IzEnzo 8:1-25

Kodwa uSawuli wayevumelana lokubulawa kwakhe. Ngaleso sikhathi kwaba khona ukuzingelwa okukhulu kwebandla laseJerusalema; bahlakazeka bonke emazweni aseJudiya naseSamariya, kwasala abaphostoli. Amadoda akholwayo amngcwaba uStefanu, amkhalela kakhulu. Kepha uSawulu walichitha ibandla, engena ezindlini ngezindlu, ehudula abesilisa nabesifazane, wabafaka etilongweni. Ngakho abahlakazekileyo bahamba betshumayela ilizwi. UFiliphu wehlela emzini waseSamariya, wabashumayeza uKristu. Izixuku zalalela nganhliziyonye lokho uFiliphu ayekukhuluma, zizwa futhi zibona izibonakaliso azenzayo. Ngokuba kwaphuma omoya abangcolileyo kwabaningi abanabo, bememeza ngezwi elikhulu; nabaningi abafe uhlangothi nabayizinyonga baphulukiswa. Kwaba khona intokozo enkulu kulowo muzi. Kepha kwakukhona indoda ethile, igama layo linguSimoni, eyayikade yenza imilingo kulowo muzi, ibhuqa abantu baseSamariya, izitshela ukuthi ingumuntu omkhulu; ababemlalela bonke, kusukela komncane kuze kube komkhulu, bethi: Lo ungamandla kaNkulunkulu amakhulu. Basebemnaka, ngoba kwasekuyisikhathi eside ebathakatha ngemilingo. Kepha sebekholwa nguFiliphu eshumayela ivangeli ngombuso kaNkulunkulu nangegama likaJesu Kristu, babhapathizwa abesilisa nabesifazane. Naye uSimoni wakholwa, esebhapathiziwe wanamathela kuFiliphu, wamangala ebona izibonakaliso nezibonakaliso ezenziwayo. Kwathi abaphostoli abaseJerusalema bezwile ukuthi iSamariya ilamukele ilizwi likaNkulunkulu, bathuma kubo oPetro loJohane; Sebehlile babakhulekela, ukuze bamukele uMoya oNgcwele; (Ngoba wayengakehleli phezu kwamunye wabo, kodwa babebhabhathizwe ebizweni leNkosi uJesu.) Basebebeka izandla phezu kwabo, basebemamukela uMoya oNgcwele. USimoni esebonile ukuthi ngokubekwa kwezandla zabaphostoli uyaphiwa uMoya oNgcwele, waletha kubo imali. Ethi: “Nami ngiphe lawomandla, ukuze kuthi noma ubani engibeka izandla phezu kwakhe amukele uMoya oNgcwele. Kepha uPetru wathi kuye: “Imali yakho mayibhubhe kanye nawe, ngokuba uthi isipho sikaNkulunkulu singathengwa ngemali. Awunasabelo nasabelo kule ndaba, ngokuba inhliziyo yakho ayilungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke phenduka kulobu bubi bakho, unxuse kuNkulunkulu, ukuba mhlawumbe uthethelelwe isizindlo senhliziyo yakho. Ngokuba ngiyabona ukuthi usenyongweni ebabayo, nasesibophweni sobubi. USimoni waphendula wathi: “Ngikhulekeleni nina eNkosini ukuba kungenzeki lutho lwalokhu enikushilo. Kwathi sebefakazile, beshumayela izwi leNkosi, babuyela eJerusalema, bashumayela ivangeli emizaneni eminingi yamaSamariya.