Acts 8
Wycliffe's Bible
1But Saul was consenting to his death. And great persecution was made that day in the church, that was in Jerusalem. And all men were scattered by the countries, (or into the provinces), of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2But good, (or dread-full), men buried Stephen, and made great mourning on him. (And some good, or devout, men buried Stephen, and greatly mourned over him.) 3But Saul greatly destroyed the church, and entered by houses, and drew out men and women, and betook them, into prison, (or into keeping) (and delivered them into custody).

4And they that were scattered, passed forth, preaching the word of God. 5And Philip came down into a city of Samaria, and preached to them Christ. (And Philip came down to a city in Samaria, and preached to them about the Messiah.) 6And the people gave attention to these things that were said of Philip, with one will hearing and seeing the signs that he did. 7For many of them that had unclean spirits, cried with (a) great voice, and (they) went out. And many sick in the palsy, and crooked, (or lame), were healed. 8Therefore great joy was made in that city.

9But there was a man in that city, whose name was Simon, a witch, that had deceived the folk of Samaria (who had deceived the Samaritan people), saying, that himself was some great man. 10[To] Whom all harkened, from the least to the most, and said, This is the virtue of God (This is the power of God), which is called great. 11And they believed him, for (a) long time he had madded them with his witchcrafts [for much time he had made them mad with his witchings]. 12But when they had believed to Philip, preaching of the kingdom of God, men and women were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. [Soothly when they had believed to Philip, evangelizing of the kingdom of God, in the name of Jesus Christ, men and women were baptized.] 13And then also Simon himself believed; and when he was baptized, he drew (himself) (un)to Philip; and he saw also that signs and great virtues were done (and when he saw that miracles and great works of power were done), he was astonished, and wondered.

14But when the apostles that were at Jerusalem, had heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John. 15And when they came (there), they prayed for them, that they should receive the Holy Ghost (so that they would receive the Holy Spirit); 16for he came not yet into any of them [forsooth not yet he came into any of them], but they were baptized only in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then they laid (their) hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost (and they received the Holy Spirit). 18And when Simon had seen, that the Holy Ghost was given by (the) laying on of [the] hands of the apostles, and he proffered, (or he offered), to them money, (And when Simon had seen, that the Holy Spirit was given by the laying on of the hands of the apostles, then he offered them money,) 19and said, Give ye also to me this power, that whomever I shall lay on mine hands [that on whomever I shall put on hands], that he receive the Holy Ghost. (and said, Give also to me this power, so that whomever I shall lay on my hands, he shall receive the Holy Spirit.) 20But Peter said to him, Thy money be with thee into perdition, for thou guessedest that the gift of God should be had for money [for thou guessedest the gift of God to be had, or wielded, (or possessed), by money]. 21There is no part, nor lot to thee, in this word, for thine heart is not rightful before God. 22Therefore do thou penance for this wickedness of thee (And so repent for this wickedness of thine), and pray God, if peradventure this thought of thine heart be forgiven to thee. 23For I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of wickedness. 24And Simon answered, and said, Pray ye for me to the Lord, (so) that nothing of these things that ye have said, come on me.

25And they witnessed, and spake the word of the Lord, and went again to Jerusalem, and preached, (or evangelized), to many countries of Samaritans. (And they testified, and spoke the word of the Lord, and then went back to Jerusalem, preaching in many villages of the Samaritans, as they returned.)

26And an angel of the Lord spake to Philip, and said, Rise thou, and go to meet the south, to the way that goeth down from Jerusalem into Gaza; this is (the) desert. 27And he rose (up), and went forth. And lo! a man of Ethiopia, a mighty manservant, a gelding of Candace, the queen of (the) Ethiopians, which was on all her riches, came to worship in Jerusalem. (And he got up, and went forth. And lo! an Ethiopian man, a powerful manservant, a eunuch of Candace, the Ethiopian queen, who was over, or who was in charge of, all of her wealth, came to worship in Jerusalem.) 28And he turned again, sitting on his chariot, and reading Esaias, the prophet. (And he was returning home, sitting in his chariot, and reading the prophet Isaiah.) 29And the Spirit said to Philip, Nigh thou, and join thee to this chariot. (And the Spirit said to Philip, Approach him, and join thyself to this chariot.) 30And Philip ran to, and heard him reading Esaias, the prophet (And Philip ran over, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah). And he said, Guessest thou, whether thou understandest, what things thou readest? 31And he said, How may I, if no man show to me? And he prayed Philip (And he beseeched Philip), that he should come up, and sit with him.

32And the place of the scripture that he read, was this, As a sheep he was led to slaying, and as a lamb before a man that sheareth him is dumb without voice, so he opened not his mouth.

33In meekness his doom was taken up; who shall tell out the generation(s) of him? For his life shall be taken away from the earth. (He was humbled, or he was humiliated, and was denied justice; now who can tell out about his descendants? For his life was taken away from the earth.)

34And the gelding answered to Philip, and said (And the eunuch said to Philip), I beseech thee, of what prophet saith he this thing? of himself, or of any other? 35And Philip opened his mouth, and began at this scripture, and preached to him, (or evangelized to him), Jesus. 36And while they went by the way, they came to a water [they came to some water]. And the gelding said, Lo! water; who forbiddeth me to be baptized? 37And Philip said, If thou believest of all thine heart, it is leaveful (And Philip said, If thou believest with all thy heart, it is lawful). 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, Philip and the gelding, and Philip baptized him (And they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and Philip baptized him). 39And when they were come up (out) of the water, the Spirit of the Lord ravished, (or snatched up), Philip, and the gelding saw him no more; and he went in his way joying (and he went on his way rejoicing). 40And Philip was found in Azotus; and he passed forth, and preached, (or evangelized), to all (the) cities, till he came to Caesarea.

WYCLIFFE’S BIBLE

Comprising of
Wycliffe’s Old Testament

and

Wycliffe’s New Testament
(Revised Edition)


Translated by

JOHN WYCLIFFE
and JOHN PURVEY


A modern-spelling edition of their
14TH century Middle English translation,
the first complete English vernacular version,
with an Introduction by

TERENCE P. NOBLE

Used by Permission

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