Machitidwe a Atumwi 26
1 Ndipo Agripa anawuza Paulo kuti, “Takulola kuti unene mawu ako.” Paulo anatambasula dzanja lake nayamba kudziteteza kuti,
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
2 “Mfumu Agripa ine ndikudziyesa wa mwayi kuyima pamaso panu lero lino ndi kudziteteza, kutsutsa zonse zimene Ayuda andinenera,
“I consider myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning the things of which I am accused by the Jews,
3 ndipo makamaka chifukwa inu mukudziwa bwino miyambo yonse ya Chiyuda ndiponso zonse zimene amatsutsana. Nʼchifukwa chake ndikukupemphani kuti mundimvetsere moleza mtima.
especially because you are expert in all the Jewish customs and issues; therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4 “Ayuda onse akudziwa za moyo wanga mmene ndakhalira kuyambira ndili mwana, kuchokera pachiyambi cha moyo wanga mʼdziko lathu ndiponso mu Yerusalemu.
Really, the Jews all know my way of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem,
5 Iwo akundidziwa kuyambira kalekale ndipo angathe kuchitira umboni kuti ndakhala ndili Mfarisi moyo wanga wonse, mmodzi wa gulu limene limasamala chipembedzo chathu koposa.
since they have known me for a long time, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.
6 Ndipo tsopano ndikuyimbidwa mlandu lero chifukwa cha chiyembekezo changa pa zimene Mulungu analonjeza makolo athu.
And now I stand here being judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
7 Ili ndi lonjezo limene mafuko athu khumi ndi awiri akuyembekezera kuti likwaniritsidwe pamene akupembedza Mulungu molimbika usana ndi usiku. Wolemekezeka Mfumu, nʼchifukwa cha chiyembekezo chimenechi Ayuda kuti akundiyimba mlandu.
to which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. It is because of this hope that I am accused by the Jews, King Agrippa.
8 Nʼchifukwa chiyani ena a inu mukuganiza kuti nʼkosatheka kuti Mulungu aukitse akufa?
Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9 “Inenso ndimaganiza kuti ndimayenera kuchita zinthu zambiri pofuna kuthana ndi dzina la Yesu wa ku Nazareti.
“However, I myself thought that I had to perpetrate many things in opposition to the name of Jesus the Natsorean;
10 Ndipo izi ndi zimene ndinazichita ku Yerusalemu. Ndi ulamuliro wa akulu a ansembe, ine ndinayika mʼndende oyera mtima ambiri, ndipo pamene amaphedwa, ine ndimavomereza.
I actually did this in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.
11 Nthawi zambiri ndinkapita mʼsunagoge iliyonse kuti alangidwe, ndipo ndinayesera kuwakakamiza kuti achitire chipongwe Mulungu. Mu mkwiyo wangawo, ndimapita ngakhale ku mizinda yachilendo kuti ndikawazunze.
Yes, I punished them often in every synagogue, trying to force them to blaspheme; I was so excessively enraged against them that I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “Pa ulendo wina wotere, ndikupita ku Damasiko ndi mphamvu ndi ulamuliro ochokera kwa akulu a ansembe,
“It was on one of those journeys, as I was going to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests,
13 Wolemekezeka Mfumu, nthawi ya masana pamene ndimayenda pa msewu, ndinaona kuwala kuchokera kumwamba koposa kuwala kwa dzuwa kutandizungulira ine pamodzi ndi anzangawo.
at midday, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven brighter than the sun, blazing around me and those traveling with me.
14 Tonse tinagwa pansi ndipo ndinamva mawu mʼChihebri akuti, ‘Saulo, Saulo chifukwa chiyani ukundizunza Ine? Nʼkovuta kulimbikira mtunda wopanda madzi.’”
Well we all fell to the ground and I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 Ndipo ine ndinafunsa kuti, “Ndinu ndani Ambuye?” Ambuye anayankha kuti, “Ndine Yesu, amene iwe ukumuzunza.
So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And He said: ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 Tsopano dzuka ndipo imirira. Ine ndaonekera kwa iwe kuti ndikusankhe kuti ukhale mtumiki ndiponso mboni ya zimene waziona za Ine ndiponso zimene ndidzakuonetsa.
Now get up and stand on your feet; because I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness both of the things you have seen and of the things I will reveal to you,
17 Ine ndidzakulanditsa mʼmanja mwa anthu a mtundu wako ndiponso mwa anthu a mitundu ina. Ine ndikukutuma kwa iwo,
delivering you from ‘the people’ and the ethnic nations, to which I am sending you:
18 kuti ukatsekule maso awo kuti atembenuke mtima kuchoka ku mdima ndi kulowa mʼkuwala, kuchoka ku mphamvu za Satana ndi kupita kwa Mulungu, kuti alandire chikhululukiro cha machimo awo ndi kukhala mʼgulu la amene akuyeretsedwa chifukwa chokhulupirira Ine.
to open their eyes, so as to bring them back from darkness into light and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified, by faith into me.’
19 “Nʼchifukwa chake Mfumu Agripa, sindinakane kumvera masomphenya wochokera kumwamba.
Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision
20 Kuyambira kwa anthu a ku Damasiko, a ku Yerusalemu, a ku Yudeya konse ndi kwa anthu a mitundu inanso, ndinalalikira kuti akuyenera kulapa ndi kutembenukira kwa Mulungu ndikuti aonetse kulapa kwawo mwa ntchito zawo.
—first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to all the region of Judea and to the ethnic nations, I still preach: ‘repent and turn back to God, doing works worthy of repentance.’
21 Ichi nʼchifukwa chake Ayuda anandigwira mʼbwalo la Nyumba ya Mulungu nafuna kundipha.
That is why the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.
22 Koma Mulungu wakhala akundithandiza mpaka lero lino. Ine ndayima pano kuti ndichitire umboni kwa anthu onse otchuka ndi anthu wamba. Ine sindikunena zina zowonjezera koma zimene Aneneri ndi Mose ananena kuti zidzachitika.
So then, having experienced the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying to both small and great, saying nothing beyond what both the prophets and Moses said would happen
23 Iwo ananena kuti Khristu adzamva zowawa ndipo popeza Iye adzakhala woyamba kuuka kwa akufa, adzalalikira za kuwunika kwa anthu a mtundu wake ndiponso kwa anthu a mitundu ina.”
—that the Messiah would suffer; that as the first to rise from the dead He would proclaim light to both ‘the people’ and the ethnic nations.”
24 Paulo akudziteteza, Festo anakweza mawu nati, “Wazungulira mutu Paulo! Kuphunzira kwako kwakuchititsa misala.”
Well as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice: “Paul, you are crazy! Your great learning is driving you insane!”
25 Paulo anayankha nati, “Wolemekezeka Festo, sindine wozungulira mutu. Zimene ndikunena ndi zoona ndiponso za nzeru.
So he said: “I am not crazy, most excellent Festus; rather I pronounce words of truth and reasonableness.
26 Mfumu ikuzidziwa bwino zinthu izi, ndipo ndikuyankhula momasuka kwa iyo. Ine ndikukhulupirira kuti palibe kanthu nʼkamodzi komwe kamene sukukadziwa, chifukwa izi sizinachike mseri.
For the king knows about these things, before whom I speak freely; for I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, since it was not done in a corner.
27 Mfumu Agripa, kodi mumakhulupirira mawu a aneneri? Ine ndikudziwa kuti mumakhulupirira.”
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.”
28 Kenaka Agripa anati kwa Paulo, “Kodi ukuganiza kuti mʼkanthawi kochepa kotere ungandikope kuti ndikhale Mkhristu?”
So Agrippa said to Paul, “You will soon persuade me to become a Christian!”
29 Paulo anayankha kuti, “Ngakhale kanthawi kochepa kapena nthawi yayitali, ine ndikupempha kwa Mulungu kuti osati inu nokha koma aliyense amene akundimva lero lino akhale monga ine, kupatulapo maunyolo okhawa.”
So Paul said, “Whether sooner or later, I would to God that not only you but also all who are hearing me this day may become such as I am, except for these chains.”
30 Mfumu inayimirira pamodzi ndi bwanamkubwa ndi Bernisi ndiponso anthu onse amene anakhala nawo pamodzi.
Upon his saying this, the king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them;
31 Inatuluka mʼchipindamo, ndipo pamene imayankhula inati, “Munthu uyu sanachite kanthu koyenera kuphedwa kapena kumangidwa.”
and when they had withdrawn they started talking among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.”
32 Agripa anati kwa Festo, “Munthu uyu akanamasulidwa akanakhala kuti sanapemphe zokaonekera kwa Kaisara.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free, if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
