Acts 8:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

NIV: For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

NASB: For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice; and many who had been paralyzed or limped on crutches were healed.

CSB: For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

NLT: Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed.

KJV: For 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.

NKJV: For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.

Philip has fled persecution in Jerusalem and found safety and acceptance in Samaria. The region isn't known for getting along with Jews (Luke 9:51–56), but the Holy Spirit has empowered Philip to heal people and expel demons, and the people are very interested in what he has to say about Jesus (Acts 8:1–6).

It's unclear why demons cry out when they leave a person (see Mark 1:26; 9:26). It may be out of anger that they have no choice but to obey God. Philip also follows Jesus' example of healing the paralyzed (Matthew 8:6–13; Luke 5:18–25) and lame (Matthew 15:30–31; 21:14), but it's interesting to note that only Jesus ever healed a blind person (Matthew 9:27–30; 11:4–5; 12:22; 15:30–31; 20:30–34; 21:14).

Although the Samaritans listen carefully to Philip's words, they have not yet received the Holy Spirit. Their salvation, such as it is, is more like that of a Jewish proselyte who believes in the Jewish Messiah and God's ability and willingness to save. Salvation from the Jewish God coming upon Samaritans is an extremely significant step in Jesus' plan for His followers to spread the gospel (Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit waits until Peter and John—the two most prominent apostles—arrive to witness the conversion (Acts 8:14–17). Peter and John are able to tell the other apostles that Samaritans can be saved, and the Samaritans are validated as being part of the Christian church.

Acts 8:4–8 describes Jesus' second stage of spreading the gospel coming to fruition (Acts 1:8). As Saul's persecution of the church in Jerusalem grows more violent, Jesus-followers flee to Judea and Samaria. Philip, a fellow deacon of the martyred Stephen (Acts 6:1–6), goes north to Samaria. He expels demons, heals, and preaches the gospel to a people that the Jews traditionally revile. When Philip's ministry takes hold, the church will send Peter and John to formally establish the Samaritans as legitimate believers. (Acts 8:14–25).

Jesus told the apostles they would spread the gospel (Acts 1:8) and persecution makes that happen. Upon the death of the first Christian martyr (Acts 7:54–60), a young Pharisee named Saul builds on the momentum to arrest and, if possible, execute Jesus followers (Acts 8:1–3; 26:10). The apostles mostly stay in Jerusalem, but the church members flee, spreading the gospel to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Important encounters in this passage include a magician named Simon and the conversion of an Ethiopian court official.

Acts 1:8 gives the outline of the book of Acts; Acts 1—7 describes the spread of the gospel through Jerusalem; Acts 8:1—11:18 shows the gospel spreading in Judea and Samaria; Acts 11:19—28:31 sees the gospel spread to the ''end of the earth,'' finalizing in Rome. Ironically, although Paul is the central figure in spreading Jesus' good news to the ends of the earth, his early persecution of the church in Jerusalem is instrumental in spreading the gospel through Judea and Samaria.

The summary of the book of Acts is provided in Jesus' words in Acts 1:8: ''But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.'' In Acts 2:1–13, the Christ-followers receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:14—7:60 describes the rapid growth of the church in Jerusalem. Chapters 8—12 find Jewish persecution inadvertently spreading the gospel throughout Judea and Samaria. And in chapters 13—28, Paul and his companions spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire.