Acts · King James Version (with Apocrypha)

Acts 8 King James Version (with Apocrypha)

About KJV

Protestant
OT: Masoretic Hebrew
NT: Textus Receptus
Protestant, with the Apocrypha
Formal (word for word)
1611
Public domain

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

KJV King James Version (with Apocrypha)

WEB World English Bible (Classic, with Deuterocanon)

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 Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles.

1 Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

2 And devout men carried Stephen [to his burial], and made great lamentation over him.

2 Devout men buried Stephen and lamented greatly over him.

3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed [them] to prison.

3 But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house and dragged both men and women off to prison.

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

4 Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word.

5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

5 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

6 The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip when they heard and saw the signs which he did.

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.

7 For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

8 And there was great joy in that city.

8 There was great joy in that city.

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:

9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

10 to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is that great power of God.”

11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

11 They listened to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.

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.

12 But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning God’s Kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

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.

13 Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.

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:

14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit;

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

16 for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus.

17 Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

18 Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,

19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

19 saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”

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.

20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God.

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and [in] the bond of iniquity.

23 For I see that you are in the poison of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”

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.

24 Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me.”

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.

25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.

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.

26 Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.”

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,

27 He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship.

28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

28 He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.”

30 And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

30 Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

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.

31 He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.

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:

32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he doesn’t open his mouth.

33 In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

33 In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth.”

34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

34 The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?”

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

35 Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Jesus.

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?

36 As they went on the way, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?”

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.

37 Not in this translation

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.

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

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.

39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.

40 But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

People & places in this chapter

From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.

People

Philip
Deacon and evangelist
One of the seven chosen at Jerusalem; he preached in Samaria, baptized the Ethiopian official, and later hosted Paul at Caesarea with his four prophesying daughters.
Cited in the guide: Acts 6:5; Acts 8:5; Acts 8:38
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Simon
Sorcerer of Samaria
A sorcerer in Samaria who believed and was baptized, then tried to buy the power to give the Holy Spirit and was rebuked by Peter.
Cited in the guide: Acts 8:9; Acts 8:13; Acts 8:18
See in the family tree
Stephen
Deacon and first martyr
One of the seven chosen to serve tables, full of faith and the Holy Spirit; he was stoned after his speech to the Sanhedrin and became the first martyr.
Cited in the guide: Acts 6:5; Acts 7:59; Acts 8:2
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Cross references (39)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

Why does my Bible say something different?

Acts 8:37: the eunuch’s confession of faith
In some Bibles, before Philip baptizes the Ethiopian, he says, “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest,” and the eunuch answers, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” This verse is missing from the oldest Greek manuscripts and from most Byzantine ones, but it was known to St Irenaeus in the second century. It appears to be an early baptismal confession added to the story.

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

Commentary 8:26 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles (Homily XIX)
It seems to me, this (Philip) was one of the seven; for from Jerusalem he would not have gone southwards, but to the north; but from Samaria it was "towards the south. The same is desert:" so that there is no fear of an attack from the Jews. And he did not ask, Wherefore? but "arose and went.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 11 (1889)
Quotes verse 8:9–11 Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies (Book I, Chapters XXII–XXIII)
And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had driven them mad by his sorceries." This Simon, then--who feigned faith, supposing that the apostles themselves performed their cures by the art of magic, and not by the power of God; and with respect to their filling with the Holy Ghost, through the imposition of hands, those …
Read in context · Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1 (1885)
Quotes verse 8:13 Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament (Sermon XXI)
… when we hear, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;" we do not of course understand it of one who believes in such a way "as the devils believe and tremble;" nor of those who receive baptism in such sort as Simon Magus, who though he could be baptized, could not be saved.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
Quotes verse 8:10 John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew (Homily XLVI)
For indeed this is his great power. This power caused Christ to die, that He might put an end to it.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
Quotes verse 8:18–21 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture VI)
The inventor of all heresy was Simon Magus: that Simon, who in the Acts of the Apostles thought to purchase with money the unsaleable grace of the Spirit, and heard the words, Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, and the rest: concerning whom also it is written, They went out from us, but they were not …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)

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