New Testament in a Year

8 ¶ And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the congregation {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.

³ As for Saul, he made havoc of the congregation; {Gr. ekklesia – called out ones} entering into the houses and dragging out men and women, he committed them to prison.

⁴ ¶ But those that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word of the gospel.

⁵ Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the Christ unto them.

⁶ And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the signs which he did.

⁷ For many unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of those who were possessed with them, and many paralytics and that were lame were healed.

⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

⁹ But there was a certain man called Simon, who before this in the same city used magic arts and amazed the people of Samaria, giving out that he himself was some great one,

¹⁰ to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This is the great virtue of God.

¹¹ And to him they had regard because for a long time he had amazed them with magic arts.

¹² But when they believed Philip preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

¹³ Then Simon himself believed also; and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were being done.

¹⁴ ¶ Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John unto them,

¹⁵ who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

¹⁶ (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them; they were baptized only in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

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

¹⁸ And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

¹⁹ saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.

²⁰ But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

²¹ Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

²² Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God, if perhaps this thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

²³ For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the prison of iniquity.

²⁴ Then Simon answered and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

²⁵ And they, when they had testified and preached the word of God, returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.