Saul Persecutes the Church
And Saul was there, giving approval to Stephen’s death. Act 22:20Dan 3:16-18Act 5:40Act 1:8Act 5:33Act 7:58Luk 11:49-50Act 8:14
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. God-fearing men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him. Gen 50:10-111Sa 28:32Ch 32:332Ch 35:252Sa 3:31Act 10:2Act 2:5Deu 34:8 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison. 1Ti 1:131Co 15:9Gal 1:13Php 3:6Act 22:19Act 7:58Act 9:21Act 22:3-4
Philip in Samaria
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. Mat 10:231Th 2:2Act 11:19Act 8:1Act 14:2-7Act 15:35 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Christ to them. Act 6:5Act 21:8Act 8:35-36Act 8:401Co 1:231Co 3:11Act 5:421Co 2:2 The crowds gave their undivided attention to Philip’s message and to the signs they saw him perform. Jhn 4:41-422Ch 30:12Act 13:44Mat 20:15-16 With loud shrieks, unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, and many of the paralyzed and lame were healed. Mat 10:1Act 14:8-10Act 5:16Mrk 16:17-18Heb 2:4Act 3:6-7Act 9:33-34Isa 35:6 So there was great joy in that city. Act 13:52Act 13:48Act 8:39Isa 35:1-2Luk 2:10-11Psa 96:10-12Psa 98:2-6Rom 15:9-12
Simon the Sorcerer
(Deuteronomy 18:9–14)
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, Act 13:6Act 5:36Jhn 7:18Exo 8:18-19Act 19:18-20Lev 20:6Act 16:16-18Act 8:11 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.” 2Pe 2:2Jer 31:34Rev 13:31Co 1:242Co 11:19Act 14:11Act 28:6Eph 4:14 They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery. Act 8:9Gal 3:1Isa 44:25Isa 47:9-13Isa 8:19
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. Act 2:38Act 1:3Mat 28:191Pe 3:21Act 2:41Act 28:31Gal 3:28Rom 10:10 Even Simon himself believed and was baptized. He followed Philip closely and was astounded by the great signs and miracles he observed. Act 19:11Act 8:6-7Jhn 5:20Jhn 8:30-31Act 13:44Jas 2:19-26Jhn 2:23-25Jhn 7:21
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 1Th 2:131Th 3:2Act 8:1Gal 2:9Act 11:1Act 11:19-22Act 15:4Act 17:11 On their arrival, they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Act 2:38Jhn 16:23-24Jhn 14:13-14Mat 18:19Php 1:19 For the Holy Spirit had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Act 2:38Act 19:2Mat 28:19Act 19:5-6Act 11:15-171Co 1:13-15Act 10:44-48Gal 3:27 Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Act 19:6Act 6:62Ti 1:6Act 8:18Act 2:4Act 9:17Heb 6:2Num 27:18
When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money. 1Ti 6:5Mat 10:82Ki 8:92Ki 5:15-16Ezk 13:19 “Give me this power as well,” he said, “so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” Luk 14:7-113Jn 1:9Jhn 5:44Mat 18:1-31Co 15:8-9Act 8:17Act 8:9-11
But Peter replied, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! Act 2:38Dan 5:17Mat 10:8Rev 18:151Ti 6:92Pe 2:14-17Jas 5:32Ki 5:15-16 You have no part or share in our ministry, because your heart is not right before God. Heb 4:13Jhn 21:17Mat 6:22-24Psa 36:12Ch 25:2Rev 2:23Rev 22:19Hab 2:4 Repent, therefore, of your wickedness, and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive you for the intent of your heart. 2Ti 2:25-26Dan 4:27Heb 4:12Act 17:30Act 9:11Luk 11:9-13Mat 7:7-8Rom 2:4 For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and captive to iniquity.” Isa 58:6Pro 5:22Heb 12:15Jhn 8:34Isa 28:22Tit 3:32Pe 2:192Pe 2:4
Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.” Exo 8:8Num 21:7Job 42:81Ki 13:6Exo 10:17Exo 12:32Gen 20:7Jas 5:16
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. Act 20:211Pe 5:12Act 1:8Act 18:5Act 26:22-23Act 28:23Act 28:28Act 28:31
Philip and the Ethiopian
(Isaiah 53:1–8)
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.” Act 5:192Ki 1:3Heb 1:14Act 27:23Act 10:22Act 12:23Act 10:7Act 12:8-11 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official in charge of the entire treasury of Candace, 1 queen of the Ethiopians. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, Psa 68:31Zep 3:10Isa 56:3-8Jer 38:7Psa 87:41Ki 8:41-43Jhn 12:20Mat 12:42 and on his return was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah the prophet. Col 3:16Act 28:25Isa 1:12Ti 3:15-17Act 17:11-12Deu 11:18-20Deu 17:18-19Deu 6:6-7
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that chariot and stay by it.” Act 10:19Act 11:12Act 13:2-4Act 20:22-23Act 16:6-71Ti 4:1Act 21:11Hos 6:3
So Philip ran up and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. Luk 24:44-45Eph 5:17Jhn 5:39Mat 13:23Mat 15:10Mat 13:51Mat 24:15Act 8:27
“How can I,” he said, “unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Rom 10:14Isa 29:18-19Psa 73:16-17Pro 30:2-3Psa 25:8-91Co 8:2Mat 18:3-41Co 14:36-37
The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: Isa 53:7-81Pe 2:21-24Jer 51:40Jer 11:19Rom 8:36Psa 44:11-12Psa 39:9Psa 39:2
“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.
In His humiliation He was deprived of justice. Isa 53:12Isa 53:8Php 2:8-9Zec 13:7Isa 53:10Dan 9:26Isa 10:2Isa 5:23
Who can recount His descendants?
For His life was removed from the earth.” 2
“Tell me,” said the eunuch, “who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Mat 15:15Mat 13:36Mat 2:2-4
Then Philip began with this very Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. Luk 24:27Act 18:281Co 2:2Act 28:23Mat 5:2Act 5:421Co 1:231Pe 1:11-12
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?” 3 Act 10:47Jhn 3:5Jhn 3:23Tit 3:5-61Jn 5:6Ezk 36:25 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. Jhn 4:1Jhn 3:22-23
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. 1Ki 18:122Ki 2:16Ezk 8:3Ezk 43:5Ezk 11:1Ezk 11:24Ezk 3:12-142Co 12:2-4 But Philip appeared at Azotus and traveled through that region, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he came to Caesarea. Act 21:8Act 10:1Act 23:23Act 23:33Act 25:41Sa 5:1Act 10:24Act 12:19