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ActsChapter 8

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Saul approved of Stephen's execution. That same day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
Devout men buried Stephen and mourned him deeply.
But Saul was ravaging the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and threw them into prison.
Those who had been scattered went from place to place, preaching the word.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
The crowds listened with one mind to what Philip said, hearing him and seeing the signs he performed.
For unclean spirits came out of many who had them, shrieking with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
So there was great joy in that city.
Now a man named Simon had been in the city for some time, practicing magic and astounding the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.
Everyone, from the least to the greatest, paid attention to him and said, "This man is the power of God that is called Great."
They gave him their attention because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.
But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he stayed close to Philip, amazed at the signs and great miracles that were taking place.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
They went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money
and said, "Give me this authority too, so that anyone I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit."
But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy God's gift with money!
You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
Repent, then, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
For I see that you are full of bitter gall and bound up in wickedness."
Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of what you have said may come upon me."
After they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages along the way.
An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: "Get up and go south, to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." This is a desert road.
So he got up and went. And there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,
and was on his way home, sitting in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.
The Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and stay close to that chariot."
Philip ran up and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked.
"How can I," he said, "unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
This was the passage of Scripture he was reading: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.
In his humiliation he was denied justice. Who can tell of his descendants? For his life is taken from the earth."
The eunuch said to Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet speaking about? Himself, or someone else?"
Then Philip began with that passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What is to keep me from being baptized?"
Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."[^1] [^1]: This verse is not found in the earliest manuscripts.
He ordered the chariot to stop, and both of them went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and Philip baptized him.
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
Philip, however, found himself at Azotus, and he traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
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