Acts 8

All 40 verses in the Clear Bible Translation. Tap a verse to compare the KJV and read what it means.

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1. 1Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2. 2Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.
3. 3But Saul was ravaging the church, entering house after house, dragging off men and women and throwing them into prison.
4. 4So those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.
5. 5Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ to them.
6. 6The crowds with one accord paid close attention to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he performed.
7. 7For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.
8. 8And there was great joy in that city.
9. 9Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming to be someone great.
10. 10Everyone paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is the great power of God."
11. 11They followed him because he had amazed them with his sorcery for a long time.
12. 12But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.
13. 13Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He stayed close to Philip and was amazed, seeing the great signs and miracles being performed.
14. 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.
15. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
16. 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them — they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17. 17Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18. 18When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
19. 19saying, "Give me this power too, so that anyone I lay my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit."
20. 20But Peter said to him, "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could purchase the gift of God with money!"
21. 21"You have no part or share in this matter, for your heart is not right before God."
22. 22"Repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to God — perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you."
23. 23"For I can see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of sin."
24. 24Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me, so that none of what you have said will come upon me."
25. 25After they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the good news in many villages of the Samaritans.
26. 26An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Get up and go south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza" — this is a desert road.
27. 27So he got up and went. And there was an Ethiopian man, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship
28. 28and was returning home, sitting in his chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah.
29. 29The Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and join that chariot."
30. 30Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
31. 31He said, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32. 32The passage of Scripture he was reading was this: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before its shearer, so he did not open his mouth."
33. 33"In his humiliation, justice was denied him. Who will speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."
34. 34The eunuch said to Philip, "I ask you, who is the prophet speaking about? Himself, or someone else?"
35. 35Then Philip began to speak, and starting from that Scripture, he told him the good news about Jesus.
36. 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water. The eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?"
37. 37Philip said, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." He answered, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
38. 38He ordered the chariot to stop, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing.
40. 40Philip was found at Azotus, and as he passed through, he preached the good news in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.