Actschapter 8

A.Scattered by Persecution, They Preach Everywherevv. 1-8

1 And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. 6 The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform. 7 With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

B.Simon the Sorcerer Tries to Buy the Gift of Godvv. 9-25

9 Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great, 10 and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.” 11 They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the gospel of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed. 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15 On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into 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 Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. 19 “Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart. 23 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.” 24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” 25 And after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many of the Samaritan villages.

C.The Ethiopian Eunuch on the Desert Roadvv. 26-40

26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go south to the desert road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” 30 So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth. 33 In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Who can recount His descendants? For His life was removed from the earth.” 34 “Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road and came to some water, the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is there to prevent me from being baptized?” 37 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

Commentary on this chapter: read the Exposition What the manuscripts read here: on the Study level

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Chapter summary

Great persecution scatters the church; Philip in Samaria; Simon the sorcerer.

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Great persecution scatters the church; Philip in Samaria; Simon the sorcerer. Peter and John lay hands and the Spirit is given. Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch on the Gaza road. Isaiah 53 preached; baptism.

Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary, John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the New Testament and John Calvin, Commentaries.

Context

History · Luke — Acts overview

A. 1–8 Scattered by Persecution, They Preach Everywhere
B. 9–25 Simon the Sorcerer Tries to Buy the Gift of God
C. 26–40 The Ethiopian Eunuch on the Desert Road

Top cross-references8 chapters ▾

Acts 84 verses
- Acts 8:1And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
- Acts 8:6The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform.
- Acts 8:9Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great,
- Acts 8:35Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
- Read Acts 8 →
Matthew 103 verses
- Matthew 10:1And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.
- Matthew 10:8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.
- Matthew 10:23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
- Read Matthew 10 →
Acts 53 verses
- Acts 5:19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out, saying,
- Acts 5:36Some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men joined him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing.
- Acts 5:40At this, they yielded to Gamaliel. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and released them.
- Read Acts 5 →
Acts 133 verses
- Acts 13:2While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
- Acts 13:6They traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, where they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus,
- Acts 13:52And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.
- Read Acts 13 →

4 more chapters this one speaks with

Acts 193 verses
- Acts 19:2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
- Acts 19:6And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
- Acts 19:11God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,
- Read Acts 19 →
John 53 verses
- John 5:20The Father loves the Son and shows Him all He does. And to your amazement, He will show Him even greater works than these.
- John 5:39You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me,
- John 5:44How can you believe if you accept glory from one another, yet do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
- Read John 5 →
Isaiah 533 verses
- Isaiah 53:7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
- Isaiah 53:8By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people.
- Isaiah 53:12Therefore I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the spoils with the strong, because He has poured out His life unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors. Yet He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.
- Read Isaiah 53 →
Acts 112 verses
- Acts 11:12The Spirit told me to accompany them without hesitation. These six brothers also went with me, and we entered the man’s home.
- Acts 11:19Meanwhile those scattered by the persecution that began with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the message only to Jews.
- Read Acts 11 →

Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.