Πραξεις 8
1 σαυλος δε ην συνευδοκων τη αναιρεσει αυτου εγενετο δε εν εκεινη τη ημερα διωγμος μεγας επι την εκκλησιαν την εν ιεροσολυμοις παντες δε διεσπαρησαν κατα τας χωρας της ιουδαιας και σαμαρειας πλην των αποστολων
Saul approved of his being put to death. On that very day a great persecution broke out against the church which was in Jerusalem; and its members, with the exception of the apostles, were all scattered over the districts of Judea and Samaria.
2 συνεκομισαν δε τον στεφανον ανδρες ευλαβεις και εποιησαντο κοπετον μεγαν επ αυτω
Some religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.
3 σαυλος δε ελυμαινετο την εκκλησιαν κατα τους οικους εισπορευομενος συρων τε ανδρας και γυναικας παρεδιδου εις φυλακην
But Saul began to devastate the church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.
4 οι μεν ουν διασπαρεντες διηλθον ευαγγελιζομενοι τον λογον
Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the good news.
5 φιλιππος δε κατελθων εις πολιν της σαμαρειας εκηρυσσεν αυτοις τον χριστον
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.
6 προσειχον τε οι οχλοι τοις λεγομενοις υπο του φιλιππου ομοθυμαδον εν τω ακουειν αυτους και βλεπειν τα σημεια α εποιει
The people, one and all, listened attentively to what Philip told them, when they heard of, and saw, the miracles which he was working.
7 πολλων γαρ των εχοντων πνευματα ακαθαρτα βοωντα φωνη μεγαλη εξηρχετο πολλοι δε παραλελυμενοι και χωλοι εθεραπευθησαν
For there were many instances of people with foul spirits, where the spirits, with loud screams, came out of them; and many who were paralyzed or lame were cured,
8 και εγενετο χαρα μεγαλη εν τη πολει εκεινη
so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.
9 ανηρ δε τις ονοματι σιμων προυπηρχεν εν τη πολει μαγευων και εξιστων το εθνος της σαμαρειας λεγων ειναι τινα εαυτον μεγαν
There was staying in the city a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic there and mystifying the Samaritan people, giving himself out to be some great being.
10 ω προσειχον απο μικρου εως μεγαλου λεγοντες ουτος εστιν η δυναμις του θεου η μεγαλη
Everyone, high and low, paid attention to him. ‘This man,’ they used to say, ‘must be that power of God which people call “The Great Power.”’
11 προσειχον δε αυτω δια το ικανω χρονω ταις μαγειαις εξεστακεναι αυτους
And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.
12 οτε δε επιστευσαν τω φιλιππω ευαγγελιζομενω τα περι της βασιλειας του θεου και του ονοματος ιησου χριστου εβαπτιζοντο ανδρες τε και γυναικες
However, when they came to believe Philip, as he told them the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 ο δε σιμων και αυτος επιστευσεν και βαπτισθεις ην προσκαρτερων τω φιλιππω θεωρων τε δυναμεις και σημεια γινομενα εξιστατο
Even Simon believed, and after his baptism attached himself to Philip, and was in his turn mystified at seeing signs and great miracles constantly occurring.
14 ακουσαντες δε οι εν ιεροσολυμοις αποστολοι οτι δεδεκται η σαμαρεια τον λογον του θεου απεστειλαν προς αυτους τον πετρον και ιωαννην
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God’s message, they sent Peter and John to them;
15 οιτινες καταβαντες προσηυξαντο περι αυτων οπως λαβωσιν πνευμα αγιον
and they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 ουπω γαρ ην επ ουδενι αυτων επιπεπτωκος μονον δε βεβαπτισμενοι υπηρχον εις το ονομα του χριστου ιησου
(As yet the Spirit had not descended on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).
17 τοτε επετιθουν τας χειρας επ αυτους και ελαμβανον πνευμα αγιον
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 θεασαμενος δε ο σιμων οτι δια της επιθεσεως των χειρων των αποστολων διδοται το πνευμα το αγιον προσηνεγκεν αυτοις χρηματα
When Simon saw that it was through the placing of the apostles’ hands on them that the Spirit was given, he brought them a sum of money and said,
19 λεγων δοτε καμοι την εξουσιαν ταυτην ινα ω εαν επιθω τας χειρας λαμβανη πνευμα αγιον
“Give me also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands on anyone, he may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 πετρος δε ειπεν προς αυτον το αργυριον σου συν σοι ειη εις απωλειαν οτι την δωρεαν του θεου ενομισας δια χρηματων κτασθαι
“A curse on you and on your silver,” Peter exclaimed, “for thinking that God’s free gift can be bought with money!
21 ουκ εστιν σοι μερις ουδε κληρος εν τω λογω τουτω η γαρ καρδια σου ουκ εστιν ευθεια ενωπιον του θεου
You have no share or part in our message, for your heart is not right with God.
22 μετανοησον ουν απο της κακιας σου ταυτης και δεηθητι του θεου ει αρα αφεθησεται σοι η επινοια της καρδιας σου
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;
23 εις γαρ χολην πικριας και συνδεσμον αδικιας ορω σε οντα
for I see that you have fallen into the bitterness of envy and the fetters of sin.”
24 αποκριθεις δε ο σιμων ειπεν δεηθητε υμεις υπερ εμου προς τον κυριον οπως μηδεν επελθη επ εμε ων ειρηκατε
“Pray to the Lord for me, all of you,” Simon answered, “so that none of the things you have spoken of may happen to me.”
25 οι μεν ουν διαμαρτυραμενοι και λαλησαντες τον λογον του κυριου υπεστρεψαν εις ιερουσαλημ πολλας τε κωμας των σαμαρειτων ευηγγελισαντο
Peter and John, having borne their testimony and delivered the Lord’s message, returned to Jerusalem, telling the good news, as they went, in many Samaritan villages.
26 αγγελος δε κυριου ελαλησεν προς φιλιππον λεγων αναστηθι και πορευου κατα μεσημβριαν επι την οδον την καταβαινουσαν απο ιερουσαλημ εις γαζαν αυτη εστιν ερημος
Meanwhile an angel of the Lord had said to Philip, “Set out on a journey southwards, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (It is now deserted).
27 και αναστας επορευθη και ιδου ανηρ αιθιοψ ευνουχος δυναστης κανδακης της βασιλισσης αιθιοπων ος ην επι πασης της γαζης αυτης ος εληλυθει προσκυνησων εις ιερουσαλημ
So Philip set out on a journey; and on his way he came on an official of high rank, in the service of Candace, Queen of the Abyssinians. He was her treasurer, and had been to Jerusalem to worship,
28 ην τε υποστρεφων και καθημενος επι του αρματος αυτου και ανεγινωσκεν τον προφητην ησαιαν
and was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 ειπεν δε το πνευμα τω φιλιππω προσελθε και κολληθητι τω αρματι τουτω
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go up to the carriage over there and keep close to it.”
30 προσδραμων δε ο φιλιππος ηκουσεν αυτου αναγινωσκοντος τον προφητην ησαιαν και ειπεν αρα γε γινωσκεις α αναγινωσκεις
So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you are reading?” he asked.
31 ο δε ειπεν πως γαρ αν δυναιμην εαν μη τις οδηγηση με παρεκαλεσεν τε τον φιλιππον αναβαντα καθισαι συν αυτω
“How can I,” the other answered, “unless someone will explain it to me?” and he invited Philip to get up and sit by his side.
32 η δε περιοχη της γραφης ην ανεγινωσκεν ην αυτη ως προβατον επι σφαγην ηχθη και ως αμνος εναντιον του κειροντος αυτον αφωνος ουτως ουκ ανοιγει το στομα αυτου
The passage of scripture which he was reading was this – ‘Like a sheep, he was led away to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in the hands of its shearer, so he refrains from opening his lips.
33 εν τη ταπεινωσει αυτου η κρισις αυτου ηρθη την δε γενεαν αυτου τις διηγησεται οτι αιρεται απο της γης η ζωη αυτου
He was humiliated and justice was denied him. Who will tell the story of his generation? For his life is cut off from earth.’
34 αποκριθεις δε ο ευνουχος τω φιλιππω ειπεν δεομαι σου περι τινος ο προφητης λεγει τουτο περι εαυτου η περι ετερου τινος
“Now,” said the Treasurer, addressing Philip, “tell me, of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of someone else?”
35 ανοιξας δε ο φιλιππος το στομα αυτου και αρξαμενος απο της γραφης ταυτης ευηγγελισατο αυτω τον ιησουν
Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the good news about Jesus.
36 ως δε επορευοντο κατα την οδον ηλθον επι τι υδωρ και φησιν ο ευνουχος ιδου υδωρ τι κωλυει με βαπτισθηναι
Presently, as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the Treasurer exclaimed, “Look! Here is water; what is to prevent my being baptized?”
38 και εκελευσεν στηναι το αρμα και κατεβησαν αμφοτεροι εις το υδωρ ο τε φιλιππος και ο ευνουχος και εβαπτισεν αυτον
So he ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water – both Philip and the Treasurer – and Philip baptized him.
39 οτε δε ανεβησαν εκ του υδατος πνευμα κυριου ηρπασεν τον φιλιππον και ουκ ειδεν αυτον ουκετι ο ευνουχος επορευετο γαρ την οδον αυτου χαιρων
But, when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the Treasurer saw no more of him; for he continued his journey with a joyful heart.
40 φιλιππος δε ευρεθη εις αζωτον και διερχομενος ευηγγελιζετο τας πολεις πασας εως του ελθειν αυτον εις καισαρειαν
But Philip was found at Ashdod, and, as he went on his way, he told the good news in all the towns through which he passed, until he came to Caesarea.
