#*Here “as” is supplied as a component of the participle (“passed through”) which is understood as temporal passed through, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
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Acts 8
8
Saul the Persecutor
1Saul agreed with putting him to death.
On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.#Ac 9:31; 11:19 2Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3Saul,#Ac 7:58; 22:20 however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.#Ac 22:4,19; 26:10; 1Co 15:9; Gl 1:13; Php 3:6; 1Tm 1:13
Philip in Samaria
4So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word. 5Philip went down to a#8:5 Other mss read the city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.#Ac 6:5; 15:35 6The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing. 7For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.#Mt 4:24; Mk 16:17 8So there was great joy in that city.
The Response of Simon
9A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great.#Ac 5:36; 13:6 10They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God.”#8:10 Or “This is the power of God called Great#Ac 14:11; 28:6 11They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time. 12But when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.#Ac 1:3; 2:38 13Even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he followed Philip everywhere and was amazed as he observed the signs and great miracles#Ac 8:6; 19:11 that were being performed.
Simon’s Sin
14When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.#Lk 22:8; Ac 8:1 15After they went down there, they prayed for them so that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come down on any of them. 16(They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.#Mt 28:19; Ac 2:38; 10:48; 19:2) 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18When Simon saw that the Spirit#8:18 Other mss add Holy was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me this power also so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20But Peter told him, “May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!#2Kg 5:16; Is 55:1; Dn 5:17; Mt 10:8; Ac 2:38 21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.#2Kg 10:15; Ps 78:37 22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven. 23For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness.”#Is 55:6–7; Dn 4:27; 2Tm 2:25; Heb 12:15
24“Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon replied, “so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”#Gn 20:7; Ex 8:8; Nm 21:7; Jms 5:16
25So, after they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
The Conversion of the Ethiopian Official
26An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.#8:26 Or is a desert place#Ac 5:19; 8:29) 27So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch#Ps 68:31; 87:4; Is 56:3; Zph 3:10 and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem#1Kg 8:41; Jn 12:20 28and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.
29The Spirit told Philip, “Go and join that chariot.”#Ac 10:19; 11:12; 13:2; 20:23; 21:11
30When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this:
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb is silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who will describe his generation?
For his life is taken from the earth. # 8:32–33 Is 53:7–8 #
Is 53:7–8; Php 2:8
34The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about — himself or someone else?” 35Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.#Lk 24:27; Ac 17:2; 18:28
36As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” #8:36 Some mss include v. 37: Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” 38So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord#1Kg 18:12; 2Kg 2:16; Ezk 3:12,14; 8:3; 11:1,24; 43:5 carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip appeared in#8:40 Or Philip was found at, or Philip found himself in Azotus,#8:40 Or Ashdod and he was traveling and preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.#Ac 10:1,24; 12:19; 21:8,16; 23:23,33; 25:1,4,6,13
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