8:1 And Saul agreed completely with killing17 him.
Saul Begins to Persecute the Church
Now on that day a great18 persecution began19 against the church in Jerusalem, and all20 except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions21 of Judea and Samaria. 8:2 Some22 devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation23 over him.24 8:3 But Saul was trying to destroy25 the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off26 both men and women and put them in prison.27
Philip Preaches in Samaria
8:4 Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word. 8:5 Philip went down to the main city of Samaria28 and began proclaiming29 the Christ30 to them. 8:6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said,31 as they heard and saw the miraculous signs32 he was performing. 8:7 For unclean spirits,33 crying with loud shrieks, were coming out of many who were possessed;34 and many paralyzed and lame people were healed; 8:8 so there was35 great joy36 in that city.
8:9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic37 and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 8:10 All the people,38 from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great’.”39 8:11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God40 and the name of Jesus Christ,41 they began to be baptized,42 both men and women. 8:13 Even Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized he stayed close to43 Philip constantly; and when he saw the signs and great miracles that were occurring, he was amazed.44
8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word45 of God, they sent46 Peter and John to them. 8:15 These two47 went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 8:16 (For the Spirit48 had not yet come on49 any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)50 8:17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans,51 and they received the Holy Spirit.52
8:18 Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, 8:19 saying, “Give me this power53 too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” 8:20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you,54 because you thought you could acquire55 God’s gift with money! 8:21 You have no share or part56 in this matter,57 because your heart is not right before God! 8:22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord58 that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart.59 8:23 For I see that you are bitterly envious60 and in bondage to sin.” 8:24 But Simon replied,61 “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to62 me.”
8:25 So after Peter and John63 had solemnly testified64 and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming65 the good news to many Samaritan villages66 as they went.67
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
8:26 Then an angel of the Lord68 said to Philip,69 “Get up and go south70 on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert71 road.)72 8:27 So73 he got up74 and went. There75 he met76 an Ethiopian eunuch,77 a court official of Candace,78 queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He79 had come to Jerusalem to worship,80 8:28 and was returning home, sitting81 in his chariot, reading82 the prophet Isaiah. 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 8:30 So Philip ran up83 to it84 and heard the man85 reading Isaiah the prophet. He86 asked him,87 “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 8:31 The man88 replied, “How in the world can I,89 unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 8:32 Now the passage of scripture the man90 was reading was this:
“He was led like a sheep to
slaughter,
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
So he did91 not open his mouth.
8:33 In humiliation92 justice was taken from him.93
Who can describe his posterity?94
For his life was taken away95 from the earth.”96
8:34 Then the eunuch said97 to Philip, “Please tell me,98 who is the prophet saying this about—himself or someone else?”99 8:35 So Philip started speaking,100 and beginning with this scripture101 proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 8:36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me102 from being baptized?”103 8:38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water,104 and Philip baptized105 him. 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but106 went on his way rejoicing.107 8:40 Philip, however, found himself108 at Azotus,109 and as he passed through the area110 he proclaimed the good news111 to all the towns112 until he came to Caesarea.113