Acts 8:1–25

Saul Persecutes the Church

8Now Saul was consenting to his death.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and ^athey were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ²And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and ^bmade great lamentation over him.

³As for Saul, ^che made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Christ is Preached in Samaria

⁴Therefore ^dthose who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. ⁵Then ^ePhilip went down to ¹the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. ⁶And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. ⁷For ^funclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸And there was great joy in that city.

The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith

⁹But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously ^gpracticed ²sorcery in the city and ^hastonished the ³people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, ¹⁰to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” ¹¹And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his ⁴sorceries for a long time. ¹²But when they believed Philip as he preached the things ⁱconcerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. ¹³Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

The Sorcerer’s Sin

¹⁴Now when the ^japostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵who, when they had come down, prayed for them ^kthat they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶For ^las yet He had fallen upon none of them. ^mThey had only been baptized in ⁿthe name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷Then ^othey laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, ¹⁹saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because ^pyou thought that ^qthe gift of God could be purchased with money! ²¹You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your ^rheart is not right in the sight of God. ²²Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God ^sif perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³For I see that you are ^tpoisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

²⁴Then Simon answered and said, ^u“Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.”

²⁵So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.