Holman Christian Standard Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

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.

1Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.

2Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

3Saul, however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.

3But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.

4So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news.

4Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.

5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.

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

6The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing.

6The crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing.

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.

7For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

8So there was great joy in that city.

8So there was much rejoicing in that city.

9A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and astounded the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great.

9Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great;

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!"

10and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, "This man is what is called the Great Power of God."

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

11And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astonished them with his magic arts.

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.

12But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike.

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.

13Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly amazed.

14When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had welcomed God's message, they sent Peter and John to them.

14Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,

15After they went down there, they prayed for them, so the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.

15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

16For He had not yet come down on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

16For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply 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 they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

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

18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

19saying, "Give me this power too, so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit."

19saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

20But Peter told him, "May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought the gift of God could be obtained with money!

20But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

21You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.

21"You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.

22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

22"Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you.

23For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.""

23"For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."

24Please pray to the Lord for me," Simon replied, "so that nothing you have said may happen to me."

24But Simon answered and said, "Pray to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."

25Then, after they had testified and spoken the message of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, evangelizing many villages of the Samaritans.

25So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

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.)

26But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.)

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

27So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship,

28and was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud.

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

29The Spirit told Philip, "Go and join that chariot."

29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

30When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you're reading?""

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

31How can I," he said, "unless someone guides me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

31And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

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.

32Now 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 DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.

33In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.

33"IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY; WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION? FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH."

34The eunuch replied to Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about--himself or another person?"

34The eunuch answered Philip and said, "Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?"

35So Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture.

35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him.

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?"

36As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"

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."

37And Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

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

38And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.

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.

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

40Philip appeared in Azotus, and he was traveling and evangelizing all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

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