Acts

The Acts of the Apostles, chapter 8, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 8 New English Translation

Saul Begins to Persecute the Church

   1 And Saul agreed completely with killing him. Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

Philip Preaches in Samaria

   4 Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word. 5 Philip went down to the main city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them. 6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the miraculous signs he was performing. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, were coming out of many who were possessed, and many paralyzed and lame people were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
   9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 10 All the people, from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called 'Great.'" 11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized, he stayed close to Philip constantly, and when he saw the signs and great miracles that were occurring, he was amazed.
   14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 These two went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16 (For the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the LORD Jesus. ) 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, and they received the Holy Spirit.
   18 Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me this power too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire God's gift with money! 21 You have no share or part in this matter because your heart is not right before God! 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the LORD that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart. 23 For I see that you are bitterly envious and in bondage to sin." 24 But Simon replied, "You pray to the LORD for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to me."
   25 So after Peter and John had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the LORD, they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many Samaritan villages as they went.

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

   26 Then an angel of the LORD said to Philip, "Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road. ) 27 So he got up and went. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and was returning home, sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." 30 So Philip ran up to it and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. He asked him, "Do you understand what you're reading?" 31 The man replied, "How in the world can I, unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of scripture the man was reading was this: "He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
   33 In humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his posterity? For his life was taken away from the earth."
   34 Then the eunuch said to Philip, "Please tell me, who is the prophet saying this about - himself or someone else?" 35 So Philip started speaking, and beginning with this scripture proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, there is water! What is to stop me from being baptized?" 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the LORD snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through the area, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

King James Version

   1 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
   2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
   3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
   4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
   5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
   6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
   7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
   8 And there was great joy in that city.
   9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
   10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
   11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
   12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
   13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
   14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
   15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
   16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
   17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
   18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
   19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
   20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
   21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
   22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
   23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
   24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
   25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
   26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
   27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
   28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
   29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
   30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
   31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
   32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:
   33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
   34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
   35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
   36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
   37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
   38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
   39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
   40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.