Dɔwɔwɔwo 8
1 Saulo da asi ɖe Stefano wuwu sia dzi kpem. Tso gbe ma gbe dzi la, amewo dze xɔsetɔ siwo le Yerusalem la yometiti gɔme vevie, eye esia na be wo katã wosi yi Yudea kple Samaria nutowo me negbe apostoloawo ɖeɖe koe susɔ ɖe Yerusalem.
Saul approved of his being put to death. On that very day a great persecution broke out against the church which was in Jerusalem; and its members, with the exception of the apostles, were all scattered over the districts of Judea and Samaria.
2 Ke Yudatɔ aɖewo siwo vɔ̃a Mawu la va kɔ Stefano ƒe kukua ɖaɖi, eye wofae ŋutɔ.
Some religious men buried Stephen, with loud lamentations for him.
3 Ke Saulo ɖoe kplikpaa be yeagblẽ hame la. Etsoa aƒe me yia aƒe me, léa ŋutsuwo kple nyɔnuwo siaa ɖadea gaxɔ me.
But Saul began to devastate the church; he entered house after house, dragged out men and women alike, and threw them into prison.
4 Ke xɔsetɔ siwo si dzo le Yerusalem la kaka Yesu ƒe nyanyui la le afi sia afi si woyi la.
Now those who were scattered in different directions went from place to place proclaiming the good news.
5 Filipo hã yi Samaria, eye wòɖe gbeƒã le Kristo ŋuti na wo.
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and there began to preach the Christ.
6 Filipo wɔ nukunu geɖewo le Samaria, eya ta amewo va ɖoa toe ɣe sia ɣi.
The people, one and all, listened attentively to what Philip told them, when they heard of, and saw, the miracles which he was working.
7 Enya gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo do goe le amewo me, eye ne wodo go le ameawo me alea la, wonɔa ɣli dom sesĩe. Eyɔ dɔ tekunɔwo kple lãmetututɔwo.
For there were many instances of people with foul spirits, where the spirits, with loud screams, came out of them; and many who were paralysed or lame were cured,
8 Esia wɔe be dzidzɔ blibo yɔ dua me fũu.
so that there was great rejoicing throughout that city.
9 Ke ŋutsu aɖe si ŋkɔe nye Simɔn la nɔ Samaria dua me. Enye afakala xɔŋkɔ aɖe, eye wòna Samaria dukɔ la ƒe nu ku; eya ŋutɔ da ŋkɔ ɖe eɖokui dzi be yenye gã.
There was staying in the city a man named Simon, who had been practicing magic there and mystifying the Samaritan people, giving himself out to be some great being.
10 Amewo katã ku ɖe eŋu; ame ŋkutawo kple ame gblɔewo siaa, eye woda ŋkɔ ɖe edzi be, “Ame siae nye Mawu ƒe ŋusẽ si woyɔna be Ŋusẽ Gã” la.
Everyone, high and low, paid attention to him. “This man,” they used to say, “must be that power of God which people call ‘The Great Power.’”
11 Amewo dze eyome hoo, elabena enana be woƒe nu kuna to eƒe afakaka la me ɣeyiɣi didi aɖe.
And they paid attention to him because they had for a long time been mystified by his magic arts.
12 Ke esi dua me tɔwo se nyanyui la si Filipo gblɔ tso mawufiaɖuƒe la ŋu kple Yesu Kristo ƒe ŋkɔ la, woxɔe se, eye wode mawutsi ta na wo, ŋutsuwo kple nyɔnuwo siaa.
However, when they came to believe Philip, as he told them the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
13 Nukutɔe la, Simɔn, afakala la ŋutɔ hã xɔ mawunya dzi se, ale wode mawutsi ta nɛ. Le esia megbe la, enɔ Filipo ŋu kplikplikpli yia afi sia afi si wòyina la, eye nukunu siwo katã Filipo wɔ la na be eƒe nu ku ŋutɔ.
Even Simon believed, and after his baptism attached himself to Philip, and was in his turn mystified at seeing signs and great miracles constantly occurring.
14 Esi apostolo siwo le Yerusalem se be mawunya ɖo Samaria la, woɖo Petro kple Yohanes ɖa be woaɖakpɔ ale si nuwo nɔ edzi yimii le afi ma ɖa.
When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had welcomed God’s message, they sent Peter and John to them;
15 Esime ame dɔdɔawo va ɖo Samaria teti ko la, wodo gbe ɖa ɖe xɔsetɔ yeyeawo ta be woaxɔ Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la,
and they, on their arrival, prayed that the Samaritans might receive the Holy Spirit.
16 elabena tsi ko wode ta na wo le Aƒetɔ Yesu ƒe ŋkɔ me, ke womexɔ Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la haɖe o.
(As yet the Spirit had not descended on any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).
17 Esi Petro kple Yohanes nɔ gbea dom ɖa la, woda woƒe asiwo ɖe xɔsetɔawo dzi, eye enumake woxɔ Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la.
Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
18 Esi Simɔn kpɔ be wona Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe amewo to apostoloawo ƒe asidada ɖe wo dzi me la, ena ga apostoloawo, eye wògblɔ na wo be,
When Simon saw that it was through the placing of the apostles’ hands on them that the Spirit was given, he brought them a sum of money and said,
19 “Mina ŋusẽ sia nye hã ale be ame sia ame si dzi mada asi ɖo la naxɔ Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la.”
‘Give me also this power of yours, so that, if I place my hands on anyone, he may receive the Holy Spirit.’
20 Petro ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Wò ga natsrɔ̃ kpli wò, elabena èbu be yeate ŋu aƒle Mawu ƒe nunana kple ga!
‘A curse on you and on your silver,’ Peter exclaimed, ‘for thinking that God’s free gift can be bought with money!
21 Wɔƒe kple gomekpɔkpɔ aɖeke mele asiwò le subɔsubɔdɔ sia me o, elabena wò dzi menyo le Mawu ƒe ŋkume o.
You have no share or part in our message, for your heart is not right with God.
22 Dzudzɔ ta me vɔ̃ɖi ɖoɖo ne nàdo gbe ɖa na Aƒetɔ la. Ɖewohĩ atsɔ wò susu vɔ̃ɖi sia ake wò,
Therefore repent of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord, that, if possible, you may be forgiven for such a thought;
23 elabena edze nam ƒãa be, èyɔ fũu kple vevesese eye nènye kluvi na nu vɔ̃.”
for I see that you have fallen into the bitterness of envy and the fetters of sin.’
24 Simɔn ɖo eŋu be, “Do gbe ɖa na Aƒetɔ la ɖe tanye be nu siwo miegblɔ la dometɔ aɖeke madzɔ ɖe dzinye o.”
‘Pray to the Lord for me, all of you,’ Simon answered, ‘so that none of the things you have spoken of may happen to me.’
25 Ke esi Petro kple Yohanes ɖi ɖase hegblɔ Aƒetɔ ƒe nya la vɔ la, wogatrɔ yi Yerusalem. Wotɔ ɖe Samaria kɔƒe geɖewo hã me le mɔa dzi, hegblɔ nyanyui la na amewo le afi siawo hã.
Peter and John, having borne their testimony and delivered the Lord’s message, returned to Jerusalem, telling the good news, as they went, in many Samaritan villages.
26 Ke le Filipo gome la, mawudɔla aɖe va gblɔ nɛ be, “Tso nàyi mɔ si tso Yerusalem heto Gaza gbegbe la dzi.”
Meanwhile an angel of the Lord had said to Philip, ‘Set out on a journey southwards, along the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (It is now deserted).
27 Filipo tso heyi abe ale si wogblɔ nɛ la ene; eye kasia ekpɔ Etiopia ŋutsu aɖe, si nye fianyɔnu Kandake ƒe ŋusẽtɔ kple gadzikpɔla gã la. Etso Yerusalem, afi si wòɖawɔ subɔsubɔ le Mawu ƒe gbedoxɔ la me le,
So Philip set out on a journey; and on his way he came on an official of high rank, in the service of Candace, Queen of the Abyssinians. He was her treasurer, and had been to Jerusalem to worship,
28 eye wòtrɔ yina aƒe. Esi wònɔ mɔa dzi la, enɔ Nyagblɔɖila Yesaya ƒe agbalẽ xlẽm sesĩe le eƒe tasiaɖam me.
and was now on his way home, sitting in his carriage and reading the prophet Isaiah.
29 Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la gagblɔ na Filipo be, “Te ɖe tasiaɖam la ŋu.”
The Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go up to the carriage over there and keep close to it.’
30 Esi wòɖe abla te ɖe tasiaɖam la ŋu, eye wòse be ele Nyagblɔɖila Yesaya ƒe agbalẽ xlẽm la, Filipo biae be, “Èse nu si xlẽm nèle la gɔmea?”
So Philip ran up, and he heard the Abyssinian reading the prophet Isaiah. ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ he asked.
31 Etiopia ŋutsu la ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Ao, nɔvi, aleke mate ŋu ase egɔme esi ame aɖeke meli aɖe eme nam o?” Azɔ eɖe kuku na Filipo be wòage ɖe tasiaɖam la me anɔ ye xa. Filipo wɔ nenema.
‘How can I,’ the other answered, ‘unless someone will explain it to me?’ and he invited Philip to get up and sit by his side.
32 Biblia ƒe akpa si xlẽm wònɔ la gblɔ be, “Wokplɔe abe alẽvi ene yina wuwu ge, eye abe ale si alẽvi nɔa anyi kpoo ne wole eƒe fũwo sẽm ene la, nenema ke eya hã wɔ, meke nu kura o.
The passage of scripture which he was reading was this – “Like a sheep, he was led away to slaughter, and as a lamb is dumb in the hands of its shearer, so he refrains from opening his lips.
33 Le eƒe ɖokuibɔbɔ ta womedrɔ̃ ʋɔnue ɖe mɔ dzɔdzɔe nu o. Ame kae ate ŋu agblɔ ale si dzidzime si me wòdzɔ ɖo la ƒe tagbɔ sẽe la afia? Elabena woɖe eƒe agbe ɖa le anyigba dzi.”
He was humiliated and justice was denied him. Who will tell the story of his generation? For his life is cut off from earth.”
34 Etiopia ŋutsu la bia Filipo be, “Nyagblɔɖila Yesaya ŋu eya ŋutɔ nɔ nu ƒom le loo alo ame bubu aɖe ŋuea?”
‘Now,’ said the Treasurer, addressing Philip, ‘tell me, of whom is the prophet speaking? Of himself, or of someone else?’
35 Tete Filipo wɔ mawunya si wòxlẽ la kple bubuwo ŋu dɔ hegblɔ nyanyui la nɛ le Yesu ŋu.
Then Philip began, and, taking this passage as his text, told him the good news about Jesus.
36 Esi wonɔ mɔa dzi yina sẽe ko la, wova ke ɖe tɔsisi sue aɖe ŋu. Etiopia ŋutsua bia Filipo be, “Kpɔ ɖa! Tsie nye esi; nu ka ta nyemade mawutsi ta zi ɖeka o?” [
Presently, as they were going along the road, they came to some water, and the Treasurer exclaimed, ‘Look! Here is water; what is to prevent my being baptized?’
37 Filipo ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Nenye be èxɔe se tso wò dzi blibo me ko la, ekema naneke mexe mɔ o.” Etiopia ŋutsu la ɖo eŋu be, “Mexɔe se be Yesu Kristoe nye Mawu ƒe Vi la.]”
38 Enumake etɔ tasiaɖam la, eye wòɖi ge ɖe tsi la me, eye Filipo de mawutsi ta nɛ.
So he ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water – both Philip and the Treasurer – and Philip baptized him.
39 Esi wòdo tso tsia me teti ko la, Aƒetɔ la ƒe Gbɔgbɔ kɔ Filipo dzoe, ale be Etiopia ŋutsu la megakpɔe o, ke eya hã dze aƒemɔ dzi kple dzidzɔ.
But, when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, and the Treasurer saw no more of him; for he continued his journey with a joyful heart.
40 Egblɔ nyanyui la le afi ma, eye wògagblɔe le du siwo katã le Kaesarea mɔ dzi la hã me.
But Philip was found at Ashdod, and, as he went on his way, he told the good news in all the towns through which he passed, until he came to Caesarea.
