⁶ According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts:^(A) If prophecy,^(B) use it according to the proportion of one’s^[a] faith; ⁷ if service,^(C) use it in service; if teaching,^(D) in teaching; ⁸ if exhorting,^(E) in exhortation; giving, with generosity;^(F) leading,^(G) with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.^(H)

¹⁸ Therefore encourage^[a] one another with these words.

Woe to the Self-Satisfied

The Church’s Growth

³¹ So the church^(A) throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

⁴ For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction,^(A) so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. ⁵ Now may the God who gives^[a] endurance and encouragement^(B) grant you to live in harmony with one another,^(C) according to Christ Jesus,

¹¹ And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,

⁸ The next day we left and came to Caesarea, where we entered the house of Philip^(A) the evangelist,^(B) who was one of the Seven, and stayed with him.

Philip in Samaria

⁴ So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the word. ⁵ Philip went down to a^[a] city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.^{(A) 6} The crowds were all paying attention to what Philip said, as they listened and saw the signs he was performing. ⁷ For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.^{(B) 8} So there was great joy in that city.

The Response of Simon

⁹ A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great.^{(C) 10} They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God.”^{[b](D) 11} They were attentive to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time. ¹² But when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.^{(E) 13} Even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he followed Philip everywhere and was amazed as he observed the signs and great miracles^(F) that were being performed.

Simon’s Sin

¹⁴ When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.^{(G) 15} After they went down there, they prayed for them so that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit because he had not yet come down on any of them. ¹⁶ (They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.^(H)) ¹⁷ Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit^[c] was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give me this power also so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”

²⁰ But Peter told him, “May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!^{(I) 21} You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.^{(J) 22} Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your heart’s intent may be forgiven. ²³ For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by wickedness.”^(K)

²⁴ “Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon replied, “so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”^(L)

²⁵ So, after they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

³⁵ Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning with that Scripture.^(A)