Matendo 8
1 Saulo naye alikiona kitendo hicho cha kumwua Stefano kuwa sawa. Siku hiyo kanisa la Yerusalemu lilianza kuteswa vibaya. Waumini wote, isipokuwa tu wale mitume, walilazimika kutawanyika katika sehemu za mashambani za Yudea na Samaria.
And at that time there was a great persecution against the church that was in Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
2 Watu wamchao Mungu, walimzika Stefano na kumfanyia maombolezo makubwa.
But devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.
3 Wakati huohuo, Saulo alijaribu kuliangamiza kanisa. Alikwenda katika kila nyumba, akawatoa nje waumini, wanaume kwa wanawake, akawatia gerezani.
But Saul attempted to destroy the church; entering every house, and dragging men and women, he delivered them up to prison.
4 Wale waumini waliotawanyika, walikwenda kila mahali wakihubiri ule ujumbe.
Then they that were dispersed went everywhere preaching the word.
5 Naye Filipo aliingia katika mji wa Samaria na kumhubiri Kristo kwa wenyeji wa hapo.
And Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached the Christ to them.
6 Watu walijiunga kusikiliza kwa makini ule ujumbe wa Filipo na kuona ile miujiza aliyoifanya.
And the multitudes with one mind gave heed to the things which were spoken by Philip, when they heard, and saw the signs which he did.
7 Maana pepo wachafu waliokuwa wamewapagaa watu wengi waliwatoka wakipiga kelele kubwa; na pia watu wengi waliokuwa wamepooza viungo na waliolemaa waliponywa.
For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them, and many paralytics and lame persons were cured.
8 Kukawa na furaha kubwa katika mji ule.
And there was great joy in that city.
9 Basi, kulikuwa na mtu mmoja aitwaye Simoni ambaye alikuwa amekwisha fanya uchawi wake katika mji huo kwa muda na kuwashangaza watu wa Samaria, akijiona kuwa yeye ni mtu maarufu.
But there was a certain man, named Simon, who had, before this time, been practicing magic in the city, and astonishing the people of Samaria, saying that he was some great one;
10 Watu wote, wadogo na wakubwa, walimsikiliza kwa makini wakisema, “Simoni ndiye ile nguvu ya kimungu inayoitwa Nguvu Kubwa.”
to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying: This man is the great power of God.
11 Walivutiwa sana naye kwa vile alikuwa amewashangaza kwa uchawi wake kwa muda mrefu.
And they gave heed to him because he had, for a long time, astonished them with his magic arts.
12 Lakini walipouamini ujumbe wa Filipo juu ya Habari Njema ya Ufalme wa Mungu na jina la Yesu Kristo, walibatizwa, wanawake na wanaume.
But when they believed Philip, who preached the good news concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were immersed, both men and women.
13 Hata Simoni aliamini; baada ya kubatizwa ilikuwa akiandamana na Filipo, akastaajabia maajabu na miujiza iliyokuwa inafanyika.
And Simon himself also believed; and after he was immersed, he continued with Philip; and, seeing the mighty deeds and the signs which were done, he was astonished.
14 Wale mitume waliokuwa kule Yerusalemu walipopata habari kwamba wenyeji wa Samaria nao wamelipokea neno la Mungu, waliwatuma kwao Petro na Yohane.
Now when the apostles, who were in Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John;
15 Walipofika waliwaombea hao waumini ili wampokee Roho Mtakatifu;
who, when they had gone down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 maana wakati huo Roho Mtakatifu hakuwa ameshukia yeyote kati yao; walikuwa wamebatizwa tu kwa jina la Bwana Yesu.
For he had not yet fallen on any of them; only they had been immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus.
17 Basi, Petro na Yohane wakawawekea mikono hao waumini, nao wakampokea Roho Mtakatifu.
Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Hapo Simoni aling'amua kwamba kwa kuwekewa mikono ya mitume waumini walipewa Roho Mtakatifu. Hivyo aliwapa Petro na Yohane fedha akisema,
And when Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money,
19 “Nipeni na mimi uwezo huo ili yeyote nitakayemwekea mikono, apokee Roho Mtakatifu.”
saying: Give me, also, this authority, that whoever I shall lay my hands on, may receive the Holy Spirit.
20 Lakini Petro akamjibu, “Potelea mbali na fedha zako kwa vile unafikiri kwamba unaweza kununua karama ya Mungu kwa fedha!
But Peter said to him: Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God might be purchased with money.
21 Huna sehemu yoyote wala haki katika kazi hiyo kwa maana moyo wako hauko sawa mbele ya macho ya Mungu.
You have neither part nor share in this matter; for your heart is not right in the sight of God.
22 Kwa hiyo, tubu ubaya wako huu na umwombe Bwana naye anaweza kukusamehe fikira kama hizo.
Repent, therefore, of this your wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the purpose of your heart may be forgiven you.
23 Ni dhahiri kwangu kwamba umejaa wivu mkali na mfungwa wa dhambi!”
For I perceive that you are in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.
24 Simoni akajibu, “Tafadhali, niombeeni kwa Bwana lisije likanipata lolote kati ya hayo mliyosema.”
But Simon answered and said: Pray you both to the Lord for me, that none of the things which you have spoken come upon me.
25 Baada ya Petro na Yohane kutoa ushuhuda wao na kuutangaza ujumbe wa Bwana, walirudi Yerusalemu. Walipokuwa wanarudi walihubiri Habari Njema katika vijiji vingi vya Samaria.
Then, when they had given their testimony, and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.
26 Malaika wa Bwana alimwambia Filipo, “Jitayarishe uende kusini kupitia njia inayotoka Yerusalemu kwenda Gaza.” (Njia hiyo hupita jangwani.)
And an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying: Arise, and go toward the south, to the road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza; this is desert.
27 Basi, Filipo akajiweka tayari, akaanza safari. Wakati huohuo kulikuwa na Mwethiopia mmoja, towashi, ambaye alikuwa anasafiri kuelekea nyumbani. Huyo mtu alikuwa ofisa maarufu wa hazina ya Kandake, malkia wa Ethiopia. Alikuwa amekwenda huko Yerusalemu kuabudu na wakati huo alikuwa anarudi akiwa amepanda gari la kukokotwa.
And he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,
28 Alipokuwa anasafiri, alikuwa akijisomea kitabu cha nabii Isaya.
was returning, and, sitting in his chariot, read the prophet Isaiah.
29 Basi, Roho Mtakatifu akamwambia Filipo, “Nenda karibu na gari hilo ukafuatane nalo.”
And the Spirit said to Philip: Go forward and join yourself to this chariot.
30 Filipo akakimbilia karibu na gari, akamsikia huyo mtu akisoma katika kitabu cha nabii Isaya. Hapo Filipo akamwuliza, “Je, unaelewa hayo unayosoma?”
And Philip ran forward, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah; and he said: Do you understand what you are reading?
31 Huyo mtu akamjibu, “Ninawezaje kuelewa bila mtu kunielewesha?” Hapo akamwalika Filipo apande juu, aketi pamoja naye.
He answered: How can I, unless some one instruct me? And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 Basi, sehemu ya Maandiko Matakatifu aliyokuwa anasoma ilikuwa hii: “Alikuwa kama kondoo anayepelekwa kuchinjwa; kimya kama vile mwana kondoo anaponyolewa manyoya, yeye naye hakutoa sauti hata kidogo.
The passage of the scripture which he was reading, was this: As a sheep for the slaughter was he led; and as a lamb before his shearer is dumb, so opened he not his mouth
33 Alifedheheshwa na kunyimwa haki. Hakuna atakayeweza kuongea juu ya kizazi chake, kwa maana maisha yake yameondolewa duniani.”
in his humiliation. The sentence against him was taken away; but who shall describe the men of his generation? For his life was taken from the earth.
34 Huyo Mwethiopia akamwambia Filipo, “Niambie, huyu nabii anasema juu ya nani? Anasema mambo haya juu yake yeye mwenyewe au juu ya mtu mwingine?”
And the eunuch answered Philip, and said: I pray you, of whom speaks the prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man?
35 Basi, Filipo akianzia na sehemu hiyo ya Maandiko Matakatifu, akamweleza Habari Njema juu ya Yesu.
And Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached to him Jesus.
36 Walipokuwa bado wanaendelea na safari walifika mahali penye maji na huyo ofisa akasema, “Mahali hapa pana maji; je, kuna chochote cha kunizuia nisibatizwe?”
And as they went along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said: See, here is water; what hinders me from being immersed?
37 Filipo akasema, “Kama unaamini kwa moyo wako wote unaweza kubatizwa.” Naye akajibu, “Naam, ninaamini kwamba Yesu Kristo ni Mwana wa Mungu.”
38 Basi, huyo ofisa akaamuru lile gari lisimame; na wote wawili, Filipo na huyo ofisa wakashuka majini, naye Filipo akambatiza.
And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he immersed him.
39 Walipotoka majini Roho wa Bwana akamfanya Filipo atoweke. Na huyo Mwethiopia hakumwona tena; lakini akaendelea na safari yake akiwa amejaa furaha.
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing.
40 Filipo akajikuta yuko Azoto, akapita katika miji yote akihubiri Habari Njema mpaka alipofika Kaisarea.
But Philip was found at Azotus, and, passing through, he preached the gospel in all the cities, till he came to Cæsarea
