Verse 1
And Saul consented vnto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against ye Churche which was at Hierusalem, and they were all scattered abrode thorowout the regions of Iurie, and Samaria, except the apostles.
Verse 2
And deuout men were carefull together touchyng Steuen, and made great lamentation ouer hym.
Verse 3
As for Saul, he made hauocke of the Churche, and entred into euery house, & drewe out both men and women, and put them into pryson.
Verse 4
Therfore, they that were scattered abrode, went euery where preachyng the worde of God.
Verse 5
Then came Philip into the citie of Samaria, & preached Christe vnto the.
Verse 6
And the people gaue heede vnto those thynges whiche Philip spake with one accorde, hearyng and seing the miracles which he dyd.
Verse 7
For vncleane spirites, crying with loude voyce, came out of manye that were possessed with them. And many taken with paulsies, & many that haulted, were healed.
Verse 8
And there was great ioy in that citie.
Verse 9
But there was a certayne man called Simon, which beforetyme in the same citie vsed witchcraft, and bewitched the people of Samaria, saying that he was a man that coulde do great thynges:
Verse 10
Whom they regarded from the least to the greatest, saying: This man is the great power of God.
Verse 11
And hym they sette much by, because that of long tyme he had bewitched the with sorseries.
Verse 12
But assoone as they gaue credence to Philips preachyng of the kyngdome of God, and of the name of Iesus Christe, they were baptized, both men & wome.
Verse 13
Then Simon him selfe beleued also: And whe he was baptized, he continued with Philip, & wondred, beholding the miracles & signes which were shewed.
Verse 14
When the apostles whiche were at Hierusalem, hearde say that Samaria hadde receaued the worde of God, they sent vnto them Peter and Iohn.
Verse 15
Which when they were come downe, prayed for the that they myght receaue the holy ghost.
Verse 16
(For as yet he was come downe vpon none of them, but they were baptized only in the name of Christ Iesu.)
Verse 17
Then layde they their handes on the, and they receaued the holy ghost.
Verse 18
And when Simon sawe, that thorow laying on of the apostles handes, ye holy ghost was geuen, he offred the money,
Verse 19
Saying: Geue me also this power, that on whomsoeuer I put the hands, he may receaue the holy ghost.
Verse 20
But Peter sayde vnto him: Thy money perishe with thee, because thou hast thought that the gyfte of God may be obteyned with money.
Verse 21
Thou hast neither part nor felowship in this busynesse: For thy hearte is not ryght in the syght of God.
Verse 22
Repent therefore of this thy wickednesse, & praye God, if perhaps ye thought of thyne heart may be forgeuen thee.
Verse 23
For I perceaue yt thou art in the gall of bitternesse, & wrapped in iniquitie.
Verse 24
The aunswered Simon & said: Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these thinges which ye haue spoke fall on me.
Verse 25
And they, when they had testified and preached the worde of the Lorde, returned towarde Hierusalem, and preached the Gospell in many townes of the Samaritanes.
Verse 26
And the Angell of the Lorde spake vnto Philip, saying: Aryse, and go towarde the South, vnto the waye that goeth downe from Hierusalem vnto Gaza, which is desert.
Verse 27
And he arose, & went on: and behold a man of Ethiopia, an Eunuch, & of great auctoritie with Candace, Queene of the Ethiopias, & had the rule of all her treasure, came to Hierusale for to worship.
Verse 28
And as he returned home agayne, sittyng in his charet, he read Esaias the prophete.
Verse 29
Then the spirite said vnto Philip: Go neare, & ioyne thy selfe to yonder charet.
Verse 30
And Philip ran thither to him, & heard hym reade the prophete Esaias, & saide: vnderstandest thou what thou readest?
Verse 31
And he said: how can I, except I had a guyde? And he desired Philip that he woulde come vp, and sit with hym.
Verse 32
The tenour of the scripture which he read, was this: He was ledde as a sheepe to the slaughter, & lyke a lambe dumbe before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth.
Verse 33
In his humilitie, his iudgement is exalted: But who shall declare his generation? For his lyfe is taken from the earth.
Verse 34
And the Eunuche aunswered Philip, and sayde: I pray thee of whom speaketh the prophete this? Of hym selfe, or of some other man?
Verse 35
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached vnto hym Iesus.
Verse 36
And as they went on their way, they came vnto a certayne water, and the Eunuche sayde: See, here is water, what doth let me to be baptized?
Verse 37
Philip sayde vnto hym If thou beleuest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he aunswered, and saide: I beleue that Iesus Christe is the sonne of God.
Verse 38
And he commaunded the charet to stande styll: and they went downe both into the water, both Philip and also the Eunuche: and he baptized hym.
Verse 39
And assoone as they were come out of the water, the spirite of ye Lorde caught away Philip, that the Eunuche sawe hym no more. And he went on his way reioycyng.
Verse 40
But Philip was founde at Azotus. And he walked throughout the countrey, preachyng in all the cities, tyll he came to Cesarea.