Acts:8

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* 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 . * Pious men carried Stephen away for burial and made great lamentation over him . * Saul cruelly hounded the church from house to house , entering and dragging out men and women and handing them over into prison . * Those who were scattered went to various places telling the good news . * Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them . * The crowds with one mind gave attention to what was said by Philip , listening to his words and seeing the signs that he did . * For impure spirits came out shrieking from many who had been possessed , and many paralytic and lame people were healed . * There was great rejoicing in that city . * 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 . * 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 ." * They had given attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them by his magic . * 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 . * 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 . * When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the message of God , they sent to them Peter and John . * They on arrival prayed for them , that they might receive the Holy Spirit . * For the Spirit had not yet fallen on any one of them ; they had merely been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus . * Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit . * When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles ' hands , he offered them money , * saying , "Give to me also this power that whoever I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit ." * But Peter said to him , "Your money perish with you because you have thought that you could buy the gift of God with money ! * You have no part or lot in this matter . For your heart is not right before God . * Repent of this wickedness of yours , and pray the Lord that , if possible , the thought of your heart may be forgiven you . * For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the fetters of unrighteousness ." * Simon answered , "You pray for me to the Lord that nothing of what you have said may come on me ." * 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 . * 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 ." * 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 * and was on his return , sitting in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah . * The Spirit said to Philip , "Go up and join this chariot ." * Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet , and said , "Do you understand what you are reading ?" * He said , "How can I without some one to guide me ?" He begged Philip to come up and sit with him . * 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 . * In his humiliation justice was denied him . Who will describe his generation ? For his life is taken away from the earth ." * The eunuch said to Philip , "Please tell me , of whom is the prophet speaking \'97 of himself or of some one else ?" * Philip opened his mouth and beginning with that Scripture told him the good news about Jesus . * 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 ?" riversident @Acts:8:37 " /> * He ordered the chariot to stop and they both went down into the water , Philip and the eunuch , and he baptized him . * 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 . * But Philip found himself at Azotus , and passing through all the cities he told the good news until he came to Casarea .

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