Saul Persecutes the Church

1And Saul was there consenting to his killing.

And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2Now devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3But Saul was destroying the church. Entering houses after houses and dragging off men and women, he was delivering them to prison.

Philip in Samaria

4Therefore indeed those having been scattered went about preaching the word. 5Now Philip, having gone down to a city of Samaria, was proclaiming the Christ to them. 6And the crowds with one accord were giving heed to the things being spoken by Philip in the time for them to hear and to see the signs that he was performing. 7For from many of those having unclean spirits, they were coming out, crying in a loud voice. And many having been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.

Simon the Sorcerer
(Deuteronomy 18:9-14)

9Now a certain man named Simon had formerly been practicing sorcery in the city and amazing the people of Samaria, declaring himself to be someone great, 10to whom all were giving heed, from small to great, saying, “This one is the power of God that is called Great.” 11Now they were giving heed to him because for a long time he had amazed them with the magic arts.

12But when they believed Philip, proclaiming the gospel concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13And Simon himself also believed, and having been baptized, was steadfastly continuing with Philip. And beholding the signs and great miracles being performed, he was amazed.

14Now the apostles in Jerusalem, having heard that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John, 15who having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16For He was not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then they began laying the hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18Now of Simon having seen that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered to them money, 19saying, “Give also to me this authority, that on whomever I may lay the hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20But Peter said to him, “Your silver, may it perish with you, because you thought the gift of God to be obtained by money! 21To you there is no part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray earnestly to the Lord, if indeed the intent of your heart will be forgiven you. 23For I see you being in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity.”

24And Simon answering said, “You pray earnestly to the Lord on behalf of me, so that nothing of which you have spoken may come upon me.”

25Therefore they indeed, having earnestly testified and having spoken the word of the Lord, traveled back to Jerusalem, and they were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

Philip and the Ethiopian

26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Rise up and go toward the south, to the road going down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is the desert road.) 27And having risen up, he went. And behold, an Ethiopian eunuch, a potentate of Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship. 28And he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and join yourself to this chariot.”

30And Philip having run up, heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, “Do you then understand what you are reading?”

31And he said, “How indeed could I be able, unless someone will guide me?” And he invited Philip, having come up, to sit with him.

32Now the passage of Scripture that he was reading was this:

“He was led as a sheep to slaughter,

and as a lamb before the one shearing him is silent,

so He does not open His mouth.

33In His humiliation, justice was taken away from Him.

Who will describe His generation?

For His life is removed from the earth.”a

34And the eunuch answering said to Philip, “I beseech you, concerning whom does the prophet say this? Concerning himself, or concerning some other?”

35And Philip, having opened his mouth and having begun from this Scripture, proclaimed the good news to him—Jesus.

36And as they were going along the road they came upon some water, and the eunuch says, “Behold, water! What prevents me to be baptized?”b 38And he commanded the chariot to stop. And they both went down to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

39Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no longer. For he went his way rejoicing. 40But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he was proclaiming the gospel to all the towns until his coming to Caesarea.