| King James Bible | Berean Study Bible |
| 1And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. | 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. |
| 2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. | 2God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. |
| 3As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. | 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. |
| 4Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. | 4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. |
| 5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. | 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. |
| 6And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. | 6The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform. |
| 7For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. | 7With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed. |
| 8And there was great joy in that city. | 8So there was great joy in that city. |
| 9But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: | 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, |
| 10To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. | 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.” |
| 11And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. | 11They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery. |
| 12But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning 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 gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. |
| 13Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. | 13Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed. |
| 14Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: | 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. |
| 15Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: | 15On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. |
| 16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) | 16For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. |
| 17Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. | 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. |
| 18And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, | 18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. |
| 19Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. | 19“Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” |
| 20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. | 20But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! |
| 21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. | 21You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God. |
| 22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. | 22Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart. |
| 23For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. | 23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.” |
| 24Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. | 24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” |
| 25And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. | 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. |
| 26And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. | 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.” |
| 27And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, | 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, |
| 28Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. | 28and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. |
| 29Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. | 29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” |
| 30And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? | 30So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. |
| 31And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. | 31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. |
| 32The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: | 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. |
| 33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. | 33In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.” |
| 34And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? | 34“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” |
| 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. | 35Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. |
| 36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? | 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?” |
| 37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. | 37 |
| 38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. | 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. |
| 39And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. | 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. |
| 40But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea. | 40But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea. |
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