Ezekiel 34
1AND THE word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them, even to the [spiritual] shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Woe to the [spiritual] shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the sheep?
3You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you kill the fatlings, but you do not feed the sheep.
4The diseased and weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the hurt and crippled you have not bandaged, those gone astray you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought to find, but with force and hardhearted harshness you have ruled them.
5And they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild beasts of the field.
6My sheep wandered through all the mountains and upon every high hill; yes, My sheep were scattered upon all the face of the earth and no one searched or sought for them.
7Therefore, you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
8As I live, says the Lord God, surely because My sheep became a prey, and My sheep became food for every beast of the field because there was no shepherd--neither did My shepherds search for My sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves and fed not My sheep--
9Therefore, O you [spiritual] shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
10Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require My sheep at their hand and cause them to cease feeding the sheep, neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more. I will rescue My sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.
11For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I Myself, will search for My sheep and will seek them out.
12As a shepherd seeks out his sheep in the day that he is among his flock that are scattered, so will I seek out My sheep; and I will rescue them out of all places where they have been scattered in the day of clouds and thick darkness.
Acts 8
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Acts 8
1AND SAUL was [not only] consenting to [Stephen's] death [he was
[a]pleased and
[b]entirely approving]. On that day a great and severe persecution broke out against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles (special messengers).
2[A party of] devout men
[c]with others helped to carry out and bury Stephen and made great lamentation over him.
3But Saul shamefully treated and laid waste the church continuously [with cruelty and violence]; and entering house after house, he dragged out men and women and committed them to prison.
4Now those who were scattered abroad went about [through the land from place to place] preaching the glad tidings, the Word [
[d]the doctrine concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God].
5Philip [the deacon, not the apostle] went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Christ (the Messiah) to them [the people];
6And great crowds of people with one accord listened to and heeded what was said by Philip, as they heard him and watched the miracles and wonders which he kept performing [from time to time].
7For foul spirits came out of many who were possessed by them, screaming and shouting with a loud voice, and many who were suffering from palsy or were crippled were restored to health.
8And there was great rejoicing in that city.
9But there was a man named Simon, who had formerly practiced magic arts in the city to the utter amazement of the Samaritan nation, claiming that he himself was an extraordinary and distinguished person.
10They all paid earnest attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is that exhibition of the power of God which is called great (intense).
11And they were attentive and made much of him, because for a long time he had amazed and bewildered and dazzled them with his skill in magic arts.
12But when they believed the good news (the Gospel) about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) as Philip preached it, they were baptized, both men and women.
13Even Simon himself believed [he adhered to, trusted in, and relied on the teaching of Philip], and after being baptized, devoted himself constantly to him. And seeing signs and miracles of great power which were being performed, he was utterly amazed.
14Now when the apostles (special messengers) at Jerusalem heard that [the country of] Samaria had accepted and welcomed the Word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
15And they came down and prayed for them that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit;
16For He had not yet fallen upon any of them, but they had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17Then [the apostles] laid their hands on them one by one, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18However, when Simon saw that the [Holy] Spirit was imparted through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he brought money and offered it to them,
19Saying, Grant me also this power and authority, in order that anyone on whom I place my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.
20But Peter said to him, Destruction overtake your money and you, because you imagined you could obtain the [free] gift of God with money!
21You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is all wrong in God's sight [it is not straightforward or right or true before God].
22So repent of this depravity and wickedness of yours and pray to the Lord that, if possible, this
[e]contriving thought and purpose of your heart may be removed and disregarded and forgiven you.
23For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in
[f]a bond forged by iniquity [to fetter souls].
24And Simon answered, Pray for me [beseech the Lord, both of you], that nothing of what you have said may befall me!
25Now when [the apostles] had borne their testimony and preached the message of the Lord, they went back to Jerusalem, proclaiming the glad tidings (Gospel) to many villages of the Samaritans [on the way].
26But an angel of the Lord said to Philip, Rise and proceed southward or at midday on the road that runs from Jerusalem down to Gaza. This is the desert [
[g]route].
27So he got up and went. And behold, an Ethiopian, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure, had come to Jerusalem to worship.
28And he was [now] returning, and sitting in his chariot he was reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.
29Then the [Holy] Spirit said to Philip, Go forward and join yourself to this chariot.
30Accordingly Philip, running up to him, heard [the man] reading the prophet Isaiah and asked, Do you really understand what you are reading?
31And he said, How is it possible for me to do so unless someone explains it to me and guides me [in the right way]? And he earnestly requested Philip to come up and sit beside him.
32Now this was the passage of Scripture which he was reading: Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is dumb, so He opens not His mouth.
33In His humiliation
[h] He was taken away by distressing and oppressive judgment and justice was denied Him [caused to cease]. Who can describe or relate in full
[i]the wickedness of His contemporaries (generation)? For His life is taken from the earth and
[j]a bloody death inflicted upon Him.
34And the eunuch said to Philip, I beg of you, tell me about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?
35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this portion of Scripture he announced to him the glad tidings (Gospel) of Jesus and about Him.
36And as they continued along on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch exclaimed, See, [here is] water! What is to hinder my being baptized?
37[k]And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart [if you have
[l]a conviction, full of joyful trust, that Jesus is the Messiah and accept Him as the Author of your salvation in the kingdom of God, giving Him your obedience, then] you may. And he replied, I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38And he ordered that the chariot be stopped; and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and [Philip] baptized him.
39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord [
[m]suddenly] caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, and he went on his way rejoicing.
40But Philip was found at Azotus, and passing on he preached the good news (Gospel) to all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Posts
