Chapter 8

  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 Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.  

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  And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him.  

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  But Saul laid waste the church, entering into every house, and dragging men and women committed them to prison.  

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  They therefore that were scattered abroad, went about preaching the word.  

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  And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed unto them the Christ.  

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  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.  

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  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.  

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  And there was much joy in that city.  

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  But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who beforetime in the city used sorcery, and amazed the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:  

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  to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great.  

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  And they gave heed to him, because that of long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.  

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  But when they believed Philip preaching good tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.  

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  And Simon also himself believed: and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and beholding signs and great miracles wrought, he was amazed.  

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  Now when the apostles that were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:  

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  who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit:  

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  for as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.  

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

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  Now when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,  

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  saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.  

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  But Peter said unto him, Thy silver perish with thee, because thou hast thought to obtain the gift of God with money.  

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  Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right before God.  

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  Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of thy heart shall be forgiven thee.  

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  For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.  

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  And Simon answered and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, that none of the things which ye have spoken come upon me.  

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  They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.  

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  But an angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza: the same is desert.  

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  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;  

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  and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.  

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  And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.  

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  And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?  

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  And he said, How can I, except some one shall guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him.  

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  Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth:  

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  In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth.  

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  And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other?  

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  And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached unto him Jesus.  

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  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?  

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  [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.]  

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  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.  

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  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.  

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  But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.  

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