The Early Church

for in the gall of bitterness, and bond of unrighteousness, I perceive thee being.'

And Simon answering, said, `Beseech ye for me unto the Lord, that nothing may come upon me of the things ye have spoken.'

They indeed, therefore, having testified fully, and spoken the word of the Lord, did turn back to Jerusalem; in many villages also of the Samaritans they did proclaim good news.

And a messenger of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, `Arise, and go on toward the south, on the way that is going down from Jerusalem to Gaza,' --this is desert.

And having arisen, he went on, and lo, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch, a man of rank, of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship to Jerusalem;

he was also returning, and is sitting on his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

And the Spirit said to Philip, `Go near, and be joined to this chariot;'

and Philip having run near, heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, `Dost thou then know what thou dost read?'

and he said, `Why, how am I able, if some one may not guide me?' he called Philip also, having come up, to sit with him.

And the contents of the Writing that he was reading was this: `As a sheep unto slaughter he was led, and as a lamb before his shearer dumb, so he doth not open his mouth;

in his humiliation his judgment was taken away, and his generation--who shall declare? because taken from the earth is his life.'

And the eunuch answering Philip said, `I pray thee, about whom doth the prophet say this? about himself, or about some other one?'

and Philip having opened his mouth, and having begun from this Writing, proclaimed good news to him--Jesus.

And as they were going on the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch said, `Lo, water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?'

And Philip said, `If thou dost believe out of all the heart, it is lawful;' and he answering said, `I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God;'

and he commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him;

and when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no more, for he was going on his way rejoicing;

and Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through, he was proclaiming good news to all the cities, till his coming to Caesarea.

And Saul, yet breathing of threatening and slaughter to the disciples of the Lord, having gone to the chief priest,

did ask from him letters to Damascus, unto the synagogues, that if he may find any being of the way, both men and women, he may bring them bound to Jerusalem.

And in the going, he came nigh to Damascus, and suddenly there shone round about him a light from the heaven,

and having fallen upon the earth, he heard a voice saying to him, `Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute?'

And he said, `Who art thou, Lord?' and the Lord said, `I am Jesus whom thou dost persecute; hard for thee at the pricks to kick;'

trembling also, and astonished, he said, `Lord, what dost thou wish me to do?' and the Lord said unto him, `Arise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what it behoveth thee to do.'

And the men who are journeying with him stood speechless, hearing indeed the voice but seeing no one,