Acts 8:17-40

17Then they 1began laying their hands on them, and they were 2receiving the Holy Spirit. 18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could 3obtain the gift of God with money! 21You have 4no part or portion in this 5matter, for your heart is not 6right before God. 22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, 7if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in 8the 9bondage of iniquity.” 24But Simon answered and said, “10Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

25So, when they had solemnly 11testified and spoken 12the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were 13preaching the gospel to many villages of the 14Samaritans.

26But 15an angel of the Lord spoke to 16Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to 17Gaza.” (18This is a desert road.) 27So he got up and went; and 19there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he 20had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28and he was returning and sitting in his 21chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29Then 22the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this 23chariot.” 30Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “24He was led as a sheep to slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth.3325In humiliation His judgment was taken away; Who will 26relate His 27generation? For His life is removed from the earth.” 34The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” 35Then Philip 28opened his mouth, and 29beginning from this Scripture he 30preached Jesus to him. 36As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! 31What prevents me from being baptized?” 37[32And 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.”] 38And he ordered the 33chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, 34the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, 35but went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip 36found himself at 3738Azotus, and as he passed through he 39kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to 40Caesarea.