1 And Saul was consenting to his being killed. And on that day there arose a great persecution against the assembly which was in Jerusalem, and all were scattered into the countries of Judaea and Samaria except the apostles. 2 And pious men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul ravaged the assembly, entering into the houses one after another, and dragging off both men and women delivered them up to prison.

4 Those then that had been scattered went through the countries announcing the glad tidings of the word. 5 And Philip, going down to a city of Samaria, preached the Christ to them; 6 and the crowds with one accord gave heed to the things spoken by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he wrought. 7 For from many who had unclean spirits they went out, crying with a loud voice; and many that were paralysed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city. 9 But a certain man, by name Simon, had been before in the city, using magic arts, and astonishing the nation of Samaria, saying that himself was some great one. 10 To whom they had all given heed, from small to great, saying, This is the power of God which is called great. 11 And they gave heed to him, because that for a long time he had astonished them by his magic arts. 12 But when they believed Philip announcing the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women. 13 And Simon also himself believed; and, having been baptised, continued constantly with Philip; and, beholding the signs and great works of power which took place, was astonished.

14 And the apostles who were in Jerusalem, having heard that Samaria had received the word of God, sent to them Peter and John; 15 who, having come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; 16 for he was not yet fallen upon any of them, only they were baptised to the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 But Simon, having seen that by the laying on of the hands of the apostles the Holy Spirit was given, offered them money, 19 saying, Give to me also this power, in order that on whomsoever I may lay hands he may receive the Holy Spirit. 20 And Peter said to him, Thy money go with thee to destruction, because thou hast thought that the gift of God can be obtained by money. 21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not upright before God. 22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and supplicate the Lord, if indeed the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee; 23 for I see thee to be in the gall of bitterness, and bond of unrighteousness. 24 And Simon answering said, Supplicate ye for me to the Lord, so that nothing may come upon me of the things of which ye have spoken. 25 They therefore, having testified and spoken the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and announced the glad tidings to many villages of the Samaritans.

26 But the angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, Rise up and go southward on the way which goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza: the same is desert. 27 And he rose up and went. And lo, an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a man in power under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to worship at Jerusalem, 28 was returning and sitting in his chariot: and he was reading the prophet Esaias. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, Approach and join this chariot. 30 And Philip, running up, heard him reading the prophet Esaias, and said, Dost thou then know what thou art reading of? 31 And he said, How should I then be able unless some one guide me? And he begged Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 And the passage of the scripture which he read was this: He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in presence of him that shears him, thus he opens not his mouth. 33 In his humiliation his judgment has been taken away, and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. 34 And the eunuch answering Philip said, I pray thee, concerning whom does the prophet say this? of himself or of some other? 35 And Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from that scripture, announced the glad tidings of Jesus to him. 36 And as they went along the way, they came upon a certain water, and the eunuch says, Behold water; what hinders my being baptised? 37 *Ver. 37 in the Authorized Version is recognized as not genuine.38 And he commanded the chariot to stop. And they went down both to the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptised him. 39 But when they came up out of the water the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, and the eunuch saw him no longer, for he went on his way rejoicing. 40 And Philip was found at Azotus, and passing through he announced the glad tidings to all the cities till he came to Caesarea.

1 Saulus oli seal ja kiitis tema surma heaks.

Sel päeval algas Jeruusalemmas suur koguduse tagakiusamine ja kõik peale apostlite pillutati laiali Juudamaal ja Samaarias. 2 Jumalakartlikud mehed matsid Stefanose ja nutsid valjult tema pärast. 3 Ent Saulus hakkas hävitama kogudust. Majast majja liikudes tiris ta välja nii mehi kui naisi ja pani nad vangi.

4 Need, kes olid laiali pillutatud, kuulutasid sõna igal pool, kuhu nad läksid. 5 Filippus läks alla*8:5 Piibelliku traditsiooni järgi öeldakse, et Jeruusalemma minnakse üles, Jeruusalemmast välja aga alla. ühte Samaaria linna ja kuulutas seal Messiat. 6 Rahvas kuulas Filippust, nad panid tähele tema sõnu ja nägid tunnustähti, mida ta tegi. 7 Sest paljudest lahkusid kurjad vaimud kisendades, palju halvatuid ja jalutuid aga sai terveks. 8 Suur rõõm oli kogu linnas.

9 Juba mõnda aega oli seal linnas elanud mees nimega Siimon, kes tegeles nõidumisega ja pani Samaaria inimesi jahmuma. Ta pidas ennast tähtsaks. 10 Talle pöörasid tähelepanu kõik inimesed, nii kõrged kui madalad, ning kuulutasid: „Seda meest nimetatakse Jumala Suureks Väeks!" 11 Nad järgisid teda, sest ta oli neid oma nõiakunstiga kaua aega hämmastanud. 12 Aga kui nad hakkasid uskuma Filippust, kes neile kuulutas evangeeliumi Jumala riigist ja Jeesuse Kristuse nimest, siis ristiti nii mehi kui naisi. 13 Ka Siimon uskus ja sai ristitud. Ta hoidis Filippuse ligi kõikjal, olles hämmastunud tema läbi sündinud vägevatest tunnustähtedest ja imedest.

14 Kui apostlid kuulsid Jeruusalemmas, et Samaaria oli Jumala sõna vastu võtnud, läkitasid nad nende juurde Peetruse ja Johannese. 15 Sinna jõudes palvetasid nad samaarlaste eest, et nad saaksid Püha Vaimu. 16 Sest Vaim ei olnud veel langenud kellegi peale neist, nad oli üksnes ristitud Issanda Jeesuse nimesse. 17 Siis panid Peetrus ja Johannes oma käed nende peale ja nad said Püha Vaimu.

18 Aga kui Siimon nägi, et Vaim antakse apostlite käte pealepanemise kaudu, pakkus ta neile raha 19 ja ütles: „Andke mulle ka see meelevald, et igaüks saaks Püha Vaimu, kelle peale ma oma käed panen!"

20 Peetrus vastas: „Hävigu su hõbe koos sinuga, et sa mõtled Jumala andi saada raha eest! 21 Sul ei ole mingit osa sellest sõnast, sest su süda ei ole õige Jumala ees. 22 Seepärast paranda meelt oma kurjusest ja anu Issandat. Ehk ta andestab sulle, et oled säärast mõtet oma südames mõelnud. 23 Sest ma näen sind kibeduses ja ebaõigluse kammitsais."

24 Siimon aga vastas: „Paluge teie Issandat minu pärast, et minu peale ei langeks midagi sellest, mis te olete öelnud!"

25 Kui apostlid olid tunnistanud ja rääkinud Issanda sõna, pöördusid nad tagasi Jeruusalemma ja kuulutasid evangeeliumi paljudes Samaaria külades.

26 Issanda ingel ütles Filippusele: „Tõuse ja mine lõuna poole seda teed, mis läheb Jeruusalemmast alla Gazasse, see on kõrbetee!" 27 Nõnda ta asus teele. Ja vaata, oma teel kohtas ta Etioopia eunuhhi, kes valitses etiooplaste kuninganna Kandake kogu varanduse üle. See mees oli tulnud Jeruusalemma Jumalat kummardama 28 ning oli tagasi pöördumas koju ja istus oma kaarikus ja luges prohvet Jesaja raamatut. 29 Jumala Vaim ütles Filippusele: „Mine kaariku juurde ja püsi selle lähedal!"

30 Filippus jooksis kaariku juurde ja kuulis meest lugemas prohvet Jesaja raamatut. „Kas sa ka mõistad, mida sa loed?" küsis Filippus.

31 „Kuidas ma saan mõista," ta ütles, „ilma et keegi mulle selgitaks?" Ja ta kutsus Filippuse üles enda kõrvale istuma.

32 Eunuhh oli parasjagu lugemas seda kirjakohta:

„Nagu lammas viidi ta tappa,

ja nagu tall oma niitja ees on vait,

nõnda ei avanud ta oma suud!

33 Tema alandamisega on tema õigus ära võetud.

Kes jõuab tema suguvõsast jutustada?

Sest ta elu võetakse ära maa pealt."

34 Eunuhh küsis Filippuselt: „Palun ütle mulle, kellest prohvet siin räägib, kas endast või kellestki teisest?" 35 Ja Filippus alustas samast kirjakohast ja kuulutas talle evangeeliumi Jeesusest.

36 Kui nad teed mööda edasi sõitsid, jõudsid nad veekoguni ja eunuhh ütles: „Vaata, vesi! Mis takistab mind saama ristitud?" 37 Filippus vastas: „Kui sa usud kogu südamest, siis on see võimalik!" Mees vastas: „Mina usun, et Jeesus Kristus on Jumala Poeg!" 38 Ja ta käskis kaariku peatada. Nii Filippus kui eunuhh astusid vette ja Filippus ristis tema. 39 Aga kui nad veest välja tulid, võttis Issanda Vaim Filippuse ära, ja eunuhh ei näinud teda enam; kuid ta läks oma teed edasi rõõmuga. 40 Aga Filippus leiti Asdodist, ja ta kuulutas evangeeliumi kõigile linnadele, kuni ta jõudis Kaisareasse.