Acts 8–9

Saul Attempts to Destroy the Church

8And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ²And devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. ³But Saul was attempting to destroy the church. Entering house after house,^a he dragged off both men and women and^* delivered them^* to prison.

Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria

⁴Now those who had been scattered went about proclaiming the good news of the word. ⁵And Philip came down to the city of Samaria and^* began proclaiming^* the Christ^b to them. ⁶And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, as they heard him^* and saw the signs that he was performing. ⁷For many of those who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them,^* crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸And there was great joy in that city.

Simon the Magician

⁹Now a certain man named^c Simon had been in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great. ¹⁰They were all paying attention to him,^d from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’ ” ¹¹And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with his^* magic. ¹²But when they believed Philip as he^* was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized. ¹³And Simon himself also believed, and after he^* was baptized he was keeping close company with^e Philip. And when he^* saw the signs and great miracles that were taking place, he was astonished.

¹⁴Now when^* the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵who went down and^* prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶(For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized^f in the name of the Lord Jesus.) ¹⁷Then they placed their^* hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸Now Simon, when he^* saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, ¹⁹saying, “Give to me also this power, so that whomever I place my^* hands on may receive the Holy Spirit!” ²⁰But Peter said to him, “May your silver be destroyed along with you,^g because you thought you could acquire^h the gift of God by means of money! ²¹You have noⁱ part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. ²²Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask the Lord if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you!” ²³For I see you are in a state of bitter envy^j and bound by unrighteousness.”^{k 24}But Simon answered and^* said, “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me.” ²⁵So when^* they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they turned back toward Jerusalem, and were proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

²⁶Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up and go toward the south^l on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) ²⁷And he got up and^* went, and behold, there was a man, an Ethiopian eunuch (a court official of Candace,^m queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury) who had come to worship in Jerusalem ²⁸and was returning and sitting in his chariot, and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹And the Spirit said to Philip, “Approach and join this chariot.” ³⁰So Philip ran up to it^* and^* heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet and said, “So then, do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹And he said, “So how could I, unless someone will guide me?” And he invited Philip to come up and^* sit with him. ³²Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

³³In his^* humiliation justice was taken from him.

Who can describe his descendants?ⁿ

For his life was taken away from the earth.”^o

³⁴And the eunuch answered and^* said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this—about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵So Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, proclaimed the good news to him about Jesus. ³⁶And as they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”^{p 38}And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water—Philip and the eunuch—and he baptized him. ³⁹And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer, for he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he^* passed through, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Saul’s Conversion on the Damascus Road

9But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ²and^* asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he could bring them^* tied up^a to Jerusalem. ³Now as he proceeded, it happened that when he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ⁵So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting! ⁶But get up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.”^{b 7}(Now the men who were traveling together with him stood speechless, because they^* heard the voice but saw no one.) ⁸So Saul got up from the ground, but although^* his eyes were open he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. ⁹And he was unable to see^c for three days, and he did not eat or drink.

Ananias Sent to Saul

¹⁰Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus named^d Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” And he said, “Behold, here I am, Lord!” ¹¹And the Lord said to him, “Get up, go to the street called ‘Straight’ and in the house of Judas look for a man named Saul from Tarsus.^e For behold, he is praying, ¹²and he has seen in a vision a man named^f Ananias coming in and placing hands^g on him so that he may regain his sight.” ¹³But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, ¹⁴and here he has authority from the chief priests to tie up^h all who call upon your name!” ¹⁵But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentilesⁱ and kings and the sons of Israel. ¹⁶For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ¹⁷So Ananias departed and entered into the house, and placing his^* hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight and got up and^* was baptized, ¹⁹and after^* taking food, he regained his strength. And he was with the disciples in Damascus several days.

Saul Proclaims Christ in Damascus

²⁰And immediately he began proclaiming^* Jesus in the synagogues: “This one is the Son of God!” ²¹And all who heard him^* were amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who was wreaking havoc in Jerusalem on those who call upon this name, and had come here for this reason, that he could bring them tied up^j to the chief priests?” ²²But Saul was increasing in strength even more, and was confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by^* proving that this one is the Christ.^k

²³And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted to do away with him. ²⁴But their plot became known to Saul, and they were also watching the gates both day and night so that they could do away with him. ²⁵But his disciples took him^* at night and^* let him down through the wall by^* lowering him^* in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

²⁶And when he^* arrived in Jerusalem, he was attempting to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they^* did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷But Barnabas took him and^* brought him^* to the apostles and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸And he was going in and going out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹And he was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews,^l but they were trying to do away with him. ³⁰And when^* the brothers found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

³¹Then the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being strengthened. And living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it was increasing in numbers.^*

Aeneas Healed

³²Now it happened that as^* Peter was traveling through all the places,^* he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. ³³And he found there a certain man named^m Aeneas who was paralyzed, who had been lying on a matⁿ for eight years. ³⁴And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and make your bed yourself!” And immediately he got up. ³⁵And all those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, who all^* indeed turned to the Lord.

Dorcas Raised

³⁶Now in Joppa there was a certain female disciple named^o Tabitha (which translated means “Dorcas”).^p She was full of good deeds and charitable giving which she was constantly doing.^{* 37}Now it happened that in those days after^* becoming sick, she died. And after^*…