Acts 8
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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 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.
2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.2(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)
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 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
4Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.4But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.
5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.5Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.
6And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.6Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.
7For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.7Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or 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 been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and 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.”10Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.”
11And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.11They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them 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 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.
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 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 who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received 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.
15who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.15As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to 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.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 they laid 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.
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 Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.
19saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may 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 said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!20But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!
21You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.21You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.
22Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart 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 are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”23for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by 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.”24“Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t 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.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 spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.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 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 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,
28was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.28and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”29The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
30So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”30Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are 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 can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage 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.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 His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”33He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was 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 asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?”
35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.35So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.
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 rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be 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.38He ordered the carriage to stop, and they 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.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 was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till 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.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.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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