Anderson - Acts - 8

8:1  And at that time there was a great persecution against the church that was in Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

8:2  But devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

8:3  But Saul attempted to destroy the church; entering every house, and dragging men and women, he delivered them up to prison.

8:4  Then they that were dispersed went everywhere preaching the word.

8:5  And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached the Christ to them.

8:6  And the multitudes with one mind gave heed to the things which were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did.

8:7  For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many paralytics and lame persons were cured.

8:8  And there was great joy in that city.

8:9  But there was a certain man, named Simon, who had, before this time, been practicing magic in the city, and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying that he was some great one;

8:10  to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying: This man is the great power of God.

8:11  And they gave heed to him because he had, for a long time, astonished them with his magic arts.

8:12  But when they believed Philip, who preached the good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were immersed, both men and women.

8:13  And Simon himself also believed; and after he was immersed, he continued with Philip; and, seeing the mighty deeds and the signs which were done, he was astonished.

8:14  Now when the apostles, who were in Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John;

8:15  who, when they had gone down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

8:16  For he had not yet fallen on any of them; only they had been immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus.

8:17  Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

8:18  And when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money,

8:19  saying: Give me, also, this authority, that whoever I shall lay my hands on, may receive the Holy Spirit.

8:20  But Peter said to him: Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God might be purchased with money.

8:21  You have neither part nor share in this matter; for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

8:22  Repent, therefore, of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the purpose of your heart may be forgiven you.

8:23  For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

8:24  But Simon answered and said: Pray you both to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken come upon me.

8:25  Then, when they had given their testimony, and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

8:26  And an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying: Arise, and go toward the south, to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza; this is desert.

8:27  And he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,

8:28  was returning, and, sitting in his chariot, read the prophet Isaiah.

8:29  And the Spirit said to Philip: Go forward and join yourself to this chariot.

8:30  And Philip ran forward, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah; and he said: Do you understand what you are reading?

8:31  He answered: How can I, unless some one instruct me? And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

8:32  The passage of the scripture which he was reading, was this: As a sheep for the slaughter was he led; and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so opened he not his mouth

8:33  in his humiliation. The sentence against him was taken away; but who shall describe the men of his generation? For his life was taken from the earth.

8:34  And the eunuch answered Philip, and said: I pray you, of whom speaks the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man?

8:35  And Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached to him Jesus.

8:36  And as they went along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said: See, here is water; what hinders me from being immersed?

8:38  And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he immersed him.

8:39  And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

8:40  But Philip was found at Azotus, and, passing through, he preached the gospel in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea