Saul Persecutes the Church 1 WBS And Saul was consenting to his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed 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 WBS And devout men carried Stephen to his burial , and made great lamentation over him. BSB BSB: God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
3 WBS As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and hauling men and women committed 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 WBS Therefore they that were dispersed went every where preaching the word. BSB BSB: Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
5 WBS Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ to them. BSB BSB: Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them.
6 WBS And the people with one accord gave heed to those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he performed. BSB BSB: The crowds all paid close attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform.
7 WBS For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed: and many taken with palsies, and that were 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 WBS And there was great joy in that city. BSB BSB: So there was great joy in that city.
Simon the Sorcerer (Deuteronomy 18:9–14)
9 WBS But there was a certain man called Simon, who before in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: 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 WBS To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. 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 WBS And to him they had regard, because that for a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries. BSB BSB: They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery.
12 WBS 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. 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 WBS Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. 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 WBS Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they 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 WBS Who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit: BSB BSB: On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
16 WBS (For as yet he had fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in 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 WBS Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. BSB BSB: Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 WBS And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he 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 WBS Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay 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 WBS But Peter said to him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with 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 WBS Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. BSB BSB: You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God.
22 WBS Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. BSB BSB: Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart.
23 WBS For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. BSB BSB: For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.”
24 WBS Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken 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 WBS 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. 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 WBS And he arose, and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and 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 WBS Was returning; and sitting in his chariot, read Isaiah the prophet. BSB BSB: and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet.
29 WBS Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot. BSB BSB: The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.”
31 WBS 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. BSB BSB: “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
33 WBS In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare 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 WBS And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? BSB BSB: “Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”
35 WBS Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached to him Jesus. BSB BSB: Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 WBS And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be 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 WBS And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. BSB BSB: Not in the BSB
38 WBS And he commanded the chariot to stand still: 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 WBS And when they had 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. 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 WBS But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through, he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cesarea. BSB BSB: But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.