Ma'ashym (Acts) — 8
1 Shaul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Staphan.
Persecution Scatters the Believers
A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the called out Assemblies in Yahushalam; and all the believers except the Shaliachs were scattered through the regions of Yahudah and Samaria.
2 (Some devout men came and buried Staphan with great mourning.)
3 But Shaul was going everywhere to destroy the Assemblies. Shaul went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.
Philip Preaches in Samaria
4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Basurah (Good News) about 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏_YAHUSHA wherever they went.
5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about Ha'Mashyach.
6 Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.
7 Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.
8 So there was great joy in that city.
9 A man named Simun had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.
10 Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great one, the Power of the mighty one.”
11 They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.
12 But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH and the name of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏_YAHUSHA Ha'Mashyach. As a result, many men and women were baptized.
13 Then Simun himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.
14 When the Shaliachs in Yahushalam heard that the people of Samaria had accepted 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s message, they sent Kafa and Yahukanun there.
15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the RUACH Ha'Qadash.
16 The RUACH Ha'Qadash had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏_YAHUSHA Ha'Mashyach.
17 Then Kafa and Yahukanun laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the RUACH Ha'Qadash.
18 When Simun saw that the RUACH was given when the Shaliachs laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.
19 “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the RUACH Ha'Qadash!”
20 But Kafa replied, “May your money perish with you, for thinking 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH’s gift can be bought!
21 You cannot share with us in this work. Your heart is not right before 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.
22 Change your heart! Turn away from these evil thoughts and pray to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH. Maybe He will forgive you.
23 I see that you are full of bitter jealousy and cannot stop yourself from doing wrong.”
24 “Pray to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH for me,” Simun exclaimed, “that these terrible things you have said will not happen to me!”
25 After testifying and preaching the Dabar of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH in Samaria, Kafa and Yahukanun returned to Yahushalam. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News.
Philip and the Athiupian Eunuch
26 As for Philip, a Malak of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Yahushalam to Gaza.”
27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Athiupia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Athiupia. The eunuch had gone to Yahushalam to worship,
28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the Nabym Yashayahu.
29 The RUACH Ha'Qadash said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the Nabym Yashayahu. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
33 He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of His descendants? For His life was taken from the Arath.”
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the Nabym talking about himself or someone else?”
35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏_YAHUSHA.
36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! here is some water! What hinders me from being baptized?”
37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤔𐤏_YAHUSHA Ha'Mashyach is the Son of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH.”
38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39 When they came up out of the water, the RUACH of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄_YAHUAH snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.
40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azutus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caasaraa.