| Holman Christian Standard Bible | NET Bible |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 was trying to destroy the church; entering one house after another, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. |
| 4So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news. | 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 Messiah to them. | 5Philip went down to the main city of Samaria and began proclaiming the 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 were paying attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the miraculous signs 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 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. |
| 9A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and astounded the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody 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. |
| 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!" | 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 were attentive to him because he had astounded them with his sorceries for a long time. | 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 good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. | 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. |
| 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 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 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 accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. |
| 15After they went down there, they prayed for them, so the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit. | 15These two went down and prayed for them so that they would 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. | 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 Holy 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, |
| 19saying, "Give me this power too, so that anyone I lay hands on 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 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 acquire God's gift with money! |
| 21You have no part or share in this matter, 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! |
| 22Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. | 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 you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity."" | 23For I see that you are bitterly envious and in bondage to sin." |
| 24Please pray to the Lord for me," Simon replied, "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." |
| 25Then, after they had testified and spoken the message of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, evangelizing many villages of the Samaritans. | 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. |
| 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.) | 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 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. 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 was sitting in his chariot on his way home, reading the prophet Isaiah aloud. | 28and was returning home, sitting in his chariot, reading the prophet Isaiah. |
| 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go and join that chariot." | 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over 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?"" | 30So Philip ran up to it and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. He asked him, "Do you understand what you're reading?" |
| 31How can I," he said, "unless someone guides me?" So 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. |
| 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 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 justice was denied Him. Who will describe His generation? For His life is taken from the earth. | 33In humiliation justice was taken from him. Who can describe his posterity? For his life was taken away from the earth." |
| 34The eunuch replied to Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet saying this about--himself or another person?" | 34Then the eunuch said to Philip, "Please tell me, who is the prophet saying this about--himself or someone else?" |
| 35So Philip proceeded to tell him the good news about Jesus, beginning from that Scripture. | 35So Philip started speaking, and beginning with this scripture proclaimed the good news about 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?" | 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?" |
| 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." | 37 |
| 38Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he 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 did not see him any longer. But he 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. |
| 40Philip appeared in Azotus, and he was traveling and evangelizing 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. |
|
