mnt - Acts:8-9

mnt@Acts:8:1 @ With these words he fell asleep. And Saul fully approved of his murder. On this very day there broke out a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostle were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

mnt@Acts:8:2 @ Devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentations over him.

mnt@Acts:8:3 @ But Saul was laying waste the church. He was wont to enter into every house, and to drag off men and women, and to commit them to prison.

mnt@Acts:8:4 @ So those who were scattered abroad were going everywhere preaching the word.

mnt@Acts:8:5 @ Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and began to preach Christ there.

mnt@Acts:8:6 @ The crowd with one accord were giving heed to what he said, when they heard and saw the signs that he did.

mnt@Acts:8:7 @ For with a loud cry unclean spirits would come out of many possessed by them, and many that were palsied and lame were healed.

mnt@Acts:8:8 @ There began to be great joy in that city.

mnt@Acts:8:9 @ Now for some time a man named Simon had been practising sorcery in that city, and had amazed the people of Samaria. He gave himself out to be some great person.

mnt@Acts:8:10 @ Many from all classes would give heed to him, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the Great Power."

mnt@Acts:8:11 @ They were giving heed to him because, for a long time, he had amazed them with his sorceries.

mnt@Acts:8:12 @ But when they believed Philip, who was preaching glad tidings about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they began to be baptized, both men and women.

mnt@Acts:8:13 @ And Simon himself also believed, and after his baptism he remained with Philip, and was full of amazement as he beheld the signs and striking miracles which were performed.

mnt@Acts:8:14 @ The apostle at Jerusalem, when they heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, sent to them Peter and John.

mnt@Acts:8:15 @ Who came down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit,

mnt@Acts:8:16 @ For he had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

mnt@Acts:8:17 @ Then the apostles laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

mnt@Acts:8:18 @ But when Simon perceived that, by the laying on of the apostles hands, the Spirit was given, he offered them money saying,

mnt@Acts:8:19 @ "Give me, too, this power, so that on whomever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit."

mnt@Acts:8:20 @ But Peter said to him. "Your money perish with you, because you have supposed that with money you can obtain Gods free gift!"

mnt@Acts:8:21 @ "You have no part or lot in this matter." Your heart is not right in the sight of God.

mnt@Acts:8:22 @ Repent then of this your wickedness, and beseech the Lord to forgive you this purpose of your heart.

mnt@Acts:8:23 @ "For I perceive that you still stand in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of unrighteousness."

mnt@Acts:8:24 @ And Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, both of you, that nothing which you have said may happen to me."

mnt@Acts:8:25 @ So the apostles, after bearing solemn witness, and declaring the message of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, evangelizing many Samaritan villages as they went.

mnt@Acts:8:26 @ And an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise and go on your way south, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert way."

mnt@Acts:8:27 @ So he arose and went. And behold an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, who was a high official (a chief treasurer) of Candace, the queen of Ethiopia, who had come to Jerusalem to worship

mnt@Acts:8:28 @ Was now on his way home, and was reading the Prophet Isaiah as he sat in his chariot.

mnt@Acts:8:29 @ And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join that chariot."

mnt@Acts:8:30 @ So Philip ran up, and heard him reading Isaiah the Prophet, and said to him. "Do you understand what you are reading?"

mnt@Acts:8:31 @ The eunuch answered, "Why, how can I unless someone shall show me the way?" And he begged Philip to get up and sit with him.

mnt@Acts:8:32 @ Now the portion of Scripture which he was reading was as follows. He was led a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, So he opened not his mouth.

mnt@Acts:8:33 @ In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who will declare his posterity? For his life is cut off from the earth.

mnt@Acts:8:34 @ "Pray," asked the eunuch of Philip, "of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of some one else?"

mnt@Acts:8:35 @ Then Philip opened his lips, and beginning from that same scripture, he preached the gospel of Jesus to him.

mnt@Acts:8:36 @ And as they were going on their way they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said. "See, here is water! What hinders my being baptized?"

mnt@Acts:8:37 @ And Philip said, "If you believe with your whole heart, you may." The eunuch answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."

mnt@Acts:8:38 @ And he ordered the chariot to stop; and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

mnt@Acts:8:39 @ And when they had come up 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.

mnt@Acts:8:40 @ Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town, he kept preaching the good news in all the cities until he reached Caesarea.

mnt@Acts:9:1 @ Meanwhile Saul, still breathing out threats of murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

mnt@Acts:9:2 @ and begged of him letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any that were of the Way, either men or women, he could bind them and bring them to Jerusalem.

mnt@Acts:9:3 @ And as he journeyed, when he was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed round him.

mnt@Acts:9:4 @ He fell to the ground, and heard a voice which said to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"

mnt@Acts:9:5 @ And he said, "Who are you Lord?"

mnt@Acts:9:6 @ "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting," he said. "Stand up and go into the city, and there you shall be told what you must do."

mnt@Acts:9:7 @ Meanwhile the men who were his fellow travelers stood speechless, hearing indeed the voice, but beholding no one.

mnt@Acts:9:8 @ And Saul got up from the ground, but although his eyes were open, he continued to perceive nothing; so they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus.

mnt@Acts:9:9 @ And he remained there three days, seeing nothing, and without eating or drinking.

mnt@Acts:9:10 @ Now there was in Damascus a disciple named Ananias, and the Lord spoke to him in a vision, saying, "Ananias!" And he answered, "Lo, I am here, Lord."

mnt@Acts:9:11 @ And the Lord said to him. "Arise, go into the street named Straight, and make inquiries in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus, one Saul.

mnt@Acts:9:12 @ He is now praying, and has seen a man named Ananias enter and lay his hands on him to restore his sight."

mnt@Acts:9:13 @ "But, Lord," said Ananias, "I have heard from many about that man, and how much evil he did to the saints at Jerusalem!

mnt@Acts:9:14 @ "In this city, too, he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all those who call upon thy name."

mnt@Acts:9:15 @ "Go," answered the Lord, "this man is chosen instrument of mine to bear my name before the nations and their kings, and before the Children of Israel also;

mnt@Acts:9:16 @ "for I am going to show him all he has to suffer for the sake of my name."

mnt@Acts:9:17 @ And so Ananias went and entered into the house, and laying his hands on him, said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared to you on your journey, has sent me that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

mnt@Acts:9:18 @ Instantly something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

mnt@Acts:9:19 @ Afterward he took food and was strengthened. And he remained for some time with the disciples at Damascus.

mnt@Acts:9:20 @ And he began at once to proclaim in the synagogues Jesus as the Son of God.

mnt@Acts:9:21 @ His hearers were all astonished, and began to say. "Is not this the very man who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called upon the Name? Did he not come hither for the express purpose of carrying them all in chains to the high priests?"

mnt@Acts:9:22 @ But Saul gained more and more influence, and kept putting the Jews who lived in Damascus to confusion by his proof that Jesus was the Christ.

mnt@Acts:9:23 @ And when many days were fulfilled the Jews made a plot to kill Saul;

mnt@Acts:9:24 @ but information of their plot was given Saul, and although they kept watch day and night on the gates, in order to make away with him,

mnt@Acts:9:25 @ his disciples took him by night, and let him down over the wall, lowering him in a basket.

mnt@Acts:9:26 @ So he came to Jerusalem, and attempted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe that he was a disciple.

mnt@Acts:9:27 @ But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and told them how Saul had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him; and also how he had preached the Name of the Lord Jesus boldly at Damascus.

mnt@Acts:9:28 @ Henceforth Saul was one of them, going in and out of the city, and speaking fearlessly in the Name of the Lord.

mnt@Acts:9:29 @ He also used to hold conversations and debates with the Grecian Jews, but they kept trying to kill him.

mnt@Acts:9:30 @ When they learned this the brothers took him down to Caesarea, and then sent him forth to Tarsus.

mnt@Acts:9:31 @ Now throughout the whole of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria the Church continued to enjoy peace and to be spiritually built up. It was increasing in members also, as it kept walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

mnt@Acts:9:32 @ Now Peter, as he was going from town to town, came down also to the saints who lived in Lydda.

mnt@Acts:9:33 @ Here he found a man named Aeneas, bedridden for eight years, a paralytic.

mnt@Acts:9:34 @ Peter said to him. "Aeneas, Jesus Christ cures you! Rise and make your own bed!"

mnt@Acts:9:35 @ At once he rose to his feet. All the people of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

mnt@Acts:9:36 @ Among the disciples at Joppa was a woman named Tabitha - which may be translated Dorcas or "Gazelle" - a woman whose life was full of good works and almsgiving, which she was doing continually.

mnt@Acts:9:37 @ She, as it happened, was taken ill just at that time, and died. After washing her body, they laid it in an upper room.

mnt@Acts:9:38 @ And as Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, when they heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the entreaty, "Delay not to come to us."

mnt@Acts:9:39 @ So Peter arose and went with them. On his arrival they took him up- stairs, and all the widows stood near him, weeping, and showing him the cloaks and garments which Dorcas used to make, while she was still with them.

mnt@Acts:9:40 @ But Peter put them all out, and kneeled down, and prayed; and then turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, rise!" She opened her eyes, and on seeing Peter she sat up.

mnt@Acts:9:41 @ Then he gave her his hand and raised her up, and after calling the saints and the widows, he gave her back to them alive.

mnt@Acts:9:42 @ This incident became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

mnt@Acts:9:43 @ Peter stayed for some time in Joppa, lodging in the house of Simon, the tanner.

mnt@Acts:10:1 @ Now there was at Caesarea a man named Cornelius, a captain in the Italian regiment.