Acts 8-9 - Prayer Tents

Acts 8

Persecution Scatters the Believers

8Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.G1161G4569G2258G4909G846G336G1161G1722G1565G2250G1096G3173G1375G1909G1577G3588G1722G2414G5037G1289G3956G1289G2596G5561G2449G2532G4540G4133G6522(Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)G1161G2126G435G4792G4736G2532G4160G3173G2870G1909G8463But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.G1161G4569G3075G1577G1531G2596G3624G4951G5037G435G2532G1135G3860G1519G5438

Philip Preaches in Samaria

4But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.G3767G3303G1289G1330G2097G30565Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.G1161G5376G2718G1519G4172G4540G2784G5547G8466Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.G5037G3793G3661G4337G5376G3004G5259G1722G191G846G2532G991G4592G3739G41607Many evil

spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.G1063G169G4151G994G3173G5456G1831G4183G2192G1161G4183G3886G2532G5560G23238So there was great joy in that city.G2532G1096G3173G5479G1722G1565G41729A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.G1161G5100G435G3686G4613G4391G1722G4172G3096G2532G1839G1484G4540G3004G1438G1511G5100G317310Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as "the Great One—the Power of God."G3739G3956G4337G575G3398G2193G3173G3004G3778G2076G3173G1411G231611They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.G1161G846G4337G1223G2425G5550G1839G846G309512But now the people believed Philip's message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized.G1161G3753G4100G5376G2097G4012G932G2316G2532G3686G2424G5547G907G5037G435G2532G113513Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.G1161G4613G846G4100G2532G2532G907G2258G4342G5376G5037G1839G2334G1411G2532G4592G3173G1096G109614When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God's message, they sent Peter and John there.G1161G652G3588G1722G2414G191G3754G4540G1209G3056G2316G649G4314G846G4074G2532G249115As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.G3748G2597G4336G4012G846G3704G2983G40G415116The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.G1063G3768G2258G1968G1909G3762G846G3440G1161G5225G907G1519G3686G2962G242417Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.G5119G2007G5495G1909G846G2532G2983G40G415118When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.G1161G4613G2300G3754G1223G1936G652G5495G40G4151G1325G4374G846G553619"Let me have this power, too," he exclaimed, "so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!"G3004G1325G2504G5026G1849G2443G2007G3739G1437G2007G5495G2983G40G415120But Peter replied, "May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God's gift can be bought!G1161G4074G2036G4314G846G4675G694G1498G1519G684G4862G4671G3754G3543G1431G2316G2932G1223G553621You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.G4671G2076G3756G3310G3761G2819G1722G5129G3056G1063G4675G2588G2076G3756G2117G1799G231622Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,G3340G3767G575G5026G4675G2549G2532G1189G2316G1487G686G1963G4675G2588G863G467123for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin."G1063G3708G4571G5607G1519G5521G4088G2532G4886G9324"Pray to the Lord for me," Simon exclaimed, "that these terrible things you've said won't happen to me!"G1161G611G4613G2036G1189G5210G4314G2962G5228G1700G3704G3367G3739G2046G1904G1909G169125After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News.G3303G3767G1263G2532G2980G3056G2962G5290G1519G2419G5037G2097G4183G2968G4541

Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

26As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, "Go south

down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza."G1161G32G2962G2980G4314G5376G3004G450G2532G4198G2596G3314G1909G3598G2597G575G2419G1519G1048G3778G2076G204827So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship,G2532G450G4198G2532G2400G435G128G2135G1413G2582G938G128G3739G2258G1909G3956G846G1047G3739G2064G1519G2419G435228and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.G5037G2258G5290G2532G2521G1909G846G716G2532G314G2268G439629The Holy Spirit said to Philip, "Go over and walk along beside the carriage."G1161G4151G2036G5376G4334G2532G2853G5129G71630Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?"G1161G5376G4370G191G846G314G4396G2268G2532G2036G687G1065G1097G3739G31431The man replied, "How can I, unless someone instructs me?" And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.G1161G2036G1063G4459G302G1410G3362G5100G3594G3165G5037G3870G5376G305G2523G4862G84632The 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.G1161G4042G1124G3739G314G2258G3778G71G5613G4263G1909G4967G2532G5613G286G880G1726G846G2751G3779G455G3756G846G475033He was humiliated and received no justice Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth."

G1722G846G5014G846G2920G142G1161G5101G1334G846G1074G3754G846G2222G142G575G109334The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?"G1161G2135G611G5376G2036G1189G4675G4012G5101G3004G4396G5124G4012G1438G2228G4012G5100G208735So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.G1161G5376G455G846G4750G2532G756G575G5026G1124G2097G846G242436As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look! There's some water! Why can't I be baptized?"G1161G5613G4198G2596G3598G2064G1909G5100G5204G2532G2135G5346G2400G5204G5101G2967G3165G90737

G1161G5376G2036G1487G4100G1537G3650G2588G1832G1161G611G2036G4100G2424G5547G1511G5207G231638He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.G2532G2753G716G2476G2532G2597G297G1519G5204G5037G5376G2532G2135G2532G907G84639When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.G1161G3753G305G1537G5204G4151G2962G726G5376G2532G2135G1492G3756G846G3765G1063G4198G846G3598G546340Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.G1161G5376G2147G1519G108G2532G1330G2097G3956G4172G2193G846G2064G1519G2542

Acts 9

Saul’s Conversion

9Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord's followers

. So he went to the high priest.G1161G4569G2089G1709G547G2532G5408G1519G3101G2962G4334G7492He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.G154G3844G846G1992G1519G1154G4314G4864G3704G1437G2147G5100G3598G5037G5607G435G2532G1135G71G1210G1519G24193As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him.G1161G846G4198G1722G1096G1448G1154G2532G1810G4015G846G5457G575G37724He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?"G2532G4098G1909G1093G191G5456G3004G846G4549G4549G5101G1377G31655"Who are you, lord?" Saul asked And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!G1161G2036G5101G1488G2962G1161G2962G2036G1473G1510G2424G3739G4771G1377G4642G4671G2979G4314G27596Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do."G5037G5141G2532G2284G2036G2962G5101G2309G3165G4160G2532G2962G4314G846G450G2532G1525G1519G4172G2532G2980G4671G5101G4571G1163G41607The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone's voice but saw no one!G1161G435G3588G4922G846G2476G1769G191G3303G5456G1161G2334G33678Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus.G1161G4569G1453G575G1093G1161G846G3788G455G991G3762G1161G5496G846G5496G1521G1519G11549He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.G2532G2258G5140G2250G3361G991G2532G3756G5315G3761G409510Now there was a believer

in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord!" he replied.G1161G2258G5100G3101G1722G1154G3686G367G2532G4314G846G2036G2962G1722G3705G367G1161G2036G2400G1473G296211The Lord said, "Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now.G1161G2962G4314G846G450G4198G1909G4505G3588G2564G2117G2532G2212G1722G3614G2455G3686G4569G5018G1063G2400G433612I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again."G2532G1492G1722G3705G435G3686G367G1525G2532G2007G5495G2007G846G3704G30813"But Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I've heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers

in Jerusalem!G1161G367G611G2962G191G575G4183G4012G5127G435G3745G2556G4160G4675G40G1722G241914And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name."G2532G5602G2192G1849G3844G749G1210G3956G1941G4675G368615But the Lord said, "Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel.G1161G2962G2036G4314G846G4198G3754G3778G2076G1589G4632G3427G941G3450G3686G1799G1484G2532G935G5037G5207G247416And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake."G1063G1473G5263G846G3745G846G1163G3958G5228G3450G3686G522817So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."G1161G367G565G2532G1525G1519G3614G2532G2007G5495G1909G846G2036G80G4549G2962G2424G3700G4671G1722G3598G3739G2064G649G3165G3704G308G2532G4130G40G415118Instantly something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.G2532G2112G634G575G846G3788G5616G3013G308G3916G5037G450G2532G907

Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem

19Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers

in Damascus for a few days.G2532G2983G5160G1765G1161G1096G4569G5100G2250G3326G3101G1722G115420And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is indeed the Son of God!"G2532G2112G2784G5547G1722G4864G3754G3778G2076G5207G231621All who heard him were amazed. "Isn't this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus' followers in Jerusalem?" they asked. "And didn't he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?"G1161G3956G191G1839G2532G3004G2076G3756G3778G4199G3588G1941G5124G3686G1722G2419G2532G2064G5602G1519G5124G1519G2443G71G846G1210G1909G74922Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.G1161G4569G1743G3123G1743G2532G4797G2453G3588G2730G1722G1154G4822G3754G3778G2076G554723After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him.G1161G5613G2425G2250G4137G2453G4823G337G84624They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot.G1161G846G1917G1097G4569G5037G3906G4439G2250G2532G3571G3704G337G84625So during the night, some of the other believers

lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.G1161G3101G2983G846G3571G2524G5465G1223G5038G1722G471126When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers

, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer!G1161G4569G3854G1519G2419G3987G2853G3101G2532G5399G3956G5399G846G4100G3361G3754G2076G310127Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus.G1161G921G1949G846G71G4314G652G2532G1334G846G4459G1492G2962G1722G3598G2532G3754G2980G846G2532G4459G3955G1722G1154G1722G3686G242428So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.G2532G2258G3326G846G1531G2532G1607G1722G241929He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him.G2532G2980G3955G1722G3686G2962G2424G5037G2532G4802G4314G1675G1161G2021G337G84630When the believers

heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.G1161G80G1921G2609G846G2609G1519G2542G2532G1821G846G1821G1519G501931The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.G3303G3767G2192G1577G1515G2596G3650G2449G2532G1056G2532G4540G3618G2532G4198G5401G2962G2532G3874G40G4151G4129

Peter Heals Aeneas and Raises Dorcas

32Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda.G1161G1096G1330G4074G1330G1223G3956G2718G2532G4314G40G3588G2730G306933There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years.G1161G1563G2147G5100G444G3686G132G2621G1909G2895G1537G3638G2094G3739G2258G388634Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!" And he was healed instantly.G2532G4074G2036G846G132G2424G5547G2390G4571G2390G450G2532G4766G4572G4766G2532G450G211235Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.G2532G3956G2730G3069G2532G4565G1492G846G3748G1994G1909G296236There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas

). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor.G1161G2258G1722G2445G5100G3102G3686G5000G3739G1329G3004G1393G3778G846G2258G4134G18G2041G2532G1654G3739G416037About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room.G1161G1096G1722G1565G2250G770G599G1161G846G3068G846G5087G1722G525338But the believers

had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, "Please come as soon as possible!"G1161G5607G3069G1451G2445G3101G191G3754G4074G2076G1722G846G649G4314G846G1417G435G3870G3635G3361G3635G1330G2193G84639So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them.G1161G4074G450G4905G846G3739G3854G321G1519G5253G2532G3956G5503G3936G846G2799G2532G1925G5509G2532G2440G3745G1393G4160G5607G3326G84640But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, "Get up, Tabitha." And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up!G1161G4074G1544G3956G1854G5087G1119G4336G2532G1994G4314G4983G2036G5000G450G1161G455G846G3788G2532G1492G4074G33941He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive.G1161G1325G846G5495G450G846G450G1161G5455G40G2532G5503G3936G846G219842The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord.G1161G1096G1110G2596G3650G2445G2532G4183G4100G1909G296243And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides.G1161G1096G846G3306G2425G2250G1722G2445G3844G5100G4613G1038