Acts 8

Saul Persecutes the Church

11SaulG4569 was in heartyG4909 agreementG4909 with puttingG336 him to deathG336.

And on that dayG2250 a greatG3173 persecutionG1375 2beganG1096 againstG1909 3the churchG1577 in JerusalemG2414, and they were allG3956 4scatteredG1289 throughoutG2596 the regionsG5561 of JudeaG2453 and 5SamariaG4540, exceptG4133 the apostlesG652. 2Some devoutG2126 menG435 buriedG4792 StephenG4736, and madeG4160 loudG3173 lamentationG2870 overG1909 him. 3But 6SaulG4569 began ravagingG3075 the churchG1577, enteringG1531 houseG3624 afterG2596 houseG3624, and 7draggingG4951 off menG435 and womenG1135, he would putG3860 them in prisonG5438.

Philip in Samaria

4ThereforeG3767, thoseG3588 8who had been scatteredG1289 wentG1330 aboutG1330 910preachingG2097 the wordG3056. 511PhilipG5376 wentG2718 downG2718 to the cityG4172 of SamariaG4540 and began proclaimingG2784 12ChristG5547 to them. 6The crowdsG3793 with oneG3661 accordG3661 were givingG4337 attentionG4337 to what was saidG3004 by PhilipG5376, as they heardG191 and sawG991 the 13signsG4592 whichG3739 he was performingG4160. 7For in the case of manyG4183 who hadG2192 14uncleanG169 spiritsG4151, they were comingG1831 out of them shoutingG994 with a loudG3173 voiceG5456; and manyG4183 who had been 15paralyzedG3886 and lameG5560 were healedG2323. 8SoG1161 there was 16muchG4183 rejoicingG5479 in that cityG4172.

9NowG1161 there was a manG435 namedG3686 SimonG4613, who formerlyG4391 was practicingG3096 17magicG3096 in the cityG4172 and astonishingG1839 the peopleG1484 of SamariaG4540, 18claimingG3004 to be someoneG5100 greatG3173; 10and they allG3956, from smallestG3398 to greatestG3173, were givingG4337 attentionG4337 to him, sayingG3004, “19ThisG3778 manG3778 is what is calledG2564 the GreatG3173 PowerG1411 of GodG2316.” 11And they were givingG4337 him attentionG4337 becauseG1223 he had for a longG2425 timeG5550 astonishedG1839 them with his 20magicG3095 artsG3095. 12But whenG3753 they believedG4100 PhilipG5376 21preachingG2097 the goodG2097 newsG2097 aboutG4012 the kingdomG932 of GodG2316 and the nameG3686 of JesusG2424 ChristG5547, they were being 22baptizedG907, menG435 and womenG1135 alikeG5037. 13EvenG2532 SimonG4613 himselfG846 believedG4100; and after being baptizedG907, he continuedG4342 on with PhilipG5376, and as he observedG2334 23signsG4592 and 24greatG3173 miraclesG1411 takingG1096 placeG1096, he was constantly amazedG1839.

14NowG1161 when 25the apostlesG652 in JerusalemG2414 heardG191 that SamariaG4540 had receivedG1209 the wordG3056 of GodG2316, they sentG649 them 26PeterG4074 and JohnG2491, 15whoG3748 cameG2597 downG2597 and prayedG4336 for them 27that they might receiveG2983 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151. 16For He had 28not yetG3764 fallenG1968 upon anyG3762 of them; they had simplyG3440 beenG5225 29baptizedG907 30in the nameG3686 of the LordG2962 JesusG2424. 17ThenG5119 they 31began layingG2007 their handsG5495 on them, and they were 32receivingG2983 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151. 18NowG1161 when SimonG4613 sawG3708 that the SpiritG4151 was bestowedG1325 throughG1223 the layingG1936 on of the apostles’G652 handsG5495, he offeredG4374 them moneyG5536, 19sayingG3004, “GiveG1325 thisG3778 authorityG1849 to me as wellG2532, soG2443 that everyoneG1437 on whomG3739 I layG2007 my handsG5495 may receiveG2983 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151.” 20But PeterG4074 saidG3004 to him, “May your silverG694 perishG684 with you, becauseG3754 you thoughtG3543 you could 33obtainG2932 the giftG1431 of GodG2316 with moneyG5536! 21You have 34noG3756 partG3310 orG3761 portionG2819 in thisG3778 35matterG3056, for your heartG2588 is not 36rightG2117 beforeG1725 GodG2316. 22ThereforeG3767 repentG3340 of thisG3778 wickednessG2549 of yoursG4771, and prayG1189 the LordG2962 that, 37ifG1487 possibleG686, the intentionG1963 of your heartG2588 may be forgivenG863 you. 23For I seeG3708 that you are in the gallG5521 of bitternessG4088 and in 38the 39bondageG4886 of iniquityG93.” 24But SimonG4613 answeredG611 and saidG3004, “40PrayG1189 to the LordG2962 for me yourselvesG4771, soG3704 that nothingG3367 of whatG3739 you have saidG3004 may comeG1904 upon me.”

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

25SoG3767, when they had solemnlyG1263 41testifiedG1263 and spokenG2980 42the wordG3056 of the LordG2962, they startedG5290 backG5290 to JerusalemG2414, and were 43preachingG2097 the gospelG2097 to manyG4183 villagesG2968 of the 44SamaritansG4541.

26But 45an angelG32 of the LordG2962 spokeG2980 to 46PhilipG5376 sayingG3004, “GetG450 up and goG4198 southG3314 to the roadG3598 that descendsG2597 from JerusalemG2419 to 47GazaG1048.” (48ThisG3778 is a desertG2048 road.) 27SoG2532 he gotG450 up and wentG4198; and 49there was an EthiopianG128 eunuchG2135, a courtG1413 officialG1413 of CandaceG2582, queenG938 of the EthiopiansG128, whoG3739 was in chargeG1909 of allG3956 her treasureG1047; and he 50had comeG2064 to JerusalemG2419 to worshipG4352, 28and he was returningG5290 and sittingG2521 in his 51chariotG716, and was readingG314 the prophetG4396 IsaiahG2268. 29ThenG2532 52the SpiritG4151 saidG3004 to PhilipG5376, “GoG4334 up and joinG2853 thisG3778 53chariotG716.” 30PhilipG5376 ranG4370 up and heardG191 him readingG314 IsaiahG2268 the prophetG4396, and saidG3004, “Do you understandG1097 whatG3739 you are readingG314?” 31And he saidG3004, “WellG1063, howG4459 couldG1410 I, unlessG1437G3361 someoneG5100 guidesG3594 me?” And he invitedG3870 PhilipG5376 to comeG305 up and sitG2523 with him. 32NowG1161 the passageG4042 of ScriptureG1124 whichG3739 he was readingG314 was thisG3778: “54He was ledG71 as a sheepG4263 to slaughterG4967; And as a lambG286 beforeG1727 its shearerG2751 is silentG880, SoG3779 He does not openG455 His mouthG4750.3355In humiliationG5014 His judgmentG2920 was takenG142 awayG142; WhoG5101 will 56relateG1334 His 57generationG1074? For His lifeG2222 is removedG142 from the earthG1093.” 34The eunuchG2135 answeredG611 PhilipG5376 and saidG3004, “PleaseG1189 tell me, of whomG5101 does the prophetG4396 sayG3004 thisG3778? Of himselfG1438 orG2228 of someoneG5100 elseG2087?” 35ThenG2532 PhilipG5376 58openedG455 his mouthG4750, and 59beginningG757 from thisG3778 ScriptureG1124 he 60preachedG2097 JesusG2424 to him. 36As they wentG4198 alongG2596 the roadG3598 they cameG2064 to someG5100 waterG5204; and the eunuchG2135 saidG5346, “LookG2400! WaterG5204! 61WhatG5101 preventsG2967 me from being baptizedG907?” 37[62And PhilipG5376 saidG3004, “IfG1487 you believeG4100 with allG3650 your heartG2588, you mayG1832.” And he answeredG611 and saidG3004, “I believeG4100 that JesusG2424 ChristG5547 is the SonG5207 of GodG2316.”] 38And he orderedG2753 the 63chariotG716 to stopG2476; and they bothG297 wentG2597 downG2597 into the waterG5204, PhilipG5376 as wellG5037 as the eunuchG2135, and he baptizedG907 him. 39WhenG3753 they cameG305 up out of the waterG5204, 64the SpiritG4151 of the LordG2962 snatchedG726 PhilipG5376 awayG726; and the eunuchG2135 noG3765 longerG3765 sawG3708 him, 65but wentG4198 on his wayG3598 rejoicingG5463. 40But PhilipG5376 66foundG2147 himself at 6768AzotusG108, and as he passedG1330 throughG1330 he 69kept preachingG2097 the gospelG2097 to allG3956 the citiesG4172 untilG2193 he cameG2064 to 70CaesareaG2542.