Acts 8 — GMV

8 Verse 1 And Saul approved of his execution. ^{Verse 2} Devout men carried Stephen away for burial and made great lamentation over him. ^{Verse 3} But Saul was ravaging the church. Entering house after house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. ^{Verse 4} Now those who had been scattered went around preaching the message of good news. ^{Verse 5} Philip went down to a city of Samaria and began proclaiming to them the Christ. ^{Verse 6} With one accord the crowds paid close attention to what Philip said as they listened to him and saw the signs he was performing. ^{Verse 7} For unclean spirits came out of many who had them, crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ^{Verse 8} And there was great joy in that city. ^{Verse 9} Now a man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, declaring himself to be someone great. ^{Verse 10} From the least to the greatest, they paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” ^{Verse 11} They all paid close attention to him because he had amazed them with his magical arts for a long time. ^{Verse 12} But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. ^{Verse 13} Even Simon himself believed. After he was baptized, he kept close company with Philip and was amazed as he saw miracles and signs taking place. ^{Verse 14} When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John. ^{Verse 15} These two went down and prayed for the Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Spirit, ^{Verse 16} for the Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. ^{Verse 17} Then Peter and John laid their hands on the Samaritan believers, and they received the Holy Spirit. ^{Verse 18} When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, ^{Verse 19} saying, “Give this power to me as well, so that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” ^{Verse 20} But Peter said to him, “May yoʋr silver be destroyed with yoʋ, because yoʋ thought yoʋ could acquire the gift of God with money! ^{Verse 21} Yoʋ have no share or portion in this matter, for yoʋr heart is not right before God. ^{Verse 22} Therefore repent of this wickedness of yoʋrs, and plead with God in the hope that the intention of yoʋr heart might be forgiven yoʋ. ^{Verse 23} For I see that yoʋ are bitterly envious and in bondage to unrighteousness.” ^{Verse 24} In response Simon said, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said will happen to me.” ^{Verse 25} After Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the good news in many villages of the Samaritans as they went. ^{Verse 26} Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south, to the road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) ^{Verse 27} So he rose and went. And behold, there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. This man had come to Jerusalem to worship ^{Verse 28} and was sitting in his chariot on his way back home, reading the prophet Isaiah. ^{Verse 29} The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join that chariot.” ^{Verse 30} So Philip ran up to it and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah. He said, “Do yoʋ understand what yoʋ are reading?” ^{Verse 31} The man said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. ^{Verse 32} This is the passage of Scripture that he was reading: ^{Verse 33} In his humiliation he was denied justice. ^{Verse 34} The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask yoʋ, who does the prophet say this about? About himself or about someone else?” ^{Verse 35} Then Philip opened his mouth to speak, and beginning from this Scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus. ^{Verse 36} As they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” ^{Verse 38} So he ordered the chariot to stop, and the two of them went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and Philip baptized him. ^{Verse 39} When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing. ^{Verse 40} Philip, however, found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through that region, he preached the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.