17
Then the apostles laid their hands on them and they did receive the Holy Spirit.
18
When Simon saw that the apostles by merely laying on hands conferred the Spirit, he pulled out his money, excited,
19
and said, "Sell me your secret! Show me how you did that! How much do you want? Name your price!"
20
Peter said, "To hell with your money! And you along with it. Why, that's unthinkable - trying to buy God's gift!
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You'll never be part of what God is doing by striking bargains and offering bribes.
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Change your ways - and now! Ask the Master to forgive you for trying to use God to make money.
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I can see this is an old habit with you; you reek with money-lust."
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"Oh!" said Simon, "pray for me! Pray to the Master that nothing like that will ever happen to me!"
25
And with that, the apostles were on their way, continuing to witness and spread the Message of God's salvation, preaching in every Samaritan town they passed through on their return to Jerusalem.
26
Later God's angel spoke to Philip: "At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza."
27
He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road. The eunuch had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning to Ethiopia, where he was minister in charge of all the finances of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians.