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)

Saul’s Conversion(AD)

Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.(AE) He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,(AF) so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,(AG) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.(AH) He fell to the ground and heard a voice(AI) say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”(AJ)

The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound(AK) but did not see anyone.(AL) Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.(AM) So they led him by the hand into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,(AN) “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus(AO) named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on(AP) him to restore his sight.”

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people(AQ) in Jerusalem.(AR) 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests(AS) to arrest all who call on your name.”(AT)

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument(AU) to proclaim my name to the Gentiles(AV) and their kings(AW) and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”(AX)

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on(AY) Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”(AZ) 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,(BA) 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

Saul spent several days with the disciples(BB) in Damascus.(BC) 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues(BD) that Jesus is the Son of God.(BE) 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?(BF) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”(BG) 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.(BH)

23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,(BI) 24 but Saul learned of their plan.(BJ) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.(BK)

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.”

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