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 Saul was consenting and participating in his death. And there was, in that day, a great persecution against the church that was at Jerusalem; and they were all dispersed, except the legates, among the villages of Judaea and likewise among the Samaritans.
2 Watu wamchao Mungu, walimzika Stefano na kumfanyia maombolezo makubwa.
And believing men gathered up and buried Stephen. And they lamented over him greatly.
3 Wakati huohuo, Saulo alijaribu kuliangamiza kanisa. Alikwenda katika kila nyumba, akawatoa nje waumini, wanaume kwa wanawake, akawatia gerezani.
And Saul persecuted the church of God, entering houses, and dragging forth men and women and committing them to prison.
4 Wale waumini waliotawanyika, walikwenda kila mahali wakihubiri ule ujumbe.
And they who were dispersed, travelled about and preached the word of God.
5 Naye Filipo aliingia katika mji wa Samaria na kumhubiri Kristo kwa wenyeji wa hapo.
And Philip went down to a city of the Samaritans, and preached concerning the Messiah.
6 Watu walijiunga kusikiliza kwa makini ule ujumbe wa Filipo na kuona ile miujiza aliyoifanya.
And when the people who were there heard his discourse, they gave ear to him, and acquiesced in all that he said; because they saw the signs which he wrought.
7 Maana pepo wachafu waliokuwa wamewapagaa watu wengi waliwatoka wakipiga kelele kubwa; na pia watu wengi waliokuwa wamepooza viungo na waliolemaa waliponywa.
For many who were possessed by unclean spirits, cried with a loud voice, and came out of them: and others, who were paralytic and lame, were healed.
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.
And there was a certain man there, whose name was Simon, who had resided in that city a long time, and who seduced the people of the Samaritans by his sorceries, magnifying himself, and saying, I am a great personage.
10 Watu wote, wadogo na wakubwa, walimsikiliza kwa makini wakisema, “Simoni ndiye ile nguvu ya kimungu inayoitwa Nguvu Kubwa.”
And they all inclined towards him, great and small; and they said, This is the mighty power of God.
11 Walivutiwa sana naye kwa vile alikuwa amewashangaza kwa uchawi wake kwa muda mrefu.
And they acquiesced in him, because for a long time he had astonished them by his sorceries.
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 gave credence to Philip, as he preached the kingdom of God, in the name of our Lord Jesus Messiah; they were baptized, 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 was baptized, and adhered to Philip. And when he saw the signs and mighty deeds which were wrought by his hand, he was surprised and astonished.
14 Wale mitume waliokuwa kule Yerusalemu walipopata habari kwamba wenyeji wa Samaria nao wamelipokea neno la Mungu, waliwatuma kwao Petro na Yohane.
And when the legates at Jerusalem, heard that the people of the Samaritans had received the word of God, they sent out to them Simon Cephas and John.
15 Walipofika waliwaombea hao waumini ili wampokee Roho Mtakatifu;
And they went down, and prayed over 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 was not yet on any one of them; and they had only been baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus.
17 Basi, Petro na Yohane wakawawekea mikono hao waumini, nao wakampokea Roho Mtakatifu.
Then they laid the hand 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, by the imposition of a hand of the legates, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money,
19 “Nipeni na mimi uwezo huo ili yeyote nitakayemwekea mikono, apokee Roho Mtakatifu.”
saying: Give me also this prerogative, that he on whom I impose a hand, 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!
Simon Cephas said to him: Thy money go with thee to perdition! because thou hast supposed, that the gift of God may be purchased by a worldly substance.
21 Huna sehemu yoyote wala haki katika kazi hiyo kwa maana moyo wako hauko sawa mbele ya macho ya Mungu.
Thou hast no part nor lot in this faith; because thy heart is not right before God.
22 Kwa hiyo, tubu ubaya wako huu na umwombe Bwana naye anaweza kukusamehe fikira kama hizo.
Nevertheless, repent of this thy wickedness, and entreat of God, if perhaps the guile of thy heart may be forgiven thee.
23 Ni dhahiri kwangu kwamba umejaa wivu mkali na mfungwa wa dhambi!”
For I perceive that thou art in the bitter gall and in the bonds of iniquity.
24 Simoni akajibu, “Tafadhali, niombeeni kwa Bwana lisije likanipata lolote kati ya hayo mliyosema.”
Simon answered and said: Intercede ye with God for me, that nothing of which ye have mentioned may 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.
And Simon and John, when they had testified, and had taught them the word of God, returned to Jerusalem. And they had preached 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 the angel of the Lord spake with Philip, and said to him: Arise, go to the south, along the desert way that leadeth down from Jerusalem to Gaza.
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 there met him a eunuch, who had come from Cush, an officer of Candace, queen of the Cushites, who had charge of all her treasure; and he had come to worship at Jerusalem.
28 Alipokuwa anasafiri, alikuwa akijisomea kitabu cha nabii Isaya.
And as he turned to go, he was sitting in his chariot, and was reading in Isaiah the prophet.
29 Basi, Roho Mtakatifu akamwambia Filipo, “Nenda karibu na gari hilo ukafuatane nalo.”
And the Holy Spirit said to Philip: Go near, and join thyself to the chariot.
30 Filipo akakimbilia karibu na gari, akamsikia huyo mtu akisoma katika kitabu cha nabii Isaya. Hapo Filipo akamwuliza, “Je, unaelewa hayo unayosoma?”
And when he came near, he heard him reading in Isaiah the prophet; and he said to him: Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 Huyo mtu akamjibu, “Ninawezaje kuelewa bila mtu kunielewesha?” Hapo akamwalika Filipo apande juu, aketi pamoja naye.
And he said: How can I understand, unless some one instruct me? And he requested of Philip, that he would 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.
And the section of scripture in which he was reading, was this: As a lamb to the slaughter he was led away, and as a sheep before the shearer is silent, so also he in his humility opened not his mouth.
33 Alifedheheshwa na kunyimwa haki. Hakuna atakayeweza kuongea juu ya kizazi chake, kwa maana maisha yake yameondolewa duniani.”
From prison and from judgment he was carried: and his generation, who will declare? for his life is taken away 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 said to Philip: I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other person?
35 Basi, Filipo akianzia na sehemu hiyo ya Maandiko Matakatifu, akamweleza Habari Njema juu ya Yesu.
Then Philip opened his mouth and, from that scripture, began to preach to him concerning our Lord 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 proceeded on the way, they came to a certain place in which there was water. And the eunuch said: Lo, here is water; what doth forbid, that I should be baptized?
37 Filipo akasema, “Kama unaamini kwa moyo wako wote unaweza kubatizwa.” Naye akajibu, “Naam, ninaamini kwamba Yesu Kristo ni Mwana wa Mungu.”
And Philip said: If thou believest with all thy heart, it is allowable. And he answered, and said: I believe that Jesus Messiah is the Son of God.
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 stop; and they both went down to the water, and Philip baptized the eunuch.
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 from the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more; but he went on his way rejoicing.
40 Filipo akajikuta yuko Azoto, akapita katika miji yote akihubiri Habari Njema mpaka alipofika Kaisarea.
And Philip was found at Azotus; and from there he travelled about, and preached in all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
