New American Standard Bible 1995 | New Living Translation |
1Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. | 1Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. Persecution Scatters the Believers A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. |
2Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. | 2(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) |
3But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. | 3But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. Philip Preaches in Samaria |
4Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. | 4But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. |
5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them. | 5Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. |
6The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. | 6Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. |
7For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. | 7Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. |
8So there was much rejoicing in that city. | 8So there was great joy in that city. |
9Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; | 9A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. |
10and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, "This man is what is called the Great Power of God." | 10Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” |
11And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts. | 11They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic. |
12But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. | 12But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. |
13Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed. | 13Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed. |
14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, | 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. |
15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. | 15As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. |
16For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. | 16The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. |
17Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. | 17Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit. |
18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, | 18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. |
19saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." | 19“Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!” |
20But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! | 20But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! |
21"You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. | 21You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God. |
22"Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. | 22Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, |
23"For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity." | 23for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.” |
24But Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me." | 24“Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!” |
25So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. | 25After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News. Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch |
26But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) | 26As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” |
27So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, | 27So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, |
28and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. | 28and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah. |
29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." | 29The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.” |
30Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" | 30Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” |
31And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. | 31The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him. |
32Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER; AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT, SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH. | 32The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. |
33"IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH." | 33He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” |
34The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?" | 34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” |
35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. | 35So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. |
36As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" | 36As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” |
37And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." | 37 |
38And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. | 38He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. |
39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. | 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. |
40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. | 40Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea. |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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