1 SAUL also approved of their putting him to death. On that day arose a great persecution of the church in Jerusalem. All except the apostles were scattered through Judaea and Samaria.

2 Pious men carried Stephen away for burial and made great lamentation over him.

3 Saul cruelly hounded the church from house to house, entering and dragging out men and women and handing them over into prison.

4 Those who were scattered went to various places telling the good news.

5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.

6 The crowds with one mind gave attention to what was said by Philip, listening to his words and seeing the signs that he did.

7 For impure spirits came out shrieking from many who had been possessed, and many paralytic and lame people were healed.

8 There was great rejoicing in that city.

9 A certain man named Simon had previously been practicing magic in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, giving out that he was some great one.

10 They had all given attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the power of God which is called great."

11 They had given attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them by his magic.

12 But when they believed Philip, who was telling the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

13 Simon himself also believed and was baptized and attached himself to Philip, and seeing the signs and great miracles that took place he was astonished.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the message of God, they sent to them Peter and John.

15 They on arrival prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

16 For the Spirit had not yet fallen on any one of them; they had merely been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

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

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

19 saying, "Give to me also this power that whoever I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit."

20 But Peter said to him, "Your money perish with you because you have thought that you could buy the gift of God with money!

21 You have no part or lot in this matter. For your heart is not right before God.

22 Repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray the Lord that, if possible, the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

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

24 Simon answered, "You pray for me to the Lord that nothing of what you have said may come on me."

25 So when they had borne their testimony and had spoken the message of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, telling the good news in many villages of the Samaritans.

26 An angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Arise and go south-ward on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the road through the desert."

27 He arose and went. Now there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of high rank under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over her treasury. He had been to Jerusalem to worship

28 and was on his return, sitting in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.

29 The Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot."

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

31 He said, "How can I without some one to guide me?" He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 The passage of Scripture that he was reading was, "He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so he did not open his mouth.

33 In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth."

34 The eunuch said to Philip, "Please tell me, of whom is the prophet speaking \'97 of himself or of some one else?"

35 Philip opened his mouth and beginning with that Scripture told him the good news about Jesus.

36 As they were going along the road they came to water, and the eunuch said, "Here is water. What is there to hinder my being baptized?"

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38 He ordered the chariot to stop and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

39 When they had come up out of the water, the Spirit caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more. He went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and passing through all the cities he told the good news until he came to Casarea.