8 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

² And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

³ As for Saul, he made havoc of the church. Entering into every house and haling men and women, he committed them to prison.

⁴ Therefore those who were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the Word.

⁵ Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.

⁶ And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.

⁷ For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed with them; and many taken with palsies and who were lame, were healed.

⁸ And there was great joy in that city.

⁹ But there was a certain man called Simon, who earlier in the same city had used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great,

¹⁰ to whom they all gave heed from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is great with the power of God.”

¹¹ And for him they had regard, because for a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

¹² But when they believed Philip’s preaching of the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

¹³ Then Simon himself believed also; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

¹⁴ Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that amaria had received the Word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John,

¹⁵ who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost.

¹⁶ (For as yet, He had fallen upon none of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).

¹⁷ Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

¹⁸ And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

¹⁹ saying, “Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.”

²⁰ But Peter said unto him, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money!

²¹ Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

²² Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God that perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

²³ For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.”

²⁴ Then Simon answered and said, “Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.”

²⁵ And they, when they had testified and preached the Word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem and preached the Gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.