Saul the Persecutor
1Saul agreed with putting him to death.
On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.8:1 Ac 9:31; 11:19
2Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
Philip in Samaria
4So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word.
5Philip went down to a8:5 Other mss read the city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.8:4–5 Ac 6:5; 15:35
6The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing.
7For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.8:7 Mt 4:24; Mk 16:17
8So there was great joy in that city.
The Response of Simon
9A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great.8:9 Ac 5:36; 13:6
10They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God.”8:10 Or “This is the power of God called Great8:10 Ac 14:11; 28:6
11They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.
Simon’s Sin
14When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.8:14 Lk 22:8; Ac 8:1
15After they went down there, they prayed for them so that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come down on any of them.
17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18When Simon saw that the Spirit8:18 Other mss add Holy was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
19saying, “Give me this power also so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20But Peter told him, “May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!8:20 2Kg 5:16; Is 55:1; Dn 5:17; Mt 10:8; Ac 2:38
21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.8:21 2Kg 10:15; Ps 78:37
22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven.
25So, after they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
The Conversion of the Ethiopian Official
26An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: “Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.8:26 Or is a desert place8:26 Ac 5:19; 8:29)
27So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch8:27 Ps 68:31; 87:4; Is 56:3; Zph 3:10 and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem8:27 1Kg 8:41; Jn 12:20
28and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.
30When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this:
He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb is silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33
In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who will describe his generation?
34The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about — himself or someone else?”
36As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, “Look, there’s water. What would keep me from being baptized?” 8:36 Some mss include v. 37: Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard
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