GodsWord - Acts - 8

8:1  Saul 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.

8:2  Devout men buried Stephen as they mourned loudly for him.

8:3  Saul tried to destroy the church. He dragged men and women out of one home after another and threw them into prison.

8:4  The believers who were scattered went from place to place, where they spread the word.

8:5  Philip went to the city of Samaria and told people about the Messiah.

8:6  The crowds paid close attention to what Philip said. They listened to him and saw the miracles that he performed.

8:7  Evil spirits screamed as they came out of the many people they had possessed. Many paralyzed and lame people were cured.

8:8  As a result, that city was extremely happy.

8:9  A man named Simon lived in that city. He amazed the people of Samaria with his practice of magic. He claimed that he was great.

8:10  Everyone from children to adults paid attention to him. They said, "This man is the power of God, and that power is called great."

8:11  They paid attention to Simon because he had amazed them for a long time with his practice of magic.

8:12  However, when Philip spread the Good News about the kingdom of God and the one named Jesus Christ, men and women believed him and were baptized.

8:13  Even 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.

8:14  When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

8:15  Peter and John went to Samaria and prayed that the Samaritans would receive the Holy Spirit.

8:16  (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.)

8:17  Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit.

8:18  Simon saw that the Spirit was given to the Samaritans when the apostles placed their hands on them. So he offered Peter and John money

8:19  and said, "Give me this power so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit."

8:20  Peter told Simon, "May your money be destroyed with you because you thought you could buy God's gift.

8:21  You won't have any share in this because God can see how twisted your thinking is.

8:22  So change your wicked thoughts, and ask the Lord if he will forgive you for thinking like this.

8:23  I can see that you are bitter with jealousy and wrapped up in your evil ways."

8:24  Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me that none of the things you said will happen to me."

8:25  After 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.

8:26  An angel from the Lord said to Philip, "Get up, and take the desert road that goes south from Jerusalem to Gaza."

8:27  So 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.

8:28  As the official rode along in his carriage, he was reading the prophet Isaiah out loud.

8:29  The Spirit said to Philip, "Go to that carriage, and stay close to it."

8:30  Philip 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?"

8:31  The official answered, "How can I understand unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to sit with him in his carriage.

8:32  This 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.

8:33  When he humbled himself, he was not judged fairly. Who from his generation will talk about his life on earth being cut short?"

8:34  The official said to Philip, "I would like to know who the prophet is talking about. Is he talking about himself or someone else?"

8:35  Then Philip spoke. Starting with that passage, Philip told the official the Good News about Jesus.

8:36  As 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?"

8:38  The official ordered the carriage to stop. He and Philip stepped into the water, and Philip baptized him.

8:39  When 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.

8:40  Philip 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.