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Acts 8-9
New American Standard Bible
Acts 8-9
New American Standard Bible
Saul Persecutes the Church
8 (A)Now Saul approved of putting [a]Stephen to death.
And on that day a great persecution [b]began against (B)the church in Jerusalem, and they were all (C)scattered throughout the regions of Judea and (D)Samaria, except for the apostles. 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him. 3 But (E)Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and he would (F)drag away men and women and put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
4 Therefore, those (G)who had been scattered went through places [c](H)preaching the word. 5 (I)Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming the [d]Christ to them. 6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the [e]signs which he was performing. 7 For in the case of many who had (J)unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been (K)paralyzed or limped on crutches were healed. 8 So there was (L)much rejoicing in that city.
9 Now a man named Simon had previously been practicing (M)magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, (N)claiming to be someone great; 10 and all the people, from small to great, were paying attention to him, saying, “(O)This man is the Power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his (P)magic arts. 12 But when they believed Philip (Q)as he was preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being (R)baptized. 13 Now even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed (S)signs and (T)great miracles taking place, he was repeatedly amazed.
14 Now when (U)the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them (V)Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them (W)that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 16 (For He had (X)not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been (Y)baptized [f]in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then they (Z)began laying their hands on them, and they were (AA)receiving 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 this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could (AB)acquire the gift of God with money! 21 You have (AC)no part or share in this [g]matter, for your heart is not (AD)right before God. 22 Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, (AE)if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are [h]in the gall of bitterness and in (AF)the [i]bondage of unrighteousness.” 24 But Simon answered and said, “(AG)Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
An Ethiopian Receives Christ
25 So, when they had solemnly (AH)testified and spoken (AI)the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were (AJ)preaching the gospel to many villages of the (AK)Samaritans.
26 But (AL)an angel of the Lord spoke to (AM)Philip, saying, “Get ready and go [j]south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to (AN)Gaza.” ([k]This is a desert road.) 27 So he got ready and went; and [l](AO)there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of [m]Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he (AP)had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was returning and sitting in his [n]chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 Then (AQ)the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this [o]chariot.” 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
“(AR)He was led like a sheep to slaughter;
And like a lamb that is silent before its shearer,
So He does not open His mouth.
33 (AS)In humiliation His justice was taken away;
Who will [p]describe His [q]generation?
For His life is taken away from the earth.”
34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?” 35 Then Philip (AT)opened his mouth, and (AU)beginning from this Scripture he (AV)preached Jesus to him. 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! (AW)What prevents me from being baptized?”[r] 38 And he ordered that the [s]chariot stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, (AX)the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, [t]but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip [u]found himself at [v](AY)Azotus, and as he passed through he (AZ)kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to (BA)Caesarea.
The Conversion of Saul
9 (BB)Now [w]Saul, still (BC)breathing [x]threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest, 2 and asked for (BD)letters from him to (BE)the synagogues in (BF)Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to [y](BG)the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them in shackles to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and (BH)suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; 4 and (BI)he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and (BJ)it will be told to you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him (BK)stood speechless, (BL)hearing the [z]voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and (BM)though his eyes were open, he [aa]could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into (BN)Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Now there was a disciple in (BO)Damascus named (BP)Ananias; and the Lord said to him in (BQ)a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” 11 And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from (BR)Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, 12 and he has seen [ab]in a vision a man named Ananias come in and (BS)lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.” 13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, (BT)how much harm he did to (BU)Your [ac]saints in Jerusalem; 14 and here he (BV)has authority from the chief priests to [ad]arrest all who (BW)call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for (BX)he is a chosen [ae]instrument of Mine, to bear My name before (BY)the Gentiles and (BZ)kings and the sons of Israel; 16 for (CA)I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.” 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after (CB)laying his hands on him said, “(CC)Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be (CD)filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; 19 and he took food and was strengthened.
Saul Begins to Preach Christ
Now (CE)for several days he was with (CF)the disciples who were in Damascus, 20 and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus (CG)in the synagogues, [af]saying, “He is (CH)the Son of God.” 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who in Jerusalem (CI)destroyed those who (CJ)called on this name, and had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22 But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the [ag]Christ.
23 When (CK)many days had elapsed, (CL)the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24 but (CM)their plot became known to Saul. (CN)They were also closely watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25 but his disciples took him at night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.
26 (CO)When he came to Jerusalem, he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But (CP)Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had (CQ)seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how (CR)he had (CS)spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus at Damascus. 28 And he was with them, [ah]moving about freely in Jerusalem, (CT)speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 And he was talking and arguing with the [ai](CU)Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 30 Now when (CV)the [aj]brothers learned of it, they brought him down to (CW)Caesarea and (CX)sent him away to (CY)Tarsus.
31 So (CZ)the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria [ak]enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it [al]continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.
Peter’s Ministry
32 Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he also came down to (DA)the [am]saints who lived at [an](DB)Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas who had been bedridden for eight years, [ao]because he was paralyzed. 34 Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your own bed.” Immediately he got up. 35 And all who lived at [ap](DC)Lydda and (DD)Sharon saw him, and they (DE)turned to the Lord.
36 Now in (DF)Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which when translated means [aq]Dorcas); this woman was [ar]excelling in acts of kindness and charity which she did habitually. 37 But it happened [as]at that time that she became sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an (DG)upstairs room. 38 Since Lydda was near (DH)Joppa, (DI)the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, urging him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39 So Peter got ready and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the (DJ)room upstairs; and all the (DK)widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the [at]tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40 But Peter (DL)sent them all out and (DM)knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “(DN)Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41 And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling (DO)the [au]saints and (DP)widows, he presented her alive. 42 It became known all over (DQ)Joppa, and (DR)many believed in the Lord. 43 And Peter stayed in (DS)Joppa many days with (DT)a tanner named Simon.
Footnotes
- Acts 8:1 Lit him
- Acts 8:1 Lit occurred
- Acts 8:4 Or bringing the good news of
- Acts 8:5 I.e., Messiah
- Acts 8:6 I.e., confirming miracles
- Acts 8:16 Lit into
- Acts 8:21 Or teaching; lit word
- Acts 8:23 Or doomed to the
- Acts 8:23 Lit bond
- Acts 8:26 Or at about noon to
- Acts 8:26 Or This city is deserted
- Acts 8:27 Lit behold, an Ethiopian
- Acts 8:27 Possibly an Ethiopian title: the Candace
- Acts 8:28 Or carriage
- Acts 8:29 Or carriage
- Acts 8:33 Or relate
- Acts 8:33 Or family history
- Acts 8:36 Late mss add as v 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
- Acts 8:38 Or carriage
- Acts 8:39 Lit for he was going
- Acts 8:40 Or was found
- Acts 8:40 OT: Ashdod
- Acts 9:1 Later called Paul
- Acts 9:1 Lit threat
- Acts 9:2 See John 14:6
- Acts 9:7 Or sound
- Acts 9:8 Lit was seeing
- Acts 9:12 A few early mss do not contain in a vision
- Acts 9:13 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Acts 9:14 Lit bind
- Acts 9:15 Or vessel
- Acts 9:20 Lit that
- Acts 9:22 I.e., Messiah
- Acts 9:28 Lit going in and going out
- Acts 9:29 Jews who adopted the Gr language and much of Gr culture through acculturation
- Acts 9:30 I.e., disciples
- Acts 9:31 Lit was having
- Acts 9:31 Lit went
- Acts 9:32 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
- Acts 9:32 OT: Lod
- Acts 9:33 Lit who was
- Acts 9:35 OT: Lod
- Acts 9:36 I.e., Gr for Gazelle
- Acts 9:36 Lit full of
- Acts 9:37 Lit in those days
- Acts 9:39 A long shirt worn next to the skin
- Acts 9:41 Lit holy ones; i.e., God’s people
Acts 8-9
New International Version
Acts 8-9
New International Version
8 And Saul(A) approved of their killing him.
The Church Persecuted and Scattered
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered(B) throughout Judea and Samaria.(C) 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul(D) began to destroy the church.(E) Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
4 Those who had been scattered(F) preached the word wherever they went.(G) 5 Philip(H) went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many,(I) and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.(J) 8 So there was great joy in that city.
Simon the Sorcerer
9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery(K) in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great,(L) 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, “This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.”(M) 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God(N) and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized,(O) both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles(P) he saw.
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria(Q) had accepted the word of God,(R) they sent Peter and John(S) to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit,(T) 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them;(U) they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.(V) 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them,(W) and they received the Holy Spirit.(X)
18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!(Y) 21 You have no part or share(Z) in this ministry, because your heart is not right(AA) before God. 22 Repent(AB) of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.”
24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me(AC) so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord(AD) and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.(AE)
Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Now an angel(AF) of the Lord said to Philip,(AG) “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[a](AH) eunuch,(AI) an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship,(AJ) 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told(AK) Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”[b](AL)
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began(AM) with that very passage of Scripture(AN) and told him the good news(AO) about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”(AP) [37] [c] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then 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 away,(AQ) and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns(AR) until he reached Caesarea.(AS)
Saul’s Conversion(AT)
9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.(AU) He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus,(AV) so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way,(AW) whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.(AX) 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice(AY) say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”(AZ)
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound(BA) but did not see anyone.(BB) 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.(BC) So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision,(BD) “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus(BE) named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on(BF) him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people(BG) in Jerusalem.(BH) 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests(BI) to arrest all who call on your name.”(BJ)
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument(BK) to proclaim my name to the Gentiles(BL) and their kings(BM) and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”(BN)
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on(BO) Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”(BP) 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,(BQ) 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the disciples(BR) in Damascus.(BS) 20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues(BT) that Jesus is the Son of God.(BU) 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name?(BV) And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?”(BW) 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.(BX)
23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him,(BY) 24 but Saul learned of their plan.(BZ) Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.(CA)
26 When he came to Jerusalem,(CB) he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas(CC) took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him,(CD) and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.(CE) 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29 He talked and debated with the Hellenistic Jews,[d](CF) but they tried to kill him.(CG) 30 When the believers(CH) learned of this, they took him down to Caesarea(CI) and sent him off to Tarsus.(CJ)
31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria(CK) enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.(CL)
Aeneas and Dorcas
32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people(CM) who lived in Lydda. 33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years. 34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you.(CN) Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. 35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon(CO) saw him and turned to the Lord.(CP)
36 In Joppa(CQ) there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good(CR) and helping the poor. 37 About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room.(CS) 38 Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples(CT) heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”
39 Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows(CU) stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.
40 Peter sent them all out of the room;(CV) then he got down on his knees(CW) and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.”(CX) She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord.(CY) 43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.(CZ)
Footnotes
- Acts 8:27 That is, from the southern Nile region
- Acts 8:33 Isaiah 53:7,8 (see Septuagint)
- Acts 8:37 Some manuscripts include here Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The eunuch answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
- Acts 9:29 That is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture
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