17
Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.
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.
19
“Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”
20
But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought!
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You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God.
22
Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts,
23
for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”
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“Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”
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.
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As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
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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,