Acts 8

And ^aSaul was ^bconsenting unto his death.

And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and ^cthey were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and ^dSamaria, except the apostles. ²And ^edevout men ^fcarried Stephen to his burial, and ^gmade great lamentation over him. ³As for Saul, ^hhe made havock of the church, entering into every house, and ⁱhaling men and women committed them to prison. ⁴Therefore ^jthey that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

⁵Then ^kPhilip 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 ^lunclean spirits, ^mcrying 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 ⁿgreat joy in that city. ⁹But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city ^oused sorcery, and ^pbewitched the people of Samaria, ^qgiving out that himself was some great one: ¹⁰to whom they all gave heed, ^rfrom the least to the greatest, saying, ^sThis man is the great power of God. ¹¹And to him they ^thad regard, because that of long time he had ^pbewitched them with ^osorceries. ¹²But when they believed Philip preaching ^uthe 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 ^vcontinued with Philip, and ^pwondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

¹⁴Now when ^wthe apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them ^xPeter and John: ¹⁵who, when they were come down, prayed for them, ^ycthat they might receive the Holy Ghost: ¹⁶(for ^zas yet he was fallen upon none of them: only ^yathey were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) ¹⁷Then ^blaid they their hands on them, and ^cthey received the Holy Ghost. ¹⁸And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands ^cthe 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, ^dThy money perish with thee, because ^ethou hast thought that ^fthe gift of God may be purchased with money. ²¹Thou hast neither ^gpart nor lot in this ^hmatter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. ²²Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, ⁱif perhaps the ^kthought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. ²³For I perceive that thou art in ^lthe gall of bitterness, and in ^mthe bond of iniquity. ²⁴Then answered Simon, and said, ⁿPray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. ²⁵And they, when they had ^otestified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and ^ppreached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

²⁶And ^qthe angel of the Lord spake unto ^rPhilip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto ^sGaza, which is desert. ²⁷And he arose and went: and behold, ^ta man of Ethiopia, ^uan eunuch ^wof great authority under Candace queen of the ^xEthiopians, who had ^ythe charge of all her treasure, and ^zhad 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, ^aUnderstandest thou what thou readest? ³¹And he said, How can I, except some man should ^bguide me? And ^che desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. ³²The place of the scripture which he read was this, ^dHe 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 ^eopened his mouth, and ^fbegan at the same ^gscripture, and ^hpreached 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 ⁱhinder me to be baptized? ³⁷And Philip said, ^jIf thou believest with all thine heart, ^kthou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that ^lJesus Christ is ^mthe 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, ⁿthe Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way ^orejoicing. ⁴⁰But Philip was found at ^pAzotus: and passing through he ^qpreached in all the cities, till he came to ^rCesarea.

IX.