Acts 7:54-8:25

English Standard Version

The Stoning of Stephen

⁵⁴Now when they heard these things ^(A)they were enraged, and they ^(B)ground their teeth at him. ⁵⁵But he, ^(C)full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw ^(D)the glory of God, and Jesus standing ^(E)at the right hand of God. ⁵⁶And he said, “Behold, I see ^(F)the heavens opened, and ^(G)the Son of Man standing ^(H)at the right hand of God.” ⁵⁷But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears and rushed together^[a] at him. ⁵⁸Then ^(I)they cast him out of the city and ^(J)stoned him. And ^(K)the witnesses laid down their garments ^(L)at the feet of a young man named Saul. ⁵⁹And as they were stoning Stephen, ^(M)he called out, “Lord Jesus, ^(N)receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰And ^(O)falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ^(P)“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, ^(Q)he fell asleep.

Saul Ravages the Church

8 And ^(R)Saul ^(S)approved of his execution.

And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and ^(T)they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ²Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. ³But ^(U)Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he ^(V)dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria

⁴Now ^(W)those who were scattered went about preaching the word. ⁵^(X)Philip went down to the city^[b] of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. ⁶^(Y)And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him ^(Z)and saw the signs that he did. ⁷For ^(AA)unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. ⁸So ^(AB)there was much joy in that city.

Simon the Magician Believes

⁹But there was a man named Simon, ^(AC)who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, ^(AD)saying that he himself was somebody great. ¹⁰They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, ^(AE)“This man is the power of God that is called ^(AF)Great.” ¹¹And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had ^(AG)amazed them with his magic. ¹²But when ^(AH)they believed Philip as he preached good news ^(AI)about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, ^(AJ)they were baptized, both men and women. ¹³Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And ^(AK)seeing signs and ^(AL)great miracles^[c] performed, ^(AM)he was amazed.

¹⁴Now when ^(AN)the apostles at Jerusalem heard that ^(AO)Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, ¹⁵who came down and prayed for them ^(AP)that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶for ^(AQ)he had not yet ^(AR)fallen on any of them, but ^(AS)they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷Then ^(AT)they laid their hands on them and ^(AU)they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, ¹⁹saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰But Peter said to him, ^(AV)“May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God ^(AW)with money! ²¹You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for ^(AX)your heart is not right before God. ²²Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, ^(AY)if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³For I see that you are in ^(AZ)the gall^[d] of bitterness and in ^(BA)the bond of iniquity.” ²⁴And Simon answered, ^(BB)“Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.”

²⁵Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, ^(BC)preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.