Sin and Treachery

Jeremiah Grieves for His People

^6 (A)And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him ^(B)and saw the signs that he did. ⁷ For ^(C)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 ^(D)there was much joy in that city.

Simon the Magician Believes

⁹ But there was a man named Simon, ^(E)who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, ^(F)saying that he himself was somebody great. ¹⁰ They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, ^(G)“This man is the power of God that is called ^(H)Great.” ¹¹ And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had ^(I)amazed them with his magic. ¹² But when ^(J)they believed Philip as he preached good news ^(K)about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, ^(L)they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³ Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And ^(M)seeing signs and ^(N)great miracles^[a] performed, ^(O)he was amazed.

¹⁴ Now when ^(P)the apostles at Jerusalem heard that ^(Q)Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, ¹⁵ who came down and prayed for them ^(R)that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ for ^(S)he had not yet ^(T)fallen on any of them, but ^(U)they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then ^(V)they laid their hands on them and ^(W)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, ^(X)“May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God ^(Y)with money! ²¹ You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for ^(Z)your heart is not right before God. ²² Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, ^(AA)if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are in ^(AB)the gall^[b] of bitterness and in ^(AC)the bond of iniquity.” ²⁴ And Simon answered, ^(AD)“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, ^(AE)preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

²⁶ Now ^(AF)an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south^[c] 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 ^(AG)Ethiopian, a ^(AH)eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, ^(AI)who was in charge of all her treasure. ^(AJ)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, ^(AK)“How can I, unless someone ^(AL)guides me?” And ^(AM)he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ³² Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:

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 ^(AP)beginning with this Scripture ^(AQ)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! ^(AR)What prevents me from being baptized?”^{[d] 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, ^(AS)the Spirit of the Lord ^(AT)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.