No, he left him over Wagner's conversion to Christianity. Wagner was an anti-Semite for a long time before that. Guess you don't know much about your own heroes.

Also, I'm sorry--but a Marxist reference is hardly what I'd call a credible source.

Just saying.

But as he DOES say that, let me be so painstakingly obvious as to explain this, which I don't think needs explanation, I thought it was rather evident from the last post, but I can state it again and again if I must--

I agree with a great amount of Nietzsche's IDEAS...

NOT always how he chooses to express those ideas or, to be more precise, WHO he targets in expressing those ideas.

Let's take the most basic aspect of his genealogy of morals as an example.

YES, I agree with his assessment that Judeo-Christian ideals are largely a Slave Morality, and I further agree--and think it was a pretty good point of him to make--as to HOW and WHY this morality originally came about, historically.

YES, I agree with his assessment of the Greek morality as a Master Morality, and agree with his preference to that over the Slave Morality.

Where I DIFFER is in the details--I DON'T agree that Plato and Christianity should share the same breath, or to put it another way, I reject that "Platonism for the People" example he gives, at least insofar as it implicates and deprecates Plato to an extent.



To distill that down into an even SIMPLER mantra--

I like many Nietzsche's ideas, but NOT always the details of how he tries and explains those ideas...in much the same way someone can like the concept and overall themes of a work of literature and still criticize specific details and elements they didn't care for.

"but a Marxist reference is hardly what I'd call a credible source."

I linked you to Nietzsche's Beyond Good & Evil, you twit.

"Where I DIFFER is in the details"

Nietzsche's rejection of Platonism is not a 'detail'. That's akin to saying Nietzsche's critique of Christianity is a 'detail'.

"No, he left him over Wagner's conversion to Christianity. Wagner was an anti-Semite for a long time before that. Guess you don't know much about your own heroes."

Are you REALLY going to get into a Nietzsche debate with me, Putin?
Especially when he's a hero of mine...
And when you don't even like him?

Did you NOT read when I said "AMONG OTHER THINGS."

Do I *NEED* to spell every last point I try to make out for you as if you were an infant that has never read a book in your life...

Must I spell it out, in achingly obviousness and exactitude, each time, so that no shadow of a doubt may permeate the shallow regions of that mind of yours and allow you to pitch back questions.

YES, Wagner was an Anti-Semite long before that, obviously!

What sort of obvious, repetitive response is that, are you going to inform me Shakespeare stole most of his plots from previous works next?

I KNOW.

I didn't think I had to spell it all out for you each time.

Apparently I do.

YES, Wagner was an anti-Semite.
YES, Nietzsche was friend with him early in his (Nietzsche's) career.
YES, they broke up because Wagner was a prick and because of the Christianity.
NO, Nietzsche was NOT an Anti-Semite.
YES, many of his works make negative references to Jews.
NO, that is not Anti-Semetism, but part of his overall rejection of Judeo-Christian values.
YES, Nietzsche's mother and sisters were very Anti-Semitic.
YES, they altered his works and edited them after his death, and so his first and second editions are often laced with more overt and Anti-Semitic attacks than you'll find in his works post-WWII and today, when they were restored following the war.
YES, you will find in his works several references that don't paint the Jews positively.
NO, that does not make him an Anti-Semite, as again, this is more in response to his being repulsed by their ideology, and what's more, you're allowed to dislike an ideology without being a bigot.

NOWHERE will you find something akin to a Hitler-like call for a Final Solution,
NOWHERE will you find a Wagner-like statement where he calls for them all to "burn in one great opera house fire."

NOW.

Do we NEED to have a protracted argument about this on a thread in which you're already far off-topic and in an argument you're not going to win against someone who can type just as much as you and keep a useless debate up for as long as you can...

Or can we drop the subject and return to the one at hand?

Oh, and by the way (and sorry, Zmaj)--

"What is the secular basis of Judaism? Practical need, self-interest. What is the worldly religion of the Jew? Huckstering. What is his worldly God? Money."

"On the Jewish Question," by Karl Marx, 1843.

YES, I HAVE read Marx...

And so did Nietzsche--and he DESPISED that Anti-Semitic wretched asshole as well.

Maybe not for the same reasons, maybe not even for Marx's being blatantly and unrelentingly Anti-Semitic, but still, I can't fault him for giving discredit where discredit is due.



Before you start hurling Anti-Semitic stones at one of the resident Jew's heroes here...

Maybe check out your own. Go ahead. Try. Try and defend Marx's statement, and what he goes on to say...

He links Jews inextricably with capitalism and bankers and the lot...

And then says all that must be ERADICATED--racist AND using that racism to serve his own fanatic call.

Go ahead--defend Marx. Defend "On the Jewish Question." Defend his statements linking Jews to capital and then saying they should be eliminated.

Go on--try. I'll give you this much--if you can pull it off, you'd HAVE to be the best debater on the site...

Because arguing Marx wasn't an Anti-Semite is like arguing Jackie Robinson wasn't black.

And yes, that's the preface to "Beyond Good and Evil"...

I was referring to your URL, you twit--

www.marxist.org?

"Nietzsche's rejection of Platonism is not a 'detail'. That's akin to saying Nietzsche's critique of Christianity is a 'detail'."

Yes, it IS a detail...

I can separate the Platonism/Christianity aspect of the anti-Christianity argument, and it functions just fine...

Now, it's time to take a break from this pointless blather with you about old Germans with rocking facial hair and enjoy (or suffer through) the Mets game.

Type to your heart's content.

Wait a minute, so Nietzsche isn't an anti-semite even though he inspired the fascist movement, was part of the inner circle of Wagner for decades, and made, as you said, "many negative references about Jews". But Marx is an anti-Semite even though On the Jewish Question was about *Jewish Emancipation*!

Do you even know what "On the Jewish Question" is about? He is defending the criticism of Jewish emancipation by Bruno Bauer, who argues Jews should abandon their identity and fully assimilate.

Marx even credits his Jewish heritage for his own creativity.

In response to Bauer's comments that Jews have "been an eyesore" to Christians.

"Something which has been an eyesore to me from birth, as the Jews have been to the Christian world, and which persists and develops with the eye is not an ordinary sore, but a wonderful one, one that really belongs to my eye and must even contribute to a highly original development of my eyesight."

I only meant to imply the similarities between Socrates and Jesus that would exist for a secular-minded person. To me there are stark differences. Indeed, what you point out, that Jesus did claim divinity, makes it impossible to accept him as only a secular "reformer". As C.S. Lewis points out, he was "either mad, bad, or God" to make the claims he did for himself. So yes, one faces Jesus with more challenges than one faces Socrates.

You insist that the legal code aspect of the Pentatech required a full recounting of its own development. That's expecting a lot out of an ancient text. Why transmit to us all the deliberations? If the US Constitution were somehow to become part of a holy book that was kept over thousands of years, would you expect Madison's notes from the Constitutional Convention to also be included? Of course the laws were handed down as being holy writ from God. That was how things were done in 1200 BC, in any human culture. To expect otherwise is ahistorical and naive.

And you don't respond at all to my alternate reading of the Fall. Why?

Laying up treasures in heaven vs. laying them up on earth. Someone said to me once that it is to the degree that you give everything to the less fortunate, to that degree God will give His everything to you. Isn't that a wonderful precept? Why is that a bad principle? It encourages charity and openheartedness. In what sense is it bad to encourage people not to be attached to their possessions, but instead to value the good they might do among their fellow man?

www.marxist.org?""

How is it a 'biased source' when it's a verbatin copy of Beyond Good & Evil, genius?

Discussing anything with you is like arguing with a brick wall.

That passage which you cherry pick is about Marx saying that the abolition of capitalism would lead to the liberation of Jews. You really have no idea what you're talking about. Marx is tracing Jewish development to capitalism, and how Jews have been forced into a kind of one-sided economic development due to capitalism, so therefore its abolition will free them.

Nietzsche on the Jews (from "Beyond Good and Evil"):

The Jews, however, are beyond all doubt the strongest, toughest, and purest race at present living in Europe, they know how to succeed even under the worst conditions (in fact better than under favourable ones), by means of virtues of some sort, which one would like nowadays to label as vices–owing above all to a resolute faith which does not need to be ashamed before “modern ideas” (...)

It is certain that the Jews, if they desired–or if they were driven to it, as the anti-Semites seem to wish–COULD now have the ascendancy, nay, literally the supremacy, over Europe, that they are NOT working and planning for that end is equally certain.

The reason why Christians want to share their faith is in today's reading:

16 “What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17 But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18 So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20 We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

"OK, well, if you find that compelling, Damian, good for you, I suppose..."

More compelling. I'm not actually a christian... just curious, and agnostic.


"It still doesn't compel me or, indeed, make the Creation Account of Genesis any more plausible, on two counts:

1. Probably the most obvious, an "age" isn't exactly a determinate amount of time, either, so that's not validating the timeline as it is...on the surface it may seem to remove the issue of the world being created in 6 days, but it's just replacing that with "age," which is vague and can mean...well, as much or as little time as you want, really, so I'd say if someone were inclined to say "Ah, now that makes sense" such a person would probably have already been looking for a way for it to make sense and justify the account anyway...it being an "age" rather than a day doesn't help the account's timeline all that much, and after all, Genesis would STILL have dozens upon dozens of scientific and logical errors, so even if I were to be generous and say this fixed any holes (and I don't, in fact, I'd go so far as to say it hurts the Creationist argument, and I'll say why in a moment) there would still be far, FAR too many, and the Creationist ship would still sink and, in fact, really has sunk to those in the business of being logical about it; if you want to hold it as a part of your religion, as much as I don't care for religion, that's your choice, and I can understand someone saying "I know there are huge logical issues with it, but I'm willing to suspend Logic for Faith in the case of Genesis," but when Genesis or any other Creation account is attempted to be presented as fact, it fails, and miserably."

Yeah, there are problems with genesis. The major reason I like the age thing I ran across, is this. (I don't actually know my bible very well, so correct me if the days are wrong)First age, creation of night and day (Space), Second Age, creation of water (Earth is all water), Third age, Land and the first plants (The very first micro organisms begin to photosynthesize), Fourth, sea creatures (The pre-reptilian age, when most organisms lived in the sea), Fifth, Land creatures (The age of dinosaurs and such), Sixth, Man (Modern age). This places god in a constant act of creation shaping the world as it transitioned through the geographic ages. I'm not saying I agree with the account of genesis necessarily but if you consider it it is certainly a more compelling view.



"2. Besides ALL that, however, is how I think this would actually hurt the Creationist argument--namely, that it'd be the case of someone saying either that there was a mistranslation or a misunderstanding in regards to the text...for one, that doesn't imbue me those like me with a sense of trust in either the text (ie, the Bible itself) or translators (ie, the various Judeo-Christian sects) or those claiming the text to be truthful. After all, if this is a mistake, or mistranslation, what other mistranslations are there? If it's a corruption, that is, if the text has been corrupted by millenia of translating it and re-translating it across the various eons and into thousands of languages and thousands of versions WITHIN those thousands of languages...well, no one would be surprised, but it would expose a flaw in trusting this text as factual or true on any account, as well as the religions based off of it."

The Good Book, is already known to have these sort of translation errors all the time, multiple interpretations, etc. There is even an ongoing argument between unitarian's and trinitarians about if a section of verse. (The end of John I think) was added after the fact. These disagreements have been going on for years. It certainly isn't about to hurt it anymore now.

"And yet in that passage, you show why such a God would, in fact, be a God designing us to fail--"

You're insane. That's the exact point I was counter. Perhaps not well as I made it brief as I was on a phone then.

Let me try again. Imagine for a second the theory of multiple universes is true, one created for each branching decisions point. God can see all these universes. That is his knowledge. That is the point of free will. We get to choose. There is no choice if it is pre-determined.

So god saw the possibility of Man's fall, but also the possibility of Eve rejecting the serpent. It isn't setting us up to fail. Free will inherently allows us to succeed of fail independently. That is what is set up. Not some sadistic situation in which Eve is destined to fall.




"But if you're that 2-year old, and Adam and Eve essentially were, they are NOT responsible for their actions, I'm sorry, but they're not, NOT ONE philosopher of ethics through the ages--from Plato to Aristotle to Aquinas to Locke to Rousseau to Kant and Mill and on and on--accepts that idea, they ALL agree that a child like that can't be responsible for themselves, and no court in America or Britain or anywhere else in the Western World would convict them, MUCH LESS convict them AND all their children to follow of a crime."

Fucking philosophers. I spent my entire last year reading them. This is one idea that drives me insane. Children aren't rational, animals aren't rational. They may be different, but they are still both as responsible for their actions as any other being.

Action-consequence.

Gah. Philosophers are messed up.

"That's attributing human attributes to God, though."
So what. Love, is a 'human' emotion and god is attributed with it all the time. (Also an animal emotion but you know what, again fuck philosophers. They're all crazy, with supremacist complexes)

Probably not a productive discussion. As I really don't care about a lot of typical insistences. Ie. God being perfect.

But seriously, a more proper metaphor would be. Child is in the kitchen. There are a whole bunch of toys on the floor, burner is on. Parent went to the washroom. Child touches the flame. God didn't know where adam was after he ate the apple, no reason to assume he was watching as eve took the apples. Nor does it make sense to claim god knew eve would choose to pick the apples. All he should know, is the that because man and women (Because screw sexism) possess free will that there is possibility of disobedience

Today's Bible reading is Acts Chapter 5, in which we see Ananias and Saphira killed, but we also see the spirit of God working through the apostles as they performed miracles, were arrested (twice more), whipped, and still continued spreading the message of Jesus the Messiah.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=5&v=1&t=NLT
Full text:
Ananias and Sapphira

5 But there was a certain man named Ananias who, with his wife, Sapphira, sold some property. 2 He brought part of the money to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount. With his wife’s consent, he kept the rest.

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”

5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified. 6 Then some young men got up, wrapped him in a sheet, and took him out and buried him.

7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?”

“Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”

9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”

10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.
The Apostles Heal Many

12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil[a] spirits, and they were all healed.
The Apostles Meet Opposition

17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”

21 So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.

When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council[b]—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. 22 But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, 23 “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”

24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. 25 Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!”

26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. 27 Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “Didn’t we tell you never again to teach in this man’s name?” he demanded. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”

29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross.[c] 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.

38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

40 The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.[d] 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”
Footnotes:

1. Acts 5:16 Greek unclean.
2. Acts 5:21 Greek Sanhedrin; also in 5:27, 41.
3. Acts 5:30 Greek on a tree.
4. Acts 5:41 Greek for the name.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%205&version=NLT

My favorite part is where they tried to get the apostles to stop talking about Jesus:
26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. 27 Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “Didn’t we tell you never again to teach in this man’s name?” he demanded. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”

29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross.[c] 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.

38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

40 The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.[d] 42 And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”

Today's Bible reading is Acts Chapter 6, in which we see the first deacons appointed, and Stephen is wrongly accused in front of the High Council.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=6&v=1&t=NLT
Full text: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%206&version=NLT
Acts 6

New Living Translation (NLT)
Seven Men Chosen to Serve

6 But as the believers[a] rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.

2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). 6 These seven were presented to the apostles, who prayed for them as they laid their hands on them.

7 So God’s message continued to spread. The number of believers greatly increased in Jerusalem, and many of the Jewish priests were converted, too.
Stephen Is Arrested

8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” 12 This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council.[b]

13 The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth[c] will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.”

15 At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s.
Footnotes:
1. Acts 6:1 Greek disciples; also in 6:2, 7.
2. Acts 6:12 Greek Sanhedrin; also in 6:15.
3. Acts 6:14 Or Jesus the Nazarene.

Today's Bible reading is Acts Chapter 7, in which Stephen gives God's plan for Israel up to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ and is stoned to death.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=7&v=1&t=NLT

My favorite passage from today's reading: 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%207&version=NIV

Today's Bible reading is Acts Chapter 8, with the persecution of the church in Jerusalem, the spread of the gospel to surrounding areas, and more miracles of the early church. http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=8&v=1&t=NLT

Nice, this thread has officially become Mujus demagoguing to himself.

Not really, just because I'm not talking right now doesn't mean I'm not reading.

Full text: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=acts%208&version=NLT
New Living Translation (NLT)
Acts 8
1 Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen.
Persecution Scatters the Believers

A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. 2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison.
Philip Preaches in Samaria

4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went. 5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. 6 Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. 7 Many evil[a] spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

9 A man named Simon had been a sorcerer there for many years, amazing the people of Samaria and claiming to be someone great. 10 Everyone, from the least to the greatest, often spoke of him as “the Great One—the Power of God.” 11 They listened closely to him because for a long time he had astounded them with his magic.

12 But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed.

14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John there. 15 As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. 16 The Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John laid their hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given when the apostles laid their hands on people, he offered them money to buy this power. 19 “Let me have this power, too,” he exclaimed, “so that when I lay my hands on people, they will receive the Holy Spirit!”

20 But Peter replied, “May your money be destroyed with you for thinking God’s gift can be bought! 21 You can have no part in this, for your heart is not right with God. 22 Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps he will forgive your evil thoughts, 23 for I can see that you are full of bitter jealousy and are held captive by sin.”

24 “Pray to the Lord for me,” Simon exclaimed, “that these terrible things you’ve said won’t happen to me!”

25 After testifying and preaching the word of the Lord in Samaria, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem. And they stopped in many Samaritan villages along the way to preach the Good News.
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south[b] down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.
And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
33 He was humiliated and received no justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”[c]

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?” 35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”[d] 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.
Footnotes:

1. Acts 8:7 Greek unclean.
2. Acts 8:26 Or Go at noon.
3. Acts 8:33 Isa 53:7-8 (Greek version).
4. Acts 8:36 Some manuscripts add verse 37, “You can,” Philip answered, “if you believe with all your heart.” And the eunuch replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

Today's Bible reading is Acts Chapter 9, in which Saul is converted, receives the Holy Spirit, is called to take the good news about Jesus to the gentile nations, wins debates, and escapes being murdered; and Peter heals Aeneas and raises Tabitha from the dead.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=9&v=1&t=NLT#1

Today's Bible reading is Acts 10, in which Peter learns a truth and shares the good news with some gentiles, after which they are filled with the Holy Spirit.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=10&v=1&t=NLT#1

In Acts Chapter 12, King Herod Agrippa persecutes Christians, kills James (John's brother), and arrests Peter, who is sleeping chained to two soldiers when an angel wakes him up and frees him from the prison. Later, Herod Agrippa receives the people's praising him as a god, upon which God strikes him down.
http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=12&v=1&t=NLT#1

Oops, some bad grammar snuck in there during the editing process. That should read something like this: "Later, Herod Agrippa receives the people's worship when they praise him as a god, upon which God strikes him down."

Oops, missed Acts Chapter 11, in which Peter explains why he violated the Jewish laws of ritual cleanliness by entering the house of Gentiles, and shared that it was now ok to take the message of Jesus the Messiah to the Gentiles. Here it is:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Act&c=11&v=1&t=NLT