| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea 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 havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing 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 those who were scattered went everywhere 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 to them. | 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. |
| 6And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, 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 a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and 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, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, | 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 they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. | 11They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery. |
| 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. | 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 also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing 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 who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, | 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. |
| 15who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. | 15On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. |
| 16For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been 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 they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. | 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. |
| 18And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit 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 this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” | 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 to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could 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! |
| 21You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your 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 your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. | 22Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart. |
| 23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.” | 23For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.” |
| 24Then Simon answered and said, “Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me.” | 24Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” |
| 25So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching 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. |
| 26Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This 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.” |
| 27So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem 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, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. | 28and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. |
| 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go near and overtake this chariot.” | 29The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” |
| 30So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” | 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, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to 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 in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened 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 justice was taken away, And who will 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.” |
| 34So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say 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 beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. | 35Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. |
| 36Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being 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?” |
| 37Then 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.” | 37 |
| 38So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, 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. |
| 39Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so 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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