Acts 8–9

Chapter 8

And at that time, there was raised a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem. And they were all dispersed through the countries of Judea, and Samaria, except the apostles.

²And devout men took order for Stephen’s funeral and made great mourning over him.

³But Saul made havock of the church, entering in from house to house: and dragging away men and women, committed them to prison.

⁴They therefore that were dispersed went about preaching the word of God.

⁵And Philip, going down to the city of Samaria, preached Christ unto them.

⁶And the people with one accord were attentive to those things which were said by Philip, hearing, and seeing the miracles which he did.

⁷For many of them who had unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, went out.

⁸And many, taken with the palsy, and that were lame, were healed.

⁹There was therefore great joy in that city. Now there was a certain man named Simon who before had been a magician in that city, seducing the people of Samaria, giving out that he was some great one:

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

¹¹And they were attentive to him, because, for a long time, he had bewitched them with his magical practices.

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

¹³Then Simon himself believed also and, being baptized, he adhered to Philip. And being astonished, wondered to see the signs and exceeding great miracles which were done.

¹⁴Now, when the apostles, who were in Jerusalem, had heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John.

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

¹⁶For he was not as yet come upon any of them: but they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷Then they laid their hands upon them: and they received the Holy Ghost.

¹⁸And when Simon saw that, by the imposition of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

¹⁹Saying: Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I shall lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said to him:

²⁰Keep thy money to thyself, to perish with thee: because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

²¹Thou hast no part nor lot in this matter. For thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

²²Do penance therefore for this thy wickedness: and pray to God, that perhaps this thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.

²³For I see thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.

²⁴Then Simon answering, said: Pray you for me to the Lord that none of these things which you have spoken may come upon me.

²⁵And they indeed, having testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem: and preached the gospel to many countries of the Samaritans.

²⁶Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying: Arise, go towards the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem into Gaza: this is desert.

²⁷And rising up, he went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch, of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge over all her treasures, had come to Jerusalem to adore.

²⁸And he was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading Isaias the prophet.

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

³⁰And Philip running thither, heard him reading the prophet Isaias. And he said: Thinkest thou that thou understandest what thou readest?

³¹Who said: And how can I, unless some man shew me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

³²And the place of the scripture which he was reading was this: He was led as a sheep to the slaughter: and like a lamb without voice before his shearer, so openeth he not his mouth.

³³In humility his judgment was taken away. His generation who shall declare, for his life shall be taken from the earth?

³⁴And the eunuch answering Philip, said: I beseech thee, of whom doth the prophet speak this? Of himself, or of some other man?

³⁵Then Philip, opening his mouth and beginning at this scripture, preached unto him Jesus.

³⁶And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water. And the eunuch said: See, here is water: What doth hinder me from being baptized?

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

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

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

Chapter 9

And Saul, as yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

²And asked of him letters to Damascus, to the synagogues: that if he found any men and women of this way, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

³And as he went on his journey, it came to pass that he drew nigh to Damascus. And suddenly a light from heaven shined round about him.

⁴And falling on the ground, he heard a voice saying to him: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

⁵Who said: Who art thou, Lord? And he: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad.

⁶And he, trembling and astonished, said: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?

⁷And the Lord said to him: Arise and go into the city; and there it shall be told thee what thou must do. Now the men who went in company with him stood amazed, hearing indeed a voice but seeing no man.

⁸And Saul arose from the ground: and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. But they, leading him by the hands, brought him to Damascus.

⁹And he was there three days without sight: and he did neither eat nor drink.

¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias. And the Lord said to him in a vision: Ananias, And he said: Behold I am here, Lord.

¹¹And the Lord said to him: Arise and go into the street that is called Strait and seek in the house of Judas, one named Saul of Tarsus. For behold he prayeth.

¹²(And he saw a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hands upon him, that he might receive his sight.)

¹³But Ananias answered: Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints in Jerusalem.

¹⁴And here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that invoke thy name.

¹⁵And the Lord said to him: Go thy way: for this man is to me a vessel of election, to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

¹⁶For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.

¹⁷And Ananias went his way and entered into the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest, that thou mayest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

¹⁸And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales: and he received his sight. And rising up, he was baptized.

¹⁹And when he had taken meat, he was strengthened. And he was with the disciples that were at Damascus, for some days.

²⁰And immediately he preached Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the son of God.

²¹And all that heard him were astonished and said: Is not this he who persecuted in Jerusalem those that called upon this name and came hither for that intent, that he might carry them bound to the chief priests?

²²But Saul increased much more in strength and confounded the Jews who dwelt at Damascus, affirming that this is the Christ.

²³And when many days were passed, the Jews consulted together to kill him.

²⁴But their lying in wait was made known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night, that they might kill him.

²⁵But the disciples, taking him in the night, conveyed him away by the wall, letting him down in a basket.

²⁶And when he was come into Jerusalem, he essayed to join himself to the disciples: and they all were afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.

²⁷But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles and told them how he had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken to him: and how in Damascus he had dealt confidently in the name of Jesus.

²⁸And he was with them, coming in and going out in Jerusalem and dealing confidently in the name of the Lord.

²⁹He spoke also to the Gentiles and disputed with the Greeks. But they sought to kill him.

³⁰Which when the brethren had known, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

³¹Now, the church had peace throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria: and was edified, walking in the fear of the Lord: and was filled with the consolation of the Holy Ghost.

³²And it came to pass that Peter, as he passed through, visiting all, came to the saints who dwelt at Lydda.

³³And he found there a certain man named Eneas, who had kept his bed for eight years, who was ill of the palsy.

³⁴And Peter said to him: Eneas, the Lord Jesus Christ healeth thee. Arise and make thy bed. And immediately he arose.

³⁵And all that dwelt at Lydda and Saron saw him: who were converted to the Lord.

³⁶And in Joppe there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.

³⁷And it came to pass in those days that she was sick and died. Whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.

³⁸And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppe, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not be slack to come unto them.

³⁹And Peter rising up went with them. And when he was come, they brought him into the upper…