How do Samaria’s reception and the Ethiopian encounter unfold?

Great persecution arises against Jerusalem’s church, and all except the apostles are dispersed through Judea and Samaria. Devout men arrange Stephen’s funeral and mourn greatly. Saul enters house to house, dragging men and women to prison. Dispersed believers preach God’s word. Philip goes down to Samaria’s city and preaches Christ. People attend in accord, hearing and seeing miracles: unclean spirits leave crying loudly and many with palsy and lameness are healed. Great joy follows. Simon formerly practised magic, seducing Samaria’s people and presenting himself as great. People of all ranks listened to him as the power of God called great, because long bewitched by his practices. When people believe Philip’s preaching of God’s kingdom in Jesus Christ’s name, men and women are baptized. Simon too believes, is baptized, adheres to Philip and wonders at signs and great miracles.

Jerusalem’s apostles hear that Samaria received God’s word and send Peter and John. They pray for Holy Ghost’s reception; He had not yet come upon any, who were baptized in Lord Jesus’s name. When Peter and John impose hands, the people receive the Holy Ghost. The printed commentary identifies confirmation by prayer and the imposition of hands. It explicitly says baptism had already given Holy Ghost’s grace, distinguishing the later plenitude and spiritual gifts received from bishops, strengthening public profession.

Seeing the imposition, Simon offers money for power to give Holy Ghost by his hands. Peter tells him to keep his money to perish with him for thinking God’s gift purchasable. He has no part or lot because his heart is not right; he must do penance and pray that perhaps the thought be forgiven. Peter sees bitterness’s gall and iniquity’s bonds. Simon asks them to pray that none of the spoken things come upon him. After testifying and preaching, Peter and John return to Jerusalem and preach in many Samaritan countries.

An angel tells Philip to go south to the Jerusalem–Gaza way, described as desert. He rises and goes. An Ethiopian eunuch of great authority under Queen Candace, in charge of her treasures, had visited Jerusalem to adore and is returning in a chariot reading Isaias. The Spirit tells Philip to join it. Running there, Philip hears the reading and asks whether he understands. The man asks how he can without someone showing him and invites Philip up to sit. His passage speaks of a sheep led to slaughter and silent lamb before its shearer, judgment removed in humility, unanswerable generation and life taken from earth. He asks whether the prophet means himself or another; Philip begins there to preach Jesus.

They come to water and the eunuch asks what hinders baptism. Philip permits it if he believes wholeheartedly; he professes Jesus Christ as God’s Son. The printed note says belief alone is mentioned while equally necessary sorrow for sins, firm hope and God’s love are unexpressed; whole-heart belief includes everything necessary for salvation. Stopping the chariot, both descend into water and Philip baptizes him. Emerging, the Spirit takes Philip away and the eunuch sees him no more, continuing rejoicing. Philip is found in Azotus and preaches all cities as he passes to Cæsarea. Water is not identified as pool or stream, nor all cities as coastal.