| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. | 1Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria. |
| 2God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. | 2Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. |
| 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. | 3Saul, however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison. |
| 4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. | 4So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news. |
| 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. | 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. |
| 6The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform. | 6The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing. |
| 7With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed. | 7For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. |
| 8So there was great joy in that city. | 8So there was great joy in that city. |
| 9Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great, | 9A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and astounded the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great. |
| 10and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.” | 10They 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!" |
| 11They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery. | 11They were attentive to him because he had astounded them with his sorceries for a long time. |
| 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. | 12But when they believed Philip, as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. |
| 13Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed. | 13Then even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he went around constantly with Philip and was astounded as he observed the signs and great miracles that were being performed. |
| 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. | 14When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had welcomed God's message, they sent Peter and John to them. |
| 15On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. | 15After they went down there, they prayed for them, so the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit. |
| 16For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. | 16For He had not yet come down on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. |
| 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. | 17Then Peter and John laid 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. | 18When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, |
| 19“Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” | 19saying, "Give me this power too, so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit." |
| 20But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! | 20But Peter told him, "May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought the gift of God could be obtained with money! |
| 21You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God. | 21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. |
| 22Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart. | 22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. |
| 23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.” | 23For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity."" |
| 24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” | 24Please pray to the Lord for me," Simon replied, "so that nothing you have said may happen to me." |
| 25And after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages. | 25Then, after they had testified and spoken the message of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, evangelizing many villages of the Samaritans. |
| 26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” | 26An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip: "Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is the desert road.) |
| 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, | 27So he got up and went. There was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch and high official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to worship in Jerusalem |
| 28and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. | 28and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud. |
| 29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” | 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go and join that chariot." |
| 30So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. | 30When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you're reading?"" |
| 31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. | 31How can I," he said, "unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. |
| 32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth. | 32Now the Scripture passage he was reading was this: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, so He does not open His mouth. |
| 33In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.” | 33In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken from the earth. |
| 34“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” | 34The eunuch replied to Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about--himself or another person?" |
| 35Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. | 35So Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture. |
| 36As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?” | 36As they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, "Look, there's water! What would keep me from being baptized?" |
| 37 | 37And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart you may." And he replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God." |
| 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. | 38Then he ordered 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 carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing. | 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer. But he went on his way rejoicing. |
| 40But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea. | 40Philip appeared in Azotus, and he was traveling and evangelizing all the towns until he came to Caesarea. |
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