8:1 Now Saul approved of putting ①Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution ②began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.
▷ ①Lit him ②Lit occurred
8:2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him.
8:3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and he would drag away men and women and put them in prison.
8:4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went through places ①preaching the word.
▷ ①Or bringing the good news of
8:5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming the ①Christ to them.
▷ ①I.e., Messiah
8:6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the ①signs which he was performing.
▷ ①I.e., confirming miracles
8:7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed or limped on crutches were healed.
8:8 So there was much rejoicing in that city.
8:9 Now a man named Simon had previously been practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;
8:10 and all the people, from small to great, were paying attention to him, saying, “This man is the Power of God that is called Great.”
8:11 And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic arts.
8:12 But when they believed Philip as he was preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized.
8:13 Now even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was repeatedly amazed.
8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,
8:15 who came down and prayed for them that they would receive the Holy Spirit.
8:16 (For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized ①in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
▷ ①Lit into
8:17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
8:18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
8:19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
8:20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire the gift of God with money!
8:21 You have no part or share in this ①matter, for your heart is not right before God.
▷ ①Or teaching; lit word
8:22 Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you.
8:23 For I see that you are ①in the gall of bitterness and in the ②bondage of unrighteousness.”
▷ ①Or doomed to the ②Lit bond
8:24 But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”
8:25 So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
8:26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get ready and go ①south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ( ②This is a desert road.)
▷ ①Or at about noon to ②Or This city is deserted
8:27 So he got ready and went; and ①there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of ②Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,
▷ ①Lit behold, an Ethiopian ②Possibly an Ethiopian title: the Candace
8:28 and he was returning and sitting in his ①chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet.
▷ ①Or carriage
8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this ①chariot.”
▷ ①Or carriage
8:30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
8:31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
8:32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
“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.
8:33 IN HUMILIATION HIS JUSTICE WAS TAKEN AWAY;
WHO WILL ①DESCRIBE HIS ②GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE EARTH.”
▷ ①Or relate ②Or family history
8:34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?”
8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
8:36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” ①
▷ ①Late 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.”
8:37
8:38 And he ordered that the ①chariot stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
▷ ①Or carriage
8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, ①but went on his way rejoicing.
▷ ①Lit for he was going
8:40 But Philip ①found himself at ②Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
▷ ①Or was found ②OT: Ashdod