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Bible in Basic English » Acts » Chapter 8
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And Saul gave approval to his death. Now at that time a violent attack was started against the church in Jerusalem; and all but the Apostles went away into all parts of Judaea and Samaria.
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And God-fearing men put Stephen's body in its last resting-place, making great weeping over him.
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But Saul was burning with hate against the church, going into every house and taking men and women and putting them in prison.
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But those who had gone in flight went everywhere preaching the word.
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And Philip went down to Samaria and was teaching them about Christ.
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And all the people gave attention to the words which Philip said, when they saw the signs which he did.
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For unclean spirits came out from those who had them, crying with a loud voice; and a number of those who were ill and broken in body were made well.
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And there was much joy in that town.
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But there was a certain man named Simon, who in the past had been a wonder-worker and a cause of surprise to the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was a great man:
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To whom they all gave attention, from the smallest to the greatest, saying, This man is that power of God which is named Great.
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And they gave attention to him, because for a long time his wonder-working powers had kept them under his control.
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But when they had faith in the good news given by Philip about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, a number of men and women had baptism.
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And Simon himself had faith and, having had baptism, he went with Philip and, seeing the signs and the great wonders which he did, he was full of surprise.
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Now when the Apostles at Jerusalem had news that the people of Samaria had taken the word of God into their hearts, they sent to them Peter and John;
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Who, when they came there, made prayer for them, that the Holy Spirit might be given to them:
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For up to that time he had not come on any of them; only baptism had been given to them in the name of the Lord Jesus.
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Then they put their hands on them, and the Holy Spirit came on them.
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Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the touch of the Apostles' hands, he made them an offering of money, saying,
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Give me this power, so that when I put my hands on anyone he may get the Holy Spirit.
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But Peter said, May your money come to destruction with you, because you had the idea that what is freely given by God may be got for a price.
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You have no part in this business, because your heart is not right before God.
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Let your heart be changed, and make prayer to God that you may have forgiveness for your evil thoughts.
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For I see that you are prisoned in bitter envy and the chains of sin.
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And Simon, answering, said, Make prayer for me to the Lord, so that these things which you have said may not come on me.
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So they, having given their witness and made clear the word of the Lord, went back to Jerusalem, giving the good news on their way in a number of the small towns of Samaria.
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But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, Get up, and go to the south, to the road which goes from Jerusalem to Gaza, through the waste land.
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And he went and there was a man of Ethiopia, a servant of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, and controller of all her property, who had come up to Jerusalem for worship;
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He was going back, seated in his carriage, and was reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.
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And the Spirit said to Philip, Go near, and get on his carriage.
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And Philip, running up to him, saw that he was reading Isaiah the prophet, and said to him, Is the sense of what you are reading clear to you?
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And he said, How is that possible when I have no guide? And he made Philip get up by his side.
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Now the place in the book where he was reading was this: He was taken, like a sheep, to be put to death; and as a lamb is quiet when its wool is being cut, so he made no sound:
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Being of low degree, his cause was not given a hearing: who has knowledge of his family? for his life is cut off from the earth.
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And the Ethiopian said to Philip, About whom are these words said by the prophet? about himself, or some other?
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So Philip, starting from this writing, gave him the good news about Jesus.
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And while they were going on their way, they came to some water, and the Ethiopian said, See, here is water; why may I not have baptism?
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And he gave orders for the carriage to be stopped, and the two of them went down into the water, and Philip gave him baptism.
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And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away; and the Ethiopian saw him no more, for he went on his way full of joy.
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But Philip came to Azotus, and went through all the towns, preaching the good news, till he came to Caesarea.

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