1 ¶ And Saul approved of putting Stephen to death. And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

2 And some devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made loud lamentation over him.

3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering house after house, he dragged off men and women putting them in prison.

4 ¶ As a result those who were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

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

6 And the people with one accord paid attention to the things that Philip said, hearing and seeing the miracles that he did.

7 For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many who were possessed by them: and many who were paralyzed, or lame, were healed.

8 And there was great joy in that city.

9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, who had previously used sorcery in that same city, and awed the people of Samaria, passing himself off as someone great:

10 And they all listened to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11 And they followed him, because he had for a long time amazed them with his magic.

12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

13 Then Simon himself believed: and after he was baptized, continued with Philip, and was amazed seeing the miracles and signs that were done.

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

15 Who, when they arrived, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16 (Because he had not yet fallen upon any of them: they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

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

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

19 Saying, Give me also this power, so that everyone upon whom I lay hands, may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said to him, May your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money.

21 You have no part or share in this matter: for your heart is not right in the sight of God.

22 Therefore repent of this wickedness, and pray to God, that the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

23 For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity.

24 Then Simon answered, Pray to the Lord for me, that none of the things that you have said come upon me.

25 And after they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many Samaritan villages.

26 ¶ And the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza, through the desert.

27 So he arose and went: and, behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,

28 Was returning, and reading Isaiah the prophet as he sat in his chariot.

29 Then the Spirit said to Philip, Go near, and join yourself to his chariot.

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

31 And he said, How can I, unless someone guides me? And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him.

32 The passage of scripture that he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth:

33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice: and who will declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

34 And the eunuch asked Philip, Please tell me, of whom is the prophet saying this? of himself, or of some other man?

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at the same scripture, told him the good news about Jesus.

36 And as they went on their way, they came to some water: and the eunuch said, Look, here is water; what prevents me from being baptized?

37 And Philip said, If you truly believe, you may. And he said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

38 And he commanded the chariot to stop: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

39 And after they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch did not see him again: but he went on his way rejoicing.

40 But Philip appeared at Azotus: and as he passed through preached in all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.