Acts Chapter 8
1 Saul consented to Stephen's death. At that time there was a great persecution against the assembly⁺ at Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
2 Devout men carried Stephen to his burial and grieved⁺ greatly over him.
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the assembly⁺, entering every house and dragging⁺ away men and women, committing them to prison.
4 Those who were scattered went everywhere proclaiming⁺ the Word.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed⁺ Christ to them.
6 With one accord, the people gave heed to the things that Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles~ that he did.
7 For unclean spirits crying out with loud voices came out of many who were possessed with them and many afflicted⁺ with palsies and many who had been lame were healed.
8 There was great joy in that city.
9 But there was a man called Simon who in the past⁺ in the same city used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, suggesting⁺ that he himself was great.
10 All from the least to the greatest gave heed to him, saying: This man is the great power of God.
11 They highly regarded this Simon because for a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
12 But now they believed Philip who was proclaiming⁺ the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, and both men and women were baptized.
13 Then Simon himself also believed and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and was amazed⁺ as he saw the miracles~ and signs that were done.
14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
15 So they came down and prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 For as yet, the Holy Spirit had not come upon any of them but only upon those who had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 So Peter and John laid their hands upon the new believers and then they received the Holy Spirit.
18 When Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the apostles' hands that the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
19 saying: Give me also this authority⁺ so that on whomever I lay hands, they may receive the Holy Spirit.
20 But Peter said to him: May your money perish with you, because you have thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money.
21 You have no part or share⁺ in this, for your heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Therefore, repent of your wickedness and pray to God that the thoughts in your heart may be forgiven.
23 For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
24 Then Simon answered and said: Pray to the Lord for me, that none of these things that you have spoken will come upon me.
25 After Peter and John had testified and proclaimed⁺ the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem and proclaimed⁺ the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
26 Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying: Arise and go toward the south on the desert road⁺ that goes from Jerusalem to Gaza.
27 So Philip arose and went and behold he met a man from Ethiopia, a eunuch with great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians who had the charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship.
28 Now, he was returning and sitting in his chariot reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said to Philip: Go near and join yourself to this chariot.
30 So Philip ran to the eunuch, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said: Do you understand what you are reading?
31 The eunuch said: How can I, unless someone should guide me? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 The place in the Scripture that he read was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb silent⁺ before its shearer, He did not open His mouth. Isaiah 53:7
33 In Jesus' humiliation, justice⁺ was taken away and denied to Him. Who then shall declare~ His generation~? Who can count how long it will last? For His life has been taken from the Earth. Isaiah 53:8
34 The eunuch answered Philip and said: I beg⁺ you: About whom is the prophet speaking in this? About himself? Or about some other man?
35 Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture and proclaimed⁺ Jesus to him.
36 As they went on their way, they came to a certain body of water and the eunuch said: See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?
37 Philip said: If you believe with all your heart, you may. The eunuch answered and said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38 Then the eunuch commanded the chariot to stop⁺ and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away so that the eunuch no longer⁺ saw him, but he went on his way rejoicing.
40 Philip was later found at Azotus. Passing through there he proclaimed⁺ the Gospel in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.