8:1 And Saul was consenting to his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
8:2 And devout men carried Stephen [to his burial], and made great lamentation over him.
8:3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and dragging off men and women committed [them] to prison.
8:4 Therefore they that were scattered went every where preaching the word.
8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them.
8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he was performing.
8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed and many sick with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
8:8 And there was great joy in that city.
8:9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, who before in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, saying that he was some great person:
8:10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
8:11 And to him they had regard, because that for a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
8:13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and was amazed, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John:
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 upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
8:17 Then they laid [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
8:18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
8:19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
8:20 But Peter said to him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
8:21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.
8:23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and [in] the bond of iniquity.
8:24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
8:25 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.
8:26 And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is desert.
8:27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,
8:28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Isaiah the prophet.
8:29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
8:30 And Philip ran to [him], and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
8:31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he besought Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth:
8:33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached to him Jesus.
8:36 And as they went on [their] way, they came to a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be 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 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.
8:39 And when they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
8:40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.