New Living Translation

King James Bible

1Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. Persecution Scatters the Believers A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.

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.

2(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)

2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

3But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. Philip Preaches in Samaria

3As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

4But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.

4Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

5Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.

5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

6Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.

6And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

7Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.

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.

8So there was great joy in that city.

8And there was great joy in that city.

9A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.

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:

10Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.”

10To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

11And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

12But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized.

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.

13Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

13Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there.

14Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.

15Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

17Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.

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

19“Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”

19Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!

20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.

21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,

22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”

23For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

24“Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”

24Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

25After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News. Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

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.

26As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”

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.

27So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship,

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,

28and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

28Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

29The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

29Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

30Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

30And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

31The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

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.

32The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

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:

33He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”

33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

34The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?”

34And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

35So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”

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?

37	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.

38He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

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.

39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.

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.

40Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.

40But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.