Acts 8
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1Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. Persecution Scatters the Believers A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions 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.
2(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)2Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
3But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. Philip Preaches in Samaria3But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
4But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.4Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
5Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.
6Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.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.
7Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or 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 been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone 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.
10Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the 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 listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.11And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.
12But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many 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.
13Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip 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 in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there.14Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,
15As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for 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 upon these believers, 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 when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
19“Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will 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 replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
21You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.21You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
22Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,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 can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”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 exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”24And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
25After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News. Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch25Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
26As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”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 started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship,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 he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.28and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”
30Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”30So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage 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.
32The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did 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.
33He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was 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 asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking 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?”
35So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be 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?”
3737
38He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip 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 snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again 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.
40Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way 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.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.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.
Acts 7
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