1 N aquele dia levantou-se grande perseguição contra a igreja que estava em Jerusalém; e todos exceto os apóstolos, foram dispersos pelas regiões da Judéia e da Samária.

Saul thought it was all right that Stephen was killed. On that day people started to work very hard against the church in Jerusalem. All the followers, except the missionaries, were made to leave. They went to parts of the countries of Judea and Samaria.

2 E uns homens piedosos sepultaram a Estêvão, e fizeram grande pranto sobre ele.

Good men put Stephen in a grave. There was much sorrow because of him.

3 S aulo porém, assolava a igreja, entrando pelas casas e, arrastando homens e mulheres, os entregava ã prisão.

During this time Saul was making it very hard for the church. He went into every house of the followers of Jesus and took men and women and put them in prison. Philip Preaches in Samaria

4 N o entanto os que foram dispersos iam por toda parte, anunciando a palavra.

Those who had been made to go to other places preached the Word as they went.

5 E descendo Filipe ã cidade de Samária, pregava-lhes a Cristo.

Philip went down to a city in Samaria and preached about Christ.

6 A s multidões escutavam, unânimes, as coisas que Filipe dizia, ouvindo-o e vendo os sinais que operava;

The people all listened to what Philip said. As they listened, they watched him do powerful works.

7 p ois saíam de muitos possessos os espíritos imundos, clamando em alta voz; e muitos paralíticos e coxos foram curados;

There were many people who had demons in their bodies. The demons cried with loud voices when they went out of the people. Many of the people could not move their bodies or arms and legs. They were all healed.

8 p elo que houve grande alegria naquela cidade.

There was much joy in that city. Simon the Witch Doctor

9 O ra, estava ali certo homem chamado Simão, que vinha exercendo naquela cidade a arte mágica, fazendo pasmar o povo da Samária, e dizendo ser ele uma grande personagem;

A man by the name of Simon had done witchcraft there. The people of Samaria were surprised at the things he did. He pretended that he was a great man.

10 a o qual todos atendiam, desde o menor até o maior, dizendo: Este é o Poder de Deus que se chama Grande.

All the people watched and listened to him. They said, “This man must be that great power of God.”

11 E les o atendiam porque já desde muito tempo os vinha fazendo pasmar com suas artes mágicas.

They kept running after him. For a long time he fooled them with his witchcraft.

12 M as, quando creram em Filipe, que lhes pregava acerca do reino de Deus e do nome de Jesus, batizavam-se homens e mulheres.

Philip told the Good News of the holy nation of God and of Jesus Christ. Both men and women put their trust in Christ and were baptized.

13 E creu até o próprio Simão e, sendo batizado, ficou de contínuo com Filipe; e admirava-se, vendo os sinais e os grandes milagres que se faziam.

Even Simon believed in Christ and was baptized. He went along with Philip everywhere. He was surprised when he saw the powerful works that were being done.

14 O s apóstolos, pois, que estavam em Jerusalém, tendo ouvido que os da Samária haviam recebido a palavra de Deus, enviaram-lhes Pedro e João;

The missionaries in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had received the Word of God. They sent Peter and John to them.

15 o s quais, tendo descido, oraram por eles, para que recebessem o Espírito Santo.

When Peter and John got there, they prayed that the new followers might receive the Holy Spirit.

16 P orque sobre nenhum deles havia ele descido ainda; mas somente tinham sido batizados em nome do Senhor Jesus.

He had not yet come on any of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

17 E ntão lhes impuseram as mãos, e eles receberam o Espírito Santo.

They laid their hands on them and the followers received the Holy Spirit.

18 Q uando Simão viu que pela imposição das mãos dos apóstolos se dava o Espírito Santo, ofereceu-lhes dinheiro,

When Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given when the missionaries laid their hands on the people, he wanted to give money to the missionaries.

19 d izendo: Dai-me também a mim esse poder, para que aquele sobre quem eu impuser as mãos, receba o Espírito Santo.

He said, “Let me also have this power. Then I can give the Holy Spirit to anyone I lay my hands on.”

20 M as disse-lhe Pedro: Vá tua prata contigo ã perdição, pois cuidaste adquirir com dinheiro o dom de Deus.

Peter said to him, “May your money be destroyed with you because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money!

21 T u não tens parte nem sorte neste ministério, porque o teu coração não é reto diante de Deus.

You have no part or place in this work. Your heart is not right in God’s sight.

22 A rrepende-te, pois, dessa tua maldade, e roga ao Senhor para que porventura te seja perdoado o pensamento do teu coração;

You must be sorry for this sin of yours and turn from it. Pray to the Lord that He will forgive you for having such a thought in your heart.

23 p ois vejo que estás em fel de amargura, e em laços de iniquidade.

I see that you are full of jealousy and chained by your sin.”

24 R espondendo, porém, Simão, disse: Rogai vós por mim ao Senhor, para que nada do que haveis dito venha sobre mim.

Simon said, “Pray to the Lord for me that nothing you have said will come to me.”

25 E les, pois, havendo testificado e falado a palavra do Senhor, voltando para Jerusalém, evangelizavam muitas aldeias dos samaritanos.

Peter and John went back to Jerusalem after telling what they had seen and heard. They had preached the Word of the Lord also. On the way they preached the Good News in many other towns in the country of Samaria. Philip and the Man from Ethiopia

26 M as um anjo do Senhor falou a Filipe, dizendo: Levanta-te, e vai em direção do sul pelo caminho que desce de Jerusalém a Gaza, o qual está deserto.

An angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south. Take the road that goes down from Jerusalem to the country of Gaza. It goes through the desert.”

27 E levantou-se e foi; e eis que um etíope, eunuco, mordomo- mor de Candace, rainha dos etíopes, o qual era superintendente de todos os seus tesouros e tinha ido a Jerusalém para adorar,

Philip got up and went. A man from the country of Ethiopia had come to Jerusalem to worship. He had been made so he could not have children. He cared for all the riches that belonged to Candace who was Queen of Ethiopia.

28 r egressava e, sentado no seu carro, lia o profeta Isaías.

As he was going back home, he was sitting in his wagon reading about the early preacher Isaiah.

29 D isse o Espírito a Filipe: Chega-te e ajunta-te a esse carro.

The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to that wagon and get on it.”

30 E correndo Filipe, ouviu que lia o profeta Isaías, e disse: Entendes, porventura, o que estás lendo?

Philip ran up to him. He saw that the man from Ethiopia was reading from the writings of the early preacher Isaiah and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

31 E le respondeu: Pois como poderei entender, se alguém não me ensinar? e rogou a Filipe que subisse e com ele se sentasse.

The man from Ethiopia said, “How can I, unless someone teaches me?” Then he asked Philip to come up and sit beside him.

32 O ra, a passagem da Escritura que estava lendo era esta: Foi levado como a ovelha ao matadouro, e, como está mudo o cordeiro diante do que o tosquia, assim ele não abre a sua boca.

He was reading the part in the Holy Writings which says He was taken like a lamb to be put to death. A sheep does not make a sound while its wool is cut. So He made no sound.

33 N a sua humilhação foi tirado o seu julgamento; quem contará a sua geração? porque a sua vida é tirada da terra.

No one listened to Him because of His shame. Who will tell the story of His day? For His life was taken away from the earth.

34 R espondendo o eunuco a Filipe, disse: Rogo-te, de quem diz isto o profeta? de si mesmo, ou de algum outro?

The man from Ethiopia said to Philip, “Who is the early preacher talking about, himself, or someone else?”

35 E ntão Filipe tomou a palavra e, começando por esta escritura, anunciou-lhe a Jesus.

So Philip started with this part of the Holy Writings and preached the Good News of Jesus to him.

36 E indo eles caminhando, chegaram a um lugar onde havia água, e disse o eunuco: Eis aqui água; que impede que eu seja batizado?

As they went on their way, they came to some water. The man from Ethiopia said, “See! Here is water. What is to stop me from being baptized?”

37

(Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” The man said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”)

38 m andou parar o carro, e desceram ambos ã água, tanto Filipe como o eunuco, e Filipe o batizou.

He stopped the wagon. Then both Philip and the man from Ethiopia went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

39 Q uando saíram da água, o Espírito do Senhor arrebatou a Filipe, e não o viu mais o eunuco, que jubiloso seguia o seu caminho.

When they came up out of the water, the Holy Spirit took Philip away. The man from Ethiopia did not see Philip again. He went on his way full of joy.

40 M as Filipe achou-se em Azoto e, indo passando, evangelizava todas as cidades, até que chegou a Cesaréia.

Philip found himself at the city of Azotus. Then Philip went through all the towns as far as the city of Caesarea preaching the Good News at each place.