Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

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.

1And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose 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.

2Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.

2Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

3Saul, however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.

3But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

4So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.

4Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.

5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

6The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing.

6And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did.

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.

7For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

8So there was great joy in that city.

8So there was much joy in that city.

9A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great.

9But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.

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."

10They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.”

11They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.

11And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.

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.

12But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

13Even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he followed Philip everywhere and was amazed as he observed the signs and great miracles that were being performed.

13Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

14When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

14Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

15After they went down there, they prayed for them so the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come down on any of them.

15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

16(They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

16for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

17Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit 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."

19saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands 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!

20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.

21You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart's intent may be forgiven.

22Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

23For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness."

23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

24"Pray to the Lord for me," Simon replied, "so that nothing you have said may happen to me."

24And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

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.

25Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

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.)

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place.

27So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem

27And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship

28and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.

28and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

29The Spirit told Philip, "Go and join that chariot."

29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”

30When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you're reading?"

30So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “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.

31And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And 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.

32Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth.

33In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will describe his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.

33In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.”

34The eunuch said to Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about--himself or someone else?"

34And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”

35Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.

35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.

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?"

36And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”

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37

38So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.

38And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing.

39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.

40Philip appeared in Azotus, and he was traveling and preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.