Hechos 8
1 Saulo, empero, consentía en la muerte de él ( de Esteban ). Levantose en aquellos días una gran persecución contra la Iglesia de Jerusalén, por lo cual todos, menos los apóstoles se dispersaron por las regiones de Judea y Samaria.
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 A Esteban le dieron sepultura algunos hombres piadosos e hicieron sobre él gran duelo.
Some religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.
3 Entretanto, Saulo devastaba la Iglesia, y penetrando en las casas arrastraba a hombres y mujeres y los metía en la cárcel.
But Saul began to devastate the Church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.
4 Los dispersos andaban de un lugar a otro predicando la palabra.
Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the Good News.
5 Felipe bajó a la ciudad de Samaria y predicoles a Cristo.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.
6 Mucha gente atendía a una a las palabras de Felipe, oyendo y viendo los milagros que obraba.
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 De muchos que tenían espíritus inmundos, estos salían, dando grandes gritos, y muchos paralíticos y cojos fueron sanados;
For there were many instances of people with foul spirits, where the spirits, with loud screams, came out of them;
8 por lo cual se llenó de gozo aquella ciudad.
and many who were paralysed or lame were cured, so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.
9 Había en la ciudad, desde tiempo atrás, un hombre llamado Simón, el cual ejercitaba la magia y asombraba al pueblo de Samaria diciendo ser él un gran personaje.
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 A él escuchaban todos, atentos desde el menor hasta el mayor, diciendo: Este es la virtud de Dios, la que se llama grande.
Every one, high and low, paid attention to him. ‘This man,’ they used to say, ‘must be that Power of God which men call “The Great Power.”’
11 Le prestaban atención porque por mucho tiempo los tenía asombrados con sus artes mágicas.
And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.
12 Mas, cuando creyeron a Felipe, que predicaba el reino de Dios y el nombre de Jesucristo, hombres y mujeres se bautizaron.
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 Creyó también el mismo Simón, y después de bautizado se allegó a Felipe y quedó atónito al ver los milagros y portentos grandes que se hacían.
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 Cuando los apóstoles que estaban en Jerusalén oyeron que Samaria había recibido la palabra de Dios les enviaron a Pedro y a Juan,
When the Apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God’s Message, they sent Peter and John to them;
15 los cuales habiendo bajado, hicieron oración por ellos para que recibiesen al Espíritu Santo;
and they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 porque no había aún descendido sobre ninguno de ellos, sino que tan solo habían sido bautizados en el nombre del Señor Jesús.
(As yet the Spirit had not descended upon any of them; they had only been baptized into the Faith of the Lord Jesus).
17 Entonces les impusieron las manos y ellos recibieron al Espíritu Santo.
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Viendo Simón que por la imposición de las manos de los apóstoles se daba el Espíritu Santo, les ofreció bienes,
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 diciendo: “Dadme a mí también esta potestad, para que todo aquel a quien imponga yo las manos reciba al Espíritu Santo”.
“Give me also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands upon any one, he may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Mas Pedro le respondió: “Tu dinero sea contigo para perdición tuya, por cuanto has creído poder adquirir el don de Dios por dinero.
“A curse upon you and upon your money,” Peter exclaimed, “for thinking that God’s free gift can be bought with gold!
21 Tú no tienes parte ni suerte en esta palabra, pues tu corazón no es recto delante de Dios.
You have no share or part in our Message, for your ‘heart is not right with God.’
22 Por tanto haz arrepentimiento de esta maldad tuya y ruega a Dios, tal vez te sea perdonado lo que piensas en tu corazón.
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;
23 Porque te veo lleno de amarga hiel y en lazo de iniquidad”.
for I see that you have fallen into the ‘bitterness of envy’ and the ‘fetters of sin.’”
24 Respondió Simón y dijo: “Rogad vosotros por mí al Señor, para que no venga sobre mí ninguna de las cosas que habéis dicho”.
“Pray to the Lord for me, all of you,” Simon answered, “so that none of the things you have spoken of may befall me.”
25 Ellos, pues, habiendo dado testimonio y predicado la palabra de Dios, regresaron a Jerusalén y evangelizaron muchas aldeas de los samaritanos.
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 Un ángel del Señor habló a Felipe, diciendo: Levántate y ve hacia el mediodía, al camino que baja de Jerusalén a Gaza, el cual es el desierto.
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 Levantose y se fue, y he aquí que un hombre etíope, eunuco, valido de Candace, reina de los etíopes, y superintendente de todos los tesoros de ella, había venido a Jerusalén a hacer adoración.
So Philip set out on a journey; and on his way he came upon 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 Iba de regreso y, sentado en el carruaje, leía al profeta Isaías.
and was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the Prophet Isaiah.
29 Dijo entonces el Espíritu a Felipe: “Acércate y allégate a ese carruaje”.
The Spirit said to Philip: “Go up to the carriage yonder and keep close to it.”
30 Corrió, pues, Felipe hacia allá y oyendo su lectura del profeta Isaías, le preguntó: “¿Entiendes lo que estás leyendo?”
So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the Prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you are reading?” he asked.
31 Respondió él: “¿Cómo podría si no hay quien me sirva de guía?” Invitó, pues, a Felipe, a que subiese y se sentase a su lado.
“How can I,” the other answered, “unless some one will explain it to me?” and he invited Philip to get up and sit by his side.
32 El pasaje de la Escritura que estaba leyendo era este “Como una oveja fue conducido al matadero, y como un cordero enmudece delante del que lo trasquila, así él no abre su boca.
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 En la humillación suya ha sido terminado su juicio. ¿Quién explicará su generación, puesto que su vida es arrancada de la tierra?”
In his lowly condition justice was denied him. Who will tell the story of his generation? For his life is cut off from earth.’
34 Respondiendo el eunuco preguntó a Felipe: “Ruégote ¿de quién dice esto el profeta? ¿De sí mismo o de algún otro?”
“Now,” said the Treasurer, addressing Philip, “tell me, of whom is the Prophet speaking? Of himself, or of some one else?”
35 Entonces Felipe, abriendo su boca, y comenzando por esta Escritura, le anunció la Buena Nueva de Jesús.
Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the Good News about Jesus.
36 Prosiguiendo el camino, llegaron a un lugar donde había agua, y dijo el eunuco: “Ve ahí agua. ¿Qué me impide ser bautizado?”
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 Y mandó parar el carruaje, y ambos bajaron al agua, Felipe y el eunuco, y ( Felipe ) le bautizó.
So he ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water — both Philip and the Treasurer — and Philip baptized him.
39 Cuando subieron del agua, el Espíritu del Señor arrebató a Felipe, de manera que el eunuco no le vio más; el cual prosiguió su viaje lleno de gozo.
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 Mas Felipe se encontró en Azoto, y pasando por todas las ciudades anunció el Evangelio hasta llegar a Cesarea.
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, till he came to Caesarea.
