- Act 7:54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage.
- Act 7:55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
- Act 7:56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!”
- Act 7:57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him
- Act 7:58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- Act 7:59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
- Act 7:60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
- Act 8:1 Saul 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.
- Act 8:2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)
- Act 8:3 But 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.
- Act 8:4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.
- Act 8:5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah.
- Act 8:6 Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did.
- Act 8:7 Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.
- Act 8:8 So there was great joy in that city. (a la David – see below)
- Act 8:9 A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great.
- Act 8:10 Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.”
- Act 8:11 They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.
- Act 8:12 But 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.
- Act 8:13 Then 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.
- Act 8:14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there.
- Act 8:15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit.
- Act 8:16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
- Act 8:17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.
- Act 8:18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power.
- Act 8:19 “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”
- Act 8:20 But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!
- Act 8:21 You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.
- Act 8:22 Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive your evil thoughts,
- Act 8:23 for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”
- Act 8:24 “Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”
- Act 8:25 After 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.
- Act 8:26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
- Act 8:27 So 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,
- Act 8:28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
- Act 8:29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”
- Act 8:30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
- Act 8:31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.
- Act 8:32 The 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.
- Act 8:33 He was humiliated and received no justice. Who can speak of His descendants? For His life was taken from the earth.”
- Act 8:34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?”
- Act 8:35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.
- Act 8:36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”
- Act 8:37 [“You can,” Philip answered, “if you believe with all your heart.” And the eunuch replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”]
- Act 8:38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
- Act 8:39 When 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.
- Act 8:40 Meanwhile, 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.
- Act 9:1 Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest.
- Act 9:2 He 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.
There are some who responded to my challenge of dividing the chapters in Luke’s eighth chapter of Acts and the associated questions. In response to comments from some of you who either wrote or told me over the weekend that you just can’t keep up with the Gems. They come too thick and fast. Thick because they are longer writings and not short and easy to read. Some are very challenging, and like this one, packed with things for you to do. Fast because they come three times a week; six a week if you read English and Indonesian. Well, once upon a time they came every day in English, simply because I have my Quiet Time every day. Some time ago I decided to send only three a week and some of you protested. I have considered sending just one a week but have rejected that idea. I would never finish Acts before I went to Glory.
A word to the wise: Many have made folders to store the Gems in – John, Romans, 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Ephesians, Luke and now Acts. They simply put the new Gems in its folder and carry on at the point they are up to with Gems. That way they do the Gems in their own time when they have the opportunity. Some send me comments or responses when they get to the point like today where I have asked for input. Makes sense. What I am saying is I know there is pressure in life that keeps you from doing what it is you want to do related to the Word of God. But don’t let the pressure of life stop you from going deeper in the Word or you will still be at the point you are now this time next year. I write daily Gems, or at least do the reading and thinking about it daily, not for you but FOR ME. You are simply a casual recipient. I would still do the work whether you get the Gems or not.
Here are some responses I have received:
I would have liked to start chapter 8 with the word “A great persecution arose “. But to do that you would have to pull out verse 2 and include it in Chapter 7. So if the text had to remain the same then change the chapter between verses 3 and 4. The rest of the chapter is a bit of a fruit salad. I’ll look at that later.
I have just read the story of Philip. It’s sort of a gem just tucked in there to enhance the big picture. However it made me think a bit in that it makes you wonder, were the other disciples involved in similar exciting activities that aren’t included in our scripture? What do you know about it?
Have a good day, Kev.
Another one of those special moments has just happened / is happening/is about to happen:
Part A This Bible Gem 1487 has just arrived from you, Ian Vail. Acts 8:1-40
Part B Acts 8:1-8 is the precise Reading that I am due to share with our congregation at the 7.30am Service this Sunday. The general theme is: INSUPPRESSIBLE JOY. See highlighted verse 8 below (I hope the yellow can be viewed).
Part C Don’t know yet! (the Questions) David
Some have passed on comments orally. They have commented on the division but not yet got to the questions. They told me where they would divide the text and why. There was also confusion between the reasons for dividing the text and whether you were allowed to move verses. Can you indeed chop a verse in half as Kev suggested above?
What would seem natural, is to reorder some of the verses and keep the connected verses together.
- Acts 7:57 / 58 They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.
- Acts 7:59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”
- Acts 7:60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
- Acts 8:1a Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.
- Act 8:2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.)
- Act 8:3 But 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.
- Acts 8:1b 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.
- Act 8:4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.
- Act 8:5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. . . .
That seems to be the order it should be in but as Kev infers, are you allowed to do that? I say “yes” at least to enhance your understanding. You are doing this for yourself, not re-writing and publishing the Bible. There is clearly the natural order of thought but it is not the order in which Luke has written it. Now ask yourself the questions, “why?” As Kev says, “The rest of the chapter is a bit of a fruit salad.” As we were told when training to be translators – you have to have a residue box or category. Somewhere to put those elements you haven’t worked out yet. As one guy told me yesterday in Matamata, “Isn’t the question of division based on whether Acts is focused on the geographic spread – Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the outer most parts of the earth, or on introducing the players – Peter, Saul, Phillip, Paul?” Now that is a very good question. He has noticed the flow of both – geographic spread but also the flow from Peter to Stephen to Saul to Phillip, [Simon] Phillip. The Ethiopian eunuch, back to Saul again.
- Just what is going on here?
- Is this just a fruit a salad as Kev suggests or is there a purpose to it?
And of course I have not even started in on the questions in each segment that arise after thinking more deeply on each segment.
But if you notice, I have separated the segments for you.
My list of questions to help you understand more fully will follow in the next Gem. In the meantime, try to come to grips with it for yourself. When you do, it is more likely to stay with you than if I just tell you my thoughts without any attempt on your part to interact with the text Luke wrote for us.
These Gems are live and interactive.
Always speak the truth, but do it in love. You’re not very persuasive when you’re abrasive.
Lavonia Grabau
Laugh as much as you breathe and love as long as you live.
Melinawati Lioe
Brother, if you would enter that Province, you must go forward on your knees.
Hudson Taylor
Brother and sister, if you are to understand the Word of God at deeper and deeper levels you must go forward on your knees.
Ian Vail
Remember the Bible is the only book you can read with the author present each time you read it.
Ian Vail