Matendo 8
1 Sauli alikuwa kwenye makubaliano ya kifo chake. siku hiyo ndipo alipoanza kuwatesa kinyume cha kanisa lililokuwa Yerusalemu; na waaminio wote waliotawanyika katika majimbo ya Yudea na Samaria, isipokuwa mitume.
Saul approved of his killing. On that very day terrible persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and everyone except for the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
2 Watu wachamungu walimzika Stefano na kufanya maombolezo makubwa juu yake.
(Some faithful followers of God buried Stephen, with great mourning.)
3 Lakini Sauli alilidhuru sana kanisa. Alikwenda nyumba kwa nyumba na kuwaburuza nje wanawake na waume, na kuwatupia gerezani.
But Saul set about destroying the church, going from house to house, dragging both men and women off to prison.
4 waaminio ambao walikuwa wametawanyika bado walilihubiri neno.
Those who had been scattered spread the word wherever they went.
5 Filipo akashuka katika mji wa Samaria na akamtangaza Kristo huko.
Philip went to the town of Samaria, and told them about the Messiah.
6 Baada ya makutano kusikia na kuona ishara alizofanya Filipo; wakaweka umakini juu ya kile alichosema.
When the crowds heard what Philip was saying and saw the miracles he did they all paid attention to what he was telling them.
7 Kutoka hapo watu wengi waliosikia, pepo wachafu waliwatoka watu huku wakilia kwa sauti kubwa, na wengi waliopooza na viwete waliponywa.
Many were freed from possession by evil spirits that screamed as they came out, and many who were lame or disabled were healed.
8 Na kulikuwa na furaha kubwa katika mji.
The people who lived in the city were overjoyed.
9 Lakini palikuwa na mtu mmoja katika mji ule jina lake Simon, ambaye alikuwa akifanya uchawi; ambao aliutumia kuwashangaza watu wa taifa la Samaria, wakati akisema kuwa yeye ni mtu wa muhimu.
Now there was a man named Simon who lived in the city. He practiced sorcery. He claimed that he was someone very important, and had astounded the people of Samaria
10 Wasamaria wote tangu mdogo hata mkubwa, wakamsikiliza; wakasema;”mtu huyu ni ile nguvu ya Mungu ambayo ni kuu.”
so they all paid attention to him. From the lowest to the highest in society they said, “This man is ‘God the Great Power.’”
11 Wakamsikiliza, kwa maana amewashangaza muda mrefu kwa uchawi wake.
They were impressed by him because he had amazed them with his magic for so long.
12 Lakini wakati walipoamini kuwa Filipo alihubiri juu ya ufalme wa Mungu na juu ya jina la Yesu Kristo, walibatizwa, wanaume kwa wanawake.
But when they believed in what Philip told them about the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Na Simoni mwenyewe aliamini: baada ya kubatizwa, aliendelea kuwa na Filipo; alipoona ishara na miujiza iliyokuwa ikitendeka, alishangaa.
Simon too believed and was baptized. He accompanied Philip, amazed at the miraculous signs and wonders he saw.
14 Wakati mitume wa Yerusalemu waliposikia kuwa Samaria imepokea neno la Mungu, wakawatuma Petro na Yohana.
When the apostles back in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to visit them.
15 Wakati walipokuwa wakishuka wakawaombea; kwamba wampokee Roho Mtakatifu.
When they arrived they prayed for the converts in Samaria to receive the Holy Spirit.
16 Mpaka muda huo, Roho Mtakatifu alikuwa hajawashukia hata mmoja wao; walikuwa tu wamebatizwa kwa jina la Bwana Yesu.
The Holy Spirit hadn't come to any of these converts yet—they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Ndipo Petro na Yohana wakawawekea mikono, nao wakampokea Roho Mtakatifu.
The apostles placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Wakati Simoni alipoona kwamba Roho Mtakatifu ametolewa kupitia kuwekewa mikono na mitume; akataka kuwapa pesa,
When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the apostles placed their hands on people, he offered them money.
19 Akasema, “Nipeni hii nguvu, ili kila nitakayemwekea mikono apokee Roho Mtakatifu.”
“Give me this power, too,” he asked them, “so that anyone I place my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 Lakini Petro akamwambia; pesa yako pamoja na wewe ipotelee mbali, kwa sababu umedhani kuwa karama ya Mungu inapatikana kwa pesa.
“May your money be destroyed together with you for thinking God's gift is something that can be bought!” Peter replied.
21 Hauna sehemu katika jambo hili, kwa sababu moyo wako si mnyoofu mbele za Mungu.
“You're not part of any of this. None of this work belongs to you, because in God's eyes your attitude is totally wrong.
22 Hivyo basi tubu maovu yako na kumwomba Mungu labda utasamehewe fikra za moyo wako.
Repent of your evil ways! Pray to the Lord and ask forgiveness for thinking like this.
23 Kwa maana naona uko katika sumu ya uchungu na kifungo cha dhambi.”
I can see that you are full of bitter envy, and chained down by your sin.”
24 Simoni akajibu na kusema, “Mwombeni Bwana kwa ajili yangu, kwa kuwa mambo yote mliyozungumza yaweza kunitokea.
“Please pray for me, that nothing you've said may happen to me!” Simon replied.
25 Wakati Petro na Yohana walipokuwa wameshuhudia na kuhubiri neno la Bwana, walirudi Yerusalemu kwa njia hiyo; walihubiri injili katika vijiji vingi vya Wasamaria.
After they had given their testimony and shared the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, sharing the good news in many Samaritan villages along the way.
26 Basi malaika wa Bwana akanena na Filipo na kusema, “Angaza na uende kusini katika njia iendayo chini ya Yerusalemu kuelekea Gaza.” ( Njia hii iko katika jangwa).
An angel of the Lord told Philip, “Get ready and go south to the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.”
27 Akaangaza na kwenda. Tazama, kulikuwa na mtu wa Ethiopia, towashi mwenye mamlaka kuu chini ya kandase; malkia wa Ethiopia. Aliyewekwa juu ya hazina yake yote; naye alikuwa amekwenda Yerusalemu kuabudu.
So Philip set out, and met an Ethiopian man, a eunuch who had a high position in the service of the Kandake, Queen of Ethiopia. He was her chief treasurer. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship there, and
28 Alikuwa akirejea ameketi garini mwake akisoma chuo cha nabii Isaya.
was returning from his trip, sitting in his chariot. He was reading out loud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
29 Roho akasema na Filipo, “Sogea karibu na gari hili ukashikamane nalo.
The Spirit told Philip, “Go over close to the chariot.”
30 “Hivyo Filipo akaenda mbio, akamsikia akisoma katika chuo cha nabii Isaya; akasema, Je unafahamu unachosoma?”
So Philip ran over, and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. “Do you understand what you're reading?” Philip asked him.
31 Muethiopia akasema, “nitawezaje mtu asiponiongoza?” Akamsihi Filipo apande garini na kuketi pamoja naye.
“How can I, unless someone explains it?” the man replied. He invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
32 Sasa fungu la maandiko alilokuwa akisoma Muethiopia ni hili; Aliongozwa kama kondoo kwenda machinjioni kuchinjwa; na kama kondoo alinyamaza kimya, hakufungua kinywa chake:
The Scripture passage he was reading was this: “He was led like a sheep to be slaughtered. Like a lamb is silent in front of his shearer, he didn't say a word.
33 Kwa kuhuzunishwa kwake hukumu yake iliondolewa: Nani ataeleza kizazi chake? maisha yake yameondolewa katika nchi.”
He was humiliated and denied justice. No one can speak of his descendants, for his life came to an end.”
34 Hivyo towashi akamwuliza Filipo, na kusema, “nakuomba, ni nabii yupi ambaye anaongelewa habari zake, ni kuhusu yeye, au za mtu mwingine”?
The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about? Is it himself, or someone else?”
35 Filipo alianza kuongea, alianza kwa andiko hili la Isaya kumhubiria habari za Yesu.
Philip started explaining, beginning from this Scripture, telling him about Jesus.
36 Wakiwa njiani, wakafika penye maji,' towashi akasema, “Tazama, pana maji hapa nini kinazuia nisibatizwe?,
As they continued on, they came to a stretch of water. The eunuch said, “Look, there's water here—why shouldn't I be baptized?”
37 maneno haya, “Hivyo Muethiopia akajibu “naamini kwamba Yesu Kristo ni Mwana wa Mungu,” hayamo kwenyemaandiko ya kale). Ndipo Muethiopia akaamuru gari lisimame.
38 Walikwenda ndani ya maji, pamoja Filipo na towashi, Filipo akambatiza.
He ordered that the chariot be stopped. Philip and the eunuch both went down into the water and Philip baptized him.
39 Wakati walipotoka kwenye maji, Roho wa Bwana ikampeleka Filipo mbali; towashi hakumwona, akaenda njia yake akishangilia.
When they came out of the water the Spirit of the Lord took Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again, but he continued on his way full of joy. Philip found himself at Azotus.
40 Lakini Philipo akatokea Azoto. Alipita katika mkoa ule na kuhubiri injili katika miji yote mpaka alipofika Kaisaria.
He spread the good news in all the towns along the way until he arrived at Caesarea.
