7.47 See 1 Kings 6.
7.48 That God does not dwell in houses made with human hands may be found already in 1 Kings 8.27–30, and Stephen’s audience would have agreed.
7.49–50 Having explained that God commanded the making of the tabernacle (v. 44) and having recalled Solomon’s building of the temple (v. 47), Stephen, quoting from Isa 66.1–2, rejects not the temple as such but the assumption that humans have authority over it. See Jer 7.1–4; Mic 3.9–12.
7.51 Stiff-necked people. See Ex 33.3, 5. Uncircumcised in heart and ears. See Deut 10.16; Jer 6.10. Forever opposing the Holy Spirit. See 5.3; Isa 63.10; Lk 12.10.
7.52 The charge that the people of Jerusalem killed Jesus (see 2.23; 3.14–15; 4.10; 5.30) is here placed in the context of Israel’s persecution of God’s prophets, a claim hyperbolically asserted in v. 52a.
7.53 Paul employs the same tradition about angels to argue the law’s inferiority (Gal 3.19; cf. Heb 2.2); here the angels confirm the law’s importance. The tradition may be derived from Deut 33.2; cf. Jubilees 1.27, 29; 2.1; Josephus, Antiquities 15.136.
7.54–8.1a The narrative of Stephen’s death dramatically contrasts Stephen with his attackers by emphasizing his innocence and their rage. The introduction of Saul, who becomes the ardent enemy of the church, completes the contrast.
7.54 Ground their teeth, a common depiction of God’s enemies in the OT. See Lk 13.28; see also Job 16.9; Ps 35.16; 112.10.
7.55 The presence of the Holy Spirit and the vision of God’s glory and of Jesus testify to Stephen’s innocence (see also Lk 9.32).
7.56 Stephen’s vision of the Son of Man recalls Jesus’ earlier words to the council (see Lk 22.69; cf. Ps 110.1; Dan 7.13), although here the Son of Man is not seated but standing.
7.58 On stoning outside the city, see Lev 24.10–23; Num 15.32–36. Here again Stephen’s story conforms to that of Jesus (Lk 4.28–29). Saul (or Paul; see 13.9) appears here for the first time and will shortly return as persecutor of the church (8.3); later he becomes a central figure in the church’s mission (chs. 13–28).
7.59 Lord…receive my spirit. Cf. Jesus’ words in Lk 23.46; see also Ps 31.5.
7.60 Do not hold this sin against them. Cf. Jesus’ words in Lk 23.34.
Acts 8
Saul Persecutes the Church
That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria. 2Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.
Philip Preaches in Samaria
4Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word. 5Philip went down to the cityc of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiahd to them. 6The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 7for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. 8So there was great joy in that city.
9Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great. 10All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.
14Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16(for as yet the Spirit had not comee upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17Then Peter and Johnf laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19saying, “Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God’s gift with money! 21You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God. 22Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness.” 24Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what youg have said may happen to me.”
25Now after Peter and Johnh had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the southi to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”(This is a wilderness road.) 27So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” 30So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. 36As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?”j 38He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philipk baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
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a Gk him
b Gk fell asleep
c Other ancient authorities read a city
d Or the Christ
e Gk fallen
f Gk they
g The Greek word for you and the verb pray are plural
h Gk after they
i Or go at noon
j Other ancient authorities add all or most of verse 37, And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
k Gk he
8.1a Saul’s approval of Stephen’s death sets the stage for the great persecution in Jerusalem (vv. 1b–3) and for Saul’s persecution of Christians beyond Jerusalem (9.1–2).
8.1b–3 Persecution of the church provides an impetus to its growth as it forces the church into new territory.
8.1b Since Acts has referred only to the church in Jerusalem, this reference to Jerusalem is superfluous except that, with the references to Judea and Samaria, it recalls the promise of 1.8. That all Christians except the apostles left Jerusalem seems highly improbable in view of later references to the Jerusalem church (11.2, 22). More likely, Jewish Christians from the Diaspora fl
ed Jerusalem, leaving the Jerusalem church in the hands of local residents (see the Hebrews in 6.1–6). Luke’s portrait of the flight of all except the apostles, who have already resisted persecution, underscores their importance for the Jerusalem community.
8.2 The devout men who bury Stephen may be Christians; given the flight described in v. 1, however, they could be non-Christian Jews who recognize the presence of God’s activity in Stephen (by contrast with Saul).
8.4–25 Preaching in Samaria fulfills 1.8 and constitutes a significant movement in the church’s development because of the long-standing animosity between Jews and Samaritans (see Lk 9.51–56; 10.29–37; Jn 4.1–42).
8.5 Philip. See 6.5. The city of Samaria, probably either Sebaste or Shechem (see 7.16).
8.6–8 The response in Samaria parallels the initial responses in Jerusalem (see 5.12–16).
8.9 Simon enters the story as the antithesis of Philip. That he practiced magic signals his corruption, since Jews were strictly forbidden any connection with magical practices (Lev 19.31, 20.6, 27; Deut 18.10–12). He appears in later Christian literature as Simon Magus (Magus is a title, derived from a Persian word for a priest, used in Greek for people who practiced “magic”), the archheretic.
8.10 Luke associates the power of God with Jesus and the work of the church. To equate Simon with this power constitutes blasphemy (see also 12.22–23).
8.13 Simon’s baptism signals the superiority of Philip’s ministry, although vv. 18–19 demonstrate that Simon’s conversion is incomplete.
8.18 The gift of the Spirit does not depend on the laying on of the apostles’ hands (see 9.17; 10.44), but the apostles’ presence signals their cooperation with Philip’s ministry and sets the stage for the confrontation between Peter and Simon. Magicians were widely viewed as people who plied their trade for money; Simon ascribes his own attitude to Peter. By contrast, Luke consistently depicts concern over money as threatening faith (e.g., Judas in 1.18; Ananias and Sapphira in 5.1–11; the owners of the girl with the gift of divination in 16.16–18; Demetrius the silversmith in 19.24–27).
8.23 Gall of bitterness. See Deut 29.18–20.
8.24 Ironically, the one earlier called the power of God (v. 10) now must seek Peter’s intercession.
8.26–40 The conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch, from a region vastly removed from Jerusalem, signals the fulfillment of the promise to all those who are far away (2.39). The eunuch’s receptivity (vv. 31, 34, 36, 39) exemplifies the attitude toward the gospel that Luke regards as appropriate for all.
8.26 Philip receives orders from an angel, underscoring that the initiative comes from God. He is to go toward the south, or at noon (see text note e); the Greek may be translated either way (see 26.13, where Paul’s conversion occurs at noon).
8.27 Ethiopian, in Luke’s world anyone with dark skin, particularly persons from territories south of Egypt. Various ancient writers depict Ethiopia as the equivalent of the end of the world and its inhabitants as handsome people (e.g., Esth 1.1; 8.9; Ezek 29.10; Zeph 3.10; Homer, Odyssey 1.22–23; Herodotus, History 3.17–20; Strabo, Geography 17.2. 1–3). As a eunuch, he could not be a Jew or a proselyte to Judaism (Lev 21.20; Deut 23.1; Josephus, Antiquities 4.290–91; but cf. Isa 56.3–5; Wis 3.14), and thus his conversion foreshadows that of Cornelius (10.1–11.18), which formally opens the Christian mission to Gentiles. Candace, the title traditionally given to the queen of Meroe (a Nubian realm along the Upper Nile), making the eunuch’s position one of considerable power. That he has been to Jerusalem to worship indicates his interest in Israel’s religion, as does his reading of Isaiah. Gentiles could worship in the temple enclosure, although only in the outer court; see note on 21.28.
8.28 Reading was a customary activity during travel; here it sets the stage for Philip’s approach.
8.29 The prompting of the Spirit suggests that God stands behind this overture (see 8.26).
8.32–33 The passage quoted is Isa 53.7–8.
8.35 Cf. Lk 24.27, where Jesus explains “things about himself” from scripture.
8.39 Later church tradition holds that the eunuch became the first Christian missionary to Africa, but Luke says nothing about his activity beyond rejoicing (see also 13.48; 15.31).
8.40 Azotus, a city about twenty-two miles north of Gaza near the Mediterranean coast. On Philip at Caesarea, see 21.8.
Acts 9
The Conversion of Saul
1Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” 7The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. 8Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.
10Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” 11The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, 12and he has seen in a visiona a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” 13But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; 14and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” 15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; 16I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” 17So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saulb and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul Preaches in Damascus
For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, 20and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21All who heard him were amazed and said, “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem among those who invoked this name? And has he not come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22Saul became increasingly more powerful and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesusc was the Messiah.d
Saul Escapes from the Jews
23After some time had passed, the Jews plotted to kill him, 24but their plot became known to Saul. They were watching the gates day and night so that they might kill him; 25but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall,e lowering him in a basket.
Saul in Jerusalem
26When he had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus. 28So he went in and out among them in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 29He spoke and argued with the Hellenists; but they were attempting to kill him. 30When the believersf learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the
Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
The Healing of Aeneas
32Now as Peter went here and there among all the believers,g he came down also to the saints living in Lydda. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!” And immediately he got up. 35And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.
Peter in Lydda and Joppa
36Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas.h She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. 37At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” 39So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. 41He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. 42This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.
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a Other ancient authorities lack in a vision
b Gk him
c Gk that this
d Or the Christ
e Gk through the wall
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