Acts 8

¹And Saul was consenting to his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and all were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

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

³But Saul ravaged the church, entering house after house, and dragging both men and women, committed them to prison.

⁴Now those that had been scattered abroad went through the country preaching the word.

⁵And Philip went down to a city of Samaria, and preached to them the Christ.

⁶And the multitudes with one accord gave heed to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he wrought.

⁷For from many that had unclean spirits came they out crying with a loud voice; and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were cured.

⁸And there was great joy in that city.

⁹But before their arrival a certain man, named Simon, was in the city, a man practising sorcery, and amazing the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was some great person;

¹⁰to whom they gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the Power of God, which is called Great.

¹¹And to him they gave heed, because they had for a long time been amazed by his sorceries.

¹²But when they believed Philip, publishing the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

¹³And Simon himself also believed, and having been baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed when he beheld the miracles and signs which were wrought.

¹⁴And the apostles at Jerusalem, hearing that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John;

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

¹⁶For it had not yet fallen upon any of them; but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

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

¹⁸But Simon, seeing that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money,

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

²⁰But Peter said to him, Thy money perish with thee! because thou didst think to obtain the gift of God with money.

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

²²Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if haply the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.

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

²⁴And Simon answering said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of the things which ye have spoken may come upon me.

²⁵They then, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, were returning to Jerusalem, and publishing the glad tidings in many villages of the Samaritans.

²⁶But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go towards the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert way.

²⁷And he arose and went; and lo! a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a high officer of Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,

²⁸was returning and sitting in his chariot; and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

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

³⁰And Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Well, but dost thou understand what thou art reading?

³¹And he said, How can I, unless some one shall guide me? And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

³²And the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this: "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he openeth not his mouth.

³³In his humiliation judgment was refused him; and who shall describe his generation? for his life is taken away from the earth."

³⁴And the eunuch answering said, I pray thee, of whom doth the prophet say this? Of himself, or of some other man?

³⁵And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture declared to him the glad tidings concerning Jesus.

³⁶And as they went along the road, they came to a certain water; and the eunuch saith, See, here is water; what is there to hinder my being baptized?

³⁸And he commanded that the chariot should stop; and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

³⁹But when they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

⁴⁰But Philip was found at Azotus; and passing through, he published the glad tidings in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

Acts 8

¹And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

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

³As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

⁴Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

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

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

⁷For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

⁸And there was great joy in that city.

⁹But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

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

¹¹And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

²⁶And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

²⁷And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

²⁸Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

²⁹Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

³⁰And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

³¹And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

³²The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

³³In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

³⁴And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

³⁵Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

³⁶And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

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

³⁸And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both 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 caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

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