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. |
2 | And devout men carried Stephen to
his burial, and made great lamentation over him. |
3 | As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering
into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. |
4 | Therefore they that were
scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. |
5 | Then Philip went down to the city of
Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. |
6 | And the people with one accord gave heed unto those
things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. |
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. |
8 | And there was great joy in that city. |
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: |
10 | To whom they all gave heed, from the
least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. |
11 | And to him they had regard,
because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. |
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. |
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. |
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: |
15 | Who, when they were come down, prayed
for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: |
16 | (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) |
17 | Then laid they their hands on them, and they
received the Holy Ghost. |
18 |
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy
Ghost was given, he offered them money, |
19 | Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I
lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. |
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. |
21 | Thou hast neither part
nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. |
22 | Repent therefore of this
thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be
forgiven thee. |
23 | For I
perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of
iniquity. |
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. |
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. |
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. |
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, |
28
| Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. |
29 | Then the Spirit said unto
Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. |
30 | And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read
the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? |
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. |
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:
Isa 53:7
|
33 |
In his
humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation?
for his life is taken from the earth.
Isa 53:8
|
34 | And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee,
of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? |
35 | Then Philip opened his mouth,
and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. |
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? |
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. |
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. |
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. |
40 | But Philip
was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he
came to Caesarea. |