Saul Persecutes the Church

Now Saul was consenting to his death.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and (A)they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and (B)made great lamentation over him.

As for Saul, (C)he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Christ Is Preached in Samaria

Therefore (D)those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then (E)Philip went down to [a]the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For (F)unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city.

The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith

But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously (G)practiced [b]sorcery in the city and (H)astonished the [c]people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his [d]sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things (I)concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

The Sorcerer’s Sin

14 Now when the (J)apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them (K)that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For (L)as yet He had fallen upon none of them. (M)They had only been baptized in (N)the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then (O)they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because (P)you thought that (Q)the gift of God could be purchased with money! 21 You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your (R)heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God (S)if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are (T)poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

24 Then Simon answered and said, (U)“Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”

25 So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

Christ Is Preached to an Ethiopian(V)

26 Now an angel of the Lord spoke to (W)Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is [e]desert. 27 So he arose and went. And behold, (X)a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and (Y)had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.”

30 So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The place in the Scripture which he read was this:

(Z)“He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
(AA)So He opened not His mouth.
33 In His humiliation His (AB)justice was taken away,
And who will declare His generation?
For His life is (AC)taken from the earth.”

34 So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, (AD)and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. 36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. (AE)What hinders me from being baptized?”

37 [f]Then Philip said, (AF)“If you believe with all your heart, you may.”

And he answered and said, (AG)“I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. 39 Now when they came up out of the water, (AH)the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at [g]Azotus. And passing through, he preached in all the cities till he came to (AI)Caesarea.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:5 Or a
  2. Acts 8:9 magic
  3. Acts 8:9 Or nation
  4. Acts 8:11 magic arts
  5. Acts 8:26 Or a deserted place
  6. Acts 8:37 NU, M omit v. 37. It is found in Western texts, including the Latin tradition.
  7. Acts 8:40 Same as Heb. Ashdod

And Rav Sha’ul was giving approval to the murder of Stefanos. And there came about in that day a great pogrom keneged (against) the Brit Chadasha Kehillah in Yerushalayim, and everyone was scattered throughout the regions of Yehudah and Shomron except the Moshiach’s Shlichim.

And chasidim came and gave kevurah (burial) to Stefanos and they made loud lamentation over him.

But Rav Sha’ul was making havoc of the Moshiach’s Kehillah, barging in bais by bais, dragging off both anashim and nashim, and delivering them over to the beis hasohar.

The ones therefore having been scattered went about preaching the dvar Hashem.

Now Philippos [Ac 6:5], having gone down to the city of Shomron, was preaching to them the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.

And the multitudes with one accord were paying attention to the things being said by Philippos, as they heard him and saw the otot which he was accomplishing.

For many had ruchot teme’ot coming out, crying out with a kol gadol, and many having been paralyzed and many pisechim (lame ones) were given refu’ah shleimah.

And there was great simchah in that city.

Now a certain ish by name Shimon was previously in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Shomron, saying that he himself was an ish of gadlus (with remarkable superiority) and gadol.

10 And to this certain Shimon everyone from katon to gadol was paying attention, saying, "Hinei! This man is the ko’ach (power) of Hashem, the ko’ach hagadol."

11 And they were giving heed to him, because he for a long time had astonished them by magic tricks.

12 But when they had emunah (faith) in what Philippos preached about the Malchut Hashem and the Shem of Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua, they, both anashim and nashim, were submitting to Moshiach’s tevilah of teshuva.

13 And Shimon himself also had emunah, and, having submitted to Moshiach’s tevilah of teshuva, was following Philippos, and, seeing otot and nifla’ot and moftim hagedolim taking place, he was constantly mishpoyel (standing in awe).

14 And when Moshiach’s Shlichim heard in Yerushalayim that Shomron has accepted the dvar Hashem, they sent Kefa and Yochanan to them,

15 Who, having come down, davened for them that they might receive the Ruach Hakodesh.

16 For the Ruach Hakodesh had not yet fallen upon any one of them, but only they had received a tevilah of teshuva in a mikveh mayim b’Shem Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Adoneinu.

17 Then Kefa and Yochanan were laying their hands upon them, and they were receiving the Ruach Hakodesh.

18 And when Shimon saw that through the laying on of hands of Moshiach’s Shlichim that the Ruach Hakodesh is given, he brought to them kesef,

19 Saying, "Give me also this samchut that on whomever I may lay my hands such may receive the Ruach Hakodesh."

20 But Kefa said to him, "May your kesef perish with you because the matnat Hashem you thought by kesef to acquire. [2Kg 5:16; Dt 5:17]

21 "There is not to you a chelek (allotted portion) nor share in this matter, for your lev (heart) is krum (deviant) and not upright before Hashem. [Neh 2:20; Ps 78:37]

22 "Therefore make teshuva from your wickedness and daven (pray) to Hashem if efsher (perhaps) you will receive selicha (forgiveness) for the intent of your lev,

23 "For I see you are in bitter gall and the bond of haresha." [Dt 29:18 TARGUM HASHIVIM; Jer 4:18; Isa 58:6]

24 And in reply Shimon said, "Daven for me to Hashem that nothing may come upon me of which you have spoken." [SHEMOT 8:8; BAMIDBAR 21:7; MELACHIM ALEF 13:6; YIRMEYAH 42:2]

25 The ones then having testified and spoken the dvar Adonoi were returning to Yerushalayim and to many villages of the Shomronim preaching the Besuras HaGeulah.

26 And a malach Adonoi spoke to Philippos, saying, "Get up and go south on the derech going down from Yerushalayim to Gaza." This is desert.

27 And having got up, Philippos went. And, hinei, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, a court official of the Kandake of the Ethiopians! He was over all of her Otzrot (treasury) and had come worshipping to Yerushalayim, [Ps 68:31; 87:4; Zeph 3:10; Isa 56:3-5; 1Kgs 8:41-43]

28 And he was returning and sitting in his chariot and he was reading Yeshayah HaNavi.

29 And the Ruach Hakodesh said to Philippos, "Approach and join this chariot."

30 And having run, Philippos heard him reading Yeshayah HaNavi, and Philippos said, "So do you have binah of what you are reading?"

31 And he said, "How then might I be able, unless someone will guide me?" And he invited Philippos to come up and sit with him.

32 Now the keta (section) of the Tanakh which he was reading was this: KASEH LATEVACH YUVAL ("He [Moshiach] was led as a lamb to the slaughter") and as a Seh (Lamb, YESHAYAH 53:7) before the one having sheared it is silent, LO YIFTACH PIV ("He does not open his mouth").

33 ‘In humiliation his justice was taken away. The descendants of him who will tell? Because he is taken away from HA’ARETZ CHAYYIM.' [Isa 53:7,8; 57:7f TARGUM HASHIVIM]

34 And in reply the eunuch said to Philippos, "I ask you about whom the Navi (prophet) says this? About himself or about some other person?"

35 And having opened his mouth, and beginning from this keta (section) of the Kitvei Hakodesh, Philippos began to preach and fier ois (elucidate) Yehoshua/Yeshua to him.

36 And as they were going along the derech, they came upon some mayim and the eunuch says, "Hinei, mayim! What prevents me from being given Moshiach’s tevilah of teshuva in the mikveh mayim?"

37 [And Philippos said, “If you have emunah b’chol levavcha, it is mutar. And he answered, saying, Ani ma’amin ki Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Yehoshua Ben HaElohim hu.]

38 And he commanded the chariot to stop and both went down into the mikveh mayim, both Philippos and the eunuch, and Philippos gave him Moshiach’s tevilah of teshuva in the mikveh mayim.

39 And when they came up from the mikveh mayim, the Ruach Hakodesh of Hashem took Philippos away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer, but was going on his way with lev same’ach. [1Kgs 18:12; 2Kgs 2:16; Ezek 3:12,14; 8:3; 11:1,24; 43:5]

40 But Philippos was found in Ashdod, and passing through, he was preaching the Besuras HaGeulah to all the towns until he came to

Saulo persigue a la iglesia

Y Saulo consentía en su muerte. En aquel día hubo una gran persecución contra la iglesia que estaba en Jerusalén; y todos fueron esparcidos por las tierras de Judea y de Samaria, salvo los apóstoles. Y hombres piadosos llevaron a enterrar a Esteban, e hicieron gran llanto sobre él. Y Saulo asolaba la iglesia, y entrando casa por casa, arrastraba a hombres y a mujeres, y los entregaba en la cárcel.(A)

Predicación del evangelio en Samaria

Pero los que fueron esparcidos iban por todas partes anunciando el evangelio. Entonces Felipe, descendiendo a la ciudad de Samaria, les predicaba a Cristo. Y la gente, unánime, escuchaba atentamente las cosas que decía Felipe, oyendo y viendo las señales que hacía. Porque de muchos que tenían espíritus inmundos, salían estos dando grandes voces; y muchos paralíticos y cojos eran sanados; así que había gran gozo en aquella ciudad.

Pero había un hombre llamado Simón, que antes ejercía la magia en aquella ciudad, y había engañado a la gente de Samaria, haciéndose pasar por algún grande. 10 A este oían atentamente todos, desde el más pequeño hasta el más grande, diciendo: Este es el gran poder de Dios. 11 Y le estaban atentos, porque con sus artes mágicas les había engañado mucho tiempo. 12 Pero cuando creyeron a Felipe, que anunciaba el evangelio del reino de Dios y el nombre de Jesucristo, se bautizaban hombres y mujeres. 13 También creyó Simón mismo, y habiéndose bautizado, estaba siempre con Felipe; y viendo las señales y grandes milagros que se hacían, estaba atónito.

14 Cuando los apóstoles que estaban en Jerusalén oyeron que Samaria había recibido la palabra de Dios, enviaron allá a Pedro y a Juan; 15 los cuales, habiendo venido, oraron por ellos para que recibiesen el Espíritu Santo; 16 porque aún no había descendido sobre ninguno de ellos, sino que solamente habían sido bautizados en el nombre de Jesús. 17 Entonces les imponían las manos, y recibían el Espíritu Santo. 18 Cuando vio Simón que por la imposición de las manos de los apóstoles se daba el Espíritu Santo, les ofreció dinero, 19 diciendo: Dadme también a mí este poder, para que cualquiera a quien yo impusiere las manos reciba el Espíritu Santo. 20 Entonces Pedro le dijo: Tu dinero perezca contigo, porque has pensado que el don de Dios se obtiene con dinero. 21 No tienes tú parte ni suerte en este asunto, porque tu corazón no es recto delante de Dios.(B) 22 Arrepiéntete, pues, de esta tu maldad, y ruega a Dios, si quizá te sea perdonado el pensamiento de tu corazón; 23 porque en hiel de amargura y en prisión de maldad veo que estás. 24 Respondiendo entonces Simón, dijo: Rogad vosotros por mí al Señor, para que nada de esto que habéis dicho venga sobre mí.

25 Y ellos, habiendo testificado y hablado la palabra de Dios, se volvieron a Jerusalén, y en muchas poblaciones de los samaritanos anunciaron el evangelio.

Felipe y el etíope

26 Un ángel del Señor habló a Felipe, diciendo: Levántate y ve hacia el sur, por el camino que desciende de Jerusalén a Gaza, el cual es desierto. 27 Entonces él se levantó y fue. Y sucedió que un etíope, eunuco, funcionario de Candace reina de los etíopes, el cual estaba sobre todos sus tesoros, y había venido a Jerusalén para adorar, 28 volvía sentado en su carro, y leyendo al profeta Isaías. 29 Y el Espíritu dijo a Felipe: Acércate y júntate a ese carro. 30 Acudiendo Felipe, le oyó que leía al profeta Isaías, y dijo: Pero ¿entiendes lo que lees? 31 Él dijo: ¿Y cómo podré, si alguno no me enseñare? Y rogó a Felipe que subiese y se sentara con él. 32 El pasaje de la Escritura que leía era este:

Como oveja a la muerte fue llevado;

Y como cordero mudo delante del que lo trasquila,

Así no abrió su boca.

33 En su humillación no se le hizo justicia;

Mas su generación, ¿quién la contará?

Porque fue quitada de la tierra su vida.(C)

34 Respondiendo el eunuco, dijo a Felipe: Te ruego que me digas: ¿de quién dice el profeta esto; de sí mismo, o de algún otro? 35 Entonces Felipe, abriendo su boca, y comenzando desde esta escritura, le anunció el evangelio de Jesús. 36 Y yendo por el camino, llegaron a cierta agua, y dijo el eunuco: Aquí hay agua; ¿qué impide que yo sea bautizado? 37 Felipe dijo: Si crees de todo corazón, bien puedes. Y respondiendo, dijo: Creo que Jesucristo es el Hijo de Dios. 38 Y mandó parar el carro; y descendieron ambos al agua, Felipe y el eunuco, y le bautizó. 39 Cuando subieron del agua, el Espíritu del Señor arrebató a Felipe; y el eunuco no le vio más, y siguió gozoso su camino. 40 Pero Felipe se encontró en Azoto; y pasando, anunciaba el evangelio en todas las ciudades, hasta que llegó a Cesarea.