14 Now when (A)the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them (B)Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them (C)that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16 (For He had (D)not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been (E)baptized [a]in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then they (F)began laying their hands on them, and they were (G)receiving the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could (H)acquire the gift of God with money! 21 You have (I)no part or share in this [b]matter, for your heart is not (J)right before God. 22 Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, (K)if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are [c]in the gall of bitterness and in (L)the [d]bondage of unrighteousness.” 24 But Simon answered and said, “(M)Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

25 So, when they had solemnly (N)testified and spoken (O)the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were (P)preaching the gospel to many villages of the (Q)Samaritans.

26 But (R)an angel of the Lord spoke to (S)Philip, saying, “Get ready and go [e]south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to (T)Gaza.” ([f]This is a desert road.) 27 So he got ready and went; and [g](U)there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of [h]Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he (V)had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his [i]chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then (W)the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this [j]chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:

(X)He was led like a sheep to slaughter;
And like a lamb that is silent before its shearer,
So He does not open His mouth.
33 (Y)In humiliation His justice was taken away;
Who will [k]describe His [l]generation?
For His life is taken away from the earth.”

34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?” 35 Then Philip (Z)opened his mouth, and (AA)beginning from this Scripture he (AB)preached Jesus to him. 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! (AC)What prevents me from being baptized?”[m] 38 And he ordered that the [n]chariot stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, (AD)the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, [o]but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip [p]found himself at [q](AE)Azotus, and as he passed through he (AF)kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to (AG)Caesarea.

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:16 Lit into
  2. Acts 8:21 Or teaching; lit word
  3. Acts 8:23 Or doomed to the
  4. Acts 8:23 Lit bond
  5. Acts 8:26 Or at about noon to
  6. Acts 8:26 Or This city is deserted
  7. Acts 8:27 Lit behold, an Ethiopian
  8. Acts 8:27 Possibly an Ethiopian title: the Candace
  9. Acts 8:28 Or carriage
  10. Acts 8:29 Or carriage
  11. Acts 8:33 Or relate
  12. Acts 8:33 Or family history
  13. Acts 8:36 Late mss add as v 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
  14. Acts 8:38 Or carriage
  15. Acts 8:39 Lit for he was going
  16. Acts 8:40 Or was found
  17. Acts 8:40 OT: Ashdod

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria(A) had accepted the word of God,(B) they sent Peter and John(C) to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,(D) 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them;(E) they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.(F) 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them,(G) and they received the Holy Spirit.(H)

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!(I) 21 You have no part or share(J) in this ministry, because your heart is not right(K) before God. 22 Repent(L) of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”

24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me(M) so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord(N) and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.(O)

Philip and the Ethiopian

26 Now an angel(P) of the Lord said to Philip,(Q) “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a](R) eunuch,(S) an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,(T) 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told(U) Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
    and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.”[b](V)

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began(W) with that very passage of Scripture(X) and told him the good news(Y) about Jesus.

36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”(Z) [37] [c] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away,(AA) and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns(AB) until he reached Caesarea.(AC)

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Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:27 That is, from the southern Nile region
  2. Acts 8:33 Isaiah 53:7,8 (see Septuagint)
  3. Acts 8:37 Some manuscripts include here Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

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.

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