Acts of the Apostles 8

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW JERUSALEM
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.	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.
2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.	2 There were some devout people, however, who buried Stephen and made great mourning for him.
3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.	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.
4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.	4 Once they had scattered, they went from place to place preaching the good news.
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.	5 And Philip went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.	6 The people unanimously welcomed the message Philip preached, because they had heard of themiracles he worked and because they saw them for themselves.
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.	7 For unclean spirits came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and crippleswere cured.
8 And there was great joy in that city.	8 As a result there was great rejoicing in that town.
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:	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,
10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.	10 and everyone believed in him; eminent citizens and ordinary people alike had declared, 'He is thedivine power that is called Great.'
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.	11 He had this fol owing because for a considerable period they had been astounded by his wizardry.
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.	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,
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.	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.
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:	14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peterand John to them,
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:	15 and they went down there and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit,
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)	16 for as yet he had not come down on any of them: they had only been baptised in the name of the LordJesus.
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.	17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,	18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offeredthem money,
19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.	19 with the words, 'Give me the same power so that anyone I lay my hands on wil receive the Holy Spirit.'
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.	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!
21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.	21 You have no share, no part, in this: God can see how your heart is warped.
22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.	22 Repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that this scheme of yours may be forgiven;
23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.	23 it is plain to me that you are held in the bitterness of gal and the chains of sin.'
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.	24 Simon replied, 'Pray to the Lord for me yourselves so that none of the things you have spoken aboutmay happen to me.'
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.	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.
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.	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.'
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,	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.
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.	28 He was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.	29 The Spirit said to Philip, 'Go up and join that chariot.'
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?	30 When Philip ran up, he heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, 'Do you understand what youare reading?'
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.	31 He replied, 'How could I, unless I have someone to guide me?' So he urged Philip to get in and sit byhis side.
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:	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.
33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.	33 In his humiliation fair judgement was denied him. Who wil ever talk about his descendants, since hislife on earth has been cut short?
34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?	34 The eunuch addressed Philip and said, 'Tel me, is the prophet referring to himself or someone else?'
35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.	35 Starting, therefore, with this text of scripture Philip proceeded to explain the good news of Jesus to him.
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?	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?'
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.	37
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.	38 He ordered the chariot to stop, then Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and hebaptised 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.	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.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.	40 Philip appeared in Azotus and continued his journey, proclaiming the good news in every town as faras Caesarea.