New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Acts 8
1
Saul was there. He had agreed that Stephen should die. On that day the church in Jerusalem began to be attacked and treated badly. All except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 7:58
Acts 22:20
Acts 5:40
Acts 5:33
Acts 8:4
Acts 9:31
John 15:20
References Jerusalem
Acts 1:8
Acts 8:14
2
Godly Jews buried Stephen. They sobbed and sobbed over him.
3
But Saul began to destroy the church. He went from house to house. He dragged men and women away and put them in prison.
Reference
5
Philip went down to a city in Samaria. There he preached about the Christ.
Reference
Parallel theme
Acts 6:5
Acts 21:8
Acts 8:40
References Christ
Acts 5:42
1 Corinthians 3:11
1 Corinthians 1:23
6
The crowds listened to Philip. They saw the miraculous signs he did. They all paid close attention to what he said.
7
Evil spirits screamed and came out of many people. Many who were disabled or who couldn't walk were healed.
Reference
9
A man named Simon lived in the city. For quite a while he had practiced evil magic there. He amazed all the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great.
Reference
People
10
All of the people listened to him, from the least important of them to the most important. They exclaimed, "This man is known as the Great Power of God!"
Reference
12
But Philip preached the good news of God's kingdom. He preached the name of Jesus Christ. So men and women believed and were baptized.
Reference
Baptism
Acts 2:38
Acts 2:41
1 Peter 3:21
Faith
Romans 10:10
Kingdom
Acts 1:3
Parallel theme
Matthew 28:19
References Jesus
Galatians 3:28
13
Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip everywhere. He was amazed by the great signs and miracles he saw.
Reference
14
The apostles in Jerusalem heard that people in Samaria had accepted God's word. So they sent Peter and John to them.
Reference
References God
1 Thessalonians 3:2
References Jerusalem
Acts 8:1
References John
Galatians 2:9
Word
1 Thessalonians 2:13
15
When they arrived there, they prayed that the believers would receive the Holy Spirit.
Reference
Holy
Acts 2:38
16
The Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Reference
17
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them. And they received the Holy Spirit.
Reference
Holy
Acts 19:6
Acts 8:18
Acts 2:4
Acts 9:17
Parallel theme
Acts 6:6
2 Timothy 1:6
Hebrews 6:2
Spirit
Romans 1:11
Numbers 27:18
18
Simon watched as the apostles placed their hands on them. He saw that the Spirit was given to them. So he offered money to Peter and John.
Reference
19
He said, "Give me this power too. Then everyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit."
Reference
20
Peter answered, "May your money be destroyed with you! Do you think you can buy God's gift with money?
Reference
Parallel theme
Matthew 10:8
Daniel 5:17
Revelation 18:15
James 5:3
Isaiah 55:1
Zechariah 5:4
References God
Acts 8:22
Acts 11:17
References Peter
Acts 2:38
Acts 10:45
21
You have no part or share in this holy work. Your heart is not right with God.
Reference
Parallel theme
Hebrews 4:13
John 21:17
Revelation 2:23
Joshua 22:25
Habakkuk 2:4
2 Chronicles 25:2
References God
Revelation 22:19
Psalm 36:1
Revelation 20:6
22
Turn away from this evil sin of yours. Pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.
Reference
Parallel theme
Daniel 4:27
Prayer
Acts 9:11
References God
Hebrews 4:12
Acts 8:20
Repentance
Revelation 2:21
Acts 2:38
Acts 3:19
Acts 17:30
Romans 2:4
Jonah 3:9
24
Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me. Pray that nothing you have said will happen to me."
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 12:32
Prayer
Numbers 21:7
Job 42:8
James 5:16
Exodus 10:17
Genesis 20:7
1 Kings 13:6
1 Samuel 12:23
References Lord
Exodus 8:8
25
Peter and John gave witness and preached the Lord's word. Then they returned to Jerusalem. On the way they preached the good news in many villages in Samaria.
Reference
References Lord
Acts 20:21
26
An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. "Go south to the desert road," he said. "It's the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."
Reference
Parallel theme
Hebrews 1:14
Acts 27:23
Acts 10:7
Acts 10:22
References Lord
Acts 5:19
Acts 12:23
Resurrection
2 Kings 1:3
27
So Philip started out. On his way he met an Ethiopian official. The man had an important position. He was in charge of all the wealth of Candace. She was the queen of Ethiopia. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship.
Reference
People
28
On his way home he was sitting in his chariot. He was reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.
Reference
30
So Philip ran up to the chariot. He heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you're reading?" Philip asked.
Reference
31
"How can I?" he said. "I need someone to explain it to me." So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Reference
32
Here is the part of Scripture the official was reading. It says, "He was led like a sheep to be killed. Just as lambs are silent while their wool is being cut off, he did not open his mouth.
Reference
33
When he was treated badly, he was refused a fair trial. Who can say anything about his children? His life was cut off from the earth." --(Isaiah 53:7,8)
Reference
34
The official said to Philip, "Tell me, please. Who is the prophet talking about? Himself, or someone else?"
Reference
35
Then Philip began with that same part of Scripture. He told him the good news about Jesus.
Reference
36
As they traveled along the road, they came to some water. The official said, "Look! Here is water! Why shouldn't I be baptized?"
Reference
38
He gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the official went down into the water. Philip baptized him.
Reference
Baptism
John 4:1
39
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away. The official did not see him again. He went on his way full of joy.
Reference
40
Philip was seen next at Azotus. From there he traveled all around. He preached the good news in all the towns. Finally he arrived in Caesarea.
Reference
📍 Locations
Summary of Acts 8
Acts 8 shows how persecution unexpectedly causes the Christian message to spread beyond Jerusalem, as believers carry the Gospel into new places and Philip becomes an important missionary who brings the message first to Samaria and then to an Ethiopian official.
After Stephen's death, Saul begins aggressively attacking the church, entering homes and sending Christians to prison, but the believers who are forced to leave Jerusalem continue telling people about Jesus wherever they go.
Philip travels to Samaria, where large crowds listen to him, many people are healed and delivered from evil spirits, and the city experiences great joy as many men and women believe in Jesus and are baptized.
Among those who believe is Simon, a man who had previously practiced magic and gained a powerful reputation, but when he later tries to buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit to others, Peter strongly corrects him and teaches that God's power is a gift that cannot be purchased.
The chapter then shows the Gospel reaching an entirely different person and region when an angel sends Philip toward the road leading to Gaza, where he meets an Ethiopian government official who is returning home after worshiping in Jerusalem and is reading the book of Isaiah.
Philip explains that the suffering servant described in Isaiah points to Jesus, and after hearing the good news, the official declares his faith in Jesus and asks to be baptized.
Philip baptizes him, after which the Spirit takes Philip away, while the Ethiopian continues his journey home with great joy.
The main message of Acts 8 is that God can use difficult circumstances to spread His message, and the Gospel is not limited by nationality, language, social position, or geography.
The persecution that appears to threaten the church actually pushes believers into new areas, while Philip's ministry shows that God is reaching both large crowds in Samaria and individual people who are sincerely searching for truth.
The chapter also prepares for the wider mission of the church by showing that Jesus' message is moving outward from Jerusalem toward the nations, exactly as the mission of Acts is beginning to unfold.
After Stephen's death, Saul begins aggressively attacking the church, entering homes and sending Christians to prison, but the believers who are forced to leave Jerusalem continue telling people about Jesus wherever they go.
Philip travels to Samaria, where large crowds listen to him, many people are healed and delivered from evil spirits, and the city experiences great joy as many men and women believe in Jesus and are baptized.
Among those who believe is Simon, a man who had previously practiced magic and gained a powerful reputation, but when he later tries to buy the ability to give the Holy Spirit to others, Peter strongly corrects him and teaches that God's power is a gift that cannot be purchased.
The chapter then shows the Gospel reaching an entirely different person and region when an angel sends Philip toward the road leading to Gaza, where he meets an Ethiopian government official who is returning home after worshiping in Jerusalem and is reading the book of Isaiah.
Philip explains that the suffering servant described in Isaiah points to Jesus, and after hearing the good news, the official declares his faith in Jesus and asks to be baptized.
Philip baptizes him, after which the Spirit takes Philip away, while the Ethiopian continues his journey home with great joy.
The main message of Acts 8 is that God can use difficult circumstances to spread His message, and the Gospel is not limited by nationality, language, social position, or geography.
The persecution that appears to threaten the church actually pushes believers into new areas, while Philip's ministry shows that God is reaching both large crowds in Samaria and individual people who are sincerely searching for truth.
The chapter also prepares for the wider mission of the church by showing that Jesus' message is moving outward from Jerusalem toward the nations, exactly as the mission of Acts is beginning to unfold.