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Acts 8

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Acts 8 Overview

Saul’s persecution scatters believers, but they preach wherever they go. Philip brings the gospel and signs to Samaria, where many believe and are baptized. Peter and John come from Jerusalem, pray for the Samaritan believers to receive the Holy Ghost in this transitional setting, and rebuke Simon for trying to buy apostolic power. Philip is then sent to an Ethiopian eunuch, explains Isaiah 53 as speaking of Jesus, and baptizes him after his confession of faith.

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Before you read Acts 8

Coming from

Stephen answers the council by retelling Israel’s history from Abraham through Joseph, Moses, the wilderness, the tabernacle, and Solomon. His defense emphasizes that God was active beyond one land or building and that Israel repeatedly rejected divinely sent deliverers. Stephen accuses his hearers of resisting the Holy Ghost and betraying the Just One. Seeing Jesus standing at God’s right hand, he is stoned while Saul watches.

In this chapter

Stephen’s death becomes the catalyst for the geographic expansion Jesus predicted in Acts 1:8.

Leads into

Acts 9 records Saul’s encounter with the risen Jesus, his conversion and baptism, his immediate witness, and Peter’s miracles in Lydda and Joppa.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The Samaritan sequence—belief and baptism followed later by the apostles’ laying on hands and reception of the Holy Ghost—is unusual within Acts. It visibly unites the historically divided Samaritan believers with the Jerusalem apostolic witness and should not be imposed as the required sequence for every conversion.

The Ethiopian narrative explicitly moves from Scripture to Jesus, then from belief to baptism. Baptism follows the gospel response rather than earning it.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Persecution can spread the witness it intends to suppress

Scattered believers carry the word beyond Jerusalem.

The gospel crosses entrenched ethnic boundaries

Samaritans receive Christ and are joined visibly with the apostolic church.

Spiritual power cannot be bought

Simon’s money cannot purchase the gift or authority of God.

Christ is the key to understanding Isaiah’s suffering Servant

Philip begins at Isaiah 53 and preaches Jesus.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

John 4:39–42

Jesus had already received believing Samaritans; Acts 8 shows the apostolic mission expanding there after Pentecost.

Isaiah 53:7–8

The Ethiopian is reading the Servant passage Philip uses to preach Jesus.

Acts 10:43–48

Cornelius later receives the Holy Ghost upon believing before baptism, showing that Acts records transitional sequences rather than one rigid order.

Galatians 3:26–28

Paul later emphasizes unity in Christ across ethnic and social distinctions.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Do not teach that all believers must wait for apostles to lay hands on them before receiving the Holy Ghost

Acts itself records different sequences in different transitional groups.

Do not assume Simon’s profession and baptism automatically settle every question about his heart

Peter’s rebuke focuses on a corrupt attempt to purchase divine power; the passage should be read carefully without turning baptism into proof of salvation.

Do not remove faith from the Ethiopian baptism account

The narrative presents understanding and belief before baptism.

Do not use Acts 8 to create racial or national barriers the gospel is breaking down

The chapter moves deliberately toward inclusion.

Read Acts 8 watching for…

How persecution changes the geography of witness.

The Samaritans’ belief and baptism.

Why Peter and John come from Jerusalem.

Simon’s request and Peter’s rebuke.

Philip’s use of Isaiah 53.

The order of belief, confession, and baptism with the Ethiopian.

Chapter outline3 sections

1-8Persecution scatters believers, and Philip preaches Christ in Samaria 9-25Simon the sorcerer believes and is rebuked for trying to buy the gift of God 26-40Philip explains Isaiah to the Ethiopian eunuch, who believes and is baptized

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 Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

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

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

Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

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

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

For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

And there was great joy in that city.

But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

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

And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

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

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

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

Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

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

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

Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.

And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,

Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.

Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.

The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth:

In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

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

And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.

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Acts 8:18

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