Through My Bible Yr 03 – June 02

Acts 8

⁵ Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began preaching the Christ to them. ⁶ With one mind, the crowds paid close attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the miraculous signs he was doing. ⁷ Unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. ⁸ So there was great joy in that city.

⁹ Now there was a man by the name of Simon, who had been practicing magic arts ^[1] in the city. He amazed the people of Samaria while claiming that he was someone great. ¹⁰ They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called ‘Great.’” ¹¹ They paid attention to him, because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic arts. ¹² But when they believed Philip, as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

¹³ Then even Simon himself believed. After he was baptized, he stayed close to Philip. As he observed the signs and great miracles that were taking place, he was amazed.

The Apostles Send Peter and John to Samaria

¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. ¹⁵ When Peter and John arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ for he had not yet come upon any of them. They had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Holy ^[2] Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money ¹⁹ and said, “Give me this power too, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! ²¹ You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right in God’s sight. ²² So repent of this wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord. Perhaps the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. ²³ For I see that you are filled with bitter poison and chained by wickedness.”

²⁴ Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”

²⁵ After Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.