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But Saul was consenting to his death. And great persecution was made that day in the church, that was in Jerusalem. And all men were scattered by the countries of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

But good men buried Stephen [Forsooth men dread-full buried Stephen], and made great mourning on him.

But Saul greatly destroyed the church, and entered by houses, and drew out men and women, and betook them into prison. [Forsooth Saul greatly destroyed the church, entering by houses, drawing men and women, betook into keeping, or prison.]

And they that were scattered [Therefore they were scattered], passed forth, preaching the word of God.

And Philip came down into a city of Samaria, and preached to them Christ.

And the people gave attention to these things [to those things] that were said of Philip, with one will hearing and seeing the signs that he did.

For many of them that had unclean spirits, cried with great voice, and went out [crying with great voice, went out]. And many sick in the palsy [Forsooth many sick in palsy], and crooked, were healed.

Therefore great joy was made in that city.

But there was a man in that city, whose name was Simon, a witch [Forsooth there was some man, Simon by name, which before was in the city a witch], that had deceived the folk of Samaria, saying, that himself was some great man.

10 Whom all harkened [To whom all harkened], from the least to the most, and said [saying], This is the virtue of God, which is called great.

11 And they believed him, for long time he had madded them with his witchcrafts. [Forsooth all believed him, for this thing, that much time he had made them mad with his witchings.]

12 But when they had believed to Philip, preaching of the kingdom of God, men and women were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. [Soothly when they had believed to Philip, evangelizing of the kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, men and women were baptized.]

13 And then also Simon himself believed [Then also Simon himself believed]; and when he was baptized, he drew to Philip; and he saw also that signs and great works of power were done [he seeing also signs and most virtues to be made], he was astonished, and wondered.

14 But when the apostles that were at Jerusalem, had heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John.

15 And when they came, they prayed for them [The which, when they came, prayed for them], that they should receive the Holy Ghost;

16 for he came not yet into any of them [forsooth not yet he came into any of them], but they were baptized only in the name of the Lord Jesus.

17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

18 And when Simon had seen, that the Holy Ghost was given by laying on of [the] hands of the apostles, and he proffered to them money [he offered to them money],

19 and said, Give ye also to me this power, that [to] whomever I shall lay on mine hands, that he receive the Holy Ghost. [saying, Give to me and this power, that on whomever I shall put on hands, he receive the Holy Ghost.]

20 But Peter said to him, Thy money be with thee into perdition, for thou guessedest that the gift of God should be had for money [for thou guessedest the gift of God for to be had with money].

21 There is no part, nor lot to thee [Part is not to thee, neither sort], in this word, for thine heart is not rightful before God.

22 Therefore do thou penance for this wickedness of thee, and pray God, if peradventure this thought of thine heart be forgiven to thee.

23 For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of wickedness.

24 And Simon answered, and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that nothing of these things that ye have said, come on me.

25 And they witnessed, and spake the word of the Lord, and went again to Jerusalem, and preached [and evangelized] to many countries of Samaritans.

26 And an angel of the Lord spake to Philip, and said, Rise thou, and go to meet the south [saying, Rise thou, and go against the south], to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem into Gaza; this is desert.

27 And he rose, and went forth. And lo! a man of Ethiopia, a mighty manservant, a gelding of Candace, the queen of Ethiopians [And lo! a man of Ethiopia, a mighty gelding of the queen Candace of Ethiopians], which was on all her riches, came to worship in Jerusalem.

28 And he turned again, sitting on his chariot, and reading Esaias, the prophet.

29 And the Spirit said to Philip, Approach thou[a], and join thee to this chariot.

30 And Philip ran to, and heard him reading Esaias, the prophet. And he said, Guessest thou, whether thou understandest, what things thou readest?

31 And he said, How may I, if no man show to me [Which said, And how may I, if some man shall not show to me]? And he prayed Philip, that he should come up, and sit with him.

32 And the place of the scripture that he read, was this, As a sheep he was led to slaying, and as a lamb before a man that sheareth him is dumb without voice, so he opened not his mouth. [Forsooth the place of scripture that he read was this, As a sheep to slaying he was led, and as a lamb before a man shearing him is dumb without voice, so he opened not his mouth.]

33 In meekness his doom was taken up; who shall tell out the generation of him? For his life shall be taken away from the earth.

34 And the gelding answered to Philip, and said, I beseech thee, of what prophet saith he this thing? of himself, or of any other?

35 And Philip opened his mouth, and began at this scripture, and preached to him Jesus.

36 And while they went by the way, they came to a water [they came to some water]. And the gelding said, Lo! water; who forbiddeth me to be baptized?

37 And Philip said, If thou believest of all thine heart, it is leaveful. 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, Philip and the gelding, and Philip baptized him [and he baptized him].

39 And when they were come up of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched (up) Philip, and the gelding saw him no more; and he went in his way joying.

40 And Philip was found in Azotus; and he passed forth, and preached to all cities [and he passing forth, evangelized to all cities], till he came to Caesarea.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:29 Nigh thou/Come to

Saul Persecutes the Church

Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen’s death.

And on that day a great and relentless persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and [a]mourned greatly over him [expressing a personal sense of loss]. But Saul began ravaging the church [and assaulting believers]; entering house after house and dragging off men and women, putting them in prison.

Philip in Samaria

Now those [believers] who had been scattered went from place to place preaching the word [the good news of salvation through Christ]. [b]Philip [the evangelist] went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed) to them.(A) The crowds gathered and were paying close attention to everything Philip said, as they heard [the message] and saw the [miraculous] signs which he was doing [validating his message]. For unclean spirits (demons), shouting loudly, were coming out of many who were possessed; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. So there was great rejoicing in that city.

Now there was a man named Simon, who previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 10 They all paid [a great deal of] attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is what is called the Great Power of God!” 11 They were paying attention to him because for a long time he had mystified and dazzled them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the [c]good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon believed [Philip’s message of salvation]; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he watched the attesting signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that [the people of] Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 They came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16 for He had not yet fallen on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus [as His possession]. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them [one by one], and 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 authority and power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could buy the [free] gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart (motive, purpose) is not right before God.(B) 22 So repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are [d]provoked by bitterness and bound by sin.”(C) 24 But Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me both of you, so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me.”

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

25 So, when Peter and John had given their testimony and preached the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, preaching the good news [about salvation] in many Samaritan villages [along the way].

26 But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” (This is a desert road). 27 So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch [a man of great authority], a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading [the scroll of] the prophet Isaiah. 29 Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I [understand] unless someone guides me [correctly]?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading:

Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So He does not open His mouth.
33 
In humiliation His judgment was taken away [justice was denied Him].
Who will describe His generation?
For His life is taken from the earth.”(D)

34 The eunuch replied to Philip, “Please tell me, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip spoke and beginning with this Scripture he preached Jesus to him [explaining that He is the promised Messiah and the source of salvation]. 36 As they continued along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, “Look! Water! What forbids me from being baptized?” 37 [e][Philip said to him, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] 38 And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and 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 [and carried him] away [to a different place]; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at [f]Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the good news [of salvation] to all the cities, until he came to [g]Caesarea [Maritima].

Footnotes

  1. Acts 8:2 It was customary to hire professional mourners for most funerals to ensure that the deceased would be properly mourned, but those who mourned Stephen needed no such assistance because they expressed their own heartfelt grief.
  2. Acts 8:5 One of the Seven named in 6:5; 21:8.
  3. Acts 8:12 In ancient Greece the word translated as “good news” or “gospel” was used to denote any good fortune, including success in a battle.
  4. Acts 8:23 Lit in the gall of.
  5. Acts 8:37 Early mss do not contain this v.
  6. Acts 8:40 OT Ashdod.
  7. Acts 8:40 Caesarea Maritima (Caesarea-on-the-Sea) was a coastal city and artificial harbor built by Herod the Great. It was an important city, both politically and militarily, and its harbor was the largest on the eastern Mediterranean coast. It was the capital of Judea, and the official residence of the prefects and procurators appointed by Rome. Both Pontius Pilate (prefect, a.d. 26-36) and Antonius Felix (procurator, a.d. 52-60) would have been based here during their respective terms of office.