What Saith The Word of God

Acts 8:4-25   Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Philip in Samaria 4  So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news.   5  Philip went down to a [ a ]   city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them.   6  The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing.   7  For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.   8  So there was great joy in that city. The Response of Simon 9  A man named Simon had previously practiced sorcery in that city and astounded the Samaritan people, while claiming to be somebody great. 10  They all paid attention to him, from the least of them to the greatest, and they said, “This man is called the Great Power of God!” [ b ]   11  They were attentive to him because he had astounded them with his sorceries for a long time.   12  But when they believed Philip, as h

Acts 8:1-3   Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Saul the Persecutor 8  Saul agreed with putting him to death. On that day a severe persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the land of Judea and Samaria.   2  Devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply over him.   3  Saul,   however, was ravaging the church. He would enter house after house, drag off men and women, and put them in prison.

Acts 6:8-15   Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) Stephen Accused of Blasphemy 8  Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people.   9  Then some from what is called the Freedmen’s Synagogue, composed of both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, came forward and disputed with Stephen.   10  But they were unable to stand up against his wisdom and the Spirit by whom he was speaking. 11  Then they persuaded some men to say, “We heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God!”   12  They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; so they came, dragged him off, and took him to the Sanhedrin.   13  They also presented false witnesses who said, “This man does not stop speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.   14  For we heard him say that Jesus, this Nazarene, will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.”   15  And all who were sitting in th