< Acts 8 >
1 Saul was consenting to his death. A great persecution arose against the church which was in Jerusalem in that day. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.
Sejumlah orang saleh menguburkan Stefanus dan menangisi dia dengan sangat sedih. Namun bagi Saulus, pembunuhan Stefanus merupakan tindakan yang baik. Mulai hari itu juga terjadilah penganiayaan besar terhadap orang percaya di Yerusalem. Saulus berusaha membinasakan jemaat. Dia pergi dari rumah ke rumah dan menyeret orang-orang percaya supaya dipenjarakan, baik laki-laki maupun perempuan. Karena itu, banyak sekali orang percaya melarikan diri dari Yerusalem dan tersebar ke berbagai daerah di Yudea dan Samaria. Tetapi kedua belas rasul tetap tinggal di Yerusalem.
2 Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.
3 But Saul ravaged the church, entering into every house, and dragged both men and women off to prison.
4 Therefore those who were scattered abroad went around proclaiming the word.
Orang-orang percaya yang tersebar itu terus memberitakan Kabar Baik ke mana saja mereka pergi.
5 And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.
Filipus pergi ke sebuah kota di daerah Samaria dan memberitakan tentang Kristus kepada orang-orang di situ.
6 The crowds listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip, when they heard and saw the signs which he did.
Waktu mereka mendengar pengajarannya dan menyaksikan banyak keajaiban yang dia lakukan, mereka semua mendengarkan dengan penuh perhatian.
7 For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed.
Banyak penduduk kota itu dikuasai roh-roh jahat, dan Filipus mengusir roh-roh itu atas nama Yesus sehingga mereka pergi sambil berteriak dengan keras. Banyak juga orang pincang dan lumpuh total yang disembuhkan.
8 There was great joy in that city.
Semuanya itu membuat para penduduk kota sangat bersukacita.
9 But there was a certain man, Simon by name, who used to practice sorcery in the city, and amazed the people of Samaria, making himself out to be some great one,
Namun, di sana ada seorang tukang sihir bernama Simon. Dia sudah lama membuat warga Samaria terkagum-kagum dengan ilmu sihirnya. Karena itulah para penduduk percaya padanya waktu dia mengaku sebagai orang hebat.
10 to whom they all listened, from the least to the greatest, saying, "This man is that power of God which is called Great."
Sebelum Filipus datang, semua warga di daerah itu— baik orang biasa maupun orang penting— menghormati Simon dan berkata, “Orang ini mempunyai kuasa Allah yang besar.”
11 They listened to him, because for a long time he had amazed them with his sorceries.
Mereka sangat menyegani Simon, karena dia sudah begitu lama membuat mereka terkagum-kagum dengan ilmu sihirnya.
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
Tetapi waktu Filipus memberitakan Kabar Baik tentang kerajaan Allah dan kuasa Kristus Yesus, banyak sekali orang yang percaya pada Kabar itu, baik laki-laki maupun perempuan. Lalu Filipus membaptis mereka.
13 Simon himself also believed. Being baptized, he continued with Philip. Seeing signs and great miracles occurring, he was amazed.
Simon juga percaya dan dibaptis. Sesudah itu, dia selalu mengikuti Filipus dan terkagum-kagum melihat banyak keajaiban luar biasa yang dilakukan Filipus.
14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
Ketika rasul-rasul di Yerusalem mendengar bahwa orang-orang Samaria sudah menerima Firman Allah yang disampaikan oleh Filipus, mereka mengutus Petrus dan Yohanes ke sana.
15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit;
Sesudah mereka tiba, keduanya berdoa supaya orang Samaria yang percaya menerima Roh Kudus.
16 for he had not yet fallen upon any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Karena mereka memang sudah dibaptis dalam nama Kristus Yesus, tetapi Roh Kudus belum turun ke atas mereka.
17 Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
Sewaktu Petrus dan Yohanes menumpangkan tangan ke atas mereka, barulah mereka menerima Roh Kudus.
18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money,
Ketika Simon melihat bahwa Roh Kudus diberikan kepada orang-orang itu melalui para rasul yang meletakkan tangan atas mereka, dia menawarkan uang kepada rasul-rasul itu
19 saying, "Give me also this power, that whomever I lay my hands on may receive the Holy Spirit."
dengan berkata, “Berikanlah kuasa itu kepada saya juga, supaya ketika saya meletakkan kedua tangan saya pada seseorang, orang itu akan menerima Roh Kudus.”
20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money.
Tetapi Petrus berkata kepada Simon, “Binasalah kamu bersama uangmu itu!— karena kamu menganggap pemberian rohani dari Allah bisa dibeli dengan uang.
21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God.
Kamu tidak berhak mengambil bagian dalam hal ini, karena hatimu tidak benar di hadapan Allah.
22 Repent therefore of this, your wickedness, and ask the Lord if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.
Oleh sebab itu, bertobatlah! Berdoalah supaya Allah mengampuni niat hatimu yang jahat itu.
23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bondage of iniquity."
Karena saya melihat bahwa kamu terjerat dalam dosa dan hatimu penuh dengan iri hati.”
24 Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that none of the things which you have spoken happen to me."
Lalu Simon menjawab, “Kalau begitu, saya mohon kalian berdua mendoakan saya, supaya Tuhan melepaskan saya dari hukuman itu!”
25 They therefore, when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the Good News to many villages of the Samaritans.
Sesudah Petrus dan Yohanes memberi kesaksian tentang Yesus dan memberitakan Firman TUHAN, mereka kembali ke Yerusalem. Dalam perjalanan pulang, mereka melewati banyak desa di daerah Samaria dan memberitakan Kabar Baik kepada orang-orang di sana.
26 But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, "Arise, and go toward the south to the way that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza. This is a desert."
Pada suatu hari, salah satu malaikat berbicara kepada Filipus dan menyuruh dia, “Bersiap-siaplah dan pergi ke selatan, ke jalan yang turun dari Yerusalem menuju Gaza.” (Jalan itu melintasi padang belantara.)
27 And he arose and went. And look, there was a man from Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Kandake, the queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge over all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship,
Filipus pun bersiap-siap dan berangkat. Di jalan itu, dia melihat seorang pejabat dari Etiopia, yaitu pegawai tinggi ratu Etiopia yang bertanggung jawab atas seluruh perbendaharaan negeri. Dia sudah pergi beribadah ke Yerusalem,
28 and he was returning. And sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.
dan pada waktu itu sedang dalam perjalanan pulang. Ada budaknya yang mengendalikan kereta, sedangkan pejabat itu duduk sambil membaca kitab Nabi Yesaya.
29 And the Spirit said to Philip, "Go and join up with that chariot."
Lalu Roh Kudus berkata kepada Filipus, “Dekatilah kereta itu.”
30 And running near, Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?"
Maka Filipus berlari mendekati kereta itu dan mendengar pejabat itu sedang membaca dari kitab Nabi Yesaya. Filipus bertanya kepadanya, “Apakah Tuan mengerti isi pesan yang sedang Tuan baca?”
31 He said, "How can I, unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Kata pejabat itu, “Saya tidak mungkin bisa mengerti kalau tidak ada yang menjelaskannya kepada saya.” Lalu pejabat itu meminta Filipus naik ke dalam keretanya dan duduk bersama dia.
32 Now the passage of the Scripture which he was reading was this, "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he does not open his mouth.
Bagian Kitab Suci yang sedang dibacanya adalah, “Dia sama seperti domba yang dibawa untuk disembelih, dan seperti domba yang tidak bersuara waktu orang menggunting bulunya. Demikianlah Orang itu tidak mengatakan sepatah kata pun.
33 In his humiliation his justice was taken away. Who will declare his generation? For his life is taken from the earth."
Dia dipermalukan dan semua hak-Nya sudah diambil paksa. Dia dibunuh dan dilenyapkan dari dunia ini, tidak ada keluarga dan keturunan bagi-Nya.”
34 The eunuch answered Philip, "Who is the prophet talking about? About himself, or about someone else?"
Pejabat itu berkata kepada Filipus, “Tolong beritahukan kepada saya, Nabi Yesaya berbicara tentang siapa? Apakah tentang dirinya atau tentang orang lain?”
35 Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture, preached to him Jesus.
Berawal dari Firman itu, Filipus pun memberitakan Kabar Baik tentang Yesus kepadanya.
36 As they went on the way, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What is keeping me from being baptized?"
Dalam perjalanan, mereka tiba di suatu tempat yang ada air. Orang itu berkata kepada Filipus, “Lihat, ada air. Saya bisa dibaptis di situ, bukan?”
37 And he said to him, "If you believe with all your heart, you may." And he answered and said, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
38 He commanded the chariot to stand still, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
Lalu dia menyuruh budaknya menghentikan kereta. Mereka berdua turun dan masuk ke dalam air. Kemudian Filipus membaptis dia.
39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
Sesudah mereka keluar dari air, tiba-tiba Roh TUHAN membawa Filipus dari tempat itu, dan pejabat itu tidak melihatnya lagi. Dia melanjutkan perjalanannya dengan hati yang gembira.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus. Passing through, he preached the Good News to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
Sementara itu, Filipus tiba-tiba muncul di kota Asdod. Dia berjalan melewati daerah itu sambil memberitakan Kabar Baik di setiap kota yang dilaluinya, sampai dia tiba di kota Kaisarea.