Saul var enig i at Stephen skulle dø. I denne tiden oppsto det en stor forfølgelse mot menigheten i Jerusalem, og alle, unntatt apostlene, ble spredt utover områdene Judea og Samaria.

And Saul was consenting unto his death. 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 Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Fromme menn begravde Stephen og sørget dypt over ham.

And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

Saul gikk hardt ut mot kirken, gikk inn i hvert hus, og dro menn og kvinner av sted for å fengsle dem.

As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

De som ble spredt dro rundt omkring og forkynte ordet.

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where prehing the word.

Filip dro til byen Samaria og forkynte Kristus for folket der.

Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and prehed Christ unto them.

Med enighet lyttet folket til det som Filip sa, og de så og hørte undrene han gjorde.

And the people with one cord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the mirles which he did.

Urene ånder, som skrek høyt, forlot mange som var besatt, og mange som var lamme, og dem som var syke, ble helbredet.

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.

Det var stor glede i byen.

And there was great joy in that city.

Men det var en mann ved navn Simon som i samme by tidligere hadde drevet med trolldom og fortryllet folk i Samaria, og hevdet å være en stor mann.

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:

Alle lyttet til ham, fra de minste til de største, og sa: Denne mannen er Guds store kraft.

To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

De hadde stor respekt for ham fordi han lenge hadde fortryllet dem med sine kunster.

And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

Men da de trodde på Filip, som forkynte om Guds rike og Jesu Kristi navn, ble de døpt, både menn og kvinner.

But when they believed Philip prehing the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Simon selv kom til troen. Og etter at han var døpt, fulgte han Filip og ble forbløffet da han så de mirakler og tegn som skjedde.

Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the mirles and signs which were done.

Da apostlene i Jerusalem hørte at Samaria hadde tatt imot Guds ord, sendte de Peter og Johannes til dem.

Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

Da de kom ned, ba de for dem om at de skulle motta Den Hellige Ånd.

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

For Ånden hadde enda ikke kommet over noen av dem; de var bare døpt i Herrens Jesu navn.

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

Da la de hendene på dem, og de mottok Den Hellige Ånd.

Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

Da Simon så at Den Hellige Ånd ble gitt ved apostlenes håndspåleggelse, tilbød han dem penger.

And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

Han sa: Gi meg også denne kraften, slik at den jeg legger hendene på, kan motta Den Hellige Ånd.

Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

Men Peter sa til ham: Ditt sølv forgå sammen med deg, siden du har trodd at Guds gave kan kjøpes for penger.

But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Du har ingen del eller andel i denne saken fordi ditt hjerte ikke er rett for Gud.

Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

Omvend deg derfor fra din ondskap og be til Gud, så kanskje tankene i ditt hjerte blir tilgitt deg.

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

For jeg ser at du er full av bitterhet og fanget i urett.

For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

Da svarte Simon: Be dere til Herren for meg, slik at ingenting av det som dere har sagt, skal komme over meg.

Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

Da de hadde vitnet og forkynt Herrens ord, vendte de tilbake til Jerusalem og forkynte evangeliet i mange av samaritanenes landsbyer.

And they, when they had testified and prehed the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and prehed the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

En Herrens engel talte til Filip og sa: Reis deg og dra mot sør, til den veien som går ned fra Jerusalem til Gaza, som er en ørkenvei.

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.

Han sto opp og dro av sted. Se, en etioper, en evnukk med stor myndighet under Kandake, dronningen av etioperne, og som var ansvarlig for alle hennes skatter, var kommet til Jerusalem for å tilbe.

And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Cande queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

Han var på vei hjem og satt i vognen sin og leste profeten Jesaja.

Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

Ånden sa til Filip: Gå nærmere og still deg ved denne vognen.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

Filip løp bort til ham, hørte at han leste profeten Jesaja, og sa: Forstår du det du leser?

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

Han svarte: Hvordan kan jeg, uten at noen veileder meg? Og han inviterte Filip opp for å sitte med ham.

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.

Skriftstedet han leste, var dette: Som et lam som føres til slakteriet, og som et lam stumt foran sin klipper, åpnet han ikke sin munn.

The ple of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

I sin ydmykelse ble hans rett tatt bort. Og hvem kan fortelle om hans slekt? For hans liv blir tatt bort fra jorden.

In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

Evnukken sa til Filip: Jeg ber deg, hvem taler profeten om? Seg selv eller en annen?

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

Da åpnet Filip munnen og, med utgangspunkt i dette skriftstedet, forkynte han Jesus for ham.

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and prehed unto him Jesus.

Mens de fortsatte langs veien, kom de til et sted med vann. Evnukken sa: Se, her er vann. Hva hindrer meg fra å bli døpt?

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?

Filip sa: Hvis du tror av hele ditt hjerte, kan du det. Han svarte: Jeg tror at Jesus Kristus er Guds Sønn.

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.

Han befalte vognen å stanse. Begge steg ned i vannet, både Filip og evnukken, og han døpte ham.

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.

Da de kom opp av vannet, tok Herrens Ånd Filip bort, og evnukken så ham ikke lenger, men han fortsatte videre med glede.

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.

Filip ble imidlertid funnet i Asdod. På sin vei forkynte han i alle byene, helt til han kom til Cæsarea.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he prehed in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.