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 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 3acquire the gift of God with money! 21You have 4no part or share in this 5matter, for your heart is not 6right before God. 22Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, 7if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are 8in the gall of bitterness and in 9the 10bondage of unrighteousness.” 24But Simon answered and said, “11Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

25So, when they had solemnly 12testified and spoken 13the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were 14preaching the gospel to many villages of the 15Samaritans.

26But 16an angel of the Lord spoke to 17Philip, saying, “Get ready and go 18south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to 19Gaza.” (20This is a desert road.) 27So he got ready and went; and 2122there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of 23Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he 24had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28and he was returning and sitting in his 25chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29Then 26the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this 27chariot.” 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: “28He was led like a sheep to slaughter; And like a lamb that is silent before its shearer, So He does not open His mouth.3329In humiliation His justice was taken away; Who will 30describe His 31generation? 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 32opened his mouth, and 33beginning from this Scripture he 34preached Jesus to him. 36As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! 35What prevents me from being baptized?”36 38And he ordered that the 37chariot 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, 38the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, 39but went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip 40found himself at 4142Azotus, and as he passed through he 43kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to 44Caesarea.