Acts 8

Saul Persecutes the Church

11Now Saul approved of putting 2Stephen to death.

And on that day a great persecution 3began against 4the church in Jerusalem, and they were all 5scattered throughout the regions of Judea and 6Samaria, except for the apostles. 2Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him. 3But 7Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and he would 8drag away men and women and put them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

4Therefore, those 9who had been scattered went through places 1011preaching the word. 512Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming the 13Christ to them. 6The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the 14signs which he was performing. 7For in the case of many who had 15unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been 16paralyzed or limped on crutches were healed. 8So there was 17much rejoicing in that city.

9Now a man named Simon had previously been practicing 18magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, 19claiming to be someone great; 10and all the people, from small to great, were paying attention to him, saying, “20This man is the Power of God that is called Great.” 11And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his 21magic arts. 12But when they believed Philip 22as he was preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being 23baptized. 13Now even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed 24signs and 25great miracles taking place, he was repeatedly amazed.

14Now when 26the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them 27Peter and John, 15who came down and prayed for them 28that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16(For He had 29not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been 30baptized 31in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17Then they 32began laying their hands on them, and they were 33receiving the Holy Spirit. 18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given 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 34acquire the gift of God with money! 21You have 35no part or share in this 36matter, for your heart is not 37right before God. 22Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, 38if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are 39in the gall of bitterness and in 40the 41bondage of unrighteousness.” 24But Simon answered and said, “42Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

25So, when they had solemnly 43testified and spoken 44the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were 45preaching the gospel to many villages of the 46Samaritans.

26But 47an angel of the Lord spoke to 48Philip, saying, “Get ready and go 49south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to 50Gaza.” (51This is a desert road.) 27So he got ready and went; and 5253there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of 54Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he 55had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28and he was returning and sitting in his 56chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29Then 57the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this 58chariot.” 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: “59He was led like a sheep to slaughter; And like a lamb that is silent before its shearer, So He does not open His mouth.3360In humiliation His justice was taken away; Who will 61describe His 62generation? For His life is taken away 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 63opened his mouth, and 64beginning from this Scripture he 65preached Jesus to him. 36As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! 66What prevents me from being baptized?”67 38And he ordered that the 68chariot 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, 69the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, 70but went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip 71found himself at 7273Azotus, and as he passed through he 74kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to 75Caesarea.