1 Y Saulo consentía en su muerte. En aquel día hubo una gran persecución contra la iglesia que estaba en Jerusalén; y todos fueron esparcidos por las tierras de Judea y de Samaria, salvo los apóstoles.

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 Y hombres piadosos llevaron a enterrar a Esteban, e hicieron gran llanto sobre él.

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

3 Y Saulo asolaba la iglesia, y entrando casa por casa, arrastraba a hombres y a mujeres, y los entregaba en la cárcel. Predicación del evangelio en Samaria

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 P ero los que fueron esparcidos iban por todas partes anunciando el evangelio.

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

5 E ntonces Felipe, descendiendo a la ciudad de Samaria, les predicaba a Cristo.

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

6 Y la gente, unánime, escuchaba atentamente las cosas que decía Felipe, oyendo y viendo las señales que hacía.

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

7 P orque de muchos que tenían espíritus inmundos, salían éstos dando grandes voces; y muchos paralíticos y cojos eran sanados;

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 a sí que había gran gozo en aquella ciudad.

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

9 P ero había un hombre llamado Simón, que antes ejercía la magia en aquella ciudad, y había engañado a la gente de Samaria, haciéndose pasar por algún grande.

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 éste oían atentamente todos, desde el más pequeño hasta el más grande, diciendo: Este es el gran poder de Dios.

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

11 Y le estaban atentos, porque con sus artes mágicas les había engañado mucho tiempo.

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

12 P ero cuando creyeron a Felipe, que anunciaba el evangelio del reino de Dios y el nombre de Jesucristo, se bautizaban hombres y mujeres.

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 T ambién creyó Simón mismo, y habiéndose bautizado, estaba siempre con Felipe; y viendo las señales y grandes milagros que se hacían, estaba atónito.

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 C uando los apóstoles que estaban en Jerusalén oyeron que Samaria había recibido la palabra de Dios, enviaron allá a Pedro y a Juan;

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

15 l os cuales, habiendo venido, oraron por ellos para que recibiesen el Espíritu Santo;

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

16 p orque aún no había descendido sobre ninguno de ellos, sino que solamente habían sido bautizados en el nombre de Jesús.

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

17 E ntonces les imponían las manos, y recibían el Espíritu Santo.

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

18 C uando vio Simón que por la imposición de las manos de los apóstoles se daba el Espíritu Santo, les ofreció dinero,

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 iciendo: Dadme también a mí este poder, para que cualquiera a quien yo impusiere las manos reciba el Espíritu Santo.

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

20 E ntonces Pedro le dijo: Tu dinero perezca contigo, porque has pensado que el don de Dios se obtiene con dinero.

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

21 N o tienes tú parte ni suerte en este asunto, porque tu corazón no es recto delante de Dios.

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

22 A rrepiéntete, pues, de esta tu maldad, y ruega a Dios, si quizá te sea perdonado el pensamiento de tu corazón;

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 orque en hiel de amargura y en prisión de maldad veo que estás.

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

24 R espondiendo entonces Simón, dijo: Rogad vosotros por mí al Señor, para que nada de esto que habéis dicho venga sobre mí.

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

25 Y ellos, habiendo testificado y hablado la palabra de Dios, se volvieron a Jerusalén, y en muchas poblaciones de los samaritanos anunciaron el evangelio. Felipe y el etíope

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 U n ángel del Señor habló a Felipe, diciendo: Levántate y ve hacia el sur, por el camino que desciende de Jerusalén a Gaza, el cual es desierto.

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 ntonces él se levantó y fue. Y sucedió que un etíope, eunuco, funcionario de Candace reina de los etíopes, el cual estaba sobre todos sus tesoros, y había venido a Jerusalén 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 v olvía sentado en su carro, y leyendo al profeta Isaías.

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

29 Y el Espíritu dijo a Felipe: Acércate y júntate a ese carro.

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

30 A cudiendo Felipe, le oyó que leía al profeta Isaías, y dijo: Pero ¿entiendes lo que lees?

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 l dijo: ¿Y cómo podré, si alguno no me enseñare? Y rogó a Felipe que subiese y se sentara con él.

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

32 E l pasaje de la Escritura que leía era este: Como oveja a la muerte fue llevado; Y como cordero mudo delante del que lo trasquila, Así no abrió su 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 E n su humillación no se le hizo justicia; Mas su generación, ¿quién la contará? Porque fue quitada de la tierra su vida. m

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 espondiendo el eunuco, dijo a Felipe: Te ruego que me digas: ¿de quién dice el profeta esto; de sí mismo, o de algún otro?

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

35 E ntonces Felipe, abriendo su boca, y comenzando desde esta escritura, le anunció el evangelio de Jesús.

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

36 Y yendo por el camino, llegaron a cierta agua, y dijo el eunuco: Aquí hay agua; ¿qué impide que yo sea bautizado?

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 F elipe dijo: Si crees de todo corazón, bien puedes. Y respondiendo, dijo: Creo que Jesucristo es el Hijo de Dios.

(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 Y mandó parar el carro; y descendieron ambos al agua, Felipe y el eunuco, y le bautizó.

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

39 C uando subieron del agua, el Espíritu del Señor arrebató a Felipe; y el eunuco no le vio más, y siguió gozoso su camino.

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 P ero Felipe se encontró en Azoto; y pasando, anunciaba el evangelio en todas las ciudades, hasta que llegó a Cesarea.

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.