Book of Common Prayer
8 Saul agreed to Stephen being killed. At that time the church people at Jerusalem had much trouble. The church people all went into Judea and Samaria. Only the apostles stayed on at Jerusalem.
2 Good men buried Stephen. They were very sad because he died.
3 Saul made much trouble for the church people. He went into every house, pulled out men and women, and put them into prison.
4 The people who left Jerusalem went all around telling the good news about Jesus.
5 Then Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about Christ.
6 And all the people together listened to what Philip said because they heard and saw the big works which he did.
7 Many people who were held by bad spirits were made free from them. The spirits came out of them crying loudly. Many other sick people were healed too. People who could not stand, and others who were lame, were healed.
8 The people all over the city were very glad.
9 But there was one man named Simon, a witch-doctor, who fooled the people of Samaria. He tried to make people believe that he could do big things.
10 And all the people, young and old, listened to him. They said, `This man is a big power of God.'
11 He had fooled them for a long time with his work as a witch. That is why they listened to him.
12 But Philip came and told them about God's kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ. The people believed him. Then both men and women were baptised.
13 Simon believed also. When he was baptised, he went with Philip. He was very much surprised when he saw the signs and the big works which were done.
30 `I have no right to do anything myself. I judge the way I am told to judge. The way I judge people is right. I do not do what I myself want to do, but I do what my Father wants me to do. He sent me.
31 `If I talk about myself, then what I say is not true.
32 But someone else also speaks about me. I know what he says about me is true.
33 You sent someone to John and he has told you the truth about me.
34 I do not need to listen to what a person says about me. But I tell you this so that you may be saved.
35 John was a light burning and shining. For a while you were happy to be in his light.
36 But I have something greater than John to talk for me. It is the works that I do. My Father has given me works to finish. The works that I do tell that he sent me.
37 And my Father who sent me has himself talked about me. You have never heard him speak and you do not know what he is like.
38 The word he talks is not in your hearts, because you do not believe the one he sent to you.
39 `You read holy writings carefully. You think that there you will find out how to live for ever. In the same writings you will read about me.
40 And yet you will not come to me for that life.
41 I do not want people to call me great.
42 But I know that you do not love God in your hearts.
43 I have come in my Father's name, but you will not receive me. If another person comes in his own name, then you will receive him.
44 How can you believe? You are always calling each other great, but you do not want the only God to make you great.
45 Do not think that I will carry a complaint against you to my Father. Moses has already carried the complaint against you. He is the very one you trust.
46 If you really believed Moses, you would believe me too, because he wrote about me.
47 But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?'
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