Saul Persecutes the Church 1 ULT And Saul was agreeing with his execution. And on that day a great persecution began against the church that{ was} in Jerusalem, and they all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. BSB BSB: And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2 ULT And devout men carried away Stephen and made great lamentation over him. BSB BSB: God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
3 ULT But Saul was harming the church. Entering by houses, dragging out both men and women, he was delivering them to prison. BSB BSB: But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria 4 ULT Then the ones having been scattered went about proclaiming the word. BSB BSB: Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
5 ULT And Philip, going down to the city of Samaria, was proclaiming Christ to them. BSB BSB: Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
6 ULT And the crowds were paying attention unanimously to the things being spoken by Philip when they heard them and saw the signs that he was doing. BSB BSB: The crowds all paid close attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform.
7 ULT For many of those having unclean spirits, shouting with a loud voice, they were coming out. And many paralyzed and lame were healed. BSB BSB: With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 ULT And there was much joy in that city. BSB BSB: So there was great joy in that city.
Simon the Sorcerer (Deuteronomy 18:9–14)
9 ULT But a certain man, Simon by name, was already practicing sorcery in the city and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying himself to be someone great, BSB BSB: Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great,
10 ULT to whom they all, from little to great, were paying attention, saying,“This is the power of God that is called Great.” BSB BSB: and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.”
11 ULT And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with sorceries. BSB BSB: They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.
12 ULT But when they believed Philip, proclaiming the gospel about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, both men and women. BSB BSB: But when they believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 ULT And Simon himself also believed and, having been baptized, he was continuing with Philip. And seeing great signs and works happening, he marveled. BSB BSB: Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.
14 ULT And the apostles in Jerusalem, having heard that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John, BSB BSB: When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
15 ULT who, having come down, prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit. BSB BSB: On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
16 ULT For he had not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. BSB BSB: For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 ULT Then they were laying{ their} hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit. BSB BSB: Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 ULT And Simon, seeing that the Spirit was being given through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, offered them money, BSB BSB: When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
19 ULT saying,“Give to me also this authority, so that on whomever I lay{ my} hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.” BSB BSB: “Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 ULT But Peter said to him,“May your silver be with you unto destruction, because you thought to obtain the gift of God through money! BSB BSB: But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
21 ULT No part or share in this matter is to you, because your heart is not right before God. BSB BSB: You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
22 ULT Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, if therefore the intention of your heart will be forgiven to you. BSB BSB: Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart.
23 ULT For I see you being in the gall of bitterness and the bond of unrighteousness.” BSB BSB: For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.”
24 ULT But answering, Simon said,“You pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing of which you have spoken may come upon me.” BSB BSB: Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
25 ULT Then the ones having testified and having spoken the word of the Lord were returning to Jerusalem and proclaiming the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. BSB BSB: And after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages.
Philip and the Ethiopian (Isaiah 53:1–8)
27 ULT And arising, he went, and behold, a man, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, an official of the Kandake, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship, BSB BSB: So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship,
28 ULT and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. BSB BSB: and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet.
29 ULT And the Spirit said to Philip,“Approach and join this chariot.” BSB BSB: The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”
31 ULT And he said,“For how would I be able, unless someone will guide me?” And he invited Philip to sit with him, having come up. BSB BSB: “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
33 ULT In humiliation his justice was taken away. Who will describe his generation? For his life is taken from the earth.” BSB BSB: In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”
34 ULT And answering, the eunuch said to Philip,“I beg of you, about whom is the prophet saying this— about himself, or about some other?” BSB BSB: “Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35 ULT And Philip, opening his mouth and beginning with this scripture, proclaimed Jesus to him. BSB BSB: Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 ULT And as they were going along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch says,“Behold, water! What is preventing my being baptized?” BSB BSB: As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?”
37 ULT And Philip said to him,“If you believe from your whole heart, you will be saved.” And answering he said,“I believe in Christ, the Son of God.” BSB BSB: Not in the BSB
38 ULT And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. BSB BSB: And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39 ULT And when they came up from the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him anymore, for he went on his way rejoicing. BSB BSB: When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
40 ULT But Philip was found at Azotus and, passing through, he was proclaiming the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea. BSB BSB: But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.