Acts 8:4-25
New Revised
Standard Version ©1989, Division of Christian Education of the National
Council of Churches of Christ in the USA.
[This follows description of Saul=s persecution of the church, beginning with
the stoning of Stephen (7:58-8:1).]
Philip=s Ministry in Samaria
{4} Now those who were scattered
went from place to place,
proclaiming
the word.
{5} Philip went down to the city of Samaria and
proclaimed
the Messiah to them.
{6} The crowds with one accord
listened eagerly to what was said by Philip,
hearing
and seeing the signs that he did,
{7} for
unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks,
came
out of many who were possessed;
and
many others who were paralyzed or lame
were
cured.
{8} So there was great
joy in that city.
Attracted to Power -
Simon the magician, part 1
{9} Now a certain man named Simon
had
previously practiced magic in the city
and
amazed the people of Samaria,
saying
that he was someone great.
{10} All
of them, from the least to the greatest,
listened
to him eagerly, saying,
"This
man is the power of God that is called Great."
{11} And
they listened eagerly to him because for a long time
he
had amazed them with his magic.
{12} But when
they believed Philip,
who
was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God
and the name of Jesus Christ,
they
were baptized, both men and women.
{13} Even
Simon himself believed.
After
being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip
and
was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.
{14} Now when
the apostles at Jerusalem
heard
that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they
sent Peter and John to them.
{15} The
two went down and prayed for them
that
they might receive the Holy Spirit
{16} (for
as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them;
they
had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).
{17} Then
Peter and John laid their hands on them,
and
they received the Holy Spirit.
Trying to buy Power -
Simon the magician, part 2
{18} Now when
Simon saw that the Spirit was given
through the laying on of the apostles' hands,
he
offered them money,
{19} saying,
"Give me also this power
so
that anyone on whom I lay my hands
may
receive the Holy Spirit."
{20} But
Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you,
because
you thought
you
could obtain God's gift with money!
{21} You
have no part or share in this,
for
your heart is not right before God.
{22} Repent therefore of this wickedness of
yours,
and
pray to the Lord that, if possible,
the
intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
{23} For
I see that you are in the gall of bitterness
and the chains of wickedness."
{24} Simon
answered, "Pray for me to the Lord,
that
nothing of what you have said
may
happen to me."
Returning Home
{25} Now
after Peter and John had testified
and spoken the word of the Lord,
they
returned to Jerusalem,
proclaiming
the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.
[What follows is the account of Philip=s itinerant evangelistic ministry,
specifically the conversion of the Ethiopian
eunuch.]
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