16. These people had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, but the Holy Spirit had not yet come down on any of them. This is why Peter and John prayed.
17. When the two apostles laid their hands on the people, they received the Holy Spirit.
18. Simon saw that the Spirit was given to people when the apostles laid their hands on them. So he offered the apostles money.
19. He said, “Give me this power so that when I lay my hands on someone, they will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20. Peter said to Simon, “You and your money should both be destroyed because you thought you could buy God’s gift with money.
21. You cannot share with us in this work. Your heart is not right before God.
22. Change your heart! Turn away from these evil thoughts and pray to the Lord. Maybe he will forgive you.
23. I see that you are full of bitter jealousy and cannot stop yourself from doing wrong.”
24. Simon answered, “Both of you pray to the Lord for me, so that what you have said will not happen to me.”
25. Then the two apostles told the people what they had seen Jesus do. They told them the message of the Lord. Then they went back to Jerusalem. On the way, they went through many Samaritan towns and told people the Good News.
26. An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip. The angel said, “Get ready and go south on the road that leads down to Gaza from Jerusalem—the road that goes through the desert.”
27. So Philip got ready and went. On the road he saw a man from Ethiopia. He was a eunuch and an important official in the service of Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians. He was responsible for taking care of all her money. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship.
28. Now he was on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot reading from the book of Isaiah the prophet.