使徒行传 8
Chinese New Version (Simplified)
8 司提反被害，扫罗也欣然同意。
扫罗迫害教会
从那天起，耶路撒冷的教会大受迫害；除了使徒以外，所有的人都分散到犹太和撒玛利亚各地。 2 有些虔诚的人安葬了司提反，为他大大悲痛一番。 3 扫罗却残害教会，逐家进去，连男带女拉去坐监。
福音传到撒玛利亚
4 那些分散的人，经过各地，传扬福音真道。 5 腓利下到撒玛利亚城，宣讲基督。 6 群众听了腓利所讲的，看见他所行的神迹，就同心听从了他的话。 7 许多人有污灵附在他们身上，污灵大声喊叫了之后，就出来了；还有许多瘫子瘸子都医好了。 8 在那城里，就大有欢乐。
9 有一个人名叫西门，从前在城里行过邪术，使撒玛利亚的居民惊奇，他又自命不凡， 10 城里大大小小都听从他，说：“这就是那称为‘ 神的大能’的人。” 11 他们听从他，因为他长久用邪术，使他们惊奇。 12 等到腓利向他们传了 神的国的福音，和耶稣基督的名，他们就信了腓利，连男带女都受了洗。 13 连西门自己也信了，他受洗之后，常和腓利在一起，看见所发生的神迹和大能的事，就觉得很惊奇。
14 在耶路撒冷的使徒，听见撒玛利亚居民领受了 神的道，就差派彼得和约翰到他们那里去。 15 二人到了，就为大家祷告，要让他们接受圣灵。 16 因为圣灵还没有降在他们任何一个身上，他们只是受了洗归入主耶稣的名下。 17 于是使徒为他们按手，他们就受了圣灵。 18 西门看见使徒一按手，就有圣灵赐下来，就拿钱给他们， 19 说：“请把这权柄也给我，叫我为谁按手，谁就可以受圣灵。” 20 彼得对他说：“你的银子跟你一同灭亡吧！因为你以为 神的恩赐，是可以用钱买的。 21 你和这件事是毫无关系的，因为你在 神面前存心不正。 22 所以，你要悔改离弃这罪恶，要祈求主，也许你心中的意念可以得到赦免。 23 我看出你正在苦胆之中，邪恶捆绑着你。” 24 西门回答：“请你们为我求主，好让你们所说的，没有一样临到我身上。”
25 使徒作了见证，讲了主的道，就回耶路撒冷去，一路上在撒玛利亚人的许多村庄里传扬福音。
腓利对太监传讲耶稣
26 有主的一位使者对腓利说：“起来，向南走，往那从耶路撒冷下迦萨的路上去。”那条路在旷野里。 27 他就动身去了。有一个衣索匹亚人，是衣索匹亚女王干大基有权力的太监，掌管女王全部国库。他上耶路撒冷去礼拜。 28 他回去的时候，坐在车上读以赛亚先知的书。 29 圣灵对腓利说：“你往前去，靠近那车子！” 30 腓利就跑过去，听见他读以赛亚先知的书，就问他：“你所读的，你明白吗？” 31 他说：“没有人指导我，怎能明白呢？”于是请腓利上车，同他坐在一起。 32 他所读的那段经文，就是：
“他像羊被牵去宰杀，
又像羊羔在剪毛的人面前无声，
他总是这样不开口。
33 他受屈辱的时候，
得不到公平的审判，
谁能说出他的身世呢？
因为他的生命从地上被夺去。”
34 太监对腓利说：“请问先知这话是指谁说的？指他自己呢？还是指别人？” 35 腓利就开口，从这段经文开始，向他传讲耶稣。 36 他们一路走，到了有水的地方，太监说：“你看，这里有水，有甚么可以阻止我受洗呢？”（有些抄本在此有第37节：“腓利说：‘你若全心相信，就可以受洗。’他回答说：‘我信耶稣基督是 神的儿子。’”） 38 于是太监吩咐停车，腓利和他两人下到水中，腓利就给他施洗。 39 他们从水里上来的时候，主的灵就把腓利提去了，太监再也看不见他，就欢欢喜喜地上路。 40 后来有人在亚锁都遇见腓利。他走遍各城，传讲福音，直到该撒利亚。
Acts 8
King James Version
8 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.
Acts 8
International Children’s Bible
8 Saul agreed that the killing of Stephen was a good thing.
Trouble for the Believers
2-3 Some religious men buried Stephen. They cried very loudly for him. On that day people began trying to hurt the church in Jerusalem and make it suffer. Saul was also trying to destroy the church. He went from house to house. He dragged out men and women and put them in jail. All the believers, except the apostles, went to different places in Judea and Samaria. 4 And everywhere the believers were scattered, they told people the Good News.
Philip Preaches in Samaria
5 Philip[a] went to the city[b] of Samaria and preached about the Christ. 6 The people there heard Philip and saw the miracles he was doing. They all listened carefully to the things he said. 7 Many of these people had evil spirits in them. But Philip made the evil spirits leave them. The spirits made a loud noise when they came out. There were also many weak and crippled people there. Philip healed them, too. 8 So the people in that city were very happy.
9 But there was a man named Simon in that city. Before Philip came there, Simon had practiced magic. He amazed all the people of Samaria with his magic. He bragged and called himself a great man. 10 All the people—the least important and the most important—paid attention to what Simon said. They said, “This man has the power of God, called ‘the Great Power’!” 11 Simon had amazed them with his magic tricks so long that the people became his followers. 12 But Philip told them the Good News about the kingdom of God and the power of Jesus Christ. Men and women believed Philip and were baptized. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. He stayed very close to Philip. When he saw the miracles and the very powerful things that Philip did, Simon was amazed.
14 The apostles were still in Jerusalem. They heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God. So they sent Peter and John to them. 15 When Peter and John arrived, they prayed that the Samaritan believers might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 These people had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. But the Holy Spirit had not yet entered any of them. 17 Then, when the two apostles began laying their hands on[c] the people, they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Simon saw that the Spirit was given to people when the apostles laid their hands on them. So he offered the apostles money. 19 He said, “Give me also this power so that when I lay my hands on a person, he will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Peter said to him, “You and your money should both be destroyed! You thought you could buy God’s gift with money. 21 You cannot share with us in this work. Your heart is not right before God. 22 Change your heart! Turn away from this evil thing you have done. Pray to the Lord. Maybe he will forgive you for thinking this. 23 I see that you are full of bitter jealousy and ruled by sin.”
24 Simon answered, “Both of you pray for me to the Lord. Pray that the things you have said will not happen to me!”
25 Then the two apostles told the people the things they had seen Jesus do. And after the apostles had given the message of the Lord, they went back to Jerusalem. On the way, they went through many Samaritan towns and preached the Good News to the people.
Philip Teaches an Ethiopian
26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip.[d] The angel said, “Get ready and go south. Go to the road that leads down to Gaza from Jerusalem—the desert road.” 27 So Philip got ready and went. On the road he saw a man from Ethiopia, a eunuch. He was an important officer in the service of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He was responsible for taking care of all her money. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and 28 now he was on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot and reading from the book of Isaiah, the prophet. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 So Philip ran toward the chariot. He heard the man reading from Isaiah, the prophet. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 He answered, “How can I understand? I need someone to explain it to me!” Then he invited Philip to climb in and sit with him. 32 The verse of Scripture that he was reading was this:
“He was like a sheep being led to be killed.
He was quiet, as a sheep is quiet while its wool is being cut.
He said nothing.
33 He was shamed and was treated unfairly.
He died without children to continue his family.
His life on earth has ended.” Isaiah 53:7-8
34 The officer said to Philip, “Please tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is he talking about himself or about someone else?” 35 Philip began to speak. He started with this same Scripture and told the man the Good News about Jesus.
36 While they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The officer said, “Look! Here is water! What is stopping me from being baptized?” 37 [Philip answered, “If you believe with all your heart, you can.” The officer said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”][e] 38 Then the officer commanded the chariot to stop. Both Philip and the officer went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; the officer never saw him again. The officer continued on his way home, full of joy. 40 But Philip appeared in a city called Azotus and preached the Good News in all the towns on the way from Azotus to Caesarea.
Footnotes
- 8:5 Philip Not the apostle named Philip.
- 8:5 the city Some Greek copies read “a city.”
- 8:17 laying their hands on Here, doing this showed that these men were given a special work of God.
- 8:26 Philip Not the apostle named Philip.
- 8:37 Philip . . . God. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
