NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1And Saul agreed completely with killing him. Saul Begins to Persecute the Church Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.

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.

2Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him.

2Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

3But Saul was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.

3But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.

4Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word.

4Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

5Philip went down to the main city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them.

5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.

6The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the miraculous signs he was performing.

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.

7For unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, were coming out of many who were possessed, and many paralyzed and lame people were healed.

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.

8So there was great joy in that city.

8So there was much rejoicing in that city.

9Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.

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;

10All the people, from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called '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."

11And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic.

11And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts.

12But when they believed Philip as he was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.

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.

13Even Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized, he stayed close to Philip constantly, and when he saw the signs and great miracles that were occurring, he was amazed.

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.

14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,

15These two went down and prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit.

15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

16(For the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

16For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

17Then Peter and John placed their hands on the Samaritans, and they received the Holy Spirit.

17Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

18Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, offered them money,

18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

19saying, "Give me this power too, so that everyone I place my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit."

19saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

20But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire God's gift with money!

20But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

21You have no share or part in this matter because your heart is not right before God!

21"You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart.

22"Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.

23For I see that you are bitterly envious and in bondage to sin."

23"For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."

24But Simon replied, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said may happen to me."

24But Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."

25So after Peter and John had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many Samaritan villages as they went.

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.

26Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.)

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.)

27So he got up and went. There he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,

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,

28and was returning home, sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah.

28and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot."

29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

30So Philip ran up to it and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. He asked him, "Do you understand what you're reading?"

30Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"

31The man replied, "How in the world can I, unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

31And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32Now the passage of scripture the man was reading was this: "He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

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.

33In humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his posterity? For his life was taken away from the earth."

33"IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH."

34Then the eunuch said to Philip, "Please tell me, who is the prophet saying this about--himself or someone else?"

34The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?"

35So Philip started speaking, and beginning with this scripture proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him.

35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

36Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, there is water! What is to stop me from being baptized?"

36As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

37	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."

38So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

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.

39Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but went on his way rejoicing.

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.

40Philip, however, found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through the area, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

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.

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