Acts 8Acts8

King James VersionBerean Standard Bible

1. Saul Persecutes the Church

2. 1KJVAnd 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.BSBBSB: 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.
3. 2KJVAnd devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.BSBBSB: God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
4. 3KJVAs for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.BSBBSB: But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.

5. Philip in Samaria

6. 4KJVTherefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.BSBBSB: Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
7. 5KJVThen Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.BSBBSB: Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
8. 6KJVAnd the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.BSBBSB: The crowds all paid close attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform.
9. 7KJVFor 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.BSBBSB: With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed.
10. 8KJVAnd there was great joy in that city.BSBBSB: So there was great joy in that city.

11. Simon the Sorcerer

    (Deuteronomy 18:9–14)

12. 9KJVBut 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:BSBBSB: 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,
13. 10KJVTo whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.BSBBSB: 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.”
14. 11KJVAnd to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.BSBBSB: They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.
15. 12KJVBut 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.BSBBSB: 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.
16. 13KJVThen Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.BSBBSB: Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed.
17. 14KJVNow when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:BSBBSB: When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
18. 15KJVWho, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:BSBBSB: On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
19. 16KJV(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)BSBBSB: For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
20. 17KJVThen laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.BSBBSB: Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
21. 18KJVAnd when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,BSBBSB: When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money.
22. 19KJVSaying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.BSBBSB: “Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
23. 20KJVBut Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.BSBBSB: But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!
24. 21KJVThou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.BSBBSB: You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
25. 22KJVRepent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.BSBBSB: Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart.
26. 23KJVFor I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.BSBBSB: For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.”
27. 24KJVThen answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.BSBBSB: Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
28. 25KJVAnd 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.BSBBSB: 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.

29. Philip and the Ethiopian

    (Isaiah 53:1–8)

30. 26KJVAnd 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.BSBBSB: Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
31. 27KJVAnd 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,BSBBSB: 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,
32. 28KJVWas returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.BSBBSB: and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet.
33. 29KJVThen the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.BSBBSB: The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”
34. 30KJVAnd Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?BSBBSB: So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
35. 31KJVAnd he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.BSBBSB: “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
36. 32KJVThe 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:BSBBSB: The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
37. 33KJVIn his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.BSBBSB: In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.”
38. 34KJVAnd the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?BSBBSB: “Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
39. 35KJVThen Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.BSBBSB: Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
40. 36KJVAnd 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?BSBBSB: 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?”
41. 37KJVAnd 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.BSBBSB: Not in the BSB
    Not in the earliest manuscripts
42. 38KJVAnd he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.BSBBSB: And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
43. 39KJVAnd 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.BSBBSB: 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.
44. 40KJVBut Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.BSBBSB: But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.