Book of Common Prayer

8 Now Saul was giving his consent to Stephen’s death.

That very day a great persecution was started against the church in Jerusalem. Everyone except the apostles was scattered through the lands of Judaea and Samaria. ² Devout men buried Stephen, and made a great lamentation over him. ³ But Saul was doing great damage to the church by going from one house to another, dragging off men and women and throwing them into prison.

Samaria, the spirit and Simon Magus

⁴ Those who were scattered went all over the place announcing the word. ⁵ Philip went off to a town in Samaria and announced the Messiah to them. ⁶ The crowds, acting as one, clung to what Philip was saying, as they heard him and saw the signs he performed. ⁷ For unclean spirits came out of many of them, and several who were paralyzed or lame were cured. ⁸ So there was great joy in that town.

⁹ But there was a man named Simon, who had lived in the town for some while and who practiced magic. He used to astonish the Samaritan people, giving out that he was some great personage. ¹⁰ Everyone, small and great alike, paid attention to him, and said, “This man is the one called ‘God’s Great Power’!” ¹¹ They had been under his spell for some time, since they were amazed at the magic he could perform. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he was announcing to them the message about God’s kingdom and the Name of Jesus the Messiah, they were baptized, men and women alike. ¹³ Simon too believed and was baptized, paying close attention to Philip. When he saw signs, and great and powerful deeds, it was his turn to be astonished.

⁶³ The men who were holding Jesus began to make fun of him and knock him about. ⁶⁴ They blindfolded him.

“Prophesy!” they told him. “Who is it that’s hitting you?”

⁶⁵ And they said many other scandalous things to him.

⁶⁶ When the day broke, the official assembly of the people, the chief priests and the scribes came together, and they took him off to their council.

⁶⁷ “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us!”

“If I tell you,” he said to them, “you won’t believe me. ⁶⁸ And if I ask you a question, you won’t answer me. ⁶⁹ But from now on the son of man will be seated at the right hand of God’s power.”

⁷⁰ “So you’re the son of God, are you?” they said.

“You say that I am,” he said to them.

⁷¹ “Why do we need any more witnesses?” they said. “We’ve heard it ourselves, from his own mouth!”