1And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2And devout men carried Stephen [to his burial] and made great lamentation over him. 3As for Saul, he made havoc of the church; entering into the houses and dragging [out] men and women, he committed [them] to prison. 4But those that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word of the gospel. 5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached the Christ unto them. 6And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the signs which he did. 7For many unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of those who were possessed [with them], and many paralytics and that were lame were healed. 8And there was great joy in that city. 9But there was a certain man called Simon, who before this in the same city used magic arts and amazed the people of Samaria, giving out that [he] himself was some great one, 10to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This is the great virtue of God. 11And to him they had regard because for a long time he had amazed them with magic arts. 12But when they believed Philip preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Then Simon himself believed also; and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were being done. 14Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John unto them, 15who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them; they were baptized only in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17Then they laid [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, 19saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. 20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. 21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. 22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God, if perhaps this thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. 23For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and [in] the prison of iniquity. 24Then Simon answered and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me. 25And they, when they had testified and preached the word of God, returned to Jerusalem and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. 26And the angel of the Lord spoke unto Philip, saying, Arise and go toward the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. 27Then he arose and went, and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28was returning and sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. 29Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself to this chariot. 30And Philip ran there to [him] and heard him read the prophet Isaiah and said, Dost thou understand what thou readest? 31And he said, How can I, except someone should guide me? And he besought Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth; 33in his humiliation his judgment was taken away, and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34And the eunuch answered Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom does the prophet speak this? of himself or of some other? 35Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him the gospel of Jesus. 36And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what hinders me to be baptized? 37And Philip said, If thou dost believe with all thine heart, thou may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 38And he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they went both down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, [so] that the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he preached the gospel in all the cities until he came to Caesarea.: