Acts 8

1Saul approved of his killing, but that day great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria except the apostles.

2Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.

3But Saul was laying the church waste, entering house by house, dragging both men and women and handing them over to prison.

4Therefore those who were scattered went about preaching the word.

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

6The crowds paid close attention with one accord to what Philip was saying, as they heard and saw the signs he performed.

7For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, were coming out of many who had them, and many paralyzed and lame were healed.

8And abundant joy arose in that city.

9But a certain man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.

10They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This is the power of God called Great."

11They paid attention to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his sorceries.

12But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about God's kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

13Simon himself also believed, and having been baptized, he continued with Philip and was amazed, beholding signs and great miracles taking place.

14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received God's word, they sent Peter and John to them.

15who went down and prayed for them so they would receive the Holy Spirit.

16For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

17Then they placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

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

19saying, “Give me this authority too, so that whoever I lay hands on receives the Holy Spirit.”

20But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish along with you, because you supposed God's gift could be obtained with money."

21You have neither share nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not upright before God.

22Repent therefore of this evil of yours, and pray to the Lord if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

23For I see you in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.

24Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, that none of what you have spoken come upon me."

25So then, having solemnly testified and spoken the Lord's word, they returned to Jerusalem and preached good news to many Samaritan villages.

26But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza—this is desert."

27Then he arose and went on his way, and behold, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury and had come to Jerusalem to worship.

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

29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Approach and join yourself to this chariot."

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

31He said, “How could I, unless someone guides me?” And he urged Philip to come up and sit with him.

32The passage of Scripture he was reading was this: "Like a sheep led to slaughter, and like a lamb silent before the one shearing it, so he does not open his mouth."

33In his low estate his judgment was removed. Who will recount his generation? For his life is removed from the earth.

34The eunuch answered Philip, "I beg you, about whom does the prophet say this—about himself, or about someone else?"

35Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from this scripture, preached Jesus to him.

36As they journeyed along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch says, "See, water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

37Philip said, "If you believe wholeheartedly, you may." He replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

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

39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

40But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through all the cities he preached until he came to Caesarea.