Chapter 8
8:1 And Saul was consenting to his death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the Assembly in Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Acts
8:2 Devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.
8:3 But Saul ravaged the Assembly, entering house by house and dragging out both men and women and committing them to prison.
8:4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
8:5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the Messiah to them.
8:6 When the multitudes heard Philip and saw the miracles which he did, they listened in unity to what he said.
8:7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed. And many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
8:8 So there was much joy in that city.
8:9 Now a certain man named Simon was previously in the city practicing sorcery and bewitched the nation of Samaria, saying he was someone great,
8:10 to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of Elohim.”
8:11 They listened to him, because for a long time he had bewitched them by his sorceries.
8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching about the kingdom of Elohim and the name of YASHUWAH the Messiah, both men and women were baptized.
8:13 Even Simon himself believed. And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and was amazed as he watched the miracles and signs which were done.
8:14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of Elohim, they sent Peter and John to them.
8:15 When they came down, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
8:16 for still He had come on none of them. They were only baptized in the name of the Master YASHUWAH.
8:17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
8:18 When Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles” hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
8:19 saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”
8:20 Peter said to him, “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could purchase the gift of Elohim with money!
8:21 You have neither part nor share in this matter, for your heart is not right before Elohim.
8:22 Therefore repent of your wickedness, and ask Elohim if perhaps the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.
8:23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”
8:24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to YASHUWAH for me that nothing you have spoken may come upon me.”
8:25 When they had testified and preached the word of YASHUWAH, they returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
8:26 Now an angel of YASHUWAH said to Philip, “Rise up and go toward the south on the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is desert.
8:27 So he rose up and went. And there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in command of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship.
8:28 He was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
8:29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go to this chariot and stay with it.”
8:30 Then Philip ran to him, and heard him read the book of Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
8:31 He said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
8:32 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 opened not His mouth.
8:33 In His humiliation justice was denied Him; who will speak of His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.”
8:34 The eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet speak, of himself or of someone else?”
8:35 Then Philip spoke, beginning with the same Scripture, and preached YASHUWAH to him.
8:36 As they went on their way, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
8:37 Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that YASHUWAH the Messiah is the Son of Elohim.”
8:38 And he commanded the chariot to halt. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
8:39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of YASHUWAH took Philip away. And the eunuch saw him no more, and he went his way rejoicing.
8:40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing through, he preached the gospel in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.