The Congregation is scattered
1 Now Saul endorsed his execution. A great persecution against the Congregation in Jerusalem began in that day, and they were all (except the apostles) scattered throughout the districts of Judea and Samaria. 2 Conscientious men carried Stephen away for burial, and they mourned deeply for him. 3 Saul, however, wreaked havoc on the Congregation, going into homes and dragging out both men and women to be jailed.
Philip spreads the good news
4 As a result, those who were scattered went everywhere spreading the Word, the good news. 5 One was Philip, who went down into the city of Samaria to proclaim Christ to them. 6 The crowd was united in heeding the things they heard Philip say, and the miracles they saw him perform. 7 Many unclean spirits came out of those they had possessed, shrieking as they left; many who were paralyzed or lame were cured. 8 So great joy came upon that city.
Simon the Sorcerer
9 There was a certain man named Simon in the city, a practitioner of magic arts who was amazing the whole nation of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great, 10 and all of them, from peasant to prince, listened to him and said, “This one is the divine Great Power.” 11 They listened to him because of how long he’d been amazing them with magic arts. 12 But when Philip brought the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were immersed. 13 Even Simon believed and was immersed, and he stayed with Philip, watching with amazement the miracles and very powerful deeds being performed.
14 Now the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the Word of God, and they sent Peter and John to them. 15 They went down and prayed about them so that they could receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because to that point it had not come upon any of them since they had only been immersed in the name of Master Jesus. 17 Then they placed their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 But when Simon saw that the Spirit was given by means of laying hands on people, he offered them money. 19 He said, “Give me this authority too, so that whoever I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter told him, “May your money be destroyed along with you, because you thought you could purchase the gift of God! 21 You have no share or stake in this matter, since your heart is not right with God. 22 Turn to God, then, from this malice of yours. Pray to the Master and beg him to forgive you for this evil intent, 23 for I perceive that you are poisoned with bitterness and bound by unrighteousness.” 24 So Simon responded, “Plead to the Master for my sake, so that nothing you said will come upon me.”
25 So then, those that had validated and spoken the word of the Master returned to Jerusalem, and along the way they brought the good news to many Samaritan villages.
Philip and the Ethiopian
26 Then an angel of the Master spoke to Philip: “Get up and go at noon to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza, the desert road.” 27 So Philip got up and went, and he saw a man who was an Ethiopian high official. He had considerable power under the Kandake (queen) of Ethiopia as chief finance officer. He had come to worship in Jerusalem, 28 and as he sat in his chariot on the return trip, he was reading words of the prophet Isaiah.
29 Now the Spirit said to Philip, “Approach this chariot and stay with it.” 30 So Philip ran toward it and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Are you sure you comprehend what you’re reading?”
31 “How could I, unless someone guides me?” he replied. Then he invited Philip to step up and sit with him.
32 The place of scripture he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to slaughter; like a lamb being sheered he made no sound, he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humble state, righteousness was denied, and who will tell the story of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”
34 Then the official asked Philip another question: “Please tell me who the prophet is talking about here, himself or someone else?” 35 So Philip began with that passage to explain the good news about Jesus.
36 Now as they went along the road, they came to some water, and the official said, “Is there any reason I cannot be immersed?” 37 38 So he ordered the chariot to stop, and both he and Philip went down into the water, where Philip immersed him. 39 As they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Master snatched Philip away! The official never saw him again, but went on his way full of joy. 40 Philip, meanwhile, found himself at Azotus. So as he passed through, he brought the good news to all the cities as far as Caesarea.