• Saul Persecutes the Church

  • 1 Now Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.
  • 2 Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned loudly for him.
  • 3 But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house; and he would drag away men and women and put them in prison.

  • Philip in Samaria

  • 4 Therefore, those who had been scattered went through places preaching the word.
  • 5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them.
  • 6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing.
  • 7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed or limped on crutches were healed.
  • 8 So there was much rejoicing in that city.
  • 9 Now a man named Simon had previously been practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;
  • 10 and all the people, from small to great, were paying attention to him, saying, “This man is the Power of God that is called Great.”
  • 11 And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic arts.
  • 12 But when they believed Philip as he was preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized.
  • 13 Now even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was repeatedly amazed.
  • 14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,
  • 15 who came down and prayed for them that they would receive the Holy Spirit.
  • 16 (For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
  • 17 Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.
  • 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,
  • 19 saying, “Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
  • 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire the gift of God with money!
  • 21 You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
  • 22 Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart will be forgiven you.
  • 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of unrighteousness.”
  • 24 But Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

  • An Ethiopian Receives Christ

  • 25 So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
  • 26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get ready and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.)
  • 27 So he got ready and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,
  • 28 and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading Isaiah the prophet.
  • 29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.”
  • 30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
  • 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
  • 32 Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to slaughter; And like a lamb that is silent before its shearer, So He does not open His mouth.
  • 33 “In humiliation His justice was taken away; Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken away from the earth.”
  • 34 The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself, or of someone else?”
  • 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.
  • 36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”
  • 38 And he ordered that the chariot stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.
  • 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.
  • 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.