| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard 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. | 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. |
| 2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. | 2Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. |
| 3As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. | 3Saul, however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison. |
| 4Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. | 4So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news. |
| 5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. | 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. |
| 6And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. | 6The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the 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 out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame 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, | 9A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and astounded the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great. |
| 10to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” | 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!" |
| 11And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. | 11They were attentive to him because he had astounded them with his sorceries for a long time. |
| 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 preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. |
| 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. | 13Then even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he went around constantly with Philip and was astounded as he observed the signs and great miracles that were being performed. |
| 14Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, | 14When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had welcomed God's message, they sent Peter and John to them. |
| 15who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. | 15After they went down there, they prayed for them, so the Samaritans might 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. | 16For He had not yet come down on any of them; 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 laid their hands on them, 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, | 18When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he 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 anyone I lay 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 told him, "May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought the gift of God could be obtained 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 part or share 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 the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. |
| 23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” | 23For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity."" |
| 24Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” | 24Please pray to the Lord for me," Simon replied, "so that nothing 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. | 25Then, after they had testified and spoken the message of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, evangelizing many villages of the Samaritans. |
| 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. | 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.) |
| 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 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 |
| 28was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. | 28and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud. |
| 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” | 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go and join that chariot." |
| 30So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” | 30When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "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. | 31How can I," he said, "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 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. |
| 33In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” | 33In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken 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?” | 34The eunuch replied to Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about--himself or another person?" |
| 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. | 35So Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture. |
| 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?” | 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?" |
| 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.” | 37And 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 commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. | 38Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he 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. | 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 he 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 appeared in Azotus, and he was traveling and evangelizing all the towns until he came to Caesarea. |
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