## Saul Persecutes the Church 

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Now Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 

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And _some_ devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 

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But Saul _began_ ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he was delivering them into prison. 

## Philip Preaches in Samaria 

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Therefore, those who had been scattered went about, proclaiming the good news of the word. 

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Now Philip went down to the city of Samaria and _began_ preaching Christ to them. 

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And the crowds with one accord were giving attention to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was doing. 

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For _in the case of_ many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out _of them_ shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 

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So there was great joy in that city. 

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Now there was a man named Simon, who formerly was practicing magic in the city and astounding the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great; 

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and they all, from smallest to greatest, were giving attention to him, saying, "This man is what is called the Great Power of God." 

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And they were giving him attention because he had for a long time astounded them with his magic arts. 

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But when they believed Philip proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women. 

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Even Simon himself believed; and after being baptized, he continued on with Philip, and as he observed signs and great miracles taking place, he was constantly astounded. 

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Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 

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who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 

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For He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 

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Then they _began_ laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. 

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Now when Simon saw that the Spirit had been bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 

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saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 

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But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you supposed you could obtain the gift of God with money! 

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You have no part or portion in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 

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Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray earnestly to the Lord that, if possible, the intention of your heart may be forgiven you. 

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For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of unrighteousness." 

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But Simon answered and said, "Pray earnestly to the Lord for me yourselves, so that nothing of what you have said may come upon me." 

## An Ethiopian Receives Christ 

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So, when they had solemnly bore witness and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were proclaiming the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. 

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But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Rise up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert _road_.) 

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So he rose up and went; and behold, there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 

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and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 

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Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join this chariot." 

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And Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 

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And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 

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Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "As a sheep is led to slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He does not open His mouth. 

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In humiliation His judgment was taken away; Who will recount His generation? For His life is removed from the earth." 

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And the eunuch answered Philip and said, "I ask you earnestly, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?" 

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Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he proclaimed the good news about Jesus to him. 

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And as they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?" 

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[And 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."] 

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And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 

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When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. 

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But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept proclaiming the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.