| New King James Version | NET Bible |
| 1Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. | 1And Saul agreed completely with killing him. Saul Begins to Persecute the Church Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. |
| 2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. | 2Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. |
| 3As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. | 3But Saul was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. |
| 4Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. | 4Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word. |
| 5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. | 5Philip went down to the main city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them. |
| 6And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. | 6The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the miraculous signs he was performing. |
| 7For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. | 7For unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, were coming out of many who were possessed, and many paralyzed and lame people were healed. |
| 8And there was great joy in that city. | 8So there was great joy in that city. |
| 9But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, | 9Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. |
| 10to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” | 10All the people, from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called 'Great.'" |
| 11And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. | 11And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. |
| 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. | 12But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women. |
| 13Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. | 13Even Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized, he stayed close to Philip constantly, and when he saw the signs and great miracles that were occurring, he was amazed. |
| 14Now when 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 in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. |
| 15who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. | 15These two went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. |
| 16For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. | 16(For the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) |
| 17Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. | 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, and they received the Holy Spirit. |
| 18And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, | 18Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money, |
| 19saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” | 19saying, "Give me this power too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit." |
| 20But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money! | 20But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire God's gift with money! |
| 21You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. | 21You have no share or part in this matter because your heart is not right before God! |
| 22Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. | 22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart. |
| 23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” | 23For I see that you are bitterly envious and in bondage to sin." |
| 24Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” | 24But Simon replied, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to me." |
| 25So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. | 25So after Peter and John had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many Samaritan villages as they went. |
| 26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert. | 26Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) |
| 27So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, | 27So he got up and went. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, |
| 28was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. | 28and was returning home, sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah. |
| 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” | 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." |
| 30So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” | 30So Philip ran up to it and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. He asked him, "Do you understand what you're reading?" |
| 31And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. | 31The man replied, "How in the world can I, unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. |
| 32The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. | 32Now the passage of scripture the man was reading was this: "He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. |
| 33In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” | 33In humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his posterity? For his life was taken away from the earth." |
| 34So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” | 34Then the eunuch said to Philip, "Please tell me, who is the prophet saying this about--himself or someone else?" |
| 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. | 35So Philip started speaking, and beginning with this scripture proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. |
| 36Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” | 36Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, there is water! What is to stop me from being baptized?" |
| 37Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” | 37 |
| 38So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. | 38So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. |
| 39Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. | 39Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but went on his way rejoicing. |
| 40But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea. | 40Philip, however, found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through the area, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. |
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