Acts 8-12

Lexham English Bible

Saul Attempts to Destroy the Church

8 And Saul was agreeing with his murder. Now there happened on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. ² And devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. ³ But Saul was attempting to destroy the church. Entering house after house,^[a] he dragged off both men and women and^[b] delivered them^[c] to prison.

Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria

⁴ Now those who had been scattered went about proclaiming the good news of the word. ⁵ And Philip came down to the city of Samaria and^[d] began proclaiming^[e] the Christ^[f] to them. ⁶ And the crowds with one mind were paying attention to what was being said by Philip, as they heard him^[g] and saw the signs that he was performing. ⁷ For many of those who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them,^[h] crying out with a loud voice, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

Simon the Magician

⁹ Now a certain man named^[i] Simon had been in the city practicing magic and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying he was someone great. ¹⁰ They were all paying attention to him,^[j] from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” ¹¹ And they were paying attention to him because for a long time he had astonished them with his^[k] magic. ¹² But when they believed Philip as he^[l] was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were being baptized. ¹³ And Simon himself also believed, and after he^[m] was baptized he was keeping close company with^[n] Philip. And when he^[o] saw the signs and great miracles that were taking place, he was astonished.

¹⁴ Now when^[p] the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who went down and^[q] prayed for them so that they would receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ (For he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized^[r] in the name of the Lord Jesus.) ¹⁷ Then they placed their^[s] hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ Now Simon, when he^[t] saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, offered them money, ¹⁹ saying, “Give to me also this power, so that whomever I place my^[u] hands on may receive the Holy Spirit!” ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “May your silver be destroyed along with you,^[v] because you thought you could acquire^[w] the gift of God by means of money! ²¹ You have no^[x] part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God. ²² Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and ask the Lord if perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you!” ²³ For I see you are in a state of bitter envy^[y] and bound by unrighteousness.”^{[z] 24} But Simon answered and^[aa] said, “You pray to the Lord for me so that nothing of what you have said will come upon me.” ²⁵ So when^[ab] they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they turned back toward Jerusalem, and were proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

²⁶ Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Get up and go toward the south^[ac] on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) ²⁷ And he got up and^[ad] went, and behold, there was a man, an Ethiopian eunuch (a court official of Candace,^[ae] queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury) who had come to worship in Jerusalem ²⁸ and was returning and sitting in his chariot, and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ And the Spirit said to Philip, “Approach and join this chariot.” ³⁰ So Philip ran up to it^[af] and^[ag] heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet and said, “So then, do you understand what you are reading?” ³¹ And he said, “So how could I, unless someone will guide me?” And he invited Philip to come up and^[ah] sit with him. ³² Now the passage of scripture that he was reading aloud was this:

³⁴ And the eunuch answered and^[al] said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this—about himself or about someone else?” ³⁵ So Philip opened his mouth and beginning from this scripture, proclaimed the good news to him about Jesus. ³⁶ And as they were traveling down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”^{[am] 38} And he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water—Philip and the eunuch—and he baptized him. ³⁹ And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any longer, for he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he^[an] passed through, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Saul’s Conversion on the Damascus Road

9 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest ² and^[ao] asked for letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, both men and women, he could bring them^[ap] tied up^[aq] to Jerusalem. ³ Now as he proceeded, it happened that when he approached Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ⁵ So he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting! ⁶ But get up and enter into the city, and it will be told to you what you must do.”^{[ar] 7} (Now the men who were traveling together with him stood speechless, because they^[as] heard the voice but saw no one.) ⁸ So Saul got up from the ground, but although^[at] his eyes were open he could see nothing. And leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And he was unable to see^[au] for three days, and he did not eat or drink.

Ananias Sent to Saul

¹⁰ Now there was a certain disciple in Damascus named^[av] Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” And he said, “Behold, here I am, Lord!” ¹¹ And the Lord said to him, “Get up, go to the street called ‘Straight’ and in the house of Judas look for a man named Saul from Tarsus.^[aw] For behold, he is praying, ¹² and he has seen in a vision a man named^[ax] Ananias coming in and placing hands^[ay] on him so that he may regain his sight.” ¹³ But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and here he has authority from the chief priests to tie up^[az] all who call upon your name!” ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, “Go, because this man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before Gentiles^[ba] and kings and the sons of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” ¹⁷ So Ananias departed and entered into the house, and placing his^[bb] hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight and got up and^[bc] was baptized, ¹⁹ and after^[bd] taking food, he regained his strength. And he was with the disciples in Damascus several days.

Saul Proclaims Christ in Damascus

²⁰ And immediately he began proclaiming^[be] Jesus in the synagogues: “This one is the Son of God!” ²¹ And all who heard him^[bf] were amazed, and were saying, “Is this not the one who was wreaking havoc in Jerusalem on those who call upon this name, and had come here for this reason, that he could bring them tied up^[bg] to the chief priests?” ²² But Saul was increasing in strength even more, and was confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by^[bh] proving that this one is the Christ.^[bi]

²³ And when many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted to do away with him. ²⁴ But their plot became known to Saul, and they were also watching the gates both day and night so that they could do away with him. ²⁵ But his disciples took him^[bj] at night and^[bk] let him down through the wall by^[bl] lowering him^[bm] in a basket.

Saul in Jerusalem

²⁶ And when he^[bn] arrived in Jerusalem, he was attempting to associate with the disciples, and they were all afraid of him, because they^[bo] did not believe that he was a disciple. ²⁷ But Barnabas took him and^[bp] brought him^[bq] to the apostles and related to them how he had seen the Lord on the road and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. ²⁸ And he was going in and going out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ And he was speaking and debating with the Greek-speaking Jews,^[br] but they were trying to do away with him. ³⁰ And when^[bs] the brothers found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

³¹ Then the church throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being strengthened. And living in the fear of the Lord and the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it was increasing in numbers.^[bt]

Aeneas Healed

³² Now it happened that as^[bu] Peter was traveling through all the places,^[bv] he also came down to the saints who lived in Lydda. ³³ And he found there a certain man named^[bw] Aeneas who was paralyzed, who had been lying on a mat^[bx] for eight years. ³⁴ And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up and make your bed yourself!” And immediately he got up. ³⁵ And all those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him, who all^[by] indeed turned to the Lord.

Dorcas Raised

³⁶ Now in Joppa there was a certain female disciple named^[bz] Tabitha (which translated means “Dorcas”).^[ca] She was full of good deeds and charitable giving which she was constantly doing.^{[cb] 37} Now it happened that in those days after^[cc] becoming sick, she died. And after^[cd] washing her,^[ce] they placed her in an upstairs room. ³⁸ And because^[cf] Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, when they^[cg] heard that Peter was in Lydda,^[ch] sent two men to him, urging, “Do not delay to come to us!” ³⁹ So Peter got up and^[ci] accompanied them. When he^[cj] arrived, they brought him^[ck] up to the upstairs room, and all the widows came to him, weeping and showing him^[cl] tunics and other clothing that Dorcas used to make while she^[cm] was with them. ⁴⁰ But Peter sent them all outside, and, falling to his^[cn] knees, he prayed. And turning toward the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” And she opened her eyes, and when she^[co] saw Peter, she sat up. ⁴¹ And he gave her his hand and^[cp] raised her up. And he called the saints and the widows and^[cq] presented her alive. ⁴² And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. ⁴³ And it happened that he stayed many days in Joppa with a certain Simon, a tanner.^[cr]

Cornelius Has a Vision

10 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea named^[cs] Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort, ² devout and fearing God together with all his household, doing many charitable deeds for the people and praying to God continually.^{[ct] 3} About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming to him and saying to him, “Cornelius.” ⁴ And he stared at him and became terrified and^[cu] said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your charitable deeds have gone up for a memorial offering before God. ⁵ And now, send men to Joppa and summon a certain Simon, who is also called Peter. ⁶ This man is staying as a guest with a certain Simon, a tanner,^[cv] whose house is by the sea.” ⁷ And when the angel who spoke to him departed, he summoned two of the household slaves and a devout soldier from those who attended him, ⁸ and after he^[cw] had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

Peter Has a Vision

⁹ And the next day, as^[cx] they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about the sixth hour. ¹⁰ And he became hungry and wanted to eat. But while^[cy] they were preparing the food,^[cz] a trance came over him. ¹¹ And he saw heaven opened and an object something like a large sheet coming down, being let down to the earth by its four corners, ¹² in which were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth and birds of the sky. ¹³ And a voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, slaughter and eat!” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common and unclean!” ¹⁵ And the voice came again to him for the second time: “The things which God has made clean, you must not consider unclean!” ¹⁶ And this happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into heaven.

¹⁷ Now while Peter was greatly perplexed within himself as to what the vision that he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having found the house of Simon by asking around, stood at the gate. ¹⁸ And they called out and^[da] asked if Simon who was also called Peter was staying there as a guest. ¹⁹ And while^[db] Peter was reflecting about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, men^[dc] are looking for you. ²⁰ But get up, go down, and go with them—not hesitating at all, because I have sent them.” ²¹ So Peter went down to the men and^[dd] said, “Behold, I am he whom you are looking for! What is the reason for which you have come?” ²² And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man—and well spoken of by the whole nation of the Jews—was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear words from you.” ²³ So he invited them in and^[de] entertained them as guests, and on the next day he got up and^[df] went away with them. And some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ And on the next day he entered into Caesarea.

Peter Visits Cornelius

Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and^[dg] had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ So it happened that when Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell at his^[dh] feet, and^[di] worshiped him.^{[dj] 26} But Peter helped him up, saying, “Get up! I myself am also a man!” ²⁷ And as he^[dk] conversed with him, he went in and found many people gathered. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You know that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or to approach a foreigner. And to me God has shown that I should call no man common or unclean. ²⁹ Therefore—and without raising any objection—I came when I^[dl] was sent for. So I ask for what reason you sent for me.”

³⁰ And Cornelius said, “Four days ago at this hour,^[dm] the ninth, I was praying in my house. And behold, a man in shining clothing stood before me ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your charitable deeds have been remembered before God. ³² Therefore send to Joppa and summon Simon who is also called Peter. This man is staying as a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner,^[dn] by the sea. ³³ Therefore I sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come.^[do] So now we all are present before God to hear all the things that have been commanded to you by the Lord.”

³⁴ So Peter opened his^[dp] mouth and^[dq] said, “In truth I understand that God is not one who shows partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation the one who fears him and who does what is right is acceptable to him. ³⁶ As for^[dr] the message that he sent to the sons of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace through Jesus Christ—this one is Lord of all— ³⁷ you know the thing that happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee, after the baptism that John proclaimed: ³⁸ Jesus of Nazareth—how God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all the things that he did both in the land of the Judeans and in Jerusalem, whom they also executed by^[ds] hanging him^[dt] on a tree. ⁴⁰ God raised this one up on the third day and granted that he should become visible, ⁴¹ not to all the people but to us who had been chosen beforehand by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify solemnly that this one is the one appointed^[du] by God as judge of the living and of the dead. ⁴³ To this one all the prophets testify, that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”

The Holy Spirit Given to Gentiles

⁴⁴ While^[dv] Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who were listening to the message. ⁴⁵ And those believers from the circumcision who had accompanied Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, ⁴⁶ for they heard them speaking in tongues and glorifying God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Surely no one can withhold the water for these people to be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as we also did!” ⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay for several days.

Peter’s Explanation to the Church in Jerusalem

11 Now the apostles and the brothers who were throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had accepted the word^[dw] of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision took issue with him, ³ saying, “You went to men who were uncircumcised^[dx] and ate with them!” ⁴ But Peter began and^[dy] explained it^[dz] to them in an orderly sequence, saying, ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision—an object something like a large sheet coming down, being let down from heaven by its four corners, and it came to me. ⁶ As I^[ea] looked intently into it, I was considering it,^[eb] and I saw the four-footed animals of the earth and the wild animals and the reptiles and the birds of the sky. ⁷ And I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter, slaughter and eat!’ ⁸ But I said, ‘Certainly not, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has ever entered into my mouth!’ ⁹ But the voice replied from heaven for the second time, ‘The things which God has made clean, you must not consider unclean!’ ¹⁰ And this happened three times, and everything was pulled up into heaven again. ¹¹ And behold, at once three men who had been sent to me from Caesarea approached the house in which we were staying.^{[ec] 12} And the Spirit told me to accompany them, not hesitating at all. So these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the man’s house. ¹³ And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and summon Simon, who is also called Peter, ¹⁴ who will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.’ ¹⁵ And as I was beginning to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as also on us at the beginning. ¹⁶ And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’^{[ed] 17} Therefore if God gave them the same gift as also to us when we^[ee] believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to be able to hinder God?” ¹⁸ And when they^[ef] heard these things, they became silent^[eg] and praised God, saying, “Then God has granted the repentance leading to life to the Gentiles also!”

Developments in the Church in Antioch

¹⁹ Now those who had been scattered because of the persecution that took place over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, proclaiming the message to no one except Jews alone. ²⁰ But some of them were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they^[eh] came to Antioch, began to speak^[ei] to the Hellenists^[ej] also, proclaiming the good news about the Lord Jesus. ²¹ And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord. ²² And the report came to the attention^[ek] of the church that was in Jerusalem about them, and they sent out Barnabas as far as^[el] Antioch, ²³ who, when he^[em] arrived and saw the grace of God, rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts,^{[en] 24} because he was a good man and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a large number were added^[eo] to the Lord. ²⁵ So he departed for Tarsus to look for Saul. ²⁶ And when he^[ep] found him,^[eq] he brought him^[er] to Antioch. And it happened to them also that they met together for a whole year with the church and taught a large number of people.^[es] And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.

²⁷ Now in those days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ And one of them named^[et] Agabus stood up and^[eu] indicated by the Spirit that a great famine was about to come over the whole inhabited earth (which took place in the time of Claudius). ²⁹ So from the disciples, according to their ability to give,^[ev] each one of them determined to send financial aid^[ew] for support to the brothers who lived in Judea, ³⁰ which they also did, sending the aid^[ex] to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.

Herod Kills James and Imprisons Peter

12 Now at that time, Herod the king laid hands on some of those from the church to harm them.^{[ey] 2} So he executed James the brother of John with a sword. ³ And when he^[ez] saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (Now this was during the feast^[fa] of Unleavened Bread.) ⁴ After he^[fb] had arrested him,^[fc] he also put him^[fd] in prison, handing him^[fe] over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out for public trial^[ff] after the Passover. ⁵ Thus Peter was kept in the prison, but prayer was fervently being made to God by the church for him.

Peter Rescued by an Angel

⁶ Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and guards before the door were watching the prison. ⁷ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood near him,^[fg] and a light shone in the prison cell. And striking Peter’s side, he woke him up, saying, “Get up quickly!”^[fh] And his chains fell off of his^[fi] hands. ⁸ And the angel said to him, “Gird yourself and put on your sandals!” And he did so. And he said to him, “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me!” ⁹ And he went out and^[fj] was following him.^[fk] And he did not know that what was being done by the angel was real, but was thinking he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ And after they^[fl] had passed the first and second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads to the city, which opened for them by itself, and they went out and^[fm] went forward along one narrow street, and at once the angel departed from him.

¹¹ And when^[fn] Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I know truly that the Lord has sent out his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and all that the Jewish people expected!”^{[fo] 12} And when he^[fp] realized this,^[fq] he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John (who is also called Mark), where many people were gathered together and were praying. ¹³ And when^[fr] he knocked at the door of the gateway, a female slave named^[fs] Rhoda came up to answer. ¹⁴ And recognizing Peter’s voice, because of her^[ft] joy she did not open the gate, but ran in and^[fu] announced that Peter was standing at the gate. ¹⁵ But they said to her, “You are out of your mind!” But she kept insisting^[fv] it was so. And they kept saying,^[fw] “It is his angel!” ¹⁶ But Peter was continuing to knock, and when they^[fx] opened the door^[fy] they saw him and were astonished. ¹⁷ But motioning to them with his^[fz] hand to be silent, he related to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and to the brothers,” and he departed and^[ga] went to another place.

¹⁸ Now when^[gb] day came, there was not a little commotion among the soldiers as to what then had become of Peter. ¹⁹ And when^[gc] Herod had searched for him and did not find him,^[gd] he questioned the guards and^[ge] ordered that they be led away to execution. And he came down from Judea to Caesarea and^[gf] stayed there.

Herod’s Gruesome Death

²⁰ Now he was very angry with the Tyrians and Sidonians. So they came to him with one purpose, and after^[gg] persuading Blastus, the king’s chamberlain,^[gh] they asked for peace, because their country was supported with food from the king’s country. ²¹ So on an appointed day Herod, after^[gi] putting on royal clothing and sitting down on the judgment seat, began to deliver a public address to them. ²² But the people began to call out loudly,^[gj] “The voice of a god and not of a man!” ²³ And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down because^[gk] he did not give the glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and^[gl] died. ²⁴ But the word of God kept on increasing^[gm] and multiplying.

²⁵ So Barnabas and Saul returned to^[gn] Jerusalem when they^[go] had completed their^[gp] service, having taken along with them^[gq] John (who is also called Mark).