Acts 8
New Matthew Bible
Saul persecutes the Christians. The apostles are scattered abroad. Philip comes into Samaria. Simon Magus is baptized; he dissembles. Philip baptizes the chamberlain.
8 Saul had pleasure in Stephen’s death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the congregation that was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 Then devout men arranged Stephen’s burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul made havoc of the congregation, and entered into every house, and drew out both men and women, and thrust them into prison.
4 However, those who were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then Philip went into a city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them. 6 And the people gave heed to the things that Philip spoke with one accord, when they heard and saw the miracles that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many who were possessed by them. And many who were paralyzed, and many who limped, were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.
9 And there was a certain man called Simon, who had previously practiced witchcraft and magic in that same city, and had bewitched the people of Samaria, saying that he was a man who could do great things. 10 They regarded him highly, from the least to the greatest, saying, This fellow is the great power of God! 11 And they set much store by him, because for a long time he had taken them in with magic.
12 But as soon as they believed Philip’s preaching of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Then Simon himself believed also, and was baptized, and continued with Philip; and he marvelled, seeing the miracles and signs that were shown.
14 When the 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 arrived, prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet he had come on none of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 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 also this power, so that whomever I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.
20 Then Peter said to him, May your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God might be obtained with money. 21 You have neither part nor fellowship in this work, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22 Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God that the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I perceive that you are full of bitter gall, and wrapped in iniquity.
24 Then Simon answered and said, Pray to the Lord for me that none of these things that you have spoken will fall on me.
25 And when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned toward Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
26 Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is in the desert. 27 And Philip arose and went on. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, who was a chamberlain, and of great authority with Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, and in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to pray. 28 And as he returned home again, sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and overtake that chariot. 30 And 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 I have a guide? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The tenor of the scripture that he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to be slain, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth. 33 Because of his humbleness, he was not esteemed. But who can number his descendants? For his life is taken from the earth.
34 The chamberlain said to Philip, I ask you, of whom does the prophet speak this? of himself, or of some other man? 35 And Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture, and preached Jesus to him.
36 And as they went on their way, they came to some water, and the chamberlain said, See, here is water. What is to keep me from being baptized? 37 Philip said to him, If you believe with all your heart, you may be. 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 both went down into the water, both Philip and also the chamberlain, and he baptized him.
39 And as soon as they had come out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the chamberlain saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip was found at Azotus, and he walked throughout the country preaching in their towns until he came to Caesarea.
Acts 8
Christian Standard Bible Anglicised
Saul the Persecutor
8 Saul agreed with putting him to death.
On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.(A) 2 Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3 Saul,(B) however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.(C)
Philip in Samaria
4 So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to a[a] city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.(D) 6 The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralysed and lame were healed.(E) 8 So there was great joy in that city.
The Response of Simon
9 A man named Simon had previously practised sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great.(F) 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, ‘This man is called the Great Power of God.’[b](G) 11 They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptised.(H) 13 Even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptised, he followed Philip everywhere and was amazed as he observed the signs and great miracles(I) that were being performed.
Simon’s Sin
14 When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.(J) 15 After they went down there, they prayed for them so that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come down on any of them. 16 (They had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.(K)) 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit[c] was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, ‘Give me this power also so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.’
20 But Peter told him, ‘May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!(L) 21 You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.(M) 22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven. 23 For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness.’(N)
24 ‘Pray to the Lord for me,’ Simon replied, ‘so that nothing you have said may happen to me.’(O)
25 So, after they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they travelled back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
The Conversion of the Ethiopian Official
26 An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: ‘Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is the desert road.[d](P)) 27 So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch(Q) and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem(R) 28 and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.
29 The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go and join that chariot.’(S)
30 When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, ‘Do you understand what you’re reading? ’
31 ‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone guides me? ’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this:
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb is silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who will describe his generation?
For his life is taken from the earth.[e](T)
34 The eunuch said to Philip, ‘I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else? ’ 35 Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.(U)
36 As they were travelling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, ‘Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptised? ’[f] 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptised him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord(V) carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip appeared in[g] Azotus,[h] and he was travelling and preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.(W)
Footnotes
- 8:5 Other mss read the
- 8:10 Or ‘This is the power of God called Great
- 8:18 Other mss add Holy
- 8:26 Or is a desert place
- 8:32–33 Is 53:7–8
- 8:36 Some mss include v. 37: Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart you may’. And he replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God’.
- 8:40 Or Philip was found at, or Philip found himself in
- 8:40 Or Ashdod
Acts 8
New King James Version
Saul Persecutes the Church
8 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. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and (B)made great lamentation over him.
3 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
4 Therefore (D)those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. 5 Then (E)Philip went down to [a]the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 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. 8 And there was great joy in that city.
The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith
9 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.
Copyright © 2016 by Ruth Magnusson (Davis). Includes emendations to February 2022. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2024 by Holman Bible Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
