 8:1  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.
 8:2  And devout men carried Stephen [to his burial], and made
great lamentation over him.
 8:3  As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into
every house, and haling men and women committed [them] to
prison.
 8:4  Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every
where preaching the word.
 8:5  Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and
preached Christ unto them.
 8:6  And the people with one accord gave heed unto those
things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles
which he did.
 8:7  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.
 8:8  And there was great joy in that city.
 8:9  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:
 8:10  To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the
greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
 8:11  And to him they had regard, because that of long time he
had bewitched them with sorceries.
 8:12  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.
 8:13  Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was
baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the
miracles and signs which were done.
 8:14  Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that
Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter
and John:
 8:15  Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that
they might receive the Holy Ghost:
 8:16  (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
 8:17  Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received
the Holy Ghost.
 8:18  And when Simon saw that through laying on of the
apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them
money,
 8:19  Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I
lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
 8:20  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee,
because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased
with money.
 8:21  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy
heart is not right in the sight of God.
 8:22  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God,
if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
 8:23  For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness,
and [in] the bond of iniquity.
 8:24  Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for
me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon
me.
 8:25  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.
 8:26  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.
 8:27  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,
 8:28  Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias
the prophet.
 8:29  Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join
thyself to this chariot.
 8:30  And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the
prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
 8:31  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.
 8:32  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:
 8:33  In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who
shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the
earth.
 8:34  And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee,
of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other
man?
 8:35  Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same
scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
 8:36  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?
 8:37  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.
 8:38  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.
 8:39  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.
 8:40  But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he
preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.
