Simon, a Sorcerer, Wanted to Pay Peter to Give Him the Holy Spirit |
Acts 8:1-40 The Acts of the Apostles [in Smaller Chunks] |
And Saul was consenting, [a.k.a. approving,] [of] [Stephen's] death. And at that time, there was a [severe] persecution against the church, which was [in] Jerusalem. And they were all scattered [around] throughout the regions of Judaea, [a.k.a. Judea;] & Samaria; except the apostles. [John 16:1-3 I have spoken these things to you, [so] that you shouldn't be offended, [a.k.a. made to stumble.] They shall put you out of the synagogues. [Yes,] the time [comes,] that [whoever kills] you will think that he [does] God [a] service. And they will do these things to you, because they haven't known the Father, nor Me.] |
And devout, [a.k.a. faithful,] men carried Stephen to his burial, & made great lamentation, [a.k.a. deeply mourned,] over [Stephen.] As for Saul, he made havoc, [a.k.a. devastation,] of the church, entering into every house, & haling, [a.k.a. arresting,] & committing men & women to prison. |
[That's why, those who] were scattered [around,] went everywhere [else] preaching the Word. Then, Philip went down to the city of Samaria, & preached [about] Christ to them. And the [multitude of] people hearing & seeing the miracles that he did, [paid attention, untied as one,] to those things [that] Philip [spoke.] |
*For unclean spirits, [a.k.a. demons,] came out of many, [who] were possessed, crying [out] with loud [voices.] *And many [paralyzed] & [those] lame were healed. [Mark 16:17-18 And these signs shall follow [those, who] believe. They shall cast out [demons] in My Name. They shall speak with new tongues, [a.k.a. languages.] They shall [pick] up serpents, [a.k.a. snakes,] & if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay hands on the sick, & they shall recover.] |
And there was great joy in that city. But there was a certain man, called Simon, [who previously] used sorcery in the same city, & bewitched the people of Samaria, [boasting,] that [he] was some great one. [Revelation 9:20-21 And the rest of the men [who] weren't killed by these plagues, [still didn't] repent of the works [made] [by] their hands, [so] that they should not worship [demons,] & idols of: gold; silver; brass, stone, & wood, which can neither: see, hear, nor walk. Neither [did] they [repent] of their: murders, sorceries, fornication, [a.k.a. adultery,] or their thefts.] |
They all [paid attention to Simon,] from the [powerless,] to the [powerful,] saying, This man [has] the great power of God. And they had regard, [a.k.a. respect, for] him, because he had bewitched them with sorceries [for] [a] long time. |
But when they believed Philip preaching the things [related to:] the Kingdom of God, & the Name of Jesus Christ, & both men & women were baptized. Then, also Simon, himself, believed. And when [Simon] was baptized, he continued with Philip, & [seeing] the miracles, & signs [that] were done, wondered. |
Now, the apostles, [who] were [in] Jerusalem, sent to Peter & John, when they heard that Samaria had received, [a.k.a. accepted,] the Word of God. When [Peter & John] [had] come down, they prayed that they might receive the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit.] ([Since the Holy Spirit,] [hadn't] fallen upon [any] of them, yet. [The Holy Spirit came upon] only [those,] [who] were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.) |
Then, they laid their hands on them, & they received the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit.] And when Simon saw that the Holy Ghost was given through laying on of the apostles' hands, [Simon] offered them money, saying, Also give me this power, [so] that [whomever] I lay my hands upon, may receive the Holy Ghost, [a.k.a. Holy Spirit.] |
But Peter said to [Simon,] Your money [perishes] with you, because you [have] thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. You neither have part nor lot in this matter. For your heart isn't right in the sight of God. [Matthew 15:18-19 But those things [that go] out of the mouth, come [out] from the heart, & they defile the man. For out of the heart [goes out:] evil thoughts; [murder; adultery; fornication, a.k.a. infidelity; theft; false witness, & blasphemy.] |
Therefore, repent of your [wicked ways,] & pray [to] God, if perhaps, the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I [realize] that you are [bitterly disrespectful,] & [bound by wickedness.] Then, Simon answered, & said, You, pray to the Lord for me, [so] that none of these things which you have spoken, come upon me. |
And when they had testified & preached the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, & preached the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. And the [Lord's] Angel, [spoke] to Philip, saying, Arise, & go toward the South, to the [road] that [goes] down from Jerusalem, to Gaza, [that] is [deserted.] |
And [Philip] arose, & went: & [saw an] Ethiopian man, [who was] an eunuch [with] great authority under Candace, [Ethiopia's] queen. [He] was in charge of all her treasure, & had come to Jerusalem to worship, & was returning, sitting in his chariot, [reading, Isaiah,] the prophet. |
Then, the Spirit said to Philip, Go near & join yourself [with] this chariot. And Philip ran [there] to him, & heard him [reading] the prophet, Isaiah, & said, [Do] you [understand] what you [read?] And he said, How can I, [unless] some man should guide me? And he desired that Philip would come up & sit with him. |
*The place [in] the Scripture, [that the man] read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; & like a lamb is [mute] before [its] shearer, so He [didn't open] His mouth. In His humiliation, His judgment, [a.k.a justice,] was taken away. And who shall declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth. |
And the eunuch said to Philip, I pray [that] you [tell me,] of Whom does this prophet [speak] this? Of himself, of some other Man? Then, Philip opened his mouth, & began at the same Scripture, & preached to him [about] Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water. What [hinders, [a.k.a. hampers,] me [from being] baptized? And Philip said, If you [believe] with all your heart, you [may.] |
And the [eunuch] answered & said, I believe that Jesus Christ Is the Son of God. And [Philip] commanded the chariot to stand still, & they both, Philip & the eunuch, went down into the water, & [Philip] baptized him. |
And when they [had] come up, out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord, caught away, [a.k.a. transported,] Philip, [so] that the eunuch no [longer] saw him, & he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found [in] Azotus. And passing through, [Philip] preached in all the cities, [until] he came to Caesarea. |