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Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.

Persecution Scatters the Believers

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.

Philip Preaches in Samaria

But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. Many evil[a] spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city.

A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. 10 Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” 11 They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

12 But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. 15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. 19 “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”

20 But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! 21 You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God. 22 Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, 23 for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”

24 “Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”

25 After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News.

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south[b] down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.
    And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,
    he did not open his mouth.
33 He was humiliated and received no justice.
    Who can speak of his descendants?
    For his life was taken from the earth.”[c]

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”[d] 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.

Footnotes

  1. 8:7 Greek unclean.
  2. 8:26 Or Go at noon.
  3. 8:32-33 Isa 53:7-8 (Greek version).
  4. 8:36 Some manuscripts add verse 37, “You can,” Philip answered, “if you believe with all your heart.” And the eunuch replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

Now de Saul Saulos was eimi in agreement syneudokeō with ho his autos execution anairesis. There arose ginomai · de on en that ekeinos · ho day hēmera a great megas persecution diōgmos against epi the ho church ekklēsia · ho in en Jerusalem Hierosolyma, and de they were all pas scattered diaspeirō throughout kata the ho regions chōra of ho Judea Ioudaia and kai Samaria Samareia, except plēn the ho apostles apostolos. Devout eulabēs men anēr buried synkomizō · de · ho Stephen Stephanos and kai made poieō great megas lamentation kopetos over epi him autos. But de Saul Saulos was making havoc lymainō of the ho church ekklēsia; entering eisporeuomai every kata · ho house oikos, he dragged syrō off both te men anēr and kai women gynē and put paradidōmi them in eis prison phylakē.

Now oun those ho who were scattered diaspeirō went dierchomai from place to place preaching euangelizō the ho word logos. Philip Philippos · de went katerchomai down to eis the ho main city polis of ho Samaria Samareia and began proclaiming kēryssō to them autos the ho Christ Christos. And de with one accord homothumadon the ho crowds ochlos paid attention to prosechō what ho was being said legō by hypo · ho Philip Philippos as en · ho they autos heard akouō him and kai saw blepō the ho signs sēmeion that hos he was performing poieō. For gar many polys of those ho who had echō unclean akathartos spirits pneuma, crying boaō with a loud megas voice phōnē, came exerchomai out ; and de many polys paralyzed paralyō and kai lame chōlos were healed therapeuō. So de there was ginomai great polys joy chara in en · ho that ekeinos city polis.

Now de there was prouparchō a tis man anēr named onoma Simon Simōn, who had been practicing magic mageuō in en the ho city polis and kai amazing existēmi the ho people ethnos of ho Samaria Samareia, saying legō that he himself heautou was eimi someone tis great megas. 10 They prosechō all pas paid attention prosechō to him hos, from apo the least mikros to heōs the greatest megas, saying legō, “ This houtos man is eimi the ho power dynamis of ho God theos, which ho is called kaleō Great megas.” 11 And de they paid attention prosechō to him autos because dia · ho for a long hikanos time chronos he had amazed existēmi them autos by his ho magic mageia. 12 But de when hote they believed pisteuō · ho Philip Philippos as he preached euangelizō about peri the ho kingdom basileia of ho God theos and kai the ho name onoma of Jesus Iēsous Christ Christos, they were baptized baptizō, both te men anēr and kai women gynē. 13 · ho · de Even kai Simon Simōn himself autos believed pisteuō, and kai after being baptized baptizō he stayed constantly with eimi · ho Philip Philippos. And te seeing theōreō signs sēmeion and kai great megas miracles dynamis happening ginomai, he was amazed existēmi.

14 Now de when akouō the ho apostles apostolos in en Jerusalem Hierosolyma heard akouō that hoti Samaria Samareia had received dechomai · ho the ho word logos of ho God theos, they sent apostellō to pros them autos Peter Petros and kai John Iōannēs, 15 who hostis went down katabainō and prayed proseuchomai for peri them autos that hopōs they might receive lambanō the Holy hagios Spirit pneuma, 16 for gar he had eimi not oudepō yet fallen epipiptō on epi any oudeis one of them autos, but de they had hyparchō simply monon been baptized baptizō in eis the ho name onoma of the ho Lord kyrios Jesus Iēsous. 17 Then tote Peter and John laid epitithēmi · ho hands cheir on epi them autos and kai they received lambanō the Holy hagios Spirit pneuma. 18 But de when Simon Simōn saw · ho that hoti it was through dia the ho laying epithesis on of the ho hands cheir of the ho apostles apostolos that the ho Spirit pneuma was given didōmi, he offered prospherō them autos money chrēma, 19 saying legō, “ Give didōmi me kagō also · ho this houtos power exousia, that hina anyone on whom hos I lay epitithēmi · ho hands cheir may receive lambanō the Holy hagios Spirit pneuma.” 20 But de Peter Petros said legō to pros him autos, “ May eimi · ho your sy silver argyrion go eimi with syn you sy to eis destruction apōleia, because hoti you thought nomizō you could obtain ktaomai the ho gift dōrea of ho God theos with dia money chrēma! 21 There is eimi not ou for you sy a part meris or oude share klēros in en · ho this houtos matter logos, · ho for gar your sy heart kardia is eimi not ou upright before enanti · ho God theos. 22 Repent metanoeō, therefore oun, of apo · ho this houtos wickedness kakia of yours sy, and kai pray deomai to the ho Lord kyrios that, if ei possible ara, the ho intent epinoia of ho your sy heart kardia may be forgiven aphiēmi you sy. 23 For gar I see horaō that you sy are eimi in eis the gall cholē of bitterness pikria and kai in the bond syndesmos of unrighteousness adikia.” 24 And de answering apokrinomai, · ho Simon Simōn said legō, “ You hymeis pray deomai for hyper me egō to pros the ho Lord kyrios so hopōs that nothing mēdeis of what hos you have said legō may come eperchomai upon epi me egō.” 25 · ho Now oun after solemnly diamartyromai testifying and kai speaking laleō the ho word logos of the ho Lord kyrios, they returned hypostrephō to eis Jerusalem Hierosolyma, preaching the gospel to euangelizō many polys villages kōmē of the ho Samaritans Samaritēs.

26 Now de an angel angelos of the Lord kyrios spoke laleō to pros Philip Philippos, saying legō, “ Rise anistēmi and kai go poreuō toward kata the south mesēmbria on epi the ho road hodos that ho goes katabainō down from apo Jerusalem Ierousalēm to eis Gaza Gaza.” This houtos is eimi a desert erēmos place . 27 And kai he rose anistēmi and went poreuō. And kai there was idou an Ethiopian anēr Aithiops, a eunuch eunouchos, a court dynastēs official of Candace Kandakē, queen basilissa of the Ethiopians Aithiops, who hos was eimi in epi charge of all pas · ho her autos treasure gaza, who hos had come erchomai to eis Jerusalem Ierousalēm to worship proskyneō 28 and te was eimi returning hypostrephō, · kai seated kathēmai in epi · ho his autos carriage harma, and kai he was reading anaginōskō the ho prophet prophētēs Isaiah ēsaias. 29 And de the ho Spirit pneuma said legō to ho Philip Philippos, “ Go proserchomai over and kai join kollaō · ho this houtos carriage harma.” 30 So de Philip Philippos ran prostrechō to · ho him and heard akouō him autos reading anaginōskō Isaiah ēsaias the ho prophet prophētēs and kai he said legō, “ Do you understand ginōskō what hos you are reading anaginōskō?” 31 And de he ho said legō, “ How pōs could an I unless ean mē someone tis guide hodēgeō me egō?” And te he invited parakaleō · ho Philip Philippos to come anabainō up and sit kathizō with syn him autos. 32 Now de the ho passage periochē of ho scripture graphē the man was reading anaginōskō was eimi this houtos: “ As hōs a sheep probaton to epi the slaughter sphagē he was led agō, and kai as hōs a lamb amnos dumb aphōnos before enantion · ho its autos shearer keirō, so houtōs he opens anoigō not ou · ho his autos mouth stoma. 33 In en · ho humiliation tapeinōsis · ho justice krisis was taken airō from him autos. · ho His autos family genea history who tis will declare diēgeomai? For hoti his autos life zōē is taken airō away from apo the ho earth .” · ho

34 And de in answer apokrinomai the ho eunuch eunouchos said legō to ho Philip Philippos, “ I ask deomai you sy, about peri whom tis does the ho prophet prophētēs say legō this houtos, about peri himself heautou or ē about peri someone tis else heteros?” 35 Then de Philip Philippos opened anoigō · ho · ho his autos mouth stoma, and kai beginning archō from apo · ho this houtos Scripture graphē he announced euangelizō the good news to him autos, · ho Jesus Iēsous. 36 And de as hōs they traveled poreuō along kata the ho road hodos they came erchomai to epi some tis water hydōr; and kai the ho eunuch eunouchos said phēmi, “ Look idou! Water hydōr! What tis prevents kōlyō me egō from being baptized baptizō?” 38 And kai he ordered keleuō the ho carriage harma to stop histēmi, and kai they both amphoteroi went down katabainō into eis the ho water hydōr, · ho both te Philip Philippos and kai the ho eunuch eunouchos; and kai he baptized baptizō him autos. 39 And de when hote they came anabainō up out ek of the ho water hydōr, the Spirit pneuma of the Lord kyrios suddenly took harpazō · ho Philip Philippos away , and kai the ho eunuch eunouchos saw him autos no more ouketi, but gar went poreuō on · ho his autos way hodos rejoicing chairō. 40 But de Philip Philippos was found heuriskō at eis Azotus Azōtos; and kai as he traveled dierchomai through the area he announced euangelizō the good news to all pas the ho towns polis, until heōs · ho he autos came erchomai to eis Caesarea Kaisareia.