Acts 8

Saul Persecutes the Church

11NowG1161 SaulG4569 approvedG4909 of puttingG336 2Stephen toG336 deathG336.

And on that dayG2250 a greatG3173 persecutionG1375 3beganG1096 againstG1909 4the churchG1577 in JerusalemG2414, and they were allG3956 5scatteredG1289 throughoutG2596 the regionsG5561 of JudeaG2449 and 6SamariaG4540, exceptG4133 for the apostlesG652. 2Some devoutG2126 menG435 buriedG4792 StephenG4736, and mournedG4160G2870 loudlyG3173 for him. 3But 7SaulG4569 began ravagingG3075 the churchG1577, enteringG1531 houseG3624 afterG2596 houseG3624; and he would 8dragG4951 awayG4951 menG435 and womenG1135 and putG3860 them in prisonG5438.

Philip in Samaria

4ThereforeG3767, thoseG3588 9who had been scatteredG1289 wentG1330 throughG1330 places 1011preachingG2097 the wordG3056. 512PhilipG5376 wentG2718 downG2718 to the cityG4172 of SamariaG4540 and began proclaimingG2784 the 13ChristG5547 to them. 6The crowdsG3793 were payingG4337 attentionG4337 with oneG3661 mindG3661 to what was being saidG3004 by PhilipG5376, as they heardG191 and sawG991 the 14signsG4592 whichG3739 he was performingG4160. 7For in the case of manyG4183 who hadG2192 15uncleanG169 spiritsG4151, they were comingG1831 outG1831 of them shoutingG994 with a loudG3173 voiceG5456; and manyG4183 who had been 16paralyzedG3886 or limpedG5560 on crutches were healedG2323. 8SoG1161 there was 17muchG4183 rejoicingG5479 in that cityG4172.

9NowG1161 a manG435 namedG3686 SimonG4613 had previouslyG4391 beenG4391 practicingG3096 18magicG3096 in the cityG4172 and astonishingG1839 the peopleG1484 of SamariaG4540, 19claimingG3004 to be someoneG5100 greatG3173; 10and allG3956 the people, from smallG3398 to greatG3173, were payingG4337 attentionG4337 to him, sayingG3004, “20ThisG3778 manG3778 is the PowerG1411 of GodG2316 that is calledG2564 GreatG3173.” 11And they were payingG4337 attentionG4337 to him becauseG1223 for a longG2425 timeG5550 he had astoundedG1839 them with his 21magicG3095 artsG3095. 12But whenG3753 they believedG4100 PhilipG5376 22as he was preachingG2097 the goodG2097 newsG2097 aboutG4012 the kingdomG932 of GodG2316 and the nameG3686 of JesusG2424 ChristG5547, bothG5037 menG435 and womenG1135 were being 23baptizedG907. 13NowG1161 evenG2532 SimonG4613 himselfG846 believedG4100; and after being baptizedG907, he continuedG4342 on with PhilipG5376, and as he observedG2334 24signsG4592 and 25greatG3173 miraclesG1411 takingG1096 placeG1096, he was repeatedly amazedG1839.

14NowG1161 when 26the apostlesG652 in JerusalemG2414 heardG191 that SamariaG4540 had receivedG1209 the wordG3056 of GodG2316, they sentG649 them 27PeterG4074 and JohnG2491, 15whoG3748 cameG2597 downG2597 and prayedG4336 for them 28that they would receiveG2983 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151. 16(For He had 29not yetG3764 fallenG1968 uponG1968 anyG3762 of them; they had simplyG3440 beenG5225 30baptizedG907 31in the nameG3686 of the LordG2962 JesusG2424.) 17ThenG5119 they 32began layingG2007 their handsG5495 on them, and they were 33receivingG2983 the HolyG40 SpiritG4151. 18NowG1161 when SimonG4613 sawG3708 that the SpiritG4151 was givenG1325 throughG1223 the layingG1936 onG1936 of the apostles’G652 handsG5495, he offeredG4374 them moneyG5536, 19sayingG3004, “GiveG1325 thisG3778 authorityG1849 to me asG2532 wellG2532, soG2443 thatG2443 everyoneG1437 onG2007 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 34acquireG2932 the giftG1431 of GodG2316 with moneyG5536! 21You have 35noG3756 partG3310 orG3761 shareG2819 in thisG3778 36matterG3056, for your heartG2588 is not 37rightG2117 beforeG1725 GodG2316. 22ThereforeG3767, repentG3340 of thisG3778 wickednessG2549 of yoursG4771, and prayG1189 to the LordG2962 that, 38ifG1487 possibleG686, the intentionG1963 of your heartG2588 will be forgivenG863 you. 23For I seeG3708 that you are 39in the gallG5521 of bitternessG4088 and in 40the 41bondageG4886 of unrighteousnessG93.” 24But SimonG4613 answeredG611 and saidG3004, “42PrayG1189 to the LordG2962 for me yourselvesG4771, soG3704 thatG3704 nothingG3367 of whatG3739 you have saidG3004 may comeG1904 uponG1904 me.”

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

25SoG3767, when they had solemnlyG1263 43testifiedG1263 and spokenG2980 44the wordG3056 of the LordG2962, they startedG5290 backG5290 to JerusalemG2414, and were 45preachingG2097 the gospelG2097 to manyG4183 villagesG2968 of the 46SamaritansG4541.

26But 47an angelG32 of the LordG2962 spokeG2980 to 48PhilipG5376, sayingG3004, “GetG450 readyG450 and goG4198 49southG2596G3314 to the roadG3598 that descendsG2597 from JerusalemG2419 to 50GazaG1048.” (51ThisG3778 is a desertG2048 road.) 27SoG2532 he gotG450 readyG450 and wentG4198; and 5253there was an EthiopianG128 eunuchG2135, a courtG1413 officialG1413 of 54CandaceG2582, queenG938 of the EthiopiansG128, whoG3739 was inG1909 chargeG1909 of allG3956 her treasureG1047; and he 55had comeG2064 to JerusalemG2419 to worshipG4352, 28and he was returningG5290 and sittingG2521 in his 56chariotG716, and was readingG314 IsaiahG2268 the prophetG4396. 29ThenG2532 57the SpiritG4151 saidG3004 to PhilipG5376, “GoG4334 upG4334 and joinG2853 thisG3778 58chariotG716.” 30PhilipG5376 ranG4370 upG4370 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 upG305 and sitG2523 with him. 32NowG1161 the passageG4042 of ScriptureG1124 whichG3739 he was readingG314 was thisG3778: “59He was ledG71 like a sheepG4263 to slaughterG4967; And like a lambG286 that is silentG880 beforeG1726 its shearerG2751, SoG3779 He does not openG455 His mouthG4750.3360In humiliationG5014 His justiceG2920 was takenG142 awayG142; WhoG5101 will 61describeG1334 His 62generationG1074? For His lifeG2222 is takenG142 awayG142 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 63openedG455 his mouthG4750, and 64beginningG757 from thisG3778 ScriptureG1124 he 65preachedG2097 JesusG2424 to him. 36As they wentG4198 alongG2596 the roadG3598 they cameG2064 to someG5100 waterG5204; and the eunuchG2135 saidG5346, “LookG2400! WaterG5204! 66WhatG5101 preventsG2967 me from being baptizedG907?”67 38And he orderedG2753 that the 68chariotG716 stopG2476; and they bothG297 wentG2597 downG2597 into the waterG5204, PhilipG5376 asG5037 wellG5037 as the eunuchG2135, and he baptizedG907 him. 39WhenG3753 they cameG305 upG305 out of the waterG5204, 69the SpiritG4151 of the LordG2962 snatchedG726 PhilipG5376 awayG726; and the eunuchG2135 noG3765 longerG3765 sawG3708 him, 70but wentG4198 on his wayG3598 rejoicingG5463. 40But PhilipG5376 71foundG2147 himself at 7273AzotusG108, and as he passedG1330 throughG1330 he 74kept preachingG2097 the gospelG2097 to allG3956 the citiesG4172, untilG2193 he cameG2064 to 75CaesareaG2542.