Acts 8

And Saul was fully approving of his death. And on that day there arose a great persecution against the church that was in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

And deeply religious men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

But Saul laid waste the church; entering into every house and dragging off men and women, he committed them to prison.

Therefore, those who had been scattered went around proclaiming the good news of the word.

And Philip went down to a city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.

And the crowds, with one accord, were paying attention to the things that were spoken by Philip when they heard and saw the signs that he did.

For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, were coming out of many people who had them, and many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.

And there was much joy in that city.

But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who before that time used sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was someone great,

to whom they all paid attention, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is that power of God that is called Great.”

And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.

But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

And Simon also himself believed, and being baptized, he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles being done, he was amazed.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

who, when they had come down, prayed for them to receive holy spirit into manifestation,

for as yet it had not rushed onto 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 holy spirit into manifestation.

Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the spirit was given, he offered them money,

saying, “Give me also this power, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands, receives holy spirit into manifestation.”

But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you assumed the gift of God could be purchased with money.

You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

Therefore, repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart is forgiven you.

For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of unrighteousness.”

And Simon answered and said, “Implore the Lord for me, that none of the things that you have spoken about happen to me.”

Therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news in many villages of the Samaritans.

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road).

And he got up and went. And Look! There was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship.

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

And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join this chariot.”

And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

And he said, “How am I able to, unless someone will guide me?” And he entreated Philip to come up and sit with him.

Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth.

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, “I implore you, of whom does the prophet say this? About himself, or about some other person?”

And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus.

And as they traveled along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What hinders me from being baptized?”

[[And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,”]]

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.

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

But Philip was found at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region he was proclaiming the good news in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.