1And Saul was consenting to his death. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the assembly which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles. 2And devout men buried Stephen, and made great lamentation over him. 3But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house, and dragging off men and women he committed them to prison. 4Therefore those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the word. 5And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Messiah. 6And the multitudes paid attention with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did. 7For from many of those who had unclean spirits, they came out, crying with a loud voice: and many who were paralyzed, and who were lame, were healed. 8And there was much joy in that city. 9But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who previously in the city practiced sorcery, and amazed the people of Samaria, claiming that he himself was someone great: 10to whom they all paid attention, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is called Great. 11And they paid attention to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries. 12But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Yeshua Messiah, they were baptized, both men and women. 13And Simon himself also believed: and being baptized, he continued with Philip; and seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed. 14Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John: 15who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit: 16for as yet it had fallen upon none of them: they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Yeshua. 17Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18Now 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 whoever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit. 20But Peter said to him, May your silver perish with you, because you have thought to obtain the gift of God with money. 21You have neither part nor lot in this matter: for your heart is not right before God. 22Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of your heart shall be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity. 24And Simon answered and said, Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken may come upon me. 25They 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. 26But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza: this is desert. 27And 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; 28and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29And the Spirit said to Philip, Go near, and join yourself to this chariot. 30And Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, Do you understand what you are reading? 31And he said, How can I, unless someone guides me? And he urged Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now 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 silent, So he does not open his mouth: 33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: His generation who shall declare? For his life is taken from the earth. 34And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this? of himself, or of someone else? 35And Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this scripture, preached to him Yeshua. 36And as they went on the way, they came to some water; and the eunuch says, Behold, here is water; what hinders me from being baptized? 37 38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39And 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. 40But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Cæsarea.