| 章 |
| 8:1 |
And Saul was consenting to his death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem;and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Sama'ria, except the apostles.
|
| 8:2 |
Devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
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| 8:3 |
But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.
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| 8:4 |
Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word.
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| 8:5 |
Philip went down to a city of Sama'ria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.
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| 8:6 |
And the multitudes with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he did.
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| 8:7 |
For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice;and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
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| 8:8 |
So there was much joy in that city.
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| 8:9 |
But there was a man named Simon who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the nation of Sama'ria, saying that he himself was somebody great.
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| 8:10 |
They all gave heed to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, 'This man is that power of God which is called Great.'
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| 8:11 |
And they gave heed to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.
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| 8:12 |
But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
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| 8:13 |
Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
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| 8:14 |
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Sama'ria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,
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| 8:15 |
who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit;
|
| 8:16 |
for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
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| 8:17 |
Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
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| 8:18 |
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
|
| 8:19 |
saying, 'Give me also this power, that any one on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.'
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| 8:20 |
But Peter said to him, 'Your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
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| 8:21 |
You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
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| 8:22 |
Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.
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| 8:23 |
For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.'
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| 8:24 |
And Simon answered, 'Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.'
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| 8:25 |
Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
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| 8:26 |
But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, 'Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.' This is a desert road.
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| 8:27 |
And he rose and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a minister of the Can'dace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship
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| 8:28 |
and was returning;seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
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| 8:29 |
And the Spirit said to Philip, 'Go up and join this chariot.'
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| 8:30 |
So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and asked, 'Do you understand what you are reading?'
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| 8:31 |
And he said, 'How can I, unless some one guides me?' And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
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| 8:32 |
Now the passage of the scripture which he was reading was this: 'As a sheep led to the slaughter or a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so he opens not his mouth.
|
| 8:33 |
In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken up from the earth.'
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| 8:34 |
And the eunuch said to Philip, 'About whom, pray, does the prophet say this, about himself or about some one else?'
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| 8:35 |
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this scripture he told him the good news of Jesus.
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| 8:36 |
And as they went along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'See, here is water! What is to prevent my being baptized?'
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| 8:37 |
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| 8:38 |
And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
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| 8:39 |
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught up Philip;and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
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| 8:40 |
But Philip was found at Azo'tus, and passing on he preached the gospel to all the towns till he came to Caesare'a.
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