أعمال 8

١ 1 وَكَانَ شَاوُلُ رَاضِيًا بِقَتْلِهِ. وَحَدَثَ فِي ذَلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمِ ٱضْطِهَادٌ عَظِيمٌ عَلَى ٱلْكَنِيسَةِ ٱلَّتِي فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ، فَتَشَتَّتَ ٱلْجَمِيعُ فِي كُوَرِ ٱلْيَهُودِيَّةِ وَٱلسَّامِرَةِ، مَا عَدَا ٱلرُّسُلَ.

And Saul fully approved of his murder. At this time a great persecution broke out against the Church in Jerusalem, and all except the Apostles were scattered throughout Judaea and Samaria.

٢ 2 وَحَمَلَ رِجَالٌ أَتْقِيَاءُ ٱسْتِفَانُوسَ وَعَمِلُوا عَلَيْهِ مَنَاحَةً عَظِيمَةً.

A party of devout men, however, buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him.

٣ 3 وَأَمَّا شَاوُلُ فَكَانَ يَسْطُو عَلَى ٱلْكَنِيسَةِ، وَهُوَ يَدْخُلُ ٱلْبُيُوتَ وَيَجُرُّ رِجَالًا وَنِسَاءً وَيُسَلِّمُهُمْ إِلَى ٱلسِّجْنِ.

But Saul cruelly harassed the Church. He went into house after house, and, dragging off both men and women, threw them into prison.

٤ 4 فَٱلَّذِينَ تَشَتَّتُوا جَالُوا مُبَشِّرِينَ بِٱلْكَلِمَةِ.

Those, however, who were scattered abroad went from place to place spreading the Good News of God's Message;

٥ 5 فَٱنْحَدَرَ فِيلُبُّسُ إِلَى مَدِينَةٍ مِنَ ٱلسَّامِرَةِ وَكَانَ يَكْرِزُ لَهُمْ بِٱلْمَسِيحِ.

while Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed Christ there.

٦ 6 وَكَانَ ٱلْجُمُوعُ يُصْغُونَ بِنَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ إِلَى مَا يَقُولُهُ فِيلُبُّسُ عِنْدَ ٱسْتِمَاعِهِمْ وَنَظَرِهِمُ ٱلْآيَاتِ ٱلَّتِي صَنَعَهَا،

Crowds of people, with one accord, gave attention to what they heard from him, listening, and witnessing the signs which he did.

٧ 7 لِأَنَّ كَثِيرِينَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ بِهِمْ أَرْوَاحٌ نَجِسَةٌ كَانَتْ تَخْرُجُ صَارِخَةً بِصَوْتٍ عَظِيمٍ. وَكَثِيرُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمَفْلُوجِينَ وَٱلْعُرْجِ شُفُوا.

For, with a loud cry, foul spirits came out of many possessed by them, and many paralytics and lame persons were restored to health.

٨ 8 فَكَانَ فَرَحٌ عَظِيمٌ فِي تِلْكَ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ.

And there was great joy in that city.

٩ 9 وَكَانَ قَبْلًا فِي ٱلْمَدِينَةِ رَجُلٌ ٱسْمُهُ سِيمُونُ، يَسْتَعْمِلُ ٱلسِّحْرَ وَيُدْهِشُ شَعْبَ ٱلسَّامِرَةِ، قَائِلًا إِنَّهُ شَيْءٌ عَظِيمٌ!

Now for some time past there had been a man named Simon living there, who had been practising magic and astonishing the Samaritans, pretending that he was more than human.

١٠ 10 وَكَانَ ٱلْجَمِيعُ يَتْبَعُونَهُ مِنَ ٱلصَّغِيرِ إِلَى ٱلْكَبِيرِ قَائِلِينَ: «هَذَا هُوَ قُوَّةُ ٱللهِ ٱلْعَظِيمَةُ».

To him people of all classes paid attention, declaring, "This man is the Power of God, known as the great Power."

١١ 11 وَكَانُوا يَتْبَعُونَهُ لِكَوْنِهِمْ قَدِ ٱنْدَهَشُوا زَمَانًا طَوِيلًا بِسِحْرِهِ.

His influence over them arose from their having been, for a long time, bewildered by his sorceries.

١٢ 12 وَلَكِنْ لَمَّا صَدَّقُوا فِيلُبُّسَ وَهُوَ يُبَشِّرُ بِٱلْأُمُورِ ٱلْمُخْتَصَّةِ بِمَلَكُوتِ ٱللهِ وَبِٱسْمِ يَسُوعَ ٱلْمَسِيحِ، ٱعْتَمَدُوا رِجَالًا وَنِسَاءً.

But when Philip began to tell the Good News about the Kingdom of God and about the Name of Jesus Christ, and they embraced the faith, they were baptized, men and women alike.

١٣ 13 وَسِيمُونُ أَيْضًا نَفْسُهُ آمَنَ. وَلَمَّا ٱعْتَمَدَ كَانَ يُلَازِمُ فِيلُبُّسَ، وَإِذْ رَأَى آيَاتٍ وَقُوَّاتٍ عَظِيمَةً تُجْرَى ٱنْدَهَشَ.

Simon himself also believed, and after being baptized remained in close attendance on Philip, and was full of amazement at seeing such signs and such great miracles performed.

١٤ 14 وَلَمَّا سَمِعَ ٱلرُّسُلُ ٱلَّذِينَ فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ أَنَّ ٱلسَّامِرَةَ قَدْ قَبِلَتْ كَلِمَةَ ٱللهِ، أَرْسَلُوا إِلَيْهِمْ بُطْرُسَ وَيُوحَنَّا،

When the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had accepted God's Message, they sent Peter and John to visit them.

١٥ 15 ٱللَّذَيْنِ لَمَّا نَزَلَا صَلَّيَا لِأَجْلِهِمْ لِكَيْ يَقْبَلُوا ٱلرُّوحَ ٱلْقُدُسَ،

They, when they came down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit:

١٦ 16 لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ قَدْ حَلَّ بَعْدُ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا مُعْتَمِدِينَ بِٱسْمِ ٱلرَّبِّ يَسُوعَ.

for He had not as yet fallen upon any of them. They had only been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

١٧ 17 حِينَئِذٍ وَضَعَا ٱلْأَيَادِيَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَبِلُوا ٱلرُّوحَ ٱلْقُدُسَ.

Then the Apostles placed their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

١٨ 18 وَلَمَّا رَأَى سِيمُونُ أَنَّهُ بِوَضْعِ أَيْدِي ٱلرُّسُلِ يُعْطَى ٱلرُّوحُ ٱلْقُدُسُ قَدَّمَ لَهُمَا دَرَاهِمَ

When, however, Simon saw that it was through the laying on of the Apostles' hands that the Spirit was bestowed, he offered them money.

١٩ 19 قَائِلًا: «أَعْطِيَانِي أَنَا أَيْضًا هَذَا ٱلسُّلْطَانَ، حَتَّى أَيُّ مَنْ وَضَعْتُ عَلَيْهِ يَدَيَّ يَقْبَلُ ٱلرُّوحَ ٱلْقُدُسَ».

"Give me too," he said, "that power, so that every one on whom I place my hands will receive the Holy Spirit."

٢٠ 20 فَقَالَ لَهُ بُطْرُسُ: «لِتَكُنْ فِضَّتُكَ مَعَكَ لِلْهَلَاكِ، لِأَنَّكَ ظَنَنْتَ أَنْ تَقْتَنِيَ مَوْهِبَةَ ٱللهِ بِدَرَاهِمَ!

"Perish your money and yourself," replied Peter, "because you have imagined that you can obtain God's free gift with money!

٢١ 21 لَيْسَ لَكَ نَصِيبٌ وَلَا قُرْعَةٌ فِي هَذَا ٱلْأَمْرِ، لِأَنَّ قَلْبَكَ لَيْسَ مُسْتَقِيمًا أَمَامَ ٱللهِ.

No part or lot have you in this matter, for your heart is not right in God's sight.

٢٢ 22 فَتُبْ مِنْ شَرِّكَ هَذَا، وَٱطْلُبْ إِلَى ٱللهِ عَسَى أَنْ يُغْفَرَ لَكَ فِكْرُ قَلْبِكَ،

Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, in the hope that the purpose which is in your heart may perhaps be forgiven you.

٢٣ 23 لِأَنِّي أَرَاكَ فِي مَرَارَةِ ٱلْمُرِّ وَرِبَاطِ ٱلظُّلْمِ».

For I perceive that you have fallen into the bitterest bondage of unrighteousness."

٢٤ 24 فَأَجَابَ سِيمُونُ وَقَالَ: «ٱطْلُبَا أَنْتُمَا إِلَى ٱلرَّبِّ مِنْ أَجْلِي لِكَيْ لَا يَأْتِيَ عَلَيَّ شَيْءٌ مِمَّا ذَكَرْتُمَا».

"Pray, both of you, to the Lord for me," answered Simon, "that nothing of what you have said may come upon me."

٢٥ 25 ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمَا بَعْدَ مَا شَهِدَا وَتَكَلَّمَا بِكَلِمَةِ ٱلرَّبِّ، رَجَعَا إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ وَبَشَّرَا قُرًى كَثِيرَةً لِلسَّامِرِيِّينَ.

So the Apostles, after giving a solemn charge and delivering the Lord's Message, travelled back to Jerusalem, making known the Good News also in many of the Samaritan villages.

٢٦ 26 ثُمَّ إِنَّ مَلَاكَ ٱلرَّبِّ كَلَّمَ فِيلُبُّسَ قَائِلًا: «قُمْ وَٱذْهَبْ نَحْوَ ٱلْجَنُوبِ، عَلَى ٱلطَّرِيقِ ٱلْمُنْحَدِرَةِ مِنْ أُورُشَلِيمَ إِلَى غَزَّةَ ٱلَّتِي هِيَ بَرِّيَّةٌ».

And an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Rise and proceed south to the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza, crossing the Desert."

٢٧ 27 فَقَامَ وَذَهَبَ. وَإِذَا رَجُلٌ حَبَشِيٌّ خَصِيٌّ، وَزِيرٌ لِكَنْدَاكَةَ مَلِكَةِ ٱلْحَبَشَةِ، كَانَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ خَزَائِنِهَا. فَهَذَا كَانَ قَدْ جَاءَ إِلَى أُورُشَلِيمَ لِيَسْجُدَ.

Upon this he rose and went. Now, as it happened, an Ethiopian eunuch who was in a position of high authority with Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, as her treasurer, had visited Jerusalem to worship there,

٢٨ 28 وَكَانَ رَاجِعًا وَجَالِسًا عَلَى مَرْكَبَتِهِ وَهُوَ يَقْرَأُ ٱلنَّبِيَّ إِشَعْيَاءَ.

and was now on his way home; and as he sat in his chariot he was reading the Prophet Isaiah.

٢٩ 29 فَقَالَ ٱلرُّوحُ لِفِيلُبُّسَ: «تَقَدَّمْ وَرَافِقْ هَذِهِ ٱلْمَرْكَبَةَ».

Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go and enter that chariot."

٣٠ 30 فَبَادَرَ إِلَيْهِ فِيلُبُّسُ، وَسَمِعَهُ يَقْرَأُ ٱلنَّبِيَّ إِشَعْيَاءَ، فَقَالَ: «أَلَعَلَّكَ تَفْهَمُ مَا أَنْتَ تَقْرَأُ؟».

So Philip ran up and heard the eunuch reading the Prophet Isaiah. "Do you understand what you are reading?" he asked.

٣١ 31 فَقَالَ: «كَيْفَ يُمْكِنُنِي إِنْ لَمْ يُرْشِدْنِي أَحَدٌ؟». وَطَلَبَ إِلَى فِيلُبُّسَ أَنْ يَصْعَدَ وَيَجْلِسَ مَعَهُ.

"Why, how can I," replied the eunuch, "unless some one explains it to me?" And he earnestly invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

٣٢ 32 وَأَمَّا فَصْلُ ٱلْكِتَابِ ٱلَّذِي كَانَ يَقْرَأُهُ فَكَانَ هَذَا: «مِثْلَ شَاةٍ سِيقَ إِلَى ٱلذَّبْحِ، وَمِثْلَ خَرُوفٍ صَامِتٍ أَمَامَ ٱلَّذِي يَجُزُّهُ هَكَذَا لَمْ يَفْتَحْ فَاهُ.

The passage of Scripture which he was reading was this: "Like a sheep He was led to slaughter, and just as a lamb before its shearer is dumb so He opened not His mouth.

٣٣ 33 فِي تَوَاضُعِهِ ٱنْتُزِعَ قَضَاؤُهُ، وَجِيلُهُ مَنْ يُخْبِرُ بِهِ؟ لِأَنَّ حَيَاتَهُ تُنْتَزَعُ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ».

In His humiliation justice was denied Him. Who will make known His posterity? For He is destroyed from among men."

٣٤ 34 فَأَجَابَ ٱلْخَصِيُّ فِيلُبُّسَ وَقَالَ: «أَطْلُبُ إِلَيْكَ: عَنْ مَنْ يَقُولُ ٱلنَّبِيُّ هَذَا؟ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ أَمْ عَنْ وَاحِدٍ آخَرَ؟».

"Pray, of whom is the Prophet speaking?" inquired the eunuch; "of himself or of some one else?"

٣٥ 35 فَفَتَحَ فِيلُبُّسُ فَاهُ وٱبْتَدَأَ مِنْ هَذَا ٱلْكِتَابِ فَبَشِّرَهُ بِيَسُوعَ.

Then Philip began to speak, and, commencing with that same portion of Scripture, told him the Good News about Jesus.

٣٦ 36 وَفِيمَا هُمَا سَائِرَانِ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ أَقْبَلَا عَلَى مَاءٍ، فَقَالَ ٱلْخَصِيُّ: «هُوَذَا مَاءٌ. مَاذَا يَمْنَعُ أَنْ أَعْتَمِدَ؟».

So they proceeded on their way till they came to some water; and the eunuch exclaimed, "See, here is water; what is there to prevent my being baptized?"

٣٧ 37 فَقَالَ فِيلُبُّسُ: «إِنْ كُنْتَ تُؤْمِنُ مِنْ كُلِّ قَلْبِكَ يَجُوزُ». فَأَجَابَ وَقَالَ: «أَنَا أُومِنُ أَنَّ يَسُوعَ ٱلْمَسِيحَ هُوَ ٱبْنُ ٱللهِ».

٣٨ 38 فَأَمَرَ أَنْ تَقِفَ ٱلْمَرْكَبَةُ، فَنَزَلَا كِلَاهُمَا إِلَى ٱلْمَاءِ، فِيلُبُّسُ وَٱلْخَصِيُّ، فَعَمَّدَهُ.

So he stopped the chariot; and both of them--Philip and the eunuch--went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

٣٩ 39 وَلَمَّا صَعِدَا مِنَ ٱلْمَاءِ، خَطِفَ رُوحُ ٱلرَّبِّ فِيلُبُّسَ، فَلَمْ يُبْصِرْهُ ٱلْخَصِيُّ أَيْضًا، وَذَهَبَ فِي طَرِيقِهِ فَرِحًا.

But no sooner had they come up out of the water than the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again. With a glad heart he resumed his journey;

٤٠ 40 وَأَمَّا فِيلُبُّسُ فَوُجِدَ فِي أَشْدُودَ. وَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ مُجْتَازٌ، كَانَ يُبَشِّرُ جَمِيعَ ٱلْمُدُنِ حَتَّى جَاءَ إِلَى قَيْصَرِيَّةَ.

but Philip found himself at Ashdod. Then visiting town after town he everywhere made known the Good News until he reached Caesarea.

The Prophet Isaiah