Acts of the Apostles 8

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Saul approved of the killing. That day a bitter persecution started against the church in Jerusalem, andeveryone except the apostles scattered to the country districts of Judaea and Samaria.	1 Now Saul was consenting to his execution.On that day, there broke out a severe persecution of the church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 There were some devout people, however, who buried Stephen and made great mourning for him.	2 Devout men buried Stephen and made a loud lament over him.
3 Saul then began doing great harm to the church; he went from house to house arresting both men andwomen and sending them to prison.	3 Saul, meanwhile, was trying to destroy the church; entering house after house and dragging out men and women, he handed them over for imprisonment.
4 Once they had scattered, they went from place to place preaching the good news.	4 Now those who had been scattered went about preaching the word.
5 And Philip went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them.	5 Thus Philip went down to (the) city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.
6 The people unanimously welcomed the message Philip preached, because they had heard of themiracles he worked and because they saw them for themselves.	6 With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
7 For unclean spirits came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and crippleswere cured.	7 For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured.
8 As a result there was great rejoicing in that town.	8 There was great joy in that city.
9 Now a man cal ed Simon had for some time been practising magic arts in the town and astounded theSamaritan people. He had given it out that he was someone momentous,	9 A man named Simon used to practice magic in the city and astounded the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.
10 and everyone believed in him; eminent citizens and ordinary people alike had declared, 'He is thedivine power that is called Great.'	10 All of them, from the least to the greatest, paid attention to him, saying, "This man is the 'Power of God' that is called 'Great.'"
11 He had this fol owing because for a considerable period they had been astounded by his wizardry.	11 They paid attention to him because he had astounded them by his magic for a long time,
12 But when they came to accept Philip's preaching of the good news about the kingdom of God and thename of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women,	12 but once they began to believe Philip as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, men and women alike were baptized.
13 and even Simon himself became a believer. After his baptism Simon went round constantly with Philipand was astonished when he saw the wonders and great miracles that took place.	13 Even Simon himself believed and, after being baptized, became devoted to Philip; and when he saw the signs and mighty deeds that were occurring, he was astounded.
14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peterand John to them,	14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John,
15 and they went down there and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit,	15 who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Spirit,
16 for as yet he had not come down on any of them: they had only been baptised in the name of the LordJesus.	16 for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.	17 Then they laid 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 offeredthem money,	18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was conferred by the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money
19 with the words, 'Give me the same power so that anyone I lay my hands on wil receive the Holy Spirit.'	19 and said, "Give me this power too, so that anyone upon whom I lay my hands may receive the holy Spirit."
20 Peter answered, 'May your silver be lost for ever, and you with it, for thinking that money could buywhat God has given for nothing!	20 But Peter said to him, "May your money perish with you, because you thought that you could buy the gift of God with money.
21 You have no share, no part, in this: God can see how your heart is warped.	21 You have no share or lot in this matter, for your heart is not upright before God.
22 Repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that this scheme of yours may be forgiven;	22 Repent of this wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that, if possible, your intention may be forgiven.
23 it is plain to me that you are held in the bitterness of gal and the chains of sin.'	23 For I see that you are filled with bitter gall and are in the bonds of iniquity."
24 Simon replied, 'Pray to the Lord for me yourselves so that none of the things you have spoken aboutmay happen to me.'	24 Simon said in reply, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."
25 Having given their testimony and proclaimed the word of the Lord, they went back to Jerusalem,preaching the good news to a number of Samaritan vil ages.	25 So when they had testified and proclaimed the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem and preached the good news to many Samaritan villages.
26 The angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, 'Set out at noon and go along the road that leads fromJerusalem down to Gaza, the desert road.'	26 Then the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, "Get up and head south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert route."
27 So he set off on his journey. Now an Ethiopian had been on pilgrimage to Jerusalem; he was a eunuchand an officer at the court of the kandake, or queen, of Ethiopia; he was her chief treasurer.	27 So he got up and set out. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, that is, the queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury, who had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 He was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah.	28 and was returning home. Seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Spirit said to Philip, 'Go up and join that chariot.'	29 The Spirit said to Philip, "Go and join up with that chariot."
30 When Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, 'Do you understand what youare reading?'	30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31 He replied, 'How could I, unless I have someone to guide me?' So he urged Philip to get in and sit byhis side.	31 He replied, "How can I, unless someone instructs me?" So he invited Philip to get in and sit with him.
32 Now the passage of scripture he was reading was this: Like a lamb led to the slaughter-house, like asheep dumb in front of its shearers, he never opens his mouth.	32 This was the scripture passage he was reading: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation fair judgement was denied him. Who wil ever talk about his descendants, since hislife on earth has been cut short?	33 In (his) humiliation justice was denied him. Who will tell of his posterity? For his life is taken from the earth."
34 The eunuch addressed Philip and said, 'Tel me, is the prophet referring to himself or someone else?'	34 Then the eunuch said to Philip in reply, "I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself, or about someone else?"
35 Starting, therefore, with this text of scripture Philip proceeded to explain the good news of Jesus to him.	35 Then Philip opened his mouth and, beginning with this scripture passage, he proclaimed Jesus to him.
36 Further along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'Look,is some water; is thereanything to prevent my being baptised?'	36 As they traveled along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, there is water. What is to prevent my being baptized?"
37	37
38 He ordered the chariot to stop, then Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and hebaptised him.	38 Then he ordered the chariot to stop, and Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water, and he baptized him.
39 But after they had come up out of the water again Philip was taken away by the Spirit of the Lord, andthe eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.	39 When they came out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but continued on his way rejoicing.
40 Philip appeared in Azotus and continued his journey, proclaiming the good news in every town as faras Caesarea.	40 Philip came to Azotus, and went about proclaiming the good news to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.