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Chapter 8 |
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1 | And 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 | And devout men carried Stephen
to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. |
| 3 | As for Saul,
he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and
women committed them to prison. |
| 4 | Therefore they that were
scattered abroad went every where preaching the word. |
| 5 | Then Philip
went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. |
| 6 |
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake,
hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. |
| 7 | For 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. |
| 8 |
And there was great joy in that city. |
| 9 | But 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: |
| 10 | To
whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is
the great power of God. |
| 11 | And to him they had regard, because that of
long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. |
| 12 | But 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. |
| 13 |
Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with
Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
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| 14 | Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had
received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: |
| 15 | Who,
when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy
Ghost: |
| 16
| (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) |
| 17 | Then laid
they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. |
| 18 | And when
Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was
given, he offered them money, |
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19 | Saying, Give me also this power, that
on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. |
| 20 | But
Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that
the gift of God may be purchased with money. |
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21 | Thou hast neither part
nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
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| 22 | Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the
thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. |
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23 | For I perceive that
thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. |
| 24 |
Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the LORD for me, that none of these
things which ye have spoken come upon me. |
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25 | And 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. |
| 26 | And 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.
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| 27 | And 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, |
| 28 | Was
returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. |
| 29 | Then
the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
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| 30 | And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias,
and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? |
| 31 | And he said,
How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would
come up and sit with him. |
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32 | The 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: |
| 33 | In his
humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation?
for his life is taken from the earth. |
| 34 | And the eunuch answered
Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself,
or of some other man? |
| 35 | Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at
the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. |
| 36 | And 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 | And 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. |
| 38 | And he
commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water,
both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. |
| 39 | And 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. |
| 40 |
But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the
cities, till he came to Caesarea. |
