And Saul was consenting unto his death.
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Acts 8
Saul Persecutes the
Church |
1 |
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 Judea and Samaria,
except the apostles.
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2 |
And devout men carried Stephen to his
burial, and made great lamentation over him.
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3 |
As for Saul, he made havoc of the church,
entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Acts 22.4, 5 ; 26.9-11
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The Gospel Preached in
Samaria |
4 |
Therefore they that were scattered
abroad went every where preaching the word.
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5 |
Then Philip went down to the city of
Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
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6 |
And the people with one accord gave heed
unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the
miracles which he did.
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7 |
For unclean spirits, crying with loud
voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and
many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
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8 |
And there was great joy in that
city.
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9 |
But there was a certain man, called
Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched
the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great
one:
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10 |
to whom they all gave heed, from the
least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of
God.
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11 |
And to him they had regard, because that
of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
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12 |
But when they believed Philip preaching
the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus
Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
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13 |
Then Simon himself believed also: and
when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered,
beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
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14 |
Now when the apostles which were at
Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent
unto them Peter and John:
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15 |
who, when they were come down, prayed for
them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
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16 |
(for as yet he was fallen upon none of
them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus.)
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17 |
Then laid they their hands on
them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
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18 |
And when Simon saw that through laying on
of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them
money,
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19 |
saying, Give me also this power, that on
whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
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20 |
But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish
with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be
purchased with money.
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21 |
Thou hast neither part nor lot in this
matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Ps.
78.37
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22 |
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness,
and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven
thee.
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23 |
For I perceive that thou art in the gall
of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
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24 |
Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to
the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come
upon me.
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25 |
And they, when they had testified and
preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached
the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
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Philip and the
Ethiopian Eunuch |
26 |
And the angel of the Lord spake unto
Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south, unto the way that
goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
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27 |
And 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 for to worship,
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28 |
was returning, and sitting in his chariot
read Isaiah the prophet.
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29 |
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go
near, and join thyself to this chariot.
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30 |
And Philip ran thither to him, and
heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what
thou readest?
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31 |
And he said, How can I, except some man
should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit
with him.
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32 |
The place of the Scripture which he read
was this,
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He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; |
and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, |
so opened he not his
mouth: |
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33 |
in his humiliation his judgment was taken
away:
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and who shall declare his generation? |
for his life is taken from the earth. Is.
53.7, 8 |
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34 |
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said,
I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of
some other man?
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35 |
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began
at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
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36 |
And as they went on their way,
they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here
is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
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37 |
And Philip said, If thou believest with
all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
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38 |
And he commanded the chariot to stand
still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the
eunuch; and he baptized him.
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39 |
And when they were come up out of the
water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch
saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
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40 |
But Philip was found at Azo'tus: and
passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to
Caesare'a.
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