¶ And Saul¹ was consenting unto his death. And at that time there² was a great persecution against the church³ which was at Jerusalem; and they⁴ were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria⁵, except⁶ the apostles.

And devout⁷ men carried Stephen to his burial, and made⁸ great lamentation over him.

⁹As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

¶¹⁰Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Then Philip¹¹ went down to the city¹² of Samaria, and preached¹³ Christ unto them.

And the people with one¹⁴ accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

For unclean¹⁵ spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies¹⁶, and that were lame¹⁷, were healed.

¹⁸And there was great joy in that city.

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used¹⁹ sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving²⁰ out that himself was some great one:

¶ To whom they²¹ all gave heed, from²² the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power²³ of God.

And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had²⁴ bewitched them with sorceries.

But when they believed²⁵ Philip preaching the things concerning²⁶ the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both²⁷ men and women.

Then Simon²⁸ himself believed²⁹ also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered³⁰, beholding the miracles and signs³¹ which were done.

¶ Now when³² the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received³³ the word of God, they sent unto them Peter³⁴ and John:

Who, when they were come down, prayed³⁵ for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

(For as yet he was³⁶ fallen upon none of them: only³⁷ they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Then laid³⁸ they their hands on them, and they received³⁹ the Holy Ghost.

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered⁴⁰ them money,

⁴¹Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

¶ But Peter said unto him, Thy⁴² money perish with thee, because thou⁴³ hast thought that the gift⁴⁴ of God may be purchased with money.

Thou hast⁴⁵ neither part nor lot in this matter: for⁴⁶ thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

Repent⁴⁷ therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray⁴⁸ God, if⁴⁹ perhaps the thought⁵⁰ of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

For I perceive that thou art in the gall⁵¹ of bitterness, and in the bond⁵² of iniquity.

Then answered Simon, and said, Pray⁵³ ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

And they, when they had⁵⁴ testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages⁵⁵ of the Samaritans.

¶ And the angel⁵⁶ of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise⁵⁷, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza⁵⁸, which is desert⁵⁹.

And he arose⁶⁰ and went: and, behold, a man⁶¹ of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen⁶² of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had⁶³ come to Jerusalem for to worship,

Was returning, and sitting in⁶⁴ his chariot read Esaias the⁶⁵ prophet.

⁶⁷Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

¶ And Philip ran thither⁶⁸ to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest⁶⁹ thou what thou readest?

And he said, How⁷⁰ can I, except some man should guide me? And he⁷¹ desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led⁷² as a sheep⁷³ to the slaughter; and like a⁷⁴ lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he⁷⁵ not his mouth:

In his humiliation⁷⁶ his judgment⁷⁷ was taken away: and who⁷⁸ shall declare his generation? for⁷⁹ his life is taken from the earth.

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom⁸⁰ speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

Then Philip opened⁸¹ his mouth, and began⁸² at the same scripture, and preached⁸³ unto him Jesus.

And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See⁸⁴, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

And Philip said, If⁸⁵ thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered⁸⁶ and said, I believe⁸⁷ that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized⁸⁸ him.

And when they were⁸⁹ come up out of the water, the Spirit⁹⁰ of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he⁹¹ went on his way rejoicing.

¶ But Philip was found at⁹² Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea⁹⁴.