Acts 8
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1Now Saul heartily approved of putting Stephen to death. That day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except for the apostles was scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 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.
2Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him. 2(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)
3But Saul kept trying to destroy the church. Going into one house after another, he began dragging off men and women and throwing them in prison.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 Samaria
4Now those who were scattered went from place to place preaching the word. 4But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.
5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began to preach the Messiah to the people.5Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.
6The crowds, hearing his message and seeing the signs that he was doing, paid close attention to what was said by Philip. 6Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.
7Unclean spirits screamed with a loud voice as they came out of the many people they had possessed, and many paralyzed and lame people were healed. 7Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.
8As a result, there was great rejoicing in that city.8So there was great joy in that city.
9Now in that city there was a man named Simon. He was practicing occult arts and thrilling the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 9A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.
10Everyone from the least to the greatest paid close attention to him, saying, "This is what we call the great power of God!" 10Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.”
11They paid careful attention to him because he had thrilled them for a long time with his occult performances. 11They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.
12But when Philip proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and about the name of Jesus the Messiah, men and women believed and were baptized. 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.
13Even Simon believed, and after he was baptized he became devoted to Philip. He was amazed to see the signs and great miracles that were happening.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.
14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaritans had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there.
15They went down and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. 15As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.
16Before this, he had not come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 16The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for 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 Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money 18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.
19and said, "Give me this power too, so that when I lay my hands on someone, he will receive the Holy Spirit."19“Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”
20But Peter told him, "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's free gift with money! 20But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!
21You have no part or share in what we're saying, because your heart isn't right with God. 21You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.
22So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart's intent may be forgiven you. 22Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,
23For I see that you're being poisoned by bitterness and you're a prisoner of wickedness!"23for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”
24Simon answered, "Both of you pray to the Lord for me that none of the things you have said will happen to me."24“Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”
25After they had given their testimony and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, continuing to proclaim the good news in many Samaritan villages.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 Eunuch
26Now an angel of the Lord told Philip, "Get up and go south on the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a deserted road." 26As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, who was a member of the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was in charge of all her treasures and had come up to Jerusalem to worship. 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,
28Now he was returning home, seated in his chariot, and reading from the prophet Isaiah.28and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
29The Spirit told Philip, "Approach that chariot and stay near it." 29The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
30So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah out loud. Philip asked, "Do you understand what you're reading?"30Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31The man replied, "How can I unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him. 31The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
32This was the passage of Scripture he was reading: "Like a sheep he was led away to be slaughtered, and like a lamb is silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.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.
33In his humiliation, justice was denied him. Who can describe his descendants? For his life is taken away from the earth." 33He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”
34The eunuch asked Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet talking about? Himself? Or someone else?" 34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?”
35Then Philip began to speak, and, starting from this Scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus.35So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.
36As they were going along the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, "Look, there's some water. What keeps me from being baptized?"36As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”
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38So he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 38He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch went on his way rejoicing and did not see Philip again. 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.
40But Philip found himself at Azotus. As he was passing through that region, he kept proclaiming the good news in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.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.
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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.
Acts 7
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