And Saul was consenting unto his death.
And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles.
And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.
But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men and women committed them to prison.
They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about {Compare marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preaching the word.
And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ.
And the multitudes gave heed with one accord unto the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did. {Or, For many of those that had unclean spirits that cried with a loud voice came forth}
For from many of those that had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice: and many that were palsied, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was much joy in that city.
But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the {Greek: nation.}people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great.
And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
But when they believed Philip {Compare marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
And Simon also himself believed: and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great {Greek: powers.}miracles wrought, he was amazed.
Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit:
for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the {Some ancient authorities omit Holy.}Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.
But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this {Greek: word.}matter: for thy heart is not right before God.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee.
For I see that thou {Or, wilt become gall (or, a gall root) of bitterness and a bond of iniquity. Compare Deuteronomy 29:18; Hebrew 12:15.}art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.
And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me.
They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and {Greek: brought good tidings. Compare chapter 5:22.}preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.
But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go {Or, at noon Compare chapter 22:6}toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert.
And he arose and went: and behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship;
and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.
And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him.
Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this,
{Isaiah 53:7 f.}He was led as a sheep to the slaughter;
And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb,
So he openeth not his mouth:
In his humiliation his judgment was taken away:
His generation who shall declare?
For his life is taken from the earth.
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other?
And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, {See marginal note on chapter 5:42.}preached unto him Jesus.
And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? {Some ancient authorities insert, wholly or in part, version 37 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.}
- - -
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.
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.
Querverweise zu Apostelgeschichte 8,31 Apg 8,31
Good and upright is Jehovah:Therefore will he instruct sinners in the way.
So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
The meek will he guide in justice;And the meek will he teach his way.
And he said unto him, {Or, My heart went not from me, when &c.}Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants?
When I thought how I might know this,It was {Hebrew: labor in mine eyes.}too painful for me;
And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thy hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took him up to him into the chariot.
Until I went into the sanctuary of God,And considered their latter end.
And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for Jehovah. So they made him ride in his chariot.
So brutish {Or, am}was I, and ignorant;I was as a beast {Hebrew: with thee.}before thee.
Surely I am more brutish than any man,And have not the understanding of a man;
And I have not learned wisdom, {Or, That I should have the knowledge &c.}Neither have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of {Or, a book (or, writing)}the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity and out of darkness.
The meek also shall increase their joy in Jehovah, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but is shall be for {Hebrew: them.}the redeemed: the wayfaring men, yea fools, shall not err therein.
and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the {Greek: greater.}greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Let no man deceive himself. If any man thinketh that he is wise among you in this {Or, age}world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
If any man thinketh that he knoweth anything, he knoweth not yet as he ought to know;
What? was it from you that the word of God went forth? or came it unto you alone?
If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him take knowledge of the things which I write unto you, that they are the commandment of the Lord.
and the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.
Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of {Or, malice}wickedness, receive with meekness the {Or, inborn}implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
Putting away therefore all {Or, malice 1 Corinthians 14:20.}wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
as newborn babes, long for the {Greek: belonging to the reason. Compare Romans 12:1.}spiritual milk which is without guile, that ye may grow thereby unto salvation;