1-2 Saul approved the stoning of Stephen. Some faithful followers of the Lord buried Stephen and mourned very much for him.
Saul Makes Trouble for the Church
At that time the church in Jerusalem suffered terribly. All of the Lord's followers, except the apostles, were scattered everywhere in Judea and Samaria. 3 Saul started making a lot of trouble for the church. He went from house to house, arresting men and women and putting them in jail.
The Good News Is Preached in Samaria
4 The Lord's followers who had been scattered went from place to place, telling the good news. 5 Philip went to the city of Samaria and told the people about Christ. 6 They crowded around Philip because they were eager to hear what he was saying and to see him work miracles. 7 Many people with evil spirits were healed, and the spirits went out of them with a shout. A lot of paralyzed and lame people were also healed. 8 Everyone in that city was very glad because of what was happening.
9 For some time a man named Simon had lived there and had amazed the people of Samaria. He practiced witchcraft and claimed to be somebody great. 10 Everyone, rich and poor, crowded around him. They said, “This man is the power of God called ‘The Great Power.’ ”
11 For a long time, Simon had used witchcraft to amaze the people, and they kept crowding around him. 12 But when they believed what Philip was saying about God's kingdom and about the name of Jesus Christ, they were all baptized. 13 Even Simon believed and was baptized. He stayed close to Philip, because he marveled at all the miracles and wonders.
14 The apostles in Jerusalem heard that some people in Samaria had accepted God's message, and they sent Peter and John. 15 When the two apostles arrived, they prayed that these people would be given the Holy Spirit. 16 Before this, the Holy Spirit had not been given to any of them, though some of them had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Peter and John then placed their hands on everyone who had faith in the Lord, and they were given the Holy Spirit.
18 Simon noticed that the Spirit was given only when the apostles placed their hands on the people. So he brought money 19 and said to Peter and John, “Let me have this power too! Then anyone I place my hands on will also be given the Holy Spirit.”
20 Peter said to him, “You and your money will both end up in hell if you think you can buy God's gift! 21 You don't have any part in this, and God sees that your heart isn't right. 22 Get rid of these evil thoughts and ask God to forgive you. 23 I can see that you are jealous and bound by your evil ways.”
24 Simon said, “Please pray to the Lord, so that what you said won't happen to me.”
25 After Peter and John had preached about the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem. On their way they told the good news in many villages of Samaria.
Philip and an Ethiopian Official
26 The Lord's angel said to Philip, “Go south along the desert road that leads from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So Philip left.
An important Ethiopian official happened to be going along that road in his chariot. He was the chief treasurer for Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. The official had gone to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was now on his way home. He was sitting in his chariot, reading the book of the prophet Isaiah.
29 The Spirit told Philip to catch up with the chariot. 30 Philip ran up close and heard the man reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone helps me?” He then invited Philip to come up and sit beside him.
32 The man was reading the passage that said,
“He was led like a sheep
on its way to be killed.
He was silent as a lamb
whose wool
is being cut off,
and he did not say
a word.
33 He was treated like a nobody
and did not receive
a fair trial.
How can he have children,
if his life
is snatched away?”
34 The official said to Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or about someone else?” 35 So Philip began at this place in the Scriptures and explained the good news about Jesus.
36-37 As they were going along the road, they came to a place where there was some water. The official said, “Look! Here is some water. Why can't I be baptized?” 38 He ordered the chariot to stop. Then they both went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
39 After they had come out of the water, the Lord's Spirit took Philip away. The official never saw him again, but he was very happy as he went on his way.
40 Philip later appeared in Azotus. He went from town to town, all the way to Caesarea, telling people about Jesus.
1 Saulus naye wo okwa li a panda okudhipagwa huka kwaStefanus.
Saulus ta hepeke egongalo
Okuza kesiku tuu ndyoka egongalo lyomuJerusalem olya adhika komahepeko omanene. Onkee ooitaali ayehe, kakele kaayapostoli, oya halakanene omikunda adhihe dhaJudea nodhaSamaria. 2 Aalumentu yamwe haa simaneke Kalunga, oya fumvike Stefanus noye mu lili noonkondo.
3 Ihe Saulus okwa kambadhala okuhanagula po egongalo. Oye okwe ende nomagumbo agehe nokwa hilagula mo ooitaali ayehe, aalumentu naakiintu, nokwe ya edhililitha mondholongo.
Evaangeli tali uvithilwa muSamaria
4 Ooitaali mboka ya halakanithwa ngeyi, oya yi akuhe noyu uvitha oohapu dhaKalunga. 5 Filippus okwa yi koshilando shaSamaria noku uvithile aantu yaahoka elaka tali popi Kristus. 6 Ongundu ayihe yaantu oya ndhindhilike nawa shoka tashi tiwa kuFilippus, sho ye mu pulakene noya mono iikumithalonga mbyoka e yi longo. 7 Oshoka oombepo dha nyata odha zi mo maantu oyendji nokwiigidha mokule, naasilombanda oyendji niilema oya aludhwa.
8 Onkee aantu yomuSamaria oya li ya nyanyukwa noonkondo.
9 Ihe moshilando shiyaka omwa li omulumentu gumwe, edhina lye Simon, nopomathimbo gamwe okwa li ha kumitha Aasamaria nuumpulile we. Oye okwi iningi omunene, 10 naantu ayehe, aanenentu naadhinwa, oye mu simaneke ya ti: “Omulumentu nguka oye oonkondo dhaKalunga, haku tiwa ‘Oonkondo oonene.’ ” 11 Oyo oye mu simaneke, oshoka okwa li e ya kumitha ethimbo ele nuumpulile we. 12 Ihe aantu sho yi itaale elaka etoye ndyoka ye li uvithilwa kuFilippus tali popi Oshilongo shaKalunga nedhina lyaJesus Kristus, oya shashwa ayehe, aalumentu naakiintu. 13 Simon mwene naye wo okwi itaale Jesus, naasho a shashwa, okwa kala puFilippus. Oye okwa li a kuminwa iikumithalonga niilongankondo mbyoka tayi longwa kuFilippus.
14 Aayapostoli yomuJerusalem sho yu uvu kutya Aasamaria oya taamba oohapu dhaKalunga, oya tumu Petrus naJohannes kuyo. 15 Oyo sho ya thiki ko, oya galikanene ooitaali, opo ya pewe Ombepo Ondjapuki. 16 Oshoka kakwa li nando ogumwe gwomuyo ngoka a adhika a pewa Ombepo Ondjapuki. Oyo oya li owala ya shashelwa medhina lyOmuwa Jesus. 17 Petrus naJohannes oye ya tenteke ihe iikaha yawo, oyo noya pewa Ombepo Ondjapuki.
18 Simon okwa mono kutya Ombepo Ondjapuki oya pewa ngoka aayapostoli ye mu tenteke iikaha yawo. Onkee okwe etele Petrus naJohannes iimaliwa nokwa ti: 19 “Pii ndje wo oonkondo ndhoka, opo shaa ngoka tandi mu tenteke iikaha yandje, a pewe Ombepo Ondjapuki.”
20 Ihe Petrus okwe mu yamukula a ti: “Iimaliwa yoye nayi ye pamwe nangoye moheli, oshoka ito vulu okulanda omagano gaKalunga niimaliwa. 21 Ito vulu okulonga pamwe natse, oshoka omadhiladhilo goye inagu uka koshipala shaKalunga. 22 Itedhulula ano, u ze mo momadhiladhilo goye omawinayi. Galikana Omuwa, opo e ku dhimine po, sho wa li wa dhiladhila oshinima sha tya ngeyi. 23 Oshoka ondi wete kutya ou udha efupa ewinayi nou li omupika guulunde.”
24 Nena Simon okwa lombwele Petrus naJohannes a ti: “Galikanenii ndje koshipala shOmuwa, opo ndaa adhike nando okushimwe shomiinima mbyoka mwa ti kutya otayi ka adha ndje.”
25 Ano Petrus naJohannes sho ya adhika ya hokolola noyu uvitha elaka lyOmuwa, oya shuna kuJerusalem. Mokushuna kwawo oyu uvitha elaka etoye momikunda adhihe dhAasamaria.
Filippus nelenga lyokuEtiopia
26 Omuyengeli gwOmuwa okwa lombwele Filippus a ti: “Thikama, ilongekidha, u ye lwokuumbugantu kondjila ndjoka ya za muJerusalem tayi yi kuGaza.” Ondjila ndjoka ihayi endiwa we. 27 Filippus okwa thikama e ta yi. Ano omulumentu gumwe a simana gwokuEtiopia okwa adhika e li mondjila ta shuna kegumbo. Omulumentu nguka okwa li elenga enene nomudhiginini gweliko lyaKandake, omukwaniilwa omukiintu gwaEtiopia. Oye okwa yile kuJerusalem, a ka galikane Kalunga. 28 Ngashingeyi mokugaluka kwe okwa adhika a kuutumba metemba lye, te ende ta lesha membo lyomuhunganeki Jesaja. 29 Opo ihe Ombepo Ondjapuki oya lombwele Filippus ya ti: “Inda, u ka ende popepi netemba ndii.” 30 Nena Filippus okwa matukile ketemba noku uvu, elenga tali lesha membo lyomuhunganeki Jesaja. Onkee okwe li pula a ti: “Ou uvite ko tuu omadhiladhilo gaashoka to lesha?” Nena Filippus okwa matukile ketemba noku uvu, elenga tali lesha membo lyomuhunganeki Jesaja.
31 Elenga olye mu yamukula lya ti: “Otandi vulu ngiini okuuva ko, ngele kape na ngoka ta fatululile ndje?” Nena elenga olyi ithana Filippus, a londe metemba ye a kuutumbe pamwe naye. 32 Oohapu dhomenyolo ndhoka dha li tadhi leshwa kelenga odho ndhika:
“Oye okwa li a fa onzi tayi falwa, yi ka dhipagwe.
Oye a li a fa onzigona tayi mwena thilu, uuna tayi kululwa.
Noye ina tumbula nando oshitya shimwe.
33 Oye okwa fupipikwa ye ina uthilwa eutho lyu uka.
Kaku na nando ogumwe ta ka vula okupopya sha kombinga yoluvalo lwe,
oshoka okukalamwenyo kwe kwokombanda yevi okwa hulu po.”
34 Elenga olya pula Filippus lya ti: “Lombwela ndje! Olye ngoka ta popiwa komuhunganeki? Oti ipopi ye mwene nenge ota popi omuntu gulwe i ili?” 35 Nena Filippus okwa tameke okufatulula okuza kenyolo ndyoka noku uvithile elenga elaka etoye tali popi Jesus. 36 Ano manga ya li taa ende ya landula ondjila, oya thiki pehala pu na omeya. Elenga olya lombwele ihe Filippus lya ti: “Omeya ogo ngaka, oshike ando tashi imbi ndje, ndi shashwe?” 37 Filippus okwe mu yamukula a ti: “Kapu na omaimbo, ngele owi itaala nomwenyo gwoye aguhe!” Elenga olya yamukula lya ti: “Ondi itaala kutya Jesus Kristus oye Omuna gwaKalunga.”
38 Elenga olya thikameke ihe etemba. Filippus nelenga oya zi mo metemba e taa yi momeya. Opo ihe Filippus okwe mu shasha. 39 Ano manga ya li taa zi momeya, Ombepo yOmuwa oya kutha po Filippus pelenga, lyo inali mu mona we. Ihe olya tsikile ondjila yalyo lya nyanyukwa noonkondo. 40 Filippus okwa adhika muAzotus; oye okwe ende miilando ayihe e tu uvitha elaka etoye, sigo e ya kuKesarea.
