Acts 8

1. And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

3. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church. Entering into every house and haling men and women, he committed them to prison.

4. Therefore those who were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the Word.

5. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

6. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

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

8. And there was great joy in that city.

9. But there was a certain man called Simon, who earlier in the same city had used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great,

10. to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is great with the power of God.”

11. And for him they had regard, because for a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

12. But when they believed Philip’s preaching of the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

13. Then Simon himself believed also; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

14. Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that amaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John,

15. who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost.

16. (For as yet, He had fallen upon none of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).

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

18. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19. saying, “Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.”

20. But Peter said unto him, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money!

21. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God that perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

24. Then Simon answered and said, “Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.”

25. And they, when they had testified and preached the Word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem and preached the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

26. And the angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south unto the road that goeth down from Jerusalem into Gaza, which is desert.”

27. And he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem to worship,

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

29. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, “Go near and join thyself to this chariot.”

30. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Understandest thou what thou readest?”

31. And he said, “How can I, unless some man should guide me?” And he besought Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

32. The place of the Scripture from which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so opened He not His mouth.

33. In His humiliation, His judgment was taken away. And who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”

34. And the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man?”

35. Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What doth hinder me from being baptized?”

37. And Philip said, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

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

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

40. But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he preached in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.