Acts 8–9

8TH CHAPTER

¹Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. 

On that day widespread persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem. Most believers, except the apostles, were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 

²Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him. 

³Saul tried to destroy the church. He dragged men and women out of one home after another and threw them into prison. 

Some Samaritans Become Believers

⁴The believers who were scattered went from place to place, where they spread the word. ⁵Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about the Messiah. ⁶The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said. They listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed. ⁷Evil spirits screamed as they came out of the many people they had possessed. Many paralyzed and lame people were cured. ⁸As a result, that city was extremely happy. 

⁹A man named Simon lived in that city. He amazed the people of Samaria with his practice of magic. He claimed that he was great. ¹⁰Everyone from children to adults paid attention to him. They said, “This man is the power of God, and that power is called great.” ¹¹They paid attention to Simon because he had amazed them for a long time with his practice of magic. ¹²However, when Philip spread the Good News about God’s kingdom and the one named Jesus Christ, men and women believed him and were baptized. ¹³Even Simon believed, and after he was baptized, he became devoted to Philip. Simon was amazed to see the miracles and impressive things that were happening. 

¹⁴When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God’s word, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵Peter and John went to Samaria and prayed that the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶(Before this the Holy Spirit had not come to any of the Samaritans. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) ¹⁷Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit. 

¹⁸Simon saw that the Spirit was given to the Samaritans when the apostles placed their hands on them. So he offered Peter and John money ¹⁹and said, “Give me this power so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.” 

²⁰Peter told Simon, “May your money be destroyed with you because you thought you could buy God’s gift. ²¹You won’t have any share in this because God can see how twisted your thinking is. ²²So change your wicked thoughts, and ask the Lord if he will forgive you for thinking like this. ²³I can see that you are bitter with jealousy and wrapped up in your evil ways.” 

²⁴Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me that none of the things you said will happen to me.” 

²⁵After they had boldly spoken about the message of the Lord, they spread the Good News in many Samaritan villages on their way back to Jerusalem. 

Philip Tells an Ethiopian about Jesus

²⁶An angel from the Lord said to Philip, “Get up, and take the desert road that goes south from Jerusalem to Gaza.” ²⁷So Philip went. 

An Ethiopian man who had come to Jerusalem to worship was on his way home. The man was a eunuch, a high-ranking official in charge of all the treasures of Queen Candace of Ethiopia. ²⁸As the official rode along in his carriage, he was reading the prophet Isaiah out loud. 

²⁹The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to that carriage, and stay close to it.” 

³⁰Philip ran to the carriage and could hear the official reading the prophet Isaiah out loud. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 

³¹The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to sit with him in his carriage. 

³²This was the part of the Scriptures that the official was reading: 

“He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. 

He was like a sheep that is silent 

when its wool is cut off. 

He didn’t open his mouth. 

³³When he humbled himself, 

he was not judged fairly. 

Who from his generation 

will talk about his life on earth being cut short?” 

³⁴The official said to Philip, “I would like to know who the prophet is talking about. Is he talking about himself or someone else?” ³⁵Then Philip spoke. Starting with that passage, Philip told the official the Good News about Jesus. 

³⁶As they were going along the road, they came to some water. The official said to Philip, “Look, there’s some water. What can keep me from being baptized?”^a38The official ordered the carriage to stop. He and Philip stepped into the water, and Philip baptized him. ³⁹When they had stepped out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official joyfully continued on his way and didn’t see Philip again. 

⁴⁰Philip found himself in the city of Azotus. He traveled through all the cities and spread the Good News until he came to the city of Caesarea. 

9TH CHAPTER

Saul Becomes a Follower of Jesus

¹Saul kept threatening to murder the Lord’s disciples. He went to the chief priest ²and asked him to write letters of authorization to the synagogue leaders in the city of Damascus. Saul wanted to arrest any man or woman who followed the way ⸤of Christ⸥ and imprison them in Jerusalem. 

³As Saul was coming near the city of Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. ⁴He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?” 

⁵Saul asked, “Who are you, sir?” 

The person replied, “I’m Jesus, the one you’re persecuting. ⁶Get up! Go into the city, and you’ll be told what you should do.” 

⁷Meanwhile, the men traveling with him were speechless. They heard the voice but didn’t see anyone. 

⁸Saul was helped up from the ground. When he opened his eyes, he was blind. So his companions led him into Damascus. ⁹For three days he couldn’t see and didn’t eat or drink. 

¹⁰A disciple named Ananias lived in the city of Damascus. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” 

Ananias answered, “Yes, Lord.” 

¹¹The Lord told him, “Get up! Go to Judas’ house on Straight Street, and ask for a man named Saul from the city of Tarsus. He’s praying. ¹²In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias place his hands on him to restore his sight.” 

¹³Ananias replied, “Lord, I’ve heard a lot of people tell about the many evil things this man has done to your people in Jerusalem. ¹⁴Saul has come here to Damascus with authority from the chief priests to put anyone who calls on your name in prison.” 

¹⁵The Lord told Ananias, “Go! I’ve chosen this man to bring my name to nations, to kings, and to the people of Israel. ¹⁶I’ll show him how much he has to suffer for the sake of my name.” 

¹⁷Ananias left and entered Judas’ house. After he placed his hands on Saul, Ananias said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way to Damascus, sent me to you. He wants you to see again and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 

¹⁸Immediately, something like fish scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. Then Saul stood up and was baptized. ¹⁹After he had something to eat, his strength came back to him. 

Saul was with the disciples in the city of Damascus for several days. ²⁰He immediately began to spread the word in their synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God. ²¹Everyone who heard him was amazed. They asked, “Isn’t this the man who destroyed those who worshiped the one named Jesus in Jerusalem? Didn’t he come here to take these worshipers as prisoners to the chief priests ⸤in Jerusalem⸥?” 

²²Saul grew more powerful, and he confused the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Messiah. ²³Later the Jews planned to murder Saul, ²⁴but Saul was told about their plot. They were watching the city gates day and night in order to murder him. ²⁵However, Saul’s disciples lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall one night. 

²⁶After Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples. But everyone was afraid of him. They wouldn’t believe that he was a disciple. 

²⁷Then Barnabas took an interest in Saul and brought him to the apostles. Barnabas told the apostles how Saul had seen the Lord on the road and that the Lord had spoken to him. Barnabas also told them how boldly Saul had spoken about the one named Jesus in the city of Damascus. ²⁸Then Saul went throughout Jerusalem with the disciples. He spoke boldly with the power and authority of the Lord. 

²⁹He talked and argued with Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. ³⁰As soon as the disciples found out about this, they took Saul to Caesarea and sent him to Tarsus. 

³¹Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace. The number of people increased as people lived in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. 

Peter Heals Aeneas

³²When Peter was going around to all of God’s people, he came to those who lived in the city of Lydda. ³³In Lydda Peter found a man named Aeneas who was paralyzed and confined to a cot for eight years. 

³⁴Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ makes you well. Get up, and pick up your cot.” Aeneas immediately got up. 

³⁵Everyone who lived in the city of Lydda and the coastal region of Sharon saw what had happened to Aeneas and turned to the Lord in faith. 

Peter Brings Tabitha Back to Life

³⁶A disciple named Tabitha lived in the city of Joppa. Her Greek name was Dorcas. She always helped people and gave things to the poor. ³⁷She became sick and died. Her body was prepared for burial and was laid in an upstairs room. 

³⁸Lydda is near the city of Joppa. When the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him. They begged Peter, “Hurry to Joppa! We need your help!” 

³⁹So Peter went with them. When he arrived, he was taken upstairs. All the widows stood around him. They were crying and showing Peter the articles of clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them. 

⁴⁰Peter made everyone leave the room. 

He knelt and prayed. Then he turned toward the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” 

Tabitha opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. ⁴¹Peter took her hand and helped her…