Acts 8-9

Amplified Bible

Saul Persecutes the Church

8 Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen’s death.

And on that day a great and relentless persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. ² Some devout men buried Stephen, and ^[a]mourned greatly over him [expressing a personal sense of loss]. ³ But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

⁴ Now those [believers] who had been scattered went from place to place preaching the word [the good news of salvation through Christ]. ^5 [b]Philip [the evangelist] went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) to them.^{(A) 6} The crowds gathered and were paying close attention to everything Philip said, as they heard [the message] and saw the [miraculous] signs which he was doing [validating his message]. ⁷ For unclean spirits (demons), shouting loudly, were coming out of many who were possessed; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great rejoicing in that city.

⁹ Now there was a man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. ¹⁰ They all paid [a great deal of] attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God!” ¹¹ They were paying attention to him because for a long time he had mystified and dazzled them with his magic. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he preached the ^[c]good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Even Simon believed [Philip’s message of salvation]; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he watched the attesting signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that [the people of] Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵ They came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; ¹⁶ for He had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [as His possession]. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and they received 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 me this authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could buy the [free] gift of God with money! ²¹ You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God.^{(B) 22} So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are ^[d]provoked by bitterness and bound by sin.”^{(C) 24} But Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me both of you, so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me.”

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

²⁵ So, when Peter and John had given their testimony and preached the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, preaching the good news [about salvation] in many Samaritan villages [along the way].

²⁶ But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” (This is a desert road). ²⁷ So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch [a man of great authority], a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, ²⁸ and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading [the scroll of] the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” ³⁰ Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹ And he said, “Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading:

³⁴ The eunuch replied to Philip, “Please tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else?” ³⁵ Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation]. ³⁶ As they continued along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, “Look! Water! What forbids me from being baptized?” ^37 [e][Philip said to him, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] ³⁸ And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and 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 [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip found himself at ^[f]Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the good news [of salvation] to all the cities, until he came to ^[g]Caesarea [Maritima].

The Conversion of Saul

9 Now ^[h]Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord [and relentless in his search for believers], went to the ^[i]high priest, ² and he asked for letters [of authority] from him to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any men or women there belonging to ^[j]the Way [believers, followers of Jesus the Messiah], men and women alike, he could arrest them and bring them bound [with chains] to Jerusalem. ³ As he traveled he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him [displaying the glory and majesty of Christ]; ⁴ and he fell to the ground and heard a voice [from heaven] saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting and oppressing Me?” ⁵ And Saul said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He answered, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, ⁶ now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” ⁷ The men who were traveling with him [were terrified and] stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. ⁸ Saul got up from the ground, but though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was unable to see for three days, and he neither ate nor drank.

¹⁰ Now in Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he answered, “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called ^[k]Straight, and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul; for he is praying [there], ¹² and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and place his hands on him, so that he may regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, especially how much suffering and evil he has brought on Your saints (God’s people) at Jerusalem; ¹⁴ and here [in Damascus] he has authority from the high priests to put in chains all who call on Your name [confessing You as Savior].” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a [deliberately] chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; ¹⁶ for I will make clear to him how much he must suffer and endure for My name’s sake.” ¹⁷ So Ananias left and entered the house, and he laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came [to Damascus], has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit [in order to proclaim Christ to both Jews and Gentiles].” ¹⁸ Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized; ¹⁹ and he took some food and was strengthened.

Saul Begins to Preach Christ

For several days [afterward] Saul remained with the disciples who were at Damascus. ²⁰ And immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “This Man is the Son of God [the promised Messiah]!” ²¹ All those who heard him continued to be amazed and said, “Is this not the man who in Jerusalem attacked those who called on this name [of Jesus], and had come here [to Damascus] for the express purpose of bringing them bound [with chains] before the chief priests?” ²² But Saul increased in strength more and more, and continued to perplex the Jews who lived in Damascus by examining [theological evidence] and proving [with Scripture] that this Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).

²³ After considerable time had passed [about three years or so], the Jews plotted together to kill him, ²⁴ but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the city’s gates day and night so they could kill him; ²⁵ but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

²⁶ When he arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. ²⁷ However, ^[l]Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and described to them how Saul had seen the Lord on the road [to Damascus], and how He had spoken to him, and how at Damascus Saul had preached openly and spoken confidently in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ So he was with them, moving around freely [as one among them] in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He was talking and arguing with the ^[m]Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews); but they were attempting to kill him. ³⁰ When the brothers found out [about the plot], they brought him down to ^[n]Caesarea [Maritima] and sent him off to Tarsus [his home town].

³¹ So the church throughout Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace [without persecution], being built up [in wisdom, virtue, and faith]; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort and encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it continued to grow [in numbers].

Peter’s Ministry

³² Now as Peter was traveling throughout the land, he went down to [visit] the ^[o]saints (God’s people) who lived at Lydda. ³³ There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years and was paralyzed. ³⁴ Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed.” Immediately Aeneas got up. ³⁵ Then all who lived at Lydda and the plain of Sharon saw [what had happened to] him, and they turned to the Lord.

³⁶ Now in ^[p]Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha, (which translated into Greek means Dorcas). She was rich in acts of kindness and charity which she continually did. ³⁷ During that time it happened that she became sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upstairs room. ³⁸ Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Come to us without delay.” ³⁹ So Peter got up [at once] and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upstairs room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing [him] all the ^[q]tunics and robes that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. ⁴⁰ But Peter sent them all out [of the room] and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise!” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ And he gave her his hand and helped her up; and then he called in the ^[r]saints (God’s people) and the widows, and he presented her [to them] alive. ⁴² This became known all over Joppa, and many came to believe in the Lord [that is, to adhere to and trust in and rely on Jesus as Christ and Savior]. ⁴³ And so it was that Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with Simon, ^[s]a tanner.