The Acts of the Apostles

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- Kapitel 8 -

Now in those days, there occurred a great persecution against the Church at Jerusalem. And they were all dispersed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the Apostles.

But God-fearing men arranged for Stephen’s funeral, and they made a great mourning over him.

Then Saul was laying waste to the Church by entering throughout the houses, and dragging away men and women, and committing them to prison.

Philip in Samaria

Therefore, those who had been dispersed were traveling around, evangelizing the Word of God.

Now Philip, descending to a city of Samaria, was preaching Christ to them.

And the crowd was listening intently and with one accord to those things which were being said by Philip, and they were watching the signs which he was accomplishing.

For many of them had unclean spirits, and, crying out with a loud voice, these departed from them.

And many of the paralytics and the lame were cured.

Simon the Sorcerer

(Deuteronomy 18:9–14)

Therefore, there was great gladness in that city. Now there was a certain man named Simon, who formerly had been a magician in that city, seducing the people of Samaria, claiming himself to be someone great.

And to all those who would listen, from the least even to the greatest, he was “Here is the power of God, which is called great.”

And they were attentive to him because, for a long time, he had deluded them with his magic.

Yet truly, once they had believed Philip, who was evangelizing the kingdom of God, both men and women were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

Then Simon himself also believed and, when he had been baptized, he adhered to Philip. And now, seeing also the greatest signs and miracles being wrought, he was amazed and stupefied.

Now when the Apostles who were in Jerusalem had heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them.

And when they had arrived, they prayed for them, so that they might receive the Holy Spirit.

For he had not yet come to any among them, since they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.(a)

Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.(b)

But when Simon had seen that, by the imposition of the hands of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,

saying, “Give this power to me also, so that on whomever I will lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit.” But Peter said to him:

“Let your money be with you in perdition, for you have supposed that a gift of God might be possessed by money.

There is no part or place for you in this matter. For your heart is not upright in the sight of God.

And so, repent from this, your wickedness, and beg God, so that perhaps this plan of your heart might be forgiven you.

For I perceive you to be in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

Then Simon responded by saying, “Pray for me to the Lord, so that nothing of what you have said may happen to me.”

And indeed, after testifying and speaking the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and they evangelized the many regions of the Samaritans.

Philip and the Ethiopian

(Isaiah 53:1–8)

Now an Angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Rise up and go toward the south, to the way which descends from Jerusalem into Gaza, where there is a desert.”

And rising up, he went. And behold, an Ethiopian man, a eunuch, powerful under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasures, had arrived in Jerusalem to worship.

And while returning, he was sitting upon his chariot and reading from the prophet Isaiah.

Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Draw near and join yourself to this chariot.”

And Philip, hurrying, heard him reading from the prophet Isaiah, and he said, “Do you think that you understand what you are reading?”

And he said, “But how can I, unless someone will have revealed it to me?” And he asked Philip to climb up and sit with him.

Now the place in Scripture that he was reading was “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter. And like a lamb silent before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth.

He endured his judgment with humility. Who of his generation shall describe how his life was taken away from the earth?”

Then the eunuch responded to Philip, “I beg you, about whom is the prophet saying this? About himself, or about someone else?”

Then Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from this Scripture, evangelized Jesus to him.

And while they were going along the way, they arrived at a certain water source. And the eunuch “There is water. What would prevent me from being baptized?”

Then Philip said, “If you believe from your whole heart, it is permitted.” And he responded by saying, “I believe the Son of God to be Jesus the Christ.”(c)

And he ordered the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch descended into the water. And he baptized him.

And when they had ascended from the water, the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him anymore. Then he went on his way, rejoicing.

Now Philip was found in Azotus. And continuing on, he evangelized all the cities, until he arrived in Caesarea.

Fußnoten

(a)8:16 It seems from this passage that some early valid Baptisms used only the name of Jesus, and that receiving the Holy Spirit was a separate Sacrament, that of Confirmation. This is clear because the receiving of the Holy Spirit was through the laying on of hands, without the use of water.(Conte)

(b)8:17 They laid their hands upon them, etc:The apostles administered the sacrament of confirmation, by imposition of hands, and prayer; and the faithful thereby received the Holy Ghost. Not but they had received the grace of the Holy Ghost at their yet not that plenitude of grace and those spiritual gifts which they afterwards received from bishops in the sacrament of confirmation, which strengthened them to profess their faith publicly.(Challoner)

(c)8:37 If you believe with all your heart:The scripture many times mentions only one disposition, as here belief, when others equally necessary are not expressed, viz., a sorrow for sins, a firm hope, and the love of God. Moreover, believing with the whole heart signifies a belief of every thing necessary for salvation.(Challoner)

Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the assembly which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.

Devout men buried Stephen and lamented greatly over him.

But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into every house and dragged both men and women off to prison.

Philip in Samaria

Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around preaching the word.

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ.

The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip when they heard and saw the signs which he did.

For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.

There was great joy in that city.

Simon the Sorcerer

(Deuteronomy 18:9–14)

But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,

to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is that great power of God.”

They listened to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.

But when they believed Philip preaching good news concerning God’s Kingdom and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,

who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit;

for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus.

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

Now when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,

saying, “Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit.”

But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!

You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart isn’t right before God.

Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.

For I see that you are in the poison of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity.”

Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me.”

They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.

Philip and the Ethiopian

(Isaiah 53:1–8)

Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, “Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert.”

He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship.

He was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah.

The Spirit said to Philip, “Go near, and join yourself to this chariot.”

Philip ran to him, and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

He said, “How can I, unless someone explains it to me?” He begged Philip to come up and sit with him.

Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter. As a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he doesn’t open his mouth.

In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. Who will declare His generation? For his life is taken from the earth.”(a)

The eunuch answered Philip, “Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?”

Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him about Jesus.

As they went on the way, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Behold, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?”

(b)

He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.

When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch didn’t see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

Fußnoten

(a)8:33 ℘ Isaiah 53:7,8

(b)8:37 TR adds Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” He answered, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”