Imisebenzi 8
1 Njalo uSawuli wayevumelana lokubulawa kwakhe. Ngalolosuku kwasekusuka ukuzingelwa okukhulu kwebandla elaliseJerusalema; bonke basebehlakazeka emazweni eJudiya leSamariya, ngaphandle kwabaphostoli.
At that time a major persecution arose against the church that was in Jerusalem, so all, except the Apostles, were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
2 Amadoda akholwayo asembutha uStefane, amenzela isililo esikhulu.
(Devout men had buried Stephen and made a great lamentation over him.)
3 Kodwa uSawuli walichitha ibandla, engena izindlu ngezindlu, ehudula amadoda labafazi ebafaka entolongweni.
As for Saul, he was trying to destroy the Church; invading house after house and dragging away both men and women, he was putting them in prison.
4 Ngakho abahlakazekileyo badabula ilizwe, betshumayela ilizwi.
So on their part those who were scattered abroad went about preaching the Word.
5 UFiliphu wasesehlela emzini weSamariya, watshumayela kubo uKristu.
Now Philip, having gone down to a city of Samaria, was proclaiming the Christ to them;
6 Amaxuku aselalela nganhliziyonye okwakhulunywa nguFiliphu, esizwa njalo ebona izibonakaliso azenzayo.
and the crowds gave heed with one accord to what Philip was saying, as they heard the words and saw the signs that he kept performing.
7 Ngoba kwabanengi ababelabomoya abangcolileyo, bememeza ngelizwi elikhulu baphuma; labanengi ababome umhlubulo lababeyiziqhuli basiliswa.
Because unclean spirits came out screaming from many who had them, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 Kwaba khona intokozo enkulu kulowomuzi.
Yes, there was great joy in that city!
9 Njalo indoda ethile, uSimoni ngebizo, eyayikade isenza imilingo emzini isanganisa isizwe saseSamariya, isithi ingumuntu omkhulu;
Now a certain man named Simon was in the city first, practicing sorcery and astounding the people of Samaria, affirming himself to be someone great,
10 abayilalelayo bonke kusukela kwabancinyane kuze kube kwabakhulu, besithi: Lo ungamandla amakhulu kaNkulunkulu.
to whom they used to pay attention, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.”
11 Basebemlalela, ngoba wabasanganisa isikhathi eside ngemilingo.
They listened to him because he had amazed them with his sorceries for a long time.
12 Kodwa kwathi sebekholwe uFiliphu etshumayela indaba ezinhle zezinto ngombuso kaNkulunkulu langebizo likaJesu Kristu, babhabhathizwa bonke amadoda labafazi.
But, when they believed Philip, as he proclaimed the good news concerning the Kingdom of God and the name, Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 LoSimoni laye wakholwa, njalo esebhabhathiziwe wanamathela kuFiliphu; wasanganiseka, ebona imisebenzi yamandla lezibonakaliso ezazisenziwa.
Even Simon himself believed, and having been baptized he stayed right with Philip; observing miracles and signs occurring, he was amazed.
14 Kwathi abaphostoli abaseJerusalema bezwe ukuthi iSamariya ilemukele ilizwi likaNkulunkulu, bathuma kubo uPetro loJohane;
Now when the Apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them,
15 abathi sebehlile babakhulekela, ukuze bamemukele uMoya oNgcwele;
who upon coming down prayed about them, so that they might receive Holy Spirit,
16 ngoba wayengakehleli lakoyedwa wabo, kodwa babebhabhathizwe ebizweni leNkosi uJesu kuphela.
because He had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized into the name of Jesus, the Christ.
17 Basebebeka izandla phezu kwabo, basebesemukela uMoya oNgcwele.
Then they laid their hands upon them and they received Holy Spirit.
18 Njalo uSimoni esebonile ukuthi ngokubekwa kwezandla zabaphostoli uyaphiwa uMoya oyiNgcwele, waletha imali kubo,
Well, upon observing that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the Apostles' hands, Simon offered them money
19 esithi: Ngiphani lami lawomandla, ukuze kuthi loba ngubani engibeka izandla zami phezu kwakhe, emukele uMoya oNgcwele.
saying, “Give this power to me also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive Holy Spirit.”
20 Kodwa uPetro wathi kuye: Isiliva sakho kanye lawe kakube sekubhubheni, ngoba ucabanga ukuthi isipho sikaNkulunkulu singazuzwa ngemali.
But Peter said to him: “May your silver go with you into perdition, for thinking that the gift of God could be acquired with money!
21 Kawulasabelo lelifa kuloludaba. Ngoba inhliziyo yakho kayiqondanga phambi kukaNkulunkulu.
You have neither part nor portion in this matter, because your heart is not right before God.
22 Ngakho phenduka kulobububi bakho, njalo ucele iNkosi, ukuthi uba kungenzeka uthethelelwe umnakano wenhliziyo yakho.
Turn away therefore from this your wickedness and make petition to God, in case the intent of your heart may be forgiven you;
23 Ngoba ngibona ukuthi usenyongweni ebabayo njalo usekubotshweni yisono.
for I see you being into a gall of bitterness and a fetter of unrighteousness.”
24 USimoni wasephendula esithi: Ngikhulekelani lina eNkosini, ukuze ngingehlelwa ngolunye lwalezizinto elizikhulumileyo.
So in answer Simon said, “You make petition to the Lord on my behalf, so that nothing of what you have spoken may come upon me!”
25 Ngakho kuthe sebefakazile bekhulumile ilizwi leNkosi, babuyela eJerusalema, njalo betshumayela ivangeli emizaneni eminengi yamaSamariya.
So when they had both thoroughly testified and spoken the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem; they also evangelized many Samaritan villages.
26 Ingilosi yeNkosi yasikhuluma loFiliphu, yathi: Sukuma uye eningizimu endleleni eyehla isuka eJerusalema isiya eGaza; yona iyinkangala.
Then an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south on the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza; it is desolate.”
27 Wasesukuma ehamba; njalo khangela umuntu weEthiyophiya umthenwa induna enkulu kaKandake indlovukazi yamaEthiyophiya, eyayiphezu kwempahla yakhe eligugu yonke, eyayifikile eJerusalema ukukhonza,
So he got up and went; and there, a man, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court-official of Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasury, who had come worshiping to Jerusalem
28 yayisibuyela ihlezi enqoleni yayo, ibala kumprofethi uIsaya.
—he was returning, sitting in his chariot and reading aloud the prophet Isaiah.
29 UMoya wasesithi kuFiliphu: Sondela uhambe lalinqola.
And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go forward and join this chariot.”
30 UFiliphu wasegijimela kuyo wayizwa ibala umprofethi uIsaya, wathi: Kambe uyaqedisisa yini lezizinto ozifundayo?
So running up Philip heard him reading the prophet Isaiah and said, “Do you really understand what you are reading?”
31 Yasisithi: Kambe ngingakwenelisa njani, ngaphandle kokuthi omunye angiqondise? Yasimcela uFiliphu ukuthi akhwele ahlale layo.
So he said, “Well how can I, unless someone guides me?” And he urged Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 Lesehlukwana sombhalo eyayisifunda yilesi: Walethwa ekuhlatshweni njengemvu; lanjengewundlu lithule phambi komgundi walo, ngokunjalo kawuvuli umlomo wakhe.
Now the portion of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He does not open His mouth.
33 Ekuthotshisweni kwakhe ukwahlulelwa kwakhe kwasuswa, njalo ngubani ongalandisa ngesizukulwana sakhe? Ngoba impilo yakhe iyasuswa emhlabeni.
In His humiliation His justice was removed, and who will recount His generation? Because His life is removed from the earth.”
34 Umthenwa wasephendula uFiliphu wathi: Ngiyakubuza, umprofethi ukhuluma lokhu ngobani? Ngaye ngokwakhe, kumbe ngomunye yini?
So continuing the eunuch said to Philip, “I ask you, about whom does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”
35 UFiliphu wasevula umlomo wakhe, eseqala kulowombhalo, watshumayela uJesu kuye.
So opening his mouth and beginning from this Scripture, Philip preached Jesus to him.
36 Kwathi besahamba endleleni, bafika emanzini athile; lomthenwa wathi: Khangela, nanka amanzi; kuyini okungivimbela ukuthi ngibhabhathizwe?
Now as they were going down the road they came upon some water, and the eunuch said: “Look, water! What is keeping me from being baptized?”
37 UFiliphu wasesithi: Uba ukholwa ngenhliziyo yonke, kuvunyelwe. Wasephendula wathi: Ngiyakholwa ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
38 Waselaya ukuthi inqola ime; basebesehlela emanzini bobabili, uFiliphu lomthenwa; wasembhabhathiza.
So he ordered the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.
39 Kwathi sebekhuphukile emanzini, uMoya weNkosi wamhluthuna uFiliphu; njalo umthenwa kazabe esambona; wahamba-ke ngendlela yakhe ethokoza.
Now when they came up out of the water, Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him any more, because he went on his way rejoicing.
40 Kodwa uFiliphu waficwa eAzotu; njalo edabula watshumayela ivangeli kuyo yonke imizi, waze wafika eKesariya.
Philip was found at Azotus, and as he passed through he evangelized all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
