1 A nd Saul was consenting to death '> pleased and entirely approving]. On that day a great and severe persecution broke out against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles (special messengers).

Saul thought it was all right that Stephen was killed. On that day people started to work very hard against the church in Jerusalem. All the followers, except the missionaries, were made to leave. They went to parts of the countries of Judea and Samaria.

2 d evout men with others helped to carry out and bury Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

Good men put Stephen in a grave. There was much sorrow because of him.

3 B ut Saul shamefully treated and laid waste the church continuously; and entering house after house, he dragged out men and women and committed them to prison.

During this time Saul was making it very hard for the church. He went into every house of the followers of Jesus and took men and women and put them in prison. Philip Preaches in Samaria

4 N ow those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the glad tidings, the Word '> the doctrine concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God].

Those who had been made to go to other places preached the Word as they went.

5 P hilip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ (the Messiah) to them;

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and preached about Christ.

6 A nd great crowds of people with one accord listened to and heeded what was said by Philip, as they heard him and watched the miracles and wonders which he kept performing.

The people all listened to what Philip said. As they listened, they watched him do powerful works.

7 F or foul spirits came out of many who were possessed by them, screaming and shouting with a loud voice, and many who were suffering from palsy or were crippled were restored to health.

There were many people who had demons in their bodies. The demons cried with loud voices when they went out of the people. Many of the people could not move their bodies or arms and legs. They were all healed.

8 A nd there was great rejoicing in that city.

There was much joy in that city. Simon the Witch Doctor

9 B ut there was a man named Simon, who had formerly practiced magic arts in the city to the utter amazement of the Samaritan nation, claiming that he himself was an extraordinary and distinguished person.

A man by the name of Simon had done witchcraft there. The people of Samaria were surprised at the things he did. He pretended that he was a great man.

10 T hey all paid earnest attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that exhibition of the power of God which is called great (intense).

All the people watched and listened to him. They said, “This man must be that great power of God.”

11 A nd they were attentive and made much of him, because for a long time he had amazed and bewildered and dazzled them with his skill in magic arts.

They kept running after him. For a long time he fooled them with his witchcraft.

12 B ut when they believed the good news (the Gospel) about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) as Philip preached it, they were baptized, both men and women.

Philip told the Good News of the holy nation of God and of Jesus Christ. Both men and women put their trust in Christ and were baptized.

13 E ven Simon himself believed, and after being baptized, devoted himself constantly to him. And seeing signs and miracles of great power which were being performed, he was utterly amazed.

Even Simon believed in Christ and was baptized. He went along with Philip everywhere. He was surprised when he saw the powerful works that were being done.

14 N ow when the apostles (special messengers) at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted and welcomed the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

The missionaries in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the Word of God. They sent Peter and John to them.

15 A nd they came down and prayed for them that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit;

When Peter and John got there, they prayed that the new followers might receive the Holy Spirit.

16 F or He had not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

He had not yet come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

17 T hen laid their hands on them one by one, and they received the Holy Spirit.

They laid their hands on them and the followers received the Holy Spirit.

18 H owever, when Simon saw that the Spirit was imparted through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he brought money and offered it to them,

When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the missionaries laid their hands on the people, he wanted to give money to the missionaries.

19 S aying, Grant me also this power and authority, in order that anyone on whom I place my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.

He said, “Let me also have this power. Then I can give the Holy Spirit to anyone I lay my hands on.”

20 B ut Peter said to him, Destruction overtake your money and you, because you imagined you could obtain the gift of God with money!

Peter said to him, “May your money be destroyed with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

21 Y ou have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is all wrong in God’s sight.

You have no part or place in this work. Your heart is not right in God’s sight.

22 S o repent of this depravity and wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this contriving thought and purpose of your heart may be removed and disregarded and forgiven you.

You must be sorry for this sin of yours and turn from it. Pray to the Lord that He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.

23 F or I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in a bond forged by iniquity.

I see that you are full of jealousy and chained by your sin.”

24 A nd Simon answered, Pray for me, that nothing of what you have said may befall me!

Simon said, “Pray to the Lord for me that nothing you have said will come to me.”

25 N ow when had borne their testimony and preached the message of the Lord, they went back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the glad tidings (Gospel) to many villages of the Samaritans.

Peter and John went back to Jerusalem after telling what they had seen and heard. They had preached the Word of the Lord also. On the way they preached the Good News in many other towns in the country of Samaria. Philip and the Man from Ethiopia

26 B ut an angel of the Lord said to Philip, Rise and proceed southward or at midday on the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza. This is the desert '> route].

An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south. Take the road that goes down from Jerusalem to the country of Gaza. It goes through the desert.”

27 S o he got up and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship.

Philip got up and went. A man from the country of Ethiopia had come to Jerusalem to worship. He had been made so he could not have children. He cared for all the riches that belonged to Candace who was Queen of Ethiopia.

28 A nd he was returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.

As he was going back home, he was sitting in his wagon reading about the early preacher Isaiah.

29 T hen the Spirit said to Philip, Go forward and join yourself to this chariot.

The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that wagon and get on it.”

30 A ccordingly Philip, running up to him, heard reading the prophet Isaiah and asked, Do you really understand what you are reading?

Philip ran up to him. He saw that the man from Ethiopia was reading from the writings of the early preacher Isaiah and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

31 A nd he said, How is it possible for me to do so unless someone explains it to me and guides me ? And he earnestly requested Philip to come up and sit beside him.

The man from Ethiopia said, “How can I, unless someone teaches me?” Then he asked Philip to come up and sit beside him.

32 N ow this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading: Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so He opens not His mouth.

He was reading the part in the Holy Writings which says He was taken like a lamb to be put to death. A sheep does not make a sound while its wool is cut. So He made no sound.

33 I n His humiliation He was taken away by distressing and oppressive judgment and justice was denied Him. Who can describe or relate in full the wickedness of His contemporaries (generation)? For His life is taken from the earth and a bloody death inflicted upon Him.

No one listened to Him because of His shame. Who will tell the story of His day? For His life was taken away from the earth.

34 A nd the eunuch said to Philip, I beg of you, tell me about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?

The man from Ethiopia said to Philip, “Who is the early preacher talking about, himself, or someone else?”

35 T hen Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this portion of Scripture he announced to him the glad tidings (Gospel) of Jesus and about Him.

So Philip started with this part of the Holy Writings and preached the Good News of Jesus to him.

36 A nd as they continued along on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch exclaimed, See, water! What is to hinder my being baptized?

As they went on their way, they came to some water. The man from Ethiopia said, “See! Here is water. What is to stop me from being baptized?”

37 A nd Philip said, If you believe with all your heart '> a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah and accept Him as the Author of your salvation in the kingdom of God, giving Him your obedience, then] you may. And he replied, I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

(Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The man said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”)

38 A nd he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and baptized him.

He stopped the wagon. Then both Philip and the man from Ethiopia went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

39 A nd when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord '> suddenly] caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.

When they came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit took Philip away. The man from Ethiopia did not see Philip again. He went on his way full of joy.

40 B ut Philip was found at Azotus, and passing on he preached the good news (Gospel) to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Philip found himself at the city of Azotus. Then Philip went through all the towns as far as the city of Caesarea preaching the Good News at each place.