Acts 8

Revised Geneva Translation

8 And Saul consented to his death. And at that time, there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles.

² Then God-fearing men carried Stephen to be buried and made great lamentation for him.

³ But Saul defiled the Church, and entered into every house, and drew out both men and women, and put them into prison.

⁴ Therefore, those who were scattered throughout, went to and fro preaching the word.

⁵ Then Philip came into the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

⁶ And the people paid attention to those things which Philip spoke, with one mind, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

⁷ For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed. And many taken with palsies, and who were lame, were healed.

⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

⁹ And there had been in the city, a certain man called Simon, who used witchcraft, and bewitched the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was some great man;

¹⁰ to whom they paid attention, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God!”

¹¹ And they paid attention to him because he had bewitched them with sorceries for a long time.

¹² But as soon as they believed Philip (who preached things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus Christ), they were baptized, both men and women.

¹³ Then Simon himself also believed and was baptized. And he continued with Philip. And when he saw the signs and great miracles which were done, he wondered.

¹⁴ Now when the Apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

¹⁵ Who, when they had come down, prayed for them to receive the Holy Ghost.

¹⁶ For as yet He had not fallen down on any of them. But they had been baptized only in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

¹⁷ Then they laid 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 this power also! So that whomever I lay hands upon may receive the Holy Ghost!”

²⁰ Then Peter said to him, “Your money dies with you because you think that the gift of God may be obtained with money.

²¹ “You have neither part nor fellowship in this Word. For your heart is not right in the sight of God.

²² “Therefore repent of this, your wickedness. And pray to God that if it be possible, the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

²³ “For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.”

²⁴ Then Simon answered, and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of these things which you have spoken come upon me!”

²⁵ So after they had testified and preached the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem and preached the Gospel in many Samaritan towns.

²⁶ Then the Angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go towards the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, which is a wasteland.”

²⁷ And he arose and went on. And behold, a certain eunuch of Ethiopia (Candace the Queen of the Ethiopians’ Chief Governor, who had the rule over all her treasure) who came to Jerusalem to worship,

²⁸ was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he read Isaiah the Prophet.

²⁹ Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and enjoin this chariot.”

³⁰ And Philip ran there, and heard him read the Prophet Isaiah, and said, “But do you understand what you read?”

³¹ And he said, “How can I unless I have a guide?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.

³² Now the place of the Scripture which he read was this, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. And like a lamb, mute before his shearer, so also did He not open His mouth.

³³ “In His humility, His judgment has been exalted. But who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the Earth.”

³⁴ And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, “I ask you, of Whom does the Prophet say this, of himself, or of some other Man?”

³⁵ Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached Jesus to him.

³⁶ And as they went on their way, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What must I do to be baptized?”

³⁷ And Philip said to him, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” Then he answered, and said, “I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

³⁸ Then he commanded the chariot to stop. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water. And he baptized him.

³⁹ And as soon as they had come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more. So, he went on his way, rejoicing.

⁴⁰ But Philip was found at Azotus. And he walked to and fro, preaching in all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.