1And Saul approved of their killing him.
The church persecuted and scattered
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.
Philip in Samaria
4Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralysed or lame were healed. 8So there was great joy in that city.
Simon the sorcerer
9Now for some time a man named Simon had practised sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, ‘This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.’ 11They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women. 13Simon himself believed and was baptised. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19and said, ‘Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’
20Peter answered: ‘May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.’
24Then Simon answered, ‘Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me.’
25After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.
Philip and the Ethiopian
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian8:27 That is, from the southern Nile region eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, ‘Go to that chariot and stay near it.’
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ Philip asked.
31‘How can I,’ he said, ‘unless someone explains it to me?’ So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.’8:33 Isaiah 53:7,8 (see Septuagint)
34The eunuch asked Philip, ‘Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36As they travelled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptised?’ 378:37 Some manuscripts include here Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ The eunuch answered, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptised him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and travelled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
Ekkanisa Eyigganyizibwa
18:1 a Bik 7:58 b Bik 11:19 c Bik 9:31Sawulo yali omu ku abo abaawagira okuttibwa kwa Suteefano. Era ku lunaku olwo okuyigganya Ekkanisa ne kutandika n’amaanyi mangi nnyo mu Yerusaalemi.
Abakkiriza bonna, okuggyako abatume, ne basaasaanira mu Buyudaaya ne mu Samaliya. 2Abantu ba Katonda ne baggyawo Suteefano ne bamutwala ne bamuziika mu kwaziirana okungi. 38:3 a Bik 7:58 b Bik 22:4, 19; 26:10, 11; 1Ko 15:9; Bag 1:13, 23; Baf 3:6; 1Ti 1:13Naye Sawulo n’akolerera okuzikiriza Ekkanisa; n’agenda buli wantu ng’akwata abasajja n’abakazi n’abatwala mu kkomera.
Firipo Abuulira mu Samaliya
48:4 a nny 1 b Bik 15:35Naye abakkiriza abadduka mu Yerusaalemi ne bagenda mu buli kifo nga babuulira Enjiri ya Yesu. 58:5 Bik 6:5Awo Firipo, n’alaga mu kimu ku bibuga bya Samaliya n’abuulira abantu Enjiri ya Kristo. 6Ebibiina ne bimuwuliriza nnyo kubanga abantu bonna baalaba ebyamagero bye yakola. 78:7 a Mak 16:17 b Mat 4:24Baddayimooni bangi ne bava ku bantu nga bwe baleekaana; abaali bakoozimbye n’abalema bonna ne bawonyezebwa; 8ekibuga ne kijjula essanyu.
Simooni Omufumu
98:9 a Bik 13:6 b Bik 5:36Waaliwo omusajja erinnya lye Simooni eyali omufumu omwatiikirivu mu kibuga omwo era nga yeewuunyisa nnyo abantu bonna mu Samaliya. Yeeyogerangako nti muntu mukulu era wa kitiibwa. 108:10 Bik 14:11; 28:6Era abantu bangi ab’ekitiibwa n’abatali ba kitiibwa baamwogerangako nti, “Omusajja oyo ge maanyi ga Katonda agayitibwa, ‘Amangi.’ ” 11Ne bamussangako nnyo omwoyo olw’ebyobufuusa bye yakolanga. 128:12 a Bik 1:3 b Bik 2:38Naye bwe bakkiriza obubaka bwa Firipo ng’abuulira ku bwakabaka bwa Katonda n’erinnya lya Yesu Kristo abasajja n’abakazi ne babatizibwa. 138:13 nny 6; Bik 19:11Awo ne Simooni yennyini n’akkiriza era n’abatizibwa, n’agobereranga Firipo buli gye yalaganga; era ebyamagero Firipo bye yakolanga, Simooni n’abyewuunya nnyo.
148:14 a nny 1 b Luk 22:8Awo abatume abaali mu Yerusaalemi bwe baawulira ng’abantu mu Samaliya bakkirizza ekigambo kya Katonda, ne babatumira Peetero ne Yokaana. 158:15 Bik 2:38Bwe baatuuka ne basabira abakkiriza bano abaggya bafune Mwoyo Mutukuvu, 168:16 a Bik 19:2 b Mat 28:19; Bik 2:38kubanga yali tannaba kubakkako, kubanga baali babatizibbwa mu linnya lya Mukama waffe Yesu kyokka. 178:17 Bik 6:6Awo Peetero ne Yokaana ne bassa emikono gyabwe ku bakkiriza abo, ne bafuna Mwoyo Mutukuvu.
18Simooni, Omufumu, bwe yalaba ng’abantu bafunye Mwoyo Mutukuvu olw’abatume okubassaako emikono kyokka, kyeyava atoola ensimbi aziwe abatume bamuguze obuyinza obwo. 19N’abagamba nti, “Mumpe obuyinza obwo, buli gwe nnassangako emikono gyange afune Mwoyo Mutukuvu!”
208:20 2Bk 5:16; Dan 5:17; Mat 10:8; Bik 2:38Naye Peetero n’amugamba nti, “Ensimbi zo zizikirire naawe olw’okulowooza nti ekirabo kya Katonda kiyinza okugulibwa obugulibwa n’ensimbi. 218:21 Zab 78:37Mu nsonga eno tolinaamu mugabo kubanga omutima gwo si mulongoofu mu maaso ga Katonda. 22Noolwekyo weenenye ekikolwa ekyo ekibi weegayirire Mukama, oboolyawo Katonda ayinza okukusonyiwa ebirowoozo byo ebyo ebibi. 23Kubanga ndaba nga mu mutima gwo mujjudde obuggya, era oli muddu wa kibi.”
248:24 Kuv 8:8; Kbl 21:7; 1Bk 13:6Simooni n’abeegayirira nti, “Munsabire eri Mukama ebintu ebyo bye mwogedde bireme okuntuukako.”
258:25 nny 40Awo Peetero ne Yokaana bwe baamala okubuulira ekigambo kya Katonda n’obuvumu, ne basitula okuddayo mu Yerusaalemi, nga bagenda babuulira Enjiri mu bibuga bingi bye baayitangamu mu Samaliya.
Firipo n’Omwesiyopya
268:26 Bik 5:19Awo malayika wa Mukama n’agamba Firipo nti, “Kwata ekkubo eriraga mu bukiikaddyo, eriva e Yerusaalemi nga liyita mu ddungu okugenda e Ggaaza.” 278:27 a Zab 68:31; 87:4; Zef 3:10 b Is 56:3-5 c 1Bk 8:41-43; Yk 12:20Firipo n’akwata ekkubo eryo. Mu kiseera ekyo waaliwo omusajja Omwesiyopya mu kkubo eryo ng’ava mu kusinza e Yerusaalemi. Yali mulaawe nga mukungu mu lubiri lwa Kandake, kabaka omukazi owa Esiyopya, era ye yali omuwanika we omukulu. 28Yali atudde mu ggaali lye ng’addayo ewaabwe nga bw’asoma ekitabo kya nnabbi Isaaya. 298:29 Bik 10:19; 11:12; 13:2; 20:23; 21:11Awo Mwoyo Mutukuvu n’agamba Firipo nti, “Semberera eggaali eryo oligendereko.”
30Firipo n’adduka n’atuuka ku ggaali, n’awulira Omwesiyopya ng’asoma mu kitabo kya nnabbi Isaaya. N’amubuuza nti, “By’osoma obitegeera?”
31Omwesiyopya n’addamu nti, “Nnaabitegeera ntya nga sirina abinnyinnyonnyola?” N’asaba Firipo ayingire mu ggaali lye batuule bombi.
32Ekyawandiikibwa kye yali asoma nga kigamba bwe kiti nti:
“Yatwalibwa ng’endiga egenda okuttibwa.
Ng’omwana gw’endiga bwe gusiriikirira nga bagusalako ebyoya,
naye bw’atyo teyayasamya kamwa ke.
338:33 Is 53:7, 8Yajoogebwa n’atalamulwa mu bwenkanya.
Ani alyogera ku bazzukulu be?
Kubanga ekiseera kye eky’obulamu bwe ku nsi kyakoma!”
34Omulaawe kwe kubuuza Firipo nti, “Nnyinnyonnyola, munnange, nnabbi gw’ayogerako; yeeyogerako yekka oba ayogera ku mulala?” 358:35 a Mat 5:2 b Luk 24:27; Bik 17:2; 18:28; 28:23Awo Firipo n’atandika n’Ekyawandiikibwa ekyo n’amubuulira Enjiri ya Yesu Kristo.
368:36 Bik 10:47Bwe baali bagenda ne batuuka awali amazzi, omulaawe n’agamba nti, “Laba amazzi! Kale lwaki sibatizibwa?” 37Awo Firipo n’amugamba nti, “Oyinza okubatizibwa, bw’oba ng’okkiriza n’omutima gwo gwonna.” Omulaawe n’addamu nti, “Nzikiriza nga Yesu Kristo Mwana wa Katonda.” 38Awo n’alagira omugoba w’eggaali lye okuyimirira, ne bakka mu mazzi, Firipo n’amubatiza. 398:39 1Bk 18:12; 2Bk 2:16; Ez 3:12, 14; 8:3; 11:1, 24; 43:5; 2Ko 12:2Bwe baava mu mazzi amangwago Omwoyo wa Mukama n’atwala Firipo, Omulaawe n’ataddayo kumulaba nate, naye n’atambula olugendo lwe ng’ajjudde essanyu. 408:40 a nny 25 b Bik 10:1, 24; 12:19; 21:8, 16; 23:23, 33; 25:1, 4, 6, 13Naye Firipo n’alabikira mu Azoto, n’agenda ng’abuulira Enjiri mu bibuga byonna eby’omu kitundu ekyo okutuukira ddala e Kayisaliya.
