Scripture: Acts 8

Chapter:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

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.

ACTS 8:1

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

ACTS 8:2

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

ACTS 8:3

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

ACTS 8:4

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

ACTS 8:5

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

ACTS 8:6

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.

ACTS 8:7

And there was great joy in that city.

ACTS 8:8

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:

ACTS 8:9

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

ACTS 8:10

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

ACTS 8:11

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.

ACTS 8:12

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

ACTS 8:13

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

ACTS 8:14

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

ACTS 8:15

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

ACTS 8:16

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

ACTS 8:17

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

ACTS 8:18

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

ACTS 8:19

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

ACTS 8:20

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

ACTS 8:21

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

ACTS 8:22

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

ACTS 8:23

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

ACTS 8:24

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.

ACTS 8:25

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.

ACTS 8:26

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,

ACTS 8:27

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

ACTS 8:28

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

ACTS 8:29

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

ACTS 8:30

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.

ACTS 8:31

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:

ACTS 8:32

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

ACTS 8:33

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

ACTS 8:34

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

ACTS 8:35

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?

ACTS 8:36

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.

ACTS 8:37

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.

ACTS 8:38

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.

ACTS 8:39

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

ACTS 8:40

Chapter:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

IMPORTANT: All Scripture text has context and background. Scripture should never be read literally or in isolation. Always seek clarification from religious scholars and teachers. In general, Scripture adheres to four principles: (1) Literal Meaning - What the Scripture says (2) Historical Setting - The story events; how the Scripture was understood in its time (3) Grammar - The surrounding sentence and paragraph; textual context (4) Synthesis - A comparison with similar Scripture to give a better contextual understanding

Acts 8
CHURCH FATHERS: 17

1. Clement of Rome | CHURCH FATHER 97 AD

| Wikipedia: Pope_Clement_I

Acts was REJECTED (0%) by Clement of Rome
(No mention; no quotes; opinion unknown)

2. Ignatius of Antioch | CHURCH FATHER 110 AD

| Wikipedia: Ignatius_of_Antioch

Acts was REJECTED (0%) by Ignatius of Antioch
(No mention; no quotes; opinion unknown)

3. Barnabas | CHURCH FATHER 130 AD

| Wikipedia: Barnabas

Acts was REJECTED (0%) by Barnabas
(No mention; no quotes; opinion unknown)

4. Hermas | CHURCH FATHER 140 AD

| Wikipedia: Hermas_(freedman)

Acts was APPROVED (75%) by Hermas
(Citation; approving quotation; alluded to; acceptable with changes)

5. Papias of Hierapolis | CHURCH FATHER 140 AD

| Wikipedia: Papias_of_Hierapolis

Acts was REJECTED (0%) by Papias of Hierapolis
(No mention; no quotes; opinion unknown)

6. Polycarp | CHURCH FATHER 150 AD

| Wikipedia: Polycarp

Acts was APPROVED (75%) by Polycarp
(Citation; approving quotation; alluded to; acceptable with changes)

7. Didache | CHURCH FATHER 150 AD

| Wikipedia: Didache

Acts was REJECTED (0%) by Didache
(No mention; no quotes; opinion unknown)

8. Diognetus | CHURCH FATHER 150 AD

| Wikipedia: Epistle_to_Diognetus

Acts was REJECTED (0%) by Diognetus
(No mention; no quotes; opinion unknown)

9. Justin Martyr | CHURCH FATHER 155 AD

| Wikipedia: Justin_Martyr

Acts was APPROVED (75%) by Justin Martyr
(Citation; approving quotation; alluded to; acceptable with changes)

10. Irenaeous | CHURCH FATHER 202 AD

| Wikipedia: Irenaeus

Acts was FULLY ACCEPTED (100%) by Irenaeous
(Fully accepted; true scripture; quoted approvingly)

11. Clement of Alexandria | CHURCH FATHER 215 AD

| Wikipedia: Clement_of_Alexandria

Acts was APPROVED (75%) by Clement of Alexandria
(Citation; approving quotation; alluded to; acceptable with changes)

12. Tertullian | CHURCH FATHER 220 AD

| Wikipedia: Tertullian

Acts was APPROVED (75%) by Tertullian
(Citation; approving quotation; alluded to; acceptable with changes)

13. Origen | CHURCH FATHER 254 AD

| Wikipedia: Origen

Acts was APPROVED (75%) by Origen
(Citation; approving quotation; alluded to; acceptable with changes)

14. Eusebius of Caesarea | CHURCH FATHER 340 AD

| Wikipedia: Eusebius

Acts was FULLY ACCEPTED (100%) by Eusebius of Caesarea
(Fully accepted; true scripture; quoted approvingly)

15. Athanasius of Alexandria | CHURCH FATHER 367 AD

| Wikipedia: Athanasius_of_Alexandria

Acts was FULLY ACCEPTED (100%) by Athanasius of Alexandria
(Fully accepted; true scripture; quoted approvingly)

16. Cyril of Jerusalem | CHURCH FATHER 386 AD

| Wikipedia: Cyril_of_Jerusalem

Acts was FULLY ACCEPTED (100%) by Cyril of Jerusalem
(Fully accepted; true scripture; quoted approvingly)

17. Augustine of Hippo | CHURCH FATHER 400 AD

| Wikipedia: Augustine of Hippo

Acts was FULLY ACCEPTED (100%) by Augustine of Hippo
(Fully accepted; true scripture; quoted approvingly)

Acts 8
BIBLE CANON: 5

A biblical canon is a set of texts (or "books") which a particular religious community regards as authoritative scripture. Christians were the first to use the term in reference to scripture.

These bible canons have developed through debate and agreement by the religious authorities.

| Wikipedia: Biblical_canon

1. Marcion Canon | BIBLE CANON 140 AD
Marcionism was a religious movement based on the teachings of the 2nd-century Marcion of Sinope. Marcions Canon lists 14 books out of the 27 books in the New Testament. More specifically, these were Luke and Paul's 13 writings. Marcion even rejected the entire Old Testament of 39 books.

bible.ca/marcion

| Wikipedia: Marcion_of_Sinope

Acts was REJECTED (0%) by Marcion Canon
(No mention; no quotes; opinion unknown)

2. Muratorian Canon | BIBLE CANON 170 AD
The Muratorian Canon is an ancient list of New Testament books - the oldest such list we have found and lists 22 of the 27 books that were later included in the New Testament of the Christian Bible.

It is noteworthy that the Muratorian Canon omits several epistles that later did win acceptance in the Christian New Testament such as the books of James and 2 Peter.

gotquestions.org/muratorian

| Wikipedia: Muratorian_fragment

Acts was FULLY ACCEPTED (100%) by Muratorian Canon
(Fully accepted; true scripture; quoted approvingly)

3. Apostolic Canon | BIBLE CANON 300 AD
Apostolic Canons or Ecclesiastical Canons

| Wikipedia: Canons_of_the_Apostles

Acts was FULLY ACCEPTED (100%) by Apostolic Canon
(Fully accepted; true scripture; quoted approvingly)

4. Cheltenham/ Mommsen List | BIBLE CANON 360 AD
The Cheltenham or Mommsen List is a Latin manuscript discovered by the German classical scholar Theodor Mommsen (published 1886) which probably originated in North Africa in the 4th century.

It has 24-book Old Testament and 24-book New Testament which omits Jude and James, and perhaps Hebrews, and questions the epistles of John and Peter.

bible-researcher.com/cheltenham

| Wikipedia: Theodor_Mommsen

Acts was FULLY ACCEPTED (100%) by Cheltenham/ Mommsen List
(Fully accepted; true scripture; quoted approvingly)

5. Council of Rome | BIBLE CANON 382 AD
The Council of Rome was a meeting of Catholic Church officials and theologians which took place in 382 under the authority of Pope Damasus I, bishop of Rome.

According to a document appended to some manuscripts, the Council of Rome affirmed the authority of the Old and New Testament canon in a decretal or damasine list.

| Wikipedia: Council_of_Rome

Acts was FULLY ACCEPTED (100%) by Council of Rome
(Fully accepted; true scripture; quoted approvingly)

Acts 8
TEXTUAL CRITICISM

Bible Translations: Missing/Disputed Verse

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

ACTS 8:37

Appears in KJV, but missing in NIV and RSV Bible KJV - King James Bible Displayed as above
NIV - New International Bible Missing Verse
RSV - Revised Standard Bible Missing Verse

And when he had said these words, the Jews departed, and had great reasoning among themselves

ACTS 28:29

KJV - King James Bible Displayed as above
NIV - New International Bible Missing Verse
RSV - Revised Standard Bible Missing Verse

Textual Criticism
Acts 1:19-11:23 Acts 12:25-20:15 Acts 20:21-28:29

Videos on Acts 8 (34)