Leviticus 13 and 14 deal with the treatment of people with skin lesions known as leprosy. If the priest examines a person and determines that the person has a leprous disease the person is declared unclean and must live away from the camp, any unclean clothing must be burned.

The priest shall continue to examine the person and if it is determined that the leprous disease is healed the priest performs a cleansing ritual involving two clean birds. Then the person must shave off all of his/her hair and bathe in order to be clean. The person offers a guilt offering, a sin offering and a grain offering to make atonement for the one being cleansed.

God also gives instructions regarding dealing with the house in which the person lives in order to rid the house of illness. This may involve tearing down the house. These instructions are given for when the people finally live in Canaan.

In Acts 8, Saul works hard at persecuting the Christians, throwing them in prison.  The apostles are scattered and continue to proclaim the good news. Philip, for one, goes to Samaria and heals many. There is a man named Simon who practices magic. He is so effective that the people think he comes from God. But when they see Philip they believe him and are baptized. Even Simon believes.

The apostles in Jerusalem hear about what is happening in Samaria. Peter and John go to them and pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Simon wants to pay the apostles to receive the power to give the Holy Spirit. Peter chastises Simon saying that his heart is not right with God. He tells Simon to repent of his wickedness. Simon asks them to pray for him.

The Lord tells Philip to go on the road to Gaza. He comes upon an Ethiopian eunuch from the court of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. The man is reading the prophet Isaiah, chapter 53. Philip asks the man if he understands what he is reading. The man does not and invites Philip to explain it to him. Philip shares that the prophecy concerns Jesus and tells him the good news. The eunuch is baptized. The church in Ethiopia claims to have been the first Gentile church formed because of Philip’s faithfulness.