Ebikolwa by’Abatume 8
1 Sawulo yali omu ku abo abaawagira okuttibwa kwa Suteefano. Era ku lunaku olwo okuyigganya Ekkanisa ne kutandika n’amaanyi mangi nnyo mu Yerusaalemi. Abakkiriza bonna, okuggyako abatume, ne basaasaanira mu Buyudaaya ne mu Samaliya.
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 Abantu ba Katonda ne baggyawo Suteefano ne bamutwala ne bamuziika mu kwaziirana okungi.
Some religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.
3 Naye Sawulo n’akolerera okuzikiriza Ekkanisa; n’agenda buli wantu ng’akwata abasajja n’abakazi n’abatwala mu kkomera.
But Saul began to devastate the church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.
4 Naye abakkiriza abadduka mu Yerusaalemi ne bagenda mu buli kifo nga babuulira Enjiri ya Yesu.
Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the good news.
5 Awo Firipo, n’alaga mu kimu ku bibuga bya Samaliya n’abuulira abantu Enjiri ya Kristo.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.
6 Ebibiina ne bimuwuliriza nnyo kubanga abantu bonna baalaba ebyamagero bye yakola.
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 Baddayimooni bangi ne bava ku bantu nga bwe baleekaana; abaali bakoozimbye n’abalema bonna ne bawonyezebwa;
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 ekibuga ne kijjula essanyu.
so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.
9 Waaliwo omusajja erinnya lye Simooni eyali omufumu omwatiikirivu mu kibuga omwo era nga yeewuunyisa nnyo abantu bonna mu Samaliya. Yeeyogerangako nti muntu mukulu era wa kitiibwa.
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 Era abantu bangi ab’ekitiibwa n’abatali ba kitiibwa baamwogerangako nti, “Omusajja oyo ge maanyi ga Katonda agayitibwa, ‘Amangi.’”
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 Ne bamussangako nnyo omwoyo olw’ebyobufuusa bye yakolanga.
And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.
12 Naye bwe bakkiriza obubaka bwa Firipo ng’abuulira ku bwakabaka bwa Katonda n’erinnya lya Yesu Kristo abasajja n’abakazi ne babatizibwa.
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 Awo ne Simooni yennyini n’akkiriza era n’abatizibwa, n’agobereranga Firipo buli gye yalaganga; era ebyamagero Firipo bye yakolanga, Simooni n’abyewuunya nnyo.
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 Awo abatume abaali mu Yerusaalemi bwe baawulira ng’abantu mu Samaliya bakkirizza ekigambo kya Katonda, ne babatumira Peetero ne Yokaana.
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God’s message, they sent Peter and John to them;
15 Bwe baatuuka ne basabira abakkiriza bano abaggya bafune Mwoyo Mutukuvu,
and they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 kubanga yali tannaba kubakkako, kubanga baali babatizibbwa mu linnya lya Mukama waffe Yesu kyokka.
(As yet the Spirit had not descended on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).
17 Awo Peetero ne Yokaana ne bassa emikono gyabwe ku bakkiriza abo, ne bafuna Mwoyo Mutukuvu.
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Simooni, Omufumu, bwe yalaba ng’abantu bafunye Mwoyo Mutukuvu olw’abatume okubassaako emikono kyokka, kyeyava atoola ensimbi aziwe abatume bamuguze obuyinza obwo.
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 N’abagamba nti, “Mumpe obuyinza obwo, buli gwe nnassangako emikono gyange afune Mwoyo Mutukuvu!”
“Give me also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands on anyone, he may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Naye Peetero n’amugamba nti, “Ensimbi zo zizikirire naawe olw’okulowooza nti ekirabo kya Katonda kiyinza okugulibwa obugulibwa n’ensimbi.
“A curse on you and on your silver,” Peter exclaimed, “for thinking that God’s free gift can be bought with money!
21 Mu nsonga eno tolinaamu mugabo kubanga omutima gwo si mulongoofu mu maaso ga Katonda.
You have no share or part in our message, for your heart is not right with God.
22 Noolwekyo weenenye ekikolwa ekyo ekibi weegayirire Mukama, oboolyawo Katonda ayinza okukusonyiwa ebirowoozo byo ebyo ebibi.
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;
23 Kubanga ndaba nga mu mutima gwo mujjudde obuggya, era oli muddu wa kibi.”
for I see that you have fallen into the bitterness of envy and the fetters of sin.”
24 Simooni n’abeegayirira nti, “Munsabire eri Mukama ebintu ebyo bye mwogedde bireme okuntuukako.”
“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 Awo Peetero ne Yokaana bwe baamala okubuulira ekigambo kya Katonda n’obuvumu, ne basitula okuddayo mu Yerusaalemi, nga bagenda babuulira Enjiri mu bibuga bingi bye baayitangamu mu Samaliya.
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 Awo malayika wa Mukama n’agamba Firipo nti, “Kwata ekkubo eriraga mu bukiikaddyo, eriva e Yerusaalemi nga liyita mu ddungu okugenda e Ggaaza.”
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 Firipo n’akwata ekkubo eryo. Mu kiseera ekyo waaliwo omusajja Omwesiyopya mu kkubo eryo ng’ava mu kusinza e Yerusaalemi. Yali mulaawe nga mukungu mu lubiri lwa Kandake, kabaka omukazi owa Esiyopya, era ye yali omuwanika we omukulu.
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 Yali atudde mu ggaali lye ng’addayo ewaabwe nga bw’asoma ekitabo kya nnabbi Isaaya.
and was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Awo Mwoyo Mutukuvu n’agamba Firipo nti, “Semberera eggaali eryo oligendereko.”
The Spirit said to Philip, “Go up to the carriage over there and keep close to it.”
30 Firipo n’adduka n’atuuka ku ggaali, n’awulira Omwesiyopya ng’asoma mu kitabo kya nnabbi Isaaya. N’amubuuza nti, “By’osoma obitegeera?”
So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you are reading?” he asked.
31 Omwesiyopya n’addamu nti, “Nnaabitegeera ntya nga sirina abinnyinnyonnyola?” N’asaba Firipo ayingire mu ggaali lye batuule bombi.
“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 Ekyawandiikibwa kye yali asoma nga kigamba bwe kiti nti: “Yatwalibwa ng’endiga egenda okuttibwa. Ng’omwana gw’endiga bwe gusiriikirira nga bagusalako ebyoya, naye bw’atyo teyayasamya kamwa ke.
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 Yajoogebwa n’atalamulwa mu bwenkanya. Ani alyogera ku bazzukulu be? Kubanga ekiseera kye eky’obulamu bwe ku nsi kyakoma!”
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 Omulaawe kwe kubuuza Firipo nti, “Nnyinnyonnyola, munnange, nnabbi gw’ayogerako; yeeyogerako yekka oba ayogera ku mulala?”
“Now,” said the Treasurer, addressing Philip, “tell me, of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of someone else?”
35 Awo Firipo n’atandika n’Ekyawandiikibwa ekyo n’amubuulira Enjiri ya Yesu Kristo.
Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the good news about Jesus.
36 Bwe baali bagenda ne batuuka awali amazzi, omulaawe n’agamba nti, “Laba amazzi! Kale lwaki sibatizibwa?”
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?”
37 Awo Firipo n’amugamba nti, “Oyinza okubatizibwa, bw’oba ng’okkiriza n’omutima gwo gwonna.” Omulaawe n’addamu nti, “Nzikiriza nga Yesu Kristo Mwana wa Katonda.”
38 Awo n’alagira omugoba w’eggaali lye okuyimirira, ne bakka mu mazzi, Firipo n’amubatiza.
So he ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water – both Philip and the Treasurer – and Philip baptized him.
39 Bwe baava mu mazzi amangwago Omwoyo wa Mukama n’atwala Firipo, Omulaawe n’ataddayo kumulaba nate, naye n’atambula olugendo lwe ng’ajjudde essanyu.
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 Naye Firipo n’alabikira mu Azoto, n’agenda ng’abuulira Enjiri mu bibuga byonna eby’omu kitundu ekyo okutuukira ddala e Kayisaliya.
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.
