Acts 8

¹Now in those days, there occurred a great persecution against the Church at Jerusalem. And they were all dispersed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles.

²But God-fearing men arranged for Stephen’s funeral, and they made a great mourning over him.

³Then Saul was laying waste to the Church by entering throughout the houses, and dragging away men and women, and committing them to prison.

⁴Therefore, those who had been dispersed were traveling around, evangelizing the Word of God.

⁵Now Philip, descending to a city of Samaria, was preaching Christ to them.

⁶And the crowd was listening intently and with one accord to those things which were being said by Philip, and they were watching the signs which he was accomplishing.

⁷For many of them had unclean spirits, and, crying out with a loud voice, these departed from them.

⁸And many of the paralytics and the lame were cured.

⁹Therefore, there was great gladness in that city. Now there was a certain man named Simon, who formerly had been a magician in that city, seducing the people of Samaria, claiming himself to be someone great.

¹⁰And to all those who would listen, from the least even to the greatest, he was saying: “Here is the power of God, which is called great.”

¹¹And they were attentive to him because, for a long time, he had deluded them with his magic.

¹²Yet truly, once they had believed Philip, who was evangelizing the kingdom of God, both men and women were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

¹³Then Simon himself also believed and, when he had been baptized, he adhered to Philip. And now, seeing also the greatest signs and miracles being wrought, he was amazed and stupefied.

¹⁴Now when the Apostles who were in Jerusalem had heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

¹⁵And when they had arrived, they prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

¹⁶For he had not yet come to any among them, since they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

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

¹⁸But when Simon had seen that, by the imposition of the hands of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

¹⁹saying, “Give this power to me also, so that on whomever I will lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him:

²⁰“Let your money be with you in perdition, for you have supposed that a gift of God might be possessed by money.

²¹There is no part or place for you in this matter. For your heart is not upright in the sight of God.

²²And so, repent from this, your wickedness, and beg God, so that perhaps this plan of your heart might be forgiven you.

²³For I perceive you to be in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

²⁴Then Simon responded by saying, “Pray for me to the Lord, so that nothing of what you have said may happen to me.”

²⁵And indeed, after testifying and speaking the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and they evangelized the many regions of the Samaritans.

²⁶Now an Angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Rise up and go toward the south, to the way which descends from Jerusalem into Gaza, where there is a desert.”

²⁷And rising up, he went. And behold, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, powerful under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasures, had arrived in Jerusalem to worship.

²⁸And while returning, he was sitting upon his chariot and reading from the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Draw near and join yourself to this chariot.”

³⁰And Philip, hurrying, heard him reading from the prophet Isaiah, and he said, “Do you think that you understand what you are reading?”

³¹And he said, “But how can I, unless someone will have revealed it to me?” And he asked Philip to climb up and sit with him.

³²Now the place in Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter. And like a lamb silent before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth.

³³He endured his judgment with humility. Who of his generation shall describe how his life was taken away from the earth?”

³⁴Then the eunuch responded to Philip, saying: “I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself, or about someone else?”

³⁵Then Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from this Scripture, evangelized Jesus to him.

³⁶And while they were going along the way, they arrived at a certain water source. And the eunuch said: “There is water. What would prevent me from being baptized?”

³⁷Then Philip said, “If you believe from your whole heart, it is permitted.” And he responded by saying, “I believe the Son of God to be Jesus the Christ.”

³⁸And he ordered the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch descended into the water. And he baptized him.

³⁹And when they had ascended from the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him anymore. Then he went on his way, rejoicing.

⁴⁰Now Philip was found in Azotus. And continuing on, he evangelized all the cities, until he arrived in Caesarea.

Acts 8

¹And at that time, there was raised a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem. And they were all dispersed through the countries of Judea, and Samaria, except the apostles.

²And devout men took order for Stephen's funeral and made great mourning over him.

³But Saul made havock of the church, entering in from house to house: and dragging away men and women, committed them to prison.

⁴They therefore that were dispersed went about preaching the word of God.

⁵And Philip, going down to the city of Samaria, preached Christ unto them.

⁶And the people with one accord were attentive to those things which were said by Philip, hearing, and seeing the miracles which he did.

⁷For many of them who had unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, went out.

⁸And many, taken with the palsy, and that were lame, were healed.

⁹There was therefore great joy in that city. Now there was a certain man named Simon who before had been a magician in that city, seducing the people of Samaria, giving out that he was some great one:

¹⁰To whom they all gave ear, from the least to the greatest, saying: This man is the power of God, which is called great.

¹¹And they were attentive to him, because, for a long time, he had bewitched them with his magical practices.

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

¹³Then Simon himself believed also and, being baptized, he adhered to Philip. And being astonished, wondered to see the signs and exceeding great miracles which were done.

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

¹⁵Who, when they were come, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost.

¹⁶For he was not as yet come upon any of them: but they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷Then they laid their hands upon them: and they received the Holy Ghost.

¹⁸And when Simon saw that, by the imposition of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

¹⁹Saying: Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I shall lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said to him:

²⁰Keep thy money to thyself, to perish with thee: because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

²¹Thou hast no part nor lot in this matter. For thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

²²Do penance therefore for this thy wickedness: and pray to God, that perhaps this thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.

²³For I see thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.

²⁴Then Simon answering, said: Pray you for me to the Lord that none of these things which you have spoken may come upon me.

²⁵And they indeed, having testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem: and preached the gospel to many countries of the Samaritans.

²⁶Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying: Arise, go towards the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem into Gaza: this is desert.

²⁷And rising up, he went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch, of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge over all her treasures, had come to Jerusalem to adore.

²⁸And he was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading Isaias the prophet.

²⁹And the Spirit said to Philip: Go near and join thyself to this chariot.

³⁰And Philip running thither, heard him reading the prophet Isaias. And he said: Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest?

³¹Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

³²And the place of the scripture which he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter: and like a lamb without voice before his shearer, so openeth he not his mouth.

³³In humility his judgment was taken away. His generation who shall declare, for his life shall be taken from the earth?

³⁴And the eunuch answering Philip, said: I beseech thee, of whom doth the prophet speak this? Of himself, or of some other man?

³⁵Then Philip, opening his mouth and beginning at this scripture, preached unto him Jesus.

³⁶And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water. And the eunuch said: See, here is water: What doth hinder me from being baptized?

³⁷And Philip said: If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answering, said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

³⁸And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch. And he baptized him.

³⁹And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took away Philip: and the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰But Philip was found in Azotus: and passing through, he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.