AC-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 Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

AC-8:2  And devout men carried Stephen [to his burial], and made

great lamentation over him.

AC-8:3  As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into

every house, and haling men and women committed [them] to prison.

AC-8:4  Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every

where

preaching the word.

AC-8:5  Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and

preached

Christ unto them.

AC-8:6  And the people with one accord gave heed unto those

things

which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

AC-8:7  For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of

many that were possessed [with them]: and many taken with

palsies,

and that were lame, were healed.

AC-8:8  And there was great joy in that city.

AC-8:9  But there was a certain man, called Simon, which

beforetime

in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of

Samaria,

giving out that himself was some great one:

AC-8:10  To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the

greatest,

saying, This man is the great power of God.

AC-8:11  And to him they had regard, because that of long time he

had bewitched them with sorceries.

AC-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.

AC-8:13  Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was

baptized,

he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles

and

signs which were done.

AC-8:14  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that

Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter

and

John:

AC-8:15  Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that

they

might receive the Holy Ghost:

AC-8:16  (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they

were

baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

AC-8:17  Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received

the

Holy Ghost.

AC-8:18  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the

apostles'

hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

AC-8:19  Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I

lay

hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

AC-8:20  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee,

because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased

with

money.

AC-8:21  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy

heart is not right in the sight of God.

AC-8:22  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God,

if

perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

AC-8:23  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness,

and

[in] the bond of iniquity.

AC-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.

AC-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.

AC-8:26  And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying,

Arise,

and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from

Jerusalem

unto Gaza, which is desert.

AC-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

for to

worship,

AC-8:28  Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias

the

prophet.

AC-8:29  Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join

thyself

to this chariot.

AC-8:30  And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the

prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

AC-8:31  And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me?

And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

AC-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 opened he not his mouth:

AC-8:33  In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who

shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the

earth.

AC-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?

AC-8:35  Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same

scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

AC-8:36  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 to be baptized?

AC-8:37  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.

AC-8:38  And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they

went

down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he

baptized him.

AC-8:39  And when they were 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.

AC-8:40  But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he

preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

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