8:1 Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

8:2 Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.

8:3 But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison.

8:4 Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word.

8:5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.

8:6 The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did.

8:7 For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

8:8 There was great joy in that city.

8:9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who had used sorcery in the city before, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,

8:10 to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that great power of God."

8:11 They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.

8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

8:13 Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles done, he was amazed.

8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

8:15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit;

8:16 for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

8:17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

8:18 Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles` hands, he offered them money,

8:19 saying, "Give me also this power, that whoever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit."

8:20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

8:21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn`t right before God.

8:22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

8:23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."

8:24 Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken come on me."

8:25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

8:26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert."

8:27 He arose and went. Behold, 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.

8:28 He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

8:29 The Spirit said to Philip, "Go near, and join yourself to this chariot."

8:30 Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand you what you are reading?"

8:31 He said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.

8:32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, So he doesn`t open his mouth.

8:33 In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generations? For his life is taken from the earth."

8:34 The eunuch answered Philip, "Please tell who the prophet is talking about: about himself, or about some other?"

8:35 Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus.

8:36 As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?"

8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

8:38 He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn`t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.