Study Desk

Him hath God established as a head and vivifier; and hath exalted him to his own right hand, so that he might give repentance and remission of sins to Israel.

And the high priest asked him: Are these things so?

O ye stiff of neck, and uncircumcised in their heart, and in their hearing; ye do always set yourselves against the Holy Spirit; as your fathers, so also ye.

And the section of scripture in which he was reading, was this: As a lamb to the slaughter he was led away, and as a sheep before the shearer is silent, so also he in his humility opened not his mouth.

span data-lang="eng" data-trans="jmt" data-ref="act.8.1" class="versetxt"> And Saul was consenting and participating in his death. And there was, in that day, a great persecution against the church that was at Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed, except the legates, among the villages of Judaea and likewise among the Samaritans. And believing men gathered up and buried Stephen. And they lamented over him greatly. And Saul persecuted the church of God, entering houses, and dragging forth men and women and committing them to prison. And they who were dispersed, travelled about and preached the word of God. And Philip went down to a city of the Samaritans, and preached concerning the Messiah. And when the people who were there heard his discourse, they gave ear to him, and acquiesced in all that he said; because they saw the signs which he wrought. For many who were possessed by unclean spirits, cried with a loud voice, and came out of them: and others, who were paralytic and lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city. And there was a certain man there, whose name was Simon, who had resided in that city a long time, and who seduced the people of the Samaritans by his sorceries, magnifying himself, and saying, I am a great personage. And they all inclined towards him, great and small; and they said, This is the mighty power of God. And they acquiesced in him, because for a long time he had astonished them by his sorceries. But when they gave credence to Philip, as he preached the kingdom of God, in the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah; they were baptized, both men and women. And Simon himself also believed, and was baptized, and adhered to Philip. And when he saw the signs and mighty deeds which were wrought by his hand, he was surprised and astonished. And when the legates at Jerusalem, heard that the people of the Samaritans had received the word of God, they sent out to them Simon Cephas and John. And they went down, and prayed over them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For he was not yet on any one of them; and they had only been baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus. Then they laid the hand on them; and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that, by the imposition of a hand of the legates, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying: Give me also this prerogative, that he on whom I impose a hand, may receive the Holy Spirit. Simon Cephas said to him: Thy money go with thee to perdition ! because thou hast supposed, that the gift of God may be purchased by a worldly substance. Thou hast no part nor lot in this faith; because thy heart is not right before God. Nevertheless, repent of this thy wickedness, and entreat of God, if perhaps the guile of thy heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the bitter gall and in the bonds of iniquity. Simon answered and said: Intercede ye with God for me, that nothing of which ye have mentioned may come upon me. And Simon and John, when they had testified, and had taught them the word of God, returned to Jerusalem. And they had preached in many villages of the Samaritans. And the angel of the Lord spake with Philip, and said to him: Arise, go to the south, along the desert way that leadeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza. And he arose and went. And there met him a eunuch, who had come from Cush, an officer of Candace, queen of the Cushites, who had charge of all her treasure; and he had come to worship at Jerusalem. And as he turned to go, he was sitting in his chariot, and was reading in Isaiah the prophet. And the Holy Spirit said to Philip: Go near, and join thyself to the chariot. And when he came near, he heard him reading in Isaiah the prophet; and he said to him: Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said: How can I understand, unless some one instruct me? And he requested of Philip, that he would come up and sit with him. And the section of scripture in which he was reading, was this: As a lamb to the slaughter he was led away, and as a sheep before the shearer is silent, so also he in his humility opened not his mouth. From prison and from judgment he was carried: and his generation, who will declare? for his life is taken away from the earth. And the eunuch said to Philip: I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other person? Then Philip opened his mouth and, from that scripture, began to preach to him concerning our Lord Jesus. And as they proceeded on the way, they came to a certain place in which there was water. And the eunuch said: Lo, [fn] water; what doth forbid, that I should be baptized?

And the angel said to him: Gird thy loins, and put on thy sandals. And he did so. And again he said to him: Wrap thyself in thy cloak, and come after me.

And God hath so raised him from the dead, that he will not return again and see corruption; as he said: I will give to you the sure grace of David.

For so hath our Lord commanded us; as it is written: I have set thee a light to the Gentiles; that thou shouldst be for life unto the ends of the earth.

And they came and entered into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke with them, that many of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.

so that the residue of men may seek the Lord, and all the nations on whom my name is called; saith the Lord, who doth all these things.

And so were the churches established in the faith, and were increased in number daily.

For the Jews there were more liberal than the Jews of Thessalonica; and they gladly heard the word from them daily, and searched from the scriptures whether these things were so.

And many of them believed; and so likewise of the Greeks, many men, and women of note.

And so Paul departed from among them.

so that, from the clothes on his body, napkins and rags were carried and laid upon the sick, and the diseases left them, and demons also went out.

And we went on board the ship, and sailed to the port of Thesos; because, there we were to take in Paul: for so had he bidden us, when he proceeded on by land.

But my life is accounted by me as nothing, so that I may but finish my course, and the ministration which I have received from our Lord Jesus, to bear testimony to the gospel of the grace of God.

And he came in to us, and took the girdle of Paul's loins, and bound his own feet and hands, and said: Thus saith the Holy Spirit, So will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man, who owns this girdle; and they will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

And when night came, our Lord appeared to Paul, and said to him: Be strong; for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so also art thou to testify at Rome.

And the Jews also pleaded against him, saying that these things were so.