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Acts 8
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Acts 8
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
8 1 And Saul was giving-approval to his killing.
The Church Is Persecuted And Driven Out of Jerusalem
And a great persecution came about on that day against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all dispersed[a] throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And reverent men carried-in Stephen [for burial], and made a loud lamentation over him. 3 And Saul was destroying[b] the church. Entering from house to house, dragging-away both men and women, he was handing them over to prison. 4 So indeed, the ones having been dispersed went about announcing the word as good news.
Philip Proclaims Christ And Does Miracles In Samaria. Many Are Baptized, Including Simon
5 Now Philip, having gone down to the city[c] of Samaria, was proclaiming the Christ to them. 6 And the crowds were with-one-accord paying-attention-to[d] the things being said by Philip, during their hearing and seeing the signs which he was doing. 7 For many of the ones having unclean spirits— they were coming out while shouting with a loud voice. And many paralyzed ones and lame ones were cured. 8 And there was great joy in that city. 9 Now a certain man, Simon by name, was-previously in the city practicing-magic and astonishing the nation of Samaria, saying that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all, from the small up to the great, were paying attention, saying, “This one is the Power[e] of God being called ‘Great’”. 11 And they were paying attention to him because he had astonished them for a considerable time with the magic-arts. 12 And when they believed Philip announcing-the-good-news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized— both men and women. 13 Now Simon himself also believed. And having been baptized, he was attaching-himself to Philip. He was astonished, seeing both signs and great miracles taking place.
Peter and John Come So The Samaritans Might Receive The Holy Spirit
14 And the apostles in Jerusalem, having heard that “Samaria has accepted the word of God”, sent-forth Peter and John to them— 15 who, having come down, prayed for them so that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For He had not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they were laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 18 Now Simon, having seen that the Spirit was given through the laying-on of the hands of the apostles, offered them money, 19 saying, “Give this authority to me also, so-that on whomever I lay on my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit”. 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver be with you for destruction, because you thought to acquire the gift of God with money. 21 There is no part nor share for you in this matter. For your heart is not straight before God. 22 Therefore repent from this evilness of yours, and pray to the Lord, if perhaps[f] the intention of your heart will be forgiven you. 23 For I see you being in the gall[g] of [h] bitterness and the bond[i] of [j] unrighteousness”. 24 And having responded, Simon said, “You[k] two pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing of the things which you have spoken may come upon me”. 25 So indeed the ones— having solemnly-testified, and having spoken the word of the Lord— were returning to Jerusalem and announcing-the-good-news-to many villages of the Samaritans.
An Angel Sends Philip Down The Road To an Ethiopian Eunuch Reading Isaiah
26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Arise and go toward the south[l] on the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza”. This[m] is a wilderness [road]. 27 And having arisen, he proceeded. And behold— there was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch[n], a court-official of Candace[o] (queen of the Ethiopians), who was over all her treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and was returning, and sitting on his chariot[p]. And he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Approach and join this chariot”. 30 And having run up, Philip heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you indeed understand the things which you are reading?” 31 And the one said, “How indeed might I be able, unless someone will guide me?” And he invited Philip to sit with him, having come up.
Philip Explains That Isaiah 53 Refers To Jesus
32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to slaughter. And as a lamb before the one having sheared it is silent, so He does not open His mouth. 33 In His humiliation, His justice[q] was taken-away. Who will describe[r] His generation[s]? Because His life is taken-away from the earth” [Isa 53:7-8]. 34 And having responded, the eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom is the prophet saying this— about himself or about some other?” 35 And Philip— having opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture— announced Jesus as good news to him.
The Man Believes And Is Baptized, And Continues Home Rejoicing
36 And as they were proceeding along the road, they came upon some water. And the eunuch says, “Behold— water. What is preventing me from being baptized?” 37 [t] 38 And he ordered the chariot to stop. And they both went down into[u] the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out-of [v] the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. And the eunuch did not see him any longer, for he was going his way rejoicing.
Philip Continues Announcing The Good News In Other Cities
40 And Philip was found at Azotus. And while going through, he was announcing-the-good-news-to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.
Footnotes
- Acts 8:1 Or, scattered.
- Acts 8:3 Or, inflicting outrages upon, inflicting personal injuries upon.
- Acts 8:5 That is, the main city (Sebaste, known as Samaria in the OT, and called such here to link this to 1:8); or, the main religious city (Neapolis, known as Shechem in the OT).
- Acts 8:6 Or, giving-heed-to.
- Acts 8:10 That is, the supernatural spirit-being from God.
- Acts 8:22 That is, in the hope that. Peter expresses some uncertainty about whether this will happen, for which he gives his reason in v 23, on which compare Deut 29:18-19.
- Acts 8:23 Or, poison, venom.
- Acts 8:23 That is, characterized by; a bitter gall, a bitter poison.
- Acts 8:23 That is, binding, fetter, chain.
- Acts 8:23 That is, proceeding from or belonging to.
- Acts 8:24 This word is plural, referring to Peter and John.
- Acts 8:26 toward the south. Or, at mid-day.
- Acts 8:26 Or, this explanation may continue as part of the angel’s words.
- Acts 8:27 That is, a castrated male.
- Acts 8:27 This is a title, like Pharaoh, not a name.
- Acts 8:28 That is, traveling chariot or carriage. Not a war or racing chariot.
- Acts 8:33 Or, judgment. That is, the justice due Him.
- Acts 8:33 Or, tell-of-in-detail.
- Acts 8:33 That is, His contemporaries who did this. Or, descendants; His posterity. Or, family; His origin.
- Acts 8:37 Some manuscripts add here, And Philip said to him, ‘If you believe from your whole heart, it is permitted’. And having responded, he said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God’.
- Acts 8:38 Or, to.
- Acts 8:39 Or, from.
Acts 8
New International Version
Acts 8
New International Version
8 And Saul(A) approved of their killing him.
The Church Persecuted and Scattered
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered(B) throughout Judea and Samaria.(C) 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul(D) began to destroy the church.(E) Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
4 Those who had been scattered(F) preached the word wherever they went.(G) 5 Philip(H) went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many,(I) and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.(J) 8 So there was great joy in that city.
Simon the Sorcerer
9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery(K) in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,(L) 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.”(M) 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God(N) and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,(O) both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles(P) he saw.
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria(Q) had accepted the word of God,(R) they sent Peter and John(S) to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,(T) 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them;(U) they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.(V) 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them,(W) and they received the Holy Spirit.(X)
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!(Y) 21 You have no part or share(Z) in this ministry, because your heart is not right(AA) before God. 22 Repent(AB) 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(AC) so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord(AD) and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.(AE)
Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Now an angel(AF) of the Lord said to Philip,(AG) “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](AH) eunuch,(AI) 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,(AJ) 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told(AK) 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](AL)
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began(AM) with that very passage of Scripture(AN) and told him the good news(AO) 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?”(AP) [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,(AQ) 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(AR) until he reached Caesarea.(AS)
Acts 8
English Standard Version
Acts 8
English Standard Version
Saul Ravages the Church
8 And (A)Saul (B)approved of his execution.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and (C)they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But (D)Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he (E)dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria
4 Now (F)those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 (G)Philip went down to the city[a] of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 (H)And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him (I)and saw the signs that he did. 7 For (J)unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So (K)there was much joy in that city.
Simon the Magician Believes
9 But there was a man named Simon, (L)who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, (M)saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, (N)“This man is the power of God that is called (O)Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had (P)amazed them with his magic. 12 But when (Q)they believed Philip as he preached good news (R)about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, (S)they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And (T)seeing signs and (U)great miracles[b] performed, (V)he was amazed.
14 Now when (W)the apostles at Jerusalem heard that (X)Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them (Y)that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for (Z)he had not yet (AA)fallen on any of them, but (AB)they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then (AC)they laid their hands on them and (AD)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 power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, (AE)“May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God (AF)with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for (AG)your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, (AH)if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in (AI)the gall[c] of bitterness and in (AJ)the bond of iniquity.” 24 And Simon answered, (AK)“Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, (AL)preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26 Now (AM)an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south[d] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an (AN)Ethiopian, a (AO)eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, (AP)who was in charge of all her treasure. (AQ)He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, (AR)“How can I, unless someone (AS)guides me?” And (AT)he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
(AU)“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his (AV)humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and (AW)beginning with this Scripture (AX)he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! (AY)What prevents me from being baptized?”[e] 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, (AZ)the Spirit of the Lord (BA)carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Footnotes
- Acts 8:5 Some manuscripts a city
- Acts 8:13 Greek works of power
- Acts 8:23 That is, a bitter fluid secreted by the liver; bile
- Acts 8:26 Or go at about noon
- Acts 8:36 Some manuscripts add all or most of verse 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT) 
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.