| Berean Study Bible | NET 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. | 1And Saul agreed completely with killing him. Saul Begins to Persecute the Church Now on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. |
| 2God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. | 2Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation 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. | 3But Saul was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. |
| 4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. | 4Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word. |
| 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. | 5Philip went down to the main city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them. |
| 6The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform. | 6The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the miraculous 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 with loud shrieks, were coming out of many who were possessed, and many paralyzed and lame people 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, | 9Now in that city was a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic and amazing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone 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.” | 10All the people, from the least to the greatest, paid close attention to him, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called 'Great.'" |
| 11They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery. | 11And they paid close attention to him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. |
| 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 was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women. |
| 13Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed. | 13Even Simon himself believed, and after he was baptized, he stayed close to Philip constantly, and when he saw the signs and great miracles that were occurring, he was amazed. |
| 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. | 14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. |
| 15On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. | 15These two went down and prayed for them so that they would 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. | 16(For the Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, but 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 placed their hands on the Samaritans, 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. | 18Now Simon, when he saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, 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 everyone I place my 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 said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire God's gift with money! |
| 21You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God. | 21You have no share or part 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 he may perhaps forgive you for the intent of your heart. |
| 23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.” | 23For I see that you are bitterly envious and in bondage to sin." |
| 24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” | 24But Simon replied, "You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what 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. | 25So after Peter and John had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many Samaritan villages as they went. |
| 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.” | 26Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a 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 he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship, |
| 28and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. | 28and was returning home, sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah. |
| 29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” | 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." |
| 30So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. | 30So Philip ran up to it and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. He asked him, "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. | 31The man replied, "How in the world can I, 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 passage of scripture the man was reading was this: "He was led like a sheep to slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did 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 humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his posterity? For his life was taken away from the earth." |
| 34“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” | 34Then the eunuch said to Philip, "Please tell me, who is the prophet saying this about--himself or someone else?" |
| 35Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. | 35So Philip started speaking, and beginning with this scripture proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. |
| 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?” | 36Now as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, there is water! What is to stop me from being baptized?" |
| 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. | 38So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip 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. | 39Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, but 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, however, found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through the area, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. |
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