Acts 8

Stephen is Killed

7:54 When they heard these things, they became furious1 and ground their teeth2 at him. 7:55 But Stephen,3 full4 of the Holy Spirit, looked intently5 toward heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing6 at the right hand of God. 7:56 “Look!” he said.7 “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” 7:57 But they covered their ears,8 shouting out with a loud voice, and rushed at him with one intent. 7:58 When9 they had driven him out of the city, they began to stone him,10 and the witnesses laid their cloaks11 at the feet of a young man named Saul. 7:59 They12 continued to stone Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” 7:60 Then he fell13 to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”14 When15 he had said this, he died.16 8:1 And Saul agreed completely with killing17 him.

Saul Begins to Persecute the Church

Now on that day a great18 persecution began19 against the church in Jerusalem,20 and all21 except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions22 of Judea and Samaria. 8:2 Some23 devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation24 over him.25 8:3 But Saul was trying to destroy26 the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off27 both men and women and put them in prison.28

Philip Preaches in Samaria

8:4 Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word. 8:5 Philip went down to the main city of Samaria29 and began proclaiming30 the Christ31 to them. 8:6 The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said,32 as they heard and saw the miraculous signs33 he was performing. 8:7 For unclean spirits,34 crying with loud shrieks, were coming out of many who were possessed,35 and many paralyzed and lame people were healed. 8:8 So there was36 great joy37 in that city.

8:9 Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic38 and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great. 8:10 All the people,39 from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’”40 8:11 And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. 8:12 But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God41 and the name of Jesus Christ,42 they began to be baptized,43 both men and women. 8:13 Even Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized, he stayed close to44 Philip constantly, and when he saw the signs and great miracles that were occurring, he was amazed.45

8:14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem46 heard that Samaria had accepted the word47 of God, they sent48 Peter and John to them. 8:15 These two49 went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. 8:16 (For the Spirit50 had not yet come upon51 any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)52 8:17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans,53 and they received the Holy Spirit.54

8:18 Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit55 was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, 8:19 saying, “Give me this power56 too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.” 8:20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you,57 because you thought you could acquire58 God’s gift with money! 8:21 You have no share or part59 in this matter60 because your heart is not right before God! 8:22 Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord61 that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart.62 8:23 For I see that you are bitterly envious63 and in bondage to sin.” 8:24 But Simon replied,64 “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to65 me.”

8:25 So after Peter and John66 had solemnly testified67 and spoken the word of the Lord,68 they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming69 the good news to many Samaritan villages70 as they went.71

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

8:26 Then an angel of the Lord72 said to Philip,73 “Get up and go south74 on the road that goes down from Jerusalem75 to Gaza.” (This is a desert76 road.)77 8:27 So78 he got up79 and went. There80 he met81 an Ethiopian eunuch,82 a court official of Candace,83 queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He84 had come to Jerusalem to worship,85 8:28 and was returning home, sitting86 in his chariot, reading87 the prophet Isaiah. 8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 8:30 So Philip ran up88 to it89 and heard the man90 reading Isaiah the prophet. He91 asked him,92 “Do you understand what you’re reading?” 8:31 The man93 replied, “How in the world can I,94 unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 8:32 Now the passage of scripture the man95 was reading was this:

He was led like a sheep to slaughter,

and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,

so he did96 not open his mouth.

8:33 In humiliation97 justice was taken from him.98

Who can describe his posterity?99

For his life was taken away100 from the earth.101

8:34 Then the eunuch said102 to Philip, “Please tell me,103 who is the prophet saying this about – himself or someone else?”104 8:35 So Philip started speaking,105 and beginning with this scripture106 proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 8:36 Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look, there is water! What is to stop me107 from being baptized?”108 8:38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water,109 and Philip baptized110 him. 8:39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but111 went on his way rejoicing.112 8:40 Philip, however, found himself113 at Azotus,114 and as he passed through the area,115 he proclaimed the good news116 to all the towns117 until he came to Caesarea.118

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