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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"><title>Acts 8 CEV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/acts/8.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="../topmenuchap/acts/8-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">CEV</a> > Acts 8</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../acts/7.htm" title="Acts 7">◄</a> Acts 8 <a href="../acts/9.htm" title="Acts 9">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading">Contemporary English Version</div><div class="chap"><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_1"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.1-Acts.8.2" class="v44_8_1">1-2</span>Saul approved the stoning of Stephen. Some faithful followers of the Lord buried Stephen and mourned very much for him.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Saul Makes Trouble for the Church</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_1">At that time the church in Jerusalem suffered terribly. All of the Lord's followers, except the apostles, were scattered everywhere in Judea and Samaria. </span><span class="v44_8_3"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.3" class="v44_8_3">3</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.8.3!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> Saul started making a lot of trouble for the church. He went from house to house, arresting men and women and putting them in jail.</span></p><h3 class="s1">The Good News Is Preached in Samaria</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_4"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.4" class="v44_8_4">4</span>The Lord's followers who had been scattered went from place to place, telling the good news. </span><span class="v44_8_5"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.5" class="v44_8_5">5</span>Philip went to the city of Samaria and told the people about Christ. </span><span class="v44_8_6"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.6" class="v44_8_6">6</span>They crowded around Philip because they were eager to hear what he was saying and to see him work miracles. </span><span class="v44_8_7"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.7" class="v44_8_7">7</span>Many people with evil spirits were healed, and the spirits went out of them with a shout. A lot of paralyzed and lame people were also healed. </span><span class="v44_8_8"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.8" class="v44_8_8">8</span>Everyone in that city was very glad because of what was happening.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_9"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.9" class="v44_8_9">9</span>For some time a man named Simon had lived there and had amazed the people of Samaria. He practiced witchcraft and claimed to be somebody great. </span><span class="v44_8_10"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.10" class="v44_8_10">10</span>Everyone, rich and poor, crowded around him. They said, “This man is the power of God called ‘The Great Power.’ ”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_11"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.11" class="v44_8_11">11</span>For a long time, Simon had used witchcraft to amaze the people, and they kept crowding around him. </span><span class="v44_8_12"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.12" class="v44_8_12">12</span>But when they believed what Philip was saying about God's kingdom and about the name of Jesus Christ, they were all baptized. </span><span class="v44_8_13"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.13" class="v44_8_13">13</span>Even Simon believed and was baptized. He stayed close to Philip, because he marveled at all the miracles and wonders.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_14"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.14" class="v44_8_14">14</span>The apostles in Jerusalem heard that some people in Samaria had accepted God's message, and they sent Peter and John. </span><span class="v44_8_15"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.15" class="v44_8_15">15</span>When the two apostles arrived, they prayed that these people would be given the Holy Spirit. </span><span class="v44_8_16"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.16" class="v44_8_16">16</span>Before this, the Holy Spirit had not been given to any of them, though some of them had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. </span><span class="v44_8_17"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.17" class="v44_8_17">17</span>Peter and John then placed their hands on everyone who had faith in the Lord, and they were given the Holy Spirit.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_18"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.18" class="v44_8_18">18</span>Simon noticed that the Spirit was given only when the apostles placed their hands on the people. So he brought money </span><span class="v44_8_19"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.19" class="v44_8_19">19</span>and said to Peter and John, “Let me have this power too! Then anyone I place my hands on will also be given the Holy Spirit.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_20"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.20" class="v44_8_20">20</span>Peter said to him, “You and your money will both end up in hell if you think you can buy God's gift! </span><span class="v44_8_21"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.21" class="v44_8_21">21</span>You don't have any part in this, and God sees that your heart isn't right. </span><span class="v44_8_22"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.22" class="v44_8_22">22</span>Get rid of these evil thoughts and ask God to forgive you. </span><span class="v44_8_23"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.23" class="v44_8_23">23</span>I can see that you are jealous and bound by your evil ways.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_24"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.24" class="v44_8_24">24</span>Simon said, “Please pray to the Lord, so that what you said won't happen to me.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_25"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.25" class="v44_8_25">25</span>After Peter and John had preached about the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem. On their way they told the good news in many villages of Samaria.</span></p><h3 class="s1">Philip and an Ethiopian Official</h3><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_26"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.26" class="v44_8_26">26</span>The Lord's angel said to Philip, “Go south<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.8.26!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> along the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.”<a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.8.26!f.2" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v44_8_27"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.27" class="v44_8_27">27</span>So Philip left.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_27">An important Ethiopian official happened to be going along that road in his chariot. He was the chief treasurer for Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. The official had gone to Jerusalem to worship </span><span class="v44_8_28"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.28" class="v44_8_28">28</span>and was now on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot, reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_29"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.29" class="v44_8_29">29</span>The Spirit told Philip to catch up with the chariot. </span><span class="v44_8_30"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.30" class="v44_8_30">30</span>Philip ran up close and heard the man reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_31"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.31" class="v44_8_31">31</span>The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone helps me?” He then invited Philip to come up and sit beside him.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_32"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.32" class="v44_8_32">32</span><a href="#fn" id="link_Acts.8.32!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> The man was reading the passage that said,</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="q1"><span class="v44_8_32">“He was led like a sheep</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v44_8_32">on its way to be killed.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v44_8_32">He was silent as a lamb</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v44_8_32">whose wool</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v44_8_32">is being cut off,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v44_8_32">and he did not say</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v44_8_32">a word.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v44_8_33"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.33" class="v44_8_33">33</span>He was treated like a nobody</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v44_8_33">and did not receive</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v44_8_33">a fair trial.</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v44_8_33">How can he have children,</span></p><p class="q1"><span class="v44_8_33">if his life</span></p><p class="q2"><span class="v44_8_33">is snatched away?”</span></p><p class="b"></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_34"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.34" class="v44_8_34">34</span>The official said to Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or about someone else?” </span><span class="v44_8_35"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.35" class="v44_8_35">35</span>So Philip began at this place in the Scriptures and explained the good news about Jesus.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_36"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.36-Acts.8.37" class="v44_8_36">36-37</span>As they were going along the road, they came to a place where there was some water. The official said, “Look! Here is some water. Why can't I be baptized?”<a href="#Acts.8.36-Acts.8.37!f.1" id="link_Acts.8.36-Acts.8.37!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> </span><span class="v44_8_38"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.38" class="v44_8_38">38</span>He ordered the chariot to stop. Then they both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_39"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.39" class="v44_8_39">39</span>After they had come out of the water, the Lord's Spirit took Philip away. The official never saw him again, but he was very happy as he went on his way.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v44_8_40"><span class="reftext" id="Acts.8.40" class="v44_8_40">40</span>Philip later appeared in Azotus. He went from town to town, all the way to Caesarea, telling people about Jesus.</span></p></div> </div> <a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">8.26 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Go south: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “About noon go.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">8.26 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Or “the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza in the desert.”</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">8.36,37 </char><char style="fq" closed="false">Why can't I be baptized: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Some manuscripts add, “Philip replied, ‘You can, if you believe with all your heart.’ The official answered, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ ”</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 2006 American Bible Society. 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