King James Version, with Nii Okai's journal notes · 8 notes
1And 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 Judæa and Samaria, except the apostles.
2And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
3As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
4Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
5Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
6And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7For 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.
8And there was great joy in that city.
9But 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:
10To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
11And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
12But 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.
13Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
Simon believed also and was baptized, yet he still had in him the shrewdness and the spirit of manipulation.
We should be careful; there is a standard in Christ — for not all men have faith.
The moment people walk in the flesh, though born again, we should neither accord to them nor expect from them the nature of Christ.
Lest we be fooled over and over again.
14Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16( For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
17Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
18And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
19Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
He wanted to buy it and later sell it to the highest bidder, likely gain worldwide fame as he gained audience before kings and the greats of the earth 🌎.
He saw opportunities that the apostles did not see, because he was corrupt at heart ♥.
And we see many such sorcerers in our time ⌚.
Making great merchandise of the kingdom and the gospel.
Fulfilling all the lusts of the flesh without restraint.
20But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
But don't we buy prayer and the hearts 💕 of men of God, so called, with money 💵?
And oh, they gladly accept it.
21Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
22Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.
23For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
Yes, he indeed was in the bond of iniquity. Though born again, he was in the gall of bitterness, another aspect of his character that had not been dealt with.
24Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.
25And 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.
26And 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.
27And 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,
28Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
Hm 🤔. Imagine this scene. The eunuch was in the desert 🏜, no one else was around. And that's understandable since it's a desert 🏜.
Then coincidentally another man 👨🏿 was also traveling, but on foot.
This man joins himself to the chariot 🛒 and they have a discussion.
At the end of which the man disappears in plain sight.
What would his conclusion be, except that he had seen an angel 😇 of God?
But it was a man. Could it be that many a man have beheld other men 🚹 but were thought of as angels?
Men so yielded to the Spirit that they could be passed for divine beings.
31And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
32The 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:
33In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
34And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?
Reading 📖 the prophets often leads to this dilemma... As to whom the words apply to.
Such is the nature of the prophetic writings.
35Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
36And 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?
37And 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.
38And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
39And 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.
Oh, what joy as this eunuch heads home for Ethiopia 🇪🇹. Sending the gospel home 🏡.
This miraculous disappearance of Philip further comes to cement that indeed Jesus is the Son of God and he indeed is Lord and Christ.
Oh, what a moment, oh, what joy...
I'm sure he would go home 🏡 knowing he had met an angel 😇 of the Lord who preached to him the gospel.
This vivid supernatural experience was necessary to entrench the belief of the eunuch in what had just happened to him.
No man-taught wild doctrines can bring any confusion to his heart ♥ or thoughts 💭.
For he had experienced it himself.
40But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea.