Acts 8

1 And Saul [consenting unto his death, approving] was there, giving approval [agreeing to, assenting] to Stephen’s death [murder, killing]. On that day [at that time, then] a great [intense, severe] persecution [harassment, suffering] broke out against the church [assembly, community] in Jerusalem [the holy city], and all [every, everyone] except the apostles [messengers, delegates] were scattered [dispersed, spread out] throughout Judea [the southern region] and Samaria [the middle region]. word study 2 God-fearing [devout, reverent] men [adult males, husbands] buried [entombed, carried to a tomb] Stephen [a Christian martyr, full of the Holy Spirit] and mourned [made great lamentation, lamented deeply] deeply [greatly, with intense sorrow] over him [upon him, against his death]. word study 3 But Saul [made havoc of, ravaged] began to destroy [lay waste to, persecute] the church [assembly, community of believers]. Going from house [home, dwelling place] to house, he dragged off [haling, pulling away] men [adult males] and women [females, wives] and put them in prison [a place of confinement, guard]. word study 4 Those who had been [dispersed, scattered abroad] scattered preached [proclaiming, speaking] the word [Logos, message of God] wherever [to and from, everywhere] they went [passing through, traveling]. word study 5 Philip [a common name among early believers] went down [descended from a higher place] to a city [a town with walls, a community] in Samaria [a region in Palestine] and proclaimed [preached, heralded] the Christ [the Anointed One, Messiah] to them [the people, the inhabitants]. word study 6 The crowds [multitudes, large groups of people] gave their undivided attention [with one accord, unitedly] to Philip’s [the deacon, evangelist] message [words, teachings] and to the signs [miracles, supernatural indications] they saw him perform [do, bring about, accomplish]. word study 7 With loud [great, intense] shrieks, unclean [impure, morally defiled] spirits [the vital principle or mental disposition] came out of many [a large number] who were possessed [having evil spirits within], and many [a great amount] of the paralyzed [weakened or enfeebled] and lame [crippled or disabled] were healed [cured or restored to health]. word study 8 So there was [much, abundant] great joy [a deep and lasting happiness] in that [specific, particular] city [a town with walls, a community of people]. word study 9 Prior to that time, a man [someone, an adult male] named Simon [a Greek name signifying ‘hearing’] had practiced [used, exercised] sorcery [magic, supernatural powers] in the city [a town with walls, a community] and astounded [amazed, shocked] the people of Samaria [a region in Palestine, non-Jewish]. He claimed to be someone [a person, an individual] great [important, powerful], word study 10 and all the people, from the least [smallest, humblest] to the greatest [most important, prominent], heeded [paid attention to, listened carefully] his words and said, “This man is [represents, embodies] the divine power [great ability, miraculous strength] called [known as, referred to as] the Great Power [God’s mighty authority].” word study 11 They paid close attention [gave heed, were attentive] to him because he had [for a long time, continually] astounded [amazed, bewildered] them for a long time with his [magical practices, sorceries] sorcery [magic, supernatural powers]. word study 12 But when [at that specific point in time] they believed [trusted in, had faith in] Philip as he preached [proclaimed, announced] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] of the kingdom [reign, dominion] of God [the one true deity] and the name [character, authority] of Jesus [God is salvation] Christ [the anointed Messiah], they were baptized [immersed, submerged], both [and, together] men [adult males] and women [females, wives]. word study 13 Even Simon [the magician] himself believed [had faith, trusted] and was baptized [immersed, fully wet]. He followed Philip [continually] closely and was astounded [amazed, full of wonder] by the great [exceeding, mighty] signs [miracles, wonders] and miracles [powerful acts, deeds] he observed [saw, beheld]. word study 14 When the apostles [messengers of Jesus Christ] in Jerusalem [the city of peace] heard [listened and understood] that Samaria [a region in Palestine] had received [accepted and welcomed] the word [Logos, the divine message] of God [the one true deity], they sent [dispatched on a mission] Peter [a rock or stone, a leader] and John [a gift from God] to them [the people of Samaria]. word study 15 On their arrival [when they came down, having descended], they prayed [to worship and ask of God] for them to receive [to take, accept, and possess] the Holy [set apart, sacred] Spirit [the divine breath, the vital principle of God]. word study 16 For [as yet, up to that time] the Holy Spirit [the divine Presence, Helper] had not yet [at no time previously] fallen [come down, rested] upon [on] any of them; they had simply [only, merely] been baptized [fully immersed, submerged] into [toward] the name [character, authority] of the Lord [Master, Savior] Jesus [God is salvation, the Anointed One]. word study 17 Then [at that specific point in time] Peter and John laid [placed, put] their hands [instruments of power and blessing] on them, and they received [took, accepted] the Holy [set apart, dedicated to God] Spirit [the vital principle, divine breath]. word study 18 When Simon [the sorcerer, a magician] saw that the Spirit [the Holy Ghost, the divine Presence] was given [bestowed, granted] through [by means of, because of] the laying on [the imposition, the placement] of the apostles’ [messengers of Jesus Christ, delegates] hands [as a symbol of power and authority], he offered [brought, presented] them money [wealth, riches, a special sum]. word study 19 “Give [bestow, grant] me this power [authority, ability] as well,” he said, “so that everyone [all people, whomever] on whom I lay [place, put] my hands [as a symbol of imparting the Holy Spirit] may receive [take, accept] the Holy [set apart, sacred] Spirit [the divine presence, breath of God].” word study 20 But Peter [the rock, a foundation of the church] replied, “May your silver [money, wealth] perish [be destroyed, come to ruin] with you, because you thought [believed, considered] you could buy [purchase, acquire] the gift [free gift, gracious bestowal] of God [the Almighty, Creator] with money [riches, wealth]! word study 21 You [as a person] have no [absolute, complete] part [share, portion] or share [inheritance, lot] in our ministry [service, work], because your heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings] is not [completely, utterly] right [straight, level] before [in the presence of] God [the one true deity]. word study 22 Repent [turn away from sin, change your mind], therefore, of your wickedness [evil, moral depravity], and pray [ask, beg, beseech] to the Lord [God, the one true deity]. Perhaps [if it is His will, if He is willing] He will forgive [pardon, release] you for the intent [thought, purpose] of your heart [the seat of thoughts, feelings, and emotions]. word study 23 For [as a reason, because] I see [perceive, observe] that you are [exist, being] poisoned [in the gall of bitterness, full of bitter envy] by bitterness [a strong, unpleasant feeling, like a bad taste] and captive [in the bond of iniquity, a slave to] to iniquity [unrighteousness, being morally wrong].” word study 24 Then Simon [the sorcerer, a magician] answered, “Pray [beseech, ask earnestly] to the Lord [the supreme authority] for me, so that nothing [none of these things] you have said [spoken, uttered] may happen [come upon, invade] to me [against me, upon my life].” word study 25 And after Peter and John had testified [solemnly witnessed, shared their personal experience] and spoken the word [Logos, the divine message] of the Lord [the supreme authority], they returned [turned back, went home] to Jerusalem, preaching [proclaiming, sharing] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] in many [numerous, several] of the Samaritan [from the region of Samaria] villages [small towns, rural areas]. word study 26 Now an angel [messenger of God, heavenly being] of the Lord [God, the supreme authority] said to Philip, “Get up [arise, stand up] and go south [toward the noon, in a southerly direction] to the desert [desolate, uninhabited] road that goes down [comes down, descends] from Jerusalem [the holy city] to Gaza [a city in Palestine].” word study 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian [from the land of Cush] eunuch, a court official [of great authority, a ruler] in charge of the entire treasury [store of valuable things] of Candace [the queen, a female monarch], queen of the Ethiopians [a person from Ethiopia]. He had gone to Jerusalem [the holy city, toward the place of worship] to worship [show respect and honor, bow down], word study 28 and on his return [going back, turning back] was sitting [seated, resting] in his chariot [vehicle, carriage] reading [studying, understanding] Isaiah [a prophet of God, a messenger] the prophet [one who speaks for God, a messenger of God]. word study 29 The Spirit [the vital principle] said to Philip [a common name, referring to a deacon], “Go over [near, approach] to that chariot [a vehicle with wheels, a means of transportation] and stay by [join, be joined to] it [this specific one, the one in question].” word study 30 So Philip [ran up hastily, with urgency] ran up and heard the man reading [from the scriptures of] Isaiah [a prophet of God, who spoke forth His will] the prophet [one who interprets God’s will]. “Do you [truly, with understanding] understand [know, perceive, comprehend] what you are reading [from the scriptures]?” Philip [the apostle, a messenger of God] asked [said, spoke to him]. word study 31 “How can I [understand, comprehend],” he said, “unless someone [a guide, teacher] guides [shows the way, explains] me?” And he invited Philip [the evangelist, messenger of God] to come up [ascend, go up] and sit [be seated, rest] with [together, in companionship] him. word study 32 The eunuch was reading this passage [section, portion] of Scripture: “He was led [brought, guided] like a sheep to the slaughter [butchering, killing], and as a lamb [a young sheep, representing Jesus] before the shearer [one who cuts] is silent [mute, unable to speak], so He did not open [speak, utter] His mouth [the organ of speech, symbolizing communication]. word study 33 In His [lowliness, humiliation, being brought low] humiliation He was deprived of justice [a fair trial, righteous judgment]. Who can recount [declare, tell the story of] His [descendants, offspring, generation] descendants? For His [life, existence, spiritual being] life was removed [taken away, cut off] from the earth [world, physical realm].” word study 34 “Tell me,” said the eunuch [a high-ranking official, castrated servant], “who is the prophet [one who speaks for God, a messenger] talking about [referring to, speaking of], himself [himself personally, his own life] or someone else [another person, a different individual]?” word study 35 Then [at that moment, next] Philip [the deacon, evangelist] began [to rule, commence] with this very Scripture [the specific writing, passage] and told [preached, proclaimed] him the good news [the gospel, evangel] about [concerning, regarding] Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation]. word study 36 As they traveled [went on their way, journeyed] along the road [path, journey] and came to some water [a certain water, a pond], the eunuch [a high-ranking official, chamberlain] said, “Look [see, behold], here is water [here is a place to be baptized]! What is there to prevent [hinder, stop] me from being baptized [immersed, fully wet]?” word study 38 And he gave orders [to command, instructed] to stop [to stand still, halt] the chariot [vehicle, carriage]. Then both [together, as a pair] Philip [the evangelist, messenger] and the eunuch [a high-ranking official, castrated servant] went down [descended, came down] into the water [liquid], and Philip baptized [immersed, submerged] him. word study 39 When [at that specific point in time] they came up [ascended, went up] out of the water [literal or figurative], the Spirit [the vital principle or mental disposition] of the Lord [God, the supreme authority] carried [seized, snatched away] Philip away, and the eunuch [a person of high rank, castrated or unable to marry] saw him no more [not anymore, no longer], but went on his way [traveled, journeyed] rejoicing [feeling happy and glad, experiencing joy]. word study 40 But Philip [appeared suddenly, was found] appeared at Azotus [a city in Palestine, also known as Ashdod] and traveled [passing through, preaching as he went] through that region, preaching [proclaiming, announcing] the gospel [good news, message of salvation] in all [every, each] the towns [cities, communities] until he came [arrived, reached] to Caesarea [a city in Palestine, a major Roman center]. word study