Acts 8-9

Acts 8

¹And Saul was assenting to his death, and there came in that day a great persecution upon the assembly in Jerusalem, all also were scattered abroad in the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles;

²and devout men carried away Stephen, and made great lamentation over him;

³and Saul was making havoc of the assembly, into every house entering, and haling men and women, was giving them up to prison;

⁴they then indeed, having been scattered, went abroad proclaiming good news -- the word.

⁵And Philip having gone down to a city of Samaria, was preaching to them the Christ,

⁶the multitudes also were giving heed to the things spoken by Philip, with one accord, in their hearing and seeing the signs that he was doing,

⁷for unclean spirits came forth from many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice, and many who have been paralytic and lame were healed,

⁸and there was great joy in that city.

⁹And a certain man, by name Simon, was before in the city using magic, and amazing the nation of Samaria, saying himself to be a certain great one,

¹⁰to whom they were all giving heed, from small unto great, saying, ‘This one is the great power of God;'

¹¹and they were giving heed to him, because of his having for a long time amazed them with deeds of magic.

¹²And when they believed Philip, proclaiming good news, the things concerning the reign of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women;

¹³and Simon also himself did believe, and, having been baptized, he was continuing with Philip, beholding also signs and mighty acts being done, he was amazed.

¹⁴And the apostles in Jerusalem having heard that Samaria hath received the word of God, did send unto them Peter and John,

¹⁵who having come down did pray concerning them, that they may receive the Holy Spirit, --

¹⁶for as yet he was fallen upon none of them, and only they have been baptized -- to the name of the Lord Jesus;

¹⁷then were they laying hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸And Simon, having beheld that through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, the Holy Spirit is given, brought before them money,

¹⁹saying, ‘Give also to me this authority, that on whomsoever I may lay the hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.'

²⁰And Peter said unto him, ‘Thy silver with thee -- may it be to destruction! because the gift of God thou didst think to possess through money;

²¹thou hast neither part nor lot in this thing, for thy heart is not right before God;

²²reform, therefore, from this thy wickedness, and beseech God, if then the purpose of thy heart may be forgiven thee,

²³for in the gall of bitterness, and bond of unrighteousness, I perceive thee being.'

²⁴And Simon answering, said, ‘Beseech ye for me unto the Lord, that nothing may come upon me of the things ye have spoken.'

²⁵They indeed, therefore, having testified fully, and spoken the word of the Lord, did turn back to Jerusalem; in many villages also of the Samaritans they did proclaim good news.

²⁶And a messenger of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, ‘Arise, and go on toward the south, on the way that is going down from Jerusalem to Gaza,' -- this is desert.

²⁷And having arisen, he went on, and lo, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a man of rank, of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship to Jerusalem;

²⁸he was also returning, and is sitting on his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

²⁹And the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go near, and be joined to this chariot;'

³⁰and Philip having run near, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, ‘Dost thou then know what thou dost read?'

³¹and he said, ‘Why, how am I able, if some one may not guide me?' he called Philip also, having come up, to sit with him.

³²And the contents of the Writing that he was reading was this: ‘As a sheep unto slaughter he was led, and as a lamb before his shearer dumb, so he doth not open his mouth;

³³in his humiliation his judgment was taken away, and his generation -- who shall declare? because taken from the earth is his life.'

³⁴And the eunuch answering Philip said, ‘I pray thee, about whom doth the prophet say this? about himself, or about some other one?'

³⁵and Philip having opened his mouth, and having begun from this Writing, proclaimed good news to him -- Jesus.

³⁶And as they were going on the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch said, ‘Lo, water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?'

³⁷And Philip said, ‘If thou dost believe out of all the heart, it is lawful;' and he answering said, ‘I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God;'

³⁸and he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him;

³⁹and when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he was going on his way rejoicing;

⁴⁰and Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he was proclaiming good news to all the cities, till his coming to Cesarea.

Acts 9

¹And Saul, yet breathing of threatening and slaughter to the disciples of the Lord, having gone to the chief priest,

²did ask from him letters to Damascus, unto the synagogues, that if he may find any being of the way, both men and women, he may bring them bound to Jerusalem.

³And in the going, he came nigh to Damascus, and suddenly there shone round about him a light from the heaven,

⁴and having fallen upon the earth, he heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute?'

⁵And he said, ‘Who art thou, Lord?' and the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute; hard for thee at the pricks to kick;'

⁶trembling also, and astonished, he said, ‘Lord, what dost thou wish me to do?' and the Lord said unto him, ‘Arise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what it behoveth thee to do.'

⁷And the men who are journeying with him stood speechless, hearing indeed the voice but seeing no one,

⁸and Saul arose from the earth, and his eyes having been opened, he beheld no one, and leading him by the hand they brought him to Damascus,

⁹and he was three days without seeing, and he did neither eat nor drink.

¹⁰And there was a certain disciple in Damascus, by name Ananias, and the Lord said unto him in a vision, ‘Ananias;' and he said, ‘Behold me, Lord;'

¹¹and the Lord saith unto him, ‘Having risen, go on unto the street that is called Straight, and seek in the house of Judas, one by name Saul of Tarsus, for, lo, he doth pray,

¹²and he saw in a vision a man, by name Ananias, coming in, and putting a hand on him, that he may see again.'

¹³And Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how many evils he did to Thy saints in Jerusalem,

¹⁴and here he hath authority from the chief priests, to bind all those calling on Thy name.'

¹⁵And the Lord said unto him, ‘Be going on, because a choice vessel to Me is this one, to bear My name before nations and kings -- the sons also of Israel;

¹⁶for I will shew him how many things it behoveth him for My name to suffer.'

¹⁷And Ananias went away, and did enter into the house, and having put upon him his hands, said, ‘Saul, brother, the Lord hath sent me -- Jesus who did appear to thee in the way in which thou wast coming -- that thou mayest see again, and mayest be filled with the Holy Spirit.'

¹⁸And immediately there fell from his eyes as it were scales, he saw again also presently, and having risen, was baptized,

¹⁹and having received nourishment, was strengthened, and Saul was with the disciples in Damascus certain days,

²⁰and immediately in the synagogues he was preaching the Christ, that he is the Son of God.

²¹And all those hearing were amazed, and said, ‘Is not this he who laid waist in Jerusalem those calling on this name, and hither to this intent had come, that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?'

²²And Saul was still more strengthened, and he was confounding the Jews dwelling in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

²³And when many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel together to kill him,

²⁴and their counsel against him was known to Saul; they were also watching the gates both day and night, that they may kill him,

²⁵and the disciples having taken him, by night did let him down by the wall, letting down in a basket.

²⁶And Saul, having come to Jerusalem, did try to join himself to the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he is a disciple,

²⁷and Barnabas having taken him, brought him unto the apostles, and did declare to them how in the way he saw the Lord, and that he spake to him, and how in Damascus he was speaking boldly in the name of Jesus.

²⁸And he was with them, coming in and going out in Jerusalem,

²⁹and speaking boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, he was both speaking and disputing with the Hellenists, and they were taking in hand to kill him,

³⁰and the brethren having known, brought him down to Cesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

³¹Then, indeed, the assemblies throughout all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, had peace, being built up, and, going on in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

³²And it came to pass that Peter passing throughout all quarters, came down also unto the saints who were dwelling at Lydda,

³³and he found there a certain man, Aeneas by name -- for eight years laid upon a couch -- who was paralytic,

³⁴and Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, heal thee doth Jesus the Christ; arise and spread for thyself;' and immediately he rose,

³⁵and all those dwelling at Lydda, and Saron saw him, and did turn to the Lord.

³⁶And in Joppa there was a certain female disciple, by name Tabitha, (which interpreted, is called Dorcas,) this woman was full of good works and kind acts that she was doing;

³⁷and it came to pass in those days she, having ailed, died, and having bathed her, they laid her in an upper chamber,

³⁸and Lydda being nigh to Joppa, the disciples having heard that Peter is in that place, sent two men unto him, calling on him not to delay to come through unto them.

³⁹And Peter having risen, went with them, whom having come, they brought into the upper chamber, and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing coats and garments, as many as Dorcas was making while she was with them.

⁴⁰And Peter having put them all forth without, having bowed the knees, did pray, and having turned unto the body said, ‘Tabitha, arise;' and she opened her eyes, and having seen Peter, she sat up,

⁴¹and having given her his hand, he lifted her up, and having called the saints and the widows, he presented her alive,

⁴²and it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord;

⁴³and it came to pass, that he remained many days in Joppa, with a certain one, Simon a tanner.