Study Desk

Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.^(a)

Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.

Saul,^(b) however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.^(c)

So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news.

Philip went down to a^[a] city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.^(d)

The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing.

For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.^(e)

So there was great joy in that city.

A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and astounded the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great.^(f)

They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, "This man is called the Great Power of God!"^[b](g)

They were attentive to him because he had astounded them with his sorceries for a long time.

But when they believed Philip, as he preached the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.^(h)

Then even Simon himself believed. And after he was baptized, he went around constantly with^[c] Philip and was astounded as he observed the signs and great miracles⁽ⁱ⁾ that were being performed.

When the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had welcomed God's message, they sent Peter and John to them.^(j)

After they went down there, they prayed for them, so the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.

For He had not yet come down on^[d] any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.^(k)

Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

When Simon saw that the Holy^[e] Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,

saying, "Give me this power too, so that anyone I lay hands on may receive the Holy Spirit."

But Peter told him, "May your silver be destroyed with you, because you thought the gift of God could be obtained with money!^(l)

You have no part or share in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.^(m)

Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

For I see you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity."⁽ⁿ⁾

"Please pray^[f] to the Lord for me," Simon replied, "so that nothing you have said may happen to me."^(o)

Then, after they had testified and spoken the message of the Lord, they traveled back to Jerusalem, evangelizing many villages of the Samaritans.