1E Saulo estava ali, consentindo na morte de Estêvão. Naquela ocasião desencadeou-se grande perseguição contra a igreja em Jerusalém. Todos, exceto os apóstolos, foram dispersos pelas regiões da Judeia e de Samaria.2Alguns homens piedosos sepultaram Estêvão e fizeram por causa dele grande lamentação.3Saulo, por sua vez, devastava a igreja. Indo de casa em casa, arrastava homens e mulheres e os lançava na prisão.
Filipe em Samaria
4Os que haviam sido dispersos pregavam a palavra por onde quer que fossem.5Indo Filipe para uma cidade de Samaria, ali lhes anunciava o Cristo.6Quando a multidão ouviu Filipe e viu os sinais milagrosos que ele realizava, deu unânime atenção ao que ele dizia.7Os espíritos imundos[1] saíam de muitos, dando gritos, e muitos paralíticos e mancos foram curados.8Assim, houve grande alegria naquela cidade.
Simão, o Mago
9Um homem chamado Simão vinha praticando feitiçaria durante algum tempo naquela cidade, impressionando todo o povo de Samaria. Ele se dizia muito importante,10e todo o povo, do mais simples ao mais rico, dava-lhe atenção e exclamava: “Este homem é o poder divino conhecido como Grande Poder”.11Eles o seguiam, pois ele os havia iludido com sua mágica durante muito tempo.12No entanto, quando Filipe lhes pregou as boas-novas do Reino de Deus e do nome de Jesus Cristo, creram nele e foram batizados, tanto homens como mulheres.13O próprio Simão também creu e foi batizado, e seguia Filipe por toda parte, observando maravilhado os grandes sinais e milagres que eram realizados.14Os apóstolos em Jerusalém, ouvindo que Samaria havia aceitado a palavra de Deus, enviaram para lá Pedro e João.15Estes, ao chegarem, oraram para que eles recebessem o Espírito Santo,16pois o Espírito ainda não havia descido sobre nenhum deles; tinham apenas sido batizados em nome do Senhor Jesus.17Então Pedro e João lhes impuseram as mãos, e eles receberam o Espírito Santo.18Vendo Simão que o Espírito era dado com a imposição das mãos dos apóstolos, ofereceu-lhes dinheiro19e disse: “Deem-me também este poder, para que a pessoa sobre quem eu puser as mãos receba o Espírito Santo”.20Pedro respondeu: “Pereça com você o seu dinheiro! Você pensa que pode comprar o dom de Deus com dinheiro?21Você não tem parte nem direito algum neste ministério, porque o seu coração não é reto diante de Deus.22Arrependa-se dessa maldade e ore ao Senhor. Talvez ele perdoe tal pensamento do seu coração,23pois vejo que você está cheio de amargura e preso pelo pecado”.24Simão, porém, respondeu: “Orem vocês ao Senhor por mim, para que não me aconteça nada do que vocês disseram”.25Tendo testemunhado e proclamado a palavra do Senhor, Pedro e João voltaram a Jerusalém, pregando o evangelho em muitos povoados samaritanos.
Filipe e o Etíope
26Um anjo do Senhor disse a Filipe: “Vá para o sul, para a estrada deserta que desce de Jerusalém a Gaza”.27Ele se levantou e partiu. No caminho encontrou um eunuco etíope, um oficial importante, encarregado de todos os tesouros de Candace, rainha dos etíopes. Esse homem viera a Jerusalém para adorar a Deus e,28de volta para casa, sentado em sua carruagem, lia o livro do profeta Isaías.29E o Espírito disse a Filipe: “Aproxime-se dessa carruagem e acompanhe-a”.30Então Filipe correu para a carruagem, ouviu o homem lendo o profeta Isaías e lhe perguntou: “O senhor entende o que está lendo?”31Ele respondeu: “Como posso entender se alguém não me explicar?” Assim, convidou Filipe para subir e sentar-se ao seu lado.32O eunuco estava lendo esta passagem da Escritura: “Ele foi levado como ovelha para o matadouro, e, como cordeiro mudo diante do tosquiador, ele não abriu a sua boca.33Em sua humilhação foi privado de justiça. Quem pode falar dos seus descendentes? Pois a sua vida foi tirada da terra”.34O eunuco perguntou a Filipe: “Diga-me, por favor: de quem o profeta está falando? De si próprio ou de outro?”35Então Filipe, começando com aquela passagem da Escritura, anunciou-lhe as boas-novas de Jesus.36Prosseguindo pela estrada, chegaram a um lugar onde havia água. O eunuco disse: “Olhe, aqui há água. Que me impede de ser batizado?”37Disse Filipe: “Você pode, se crê de todo o coração”. O eunuco respondeu: “Creio que Jesus Cristo é o Filho de Deus”.[2]38Assim, deu ordem para parar a carruagem. Então Filipe e o eunuco desceram à água, e Filipe o batizou.39Quando saíram da água, o Espírito do Senhor arrebatou Filipe repentinamente. O eunuco não o viu mais e, cheio de alegria, seguiu o seu caminho.40Filipe, porém, apareceu em Azoto e, indo para Cesareia, pregava o evangelho em todas as cidades pelas quais passava.
1And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. (Mt 10:23; At 7:58; At 11:19; At 22:20; Rm 1:32)2Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him.3But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. (At 9:1; At 9:13; At 9:21; At 22:4; At 22:19; At 26:10; 1 Co 15:9; Gl 1:13; Fp 3:6; 1 Tm 1:13; Tg 2:6)
Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria
4Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. (At 8:1)5Philip went down to the city[1] of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. (At 6:5)6And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. (Jo 2:23; Jo 4:39)7For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. (Mc 16:17)8So there was much joy in that city. (Jo 16:22; At 8:39)
Simon the Magician Believes
9But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. (At 5:36; At 8:11; At 13:6)10They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” (At 14:11; At 19:27; At 28:6)11And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. (At 8:9; At 8:13; Gl 3:1)12But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. (Mc 16:16; At 1:3; At 16:33; At 18:8)13Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles[2] performed, he was amazed. (At 8:6; At 8:9; At 19:11)14Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, (At 1:8; At 8:1)15who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, (At 2:38)16for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Mt 28:19; At 2:38; At 10:44; At 10:47; At 11:15; At 19:2; At 19:5; 1 Co 1:13; 1 Co 1:15; Gl 3:27)17Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (At 2:4; At 6:6; At 9:17; At 19:6; Hb 6:2)18Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,19saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”20But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! (2 Rs 5:16; Is 55:1; Dn 5:17)21You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. (2 Rs 10:15; Sl 78:37)22Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. (Dn 4:27; 2 Tm 2:25)23For I see that you are in the gall[3] of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” (Dt 29:18; Dt 32:32; Is 58:6; Ef 4:3; Cl 3:14; Hb 12:15)24And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” (Ex 8:8; Ex 9:28; Ex 10:17)25Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. (Jo 4:39; At 8:6)
Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south[4] to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. (Jz 6:12; Jz 13:3; At 5:19; At 10:3; At 11:13; At 12:7; At 12:23; At 27:23)27And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship (1 Rs 8:41; Ed 7:21; Sl 68:31; Sl 87:4; Jr 38:7; Sf 3:10; Jo 12:20)28and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah.29And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.”30So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”31And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. (1 Rs 20:33; 2 Rs 10:15; Jo 16:13; Rm 10:14)32Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. (Is 53:7)33In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” (Fp 2:8)34And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?”35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. (Lc 24:27; At 5:42; At 17:2; At 18:28)36And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”[5] (At 10:47)38And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.39And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. (1 Rs 18:12; 2 Rs 2:16; Ez 3:12; Ez 3:14; Ez 8:3; Ez 11:1; Ez 11:24; Ez 43:5; 2 Co 12:2)40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.