Acts, 8

1. Saul approved of the killing. That day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except the apostles scattered to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria.

1. And Saul was consenting to his death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Sama'ria, except the apostles.

2. There were some devout people, however, who buried Stephen and made great mourning for him.

2. Devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.

3. Saul then began doing great harm to the church; he went from house to house arresting both men and women and sending them to prison.

3. But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

4. Once they had scattered, they went from place to place preaching the good news.

4. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

5. And Philip went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them.

5. Philip went down to a city of Sama'ria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.

6. The people unanimously welcomed the message Philip preached, because they had heard of the miracles he worked and because they saw them for themselves.

6. And the multitudes with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he did.

7. For unclean spirits came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured.

7. For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice; and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

8. As a result there was great rejoicing in that town.

8. So there was much joy in that city.

9. Now a man called Simon had for some time been practising magic arts in the town and astounded the Samaritan people. He had given it out that he was someone momentous,

9. But there was a man named Simon who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the nation of Sama'ria, saying that he himself was somebody great.

10. and everyone believed in him; eminent citizens and ordinary people alike had declared, 'He is the divine power that is called Great.'

10. They all gave heed to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that power of God which is called Great."

11. He had this following because for a considerable period they had been astounded by his wizardry.

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

12. But when they came to accept Philip's preaching of the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women,

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.

13. and even Simon himself became a believer. After his baptism Simon went round constantly with Philip and was astonished when he saw the wonders and great miracles that took place.

13. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.

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

14. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Sama'ria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

15. and they went down there and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit,

15. who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit;

16. for as yet he had not come down on any of them: they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus.

16. for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

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

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

18. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

18. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

19. with the words, 'Give me the same power so that anyone I lay my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.'

19. saying, "Give me also this power, that any one on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

20. Peter answered, 'May your silver be lost for ever, and you with it, for thinking that money could buy what God has given for nothing!

20. But Peter said to him, "Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

21. You have no share, no part, in this: God can see how your heart is warped.

21. You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

22. Repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that this scheme of yours may be forgiven;

22. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

23. it is plain to me that you are held in the bitterness of gall and the chains of sin.'

23. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity."

24. Simon replied, 'Pray to the Lord for me yourselves so that none of the things you have spoken about may happen to me.'

24. And Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."

25. Having given their testimony and proclaimed the word of the Lord, they went back to Jerusalem, preaching the good news to a number of Samaritan villages.

25. Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

26. The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, 'Set out at noon and go along the road that leads from Jerusalem down to Gaza, the desert road.'

26. But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert road.

27. So he set off on his journey. Now an Ethiopian had been on pilgrimage to Jerusalem; he was a eunuch and an officer at the court of the kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia; he was her chief treasurer.

27. And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Can'dace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship

28. He was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

28. and was returning; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

29. The Spirit said to Philip, 'Go up and join that chariot.'

29. And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

30. When Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, 'Do you understand what you are reading?'

30. So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

31. He replied, 'How could I, unless I have someone to guide me?' So he urged Philip to get in and sit by his side.

31. And he said, "How can I, unless some one guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32. Now the passage of scripture he was reading was this: Like a lamb led to the slaughter-house, like a sheep dumb in front of its shearers, he never opens his mouth.

32. Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this: "As a sheep led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.

33. In his humiliation fair judgement was denied him. Who will ever talk about his descendants, since his life on earth has been cut short?

33. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth."

34. The eunuch addressed Philip and said, 'Tell me, is the prophet referring to himself or someone else?'

34. And the eunuch said to Philip, "About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about some one else?"

35. Starting, therefore, with this text of scripture Philip proceeded to explain the good news of Jesus to him.

35. Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus.

36. Further along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'Look,is some water; is there anything to prevent my being baptised?'

36. And as they went along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?"

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38. He ordered the chariot to stop, then Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and he baptised him.

38. And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

39. But after they had come up out of the water again Philip was taken away by the Spirit of the Lord, and the eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.

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

40. Philip appeared in Azotus and continued his journey, proclaiming the good news in every town as far as Caesarea.

40. But Philip was found at Azo'tus, and passing on he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesare'a.