Masengo 26
1 Nipele che Agilipa ŵansalile che Paolo, “Nkukombola kulichenjela.” Pelepo che Paolo ŵagolwesye nkono wao ni kulichenjela, achitiji.
Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
2 “Mwenye che Agilipa, nguliwona ngwete upile lelo jino kwima paujo penu ni kulichenjela yankati yanayose yakumechetela une Ŵayahudi.
“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,
3 Nnopennope pakuŵa alakwe mwasyene nkumanyilila uchenene masyoŵelo ga Ŵayahudi ni umenyani wao, ngunchondelela mumbilikanile mu upililiu.
especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.
4 “Ŵayahudi wose akuumanyilila une uchenene chitandile uchanda wangu. Akumanyilila inatite pakutama ni ŵanyawo mu chilambo changu ni ku Yelusalemu nombeko chitandile ndanda jo.
Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from the earliest days of my youth, among my own people and in Jerusalem.
5 Akuumanyilila une chitandile kalakala ni asakaga akukombola kuŵalanga umboni kuti chitandile ndanda jo naliji jumo jwa mpingo wa Mafalisayo ŵakwapopelela Akunnungu kupunda ŵandu ŵane wose.
They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.
6 Ni sambano nyimi pelepa kulamulikwa ligongo nguchilolela chilanga chiŵalanjile Akunnungu kwa achambuje ŵetu chila.
And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,
7 Chilanga cho ni chichocho chaakuchilolela ngosyo kumi na mbili sya ŵandu ŵetu kuti chimalile, achatumichilaga Akunnungu nkulimbangana muusi ni chilo. Ni kwaligongo lyo alakwe mwenye, Ŵayahudi ŵa akuumechetela une.
the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to realize as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.
8 Ŵanyamwe wose ŵandi apano kwa chichi nkuganisya kuti Akunnungu ngakukombola kwasyusya ŵawe?
Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9 Isyene uneji nansyene naliweni kuti ngusachilwa kutendekanya yejinji yakunkanila Che Yesu jwa ku Nasaleti.
So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Yelei ni inaitesile ku Yelusalemu kula. Napochele lilamulo kutyochela kwa achakulu ŵambopesi, naakamwile ŵandu ŵajinji mwa ŵandu ŵa Akunnungu ni kwataŵa mu nyuumba jakutaŵilwa. Ni ŵanyawo paŵalamulikwe kuulajikwa, uneji nakundile aulajikwe.
And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.
11 Naalagesye mmajumba gao ga kupopelela ni kwakanganichisya atukane. Naatumbilile kwannope namose najawile kukwasosasosa mmisi ja ilambo yakutalichila kuti naalagasye.
I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
12 “Ligongo lya masengo gagogo pego najawile ku Damesiki ndili ni ulamusi ni malajisyo ga achakulu ŵambopesi.
In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.
13 Alakwe mwenye, panaliji mwitala muusi, lyuŵa lili pa ntwe naliweni lilanguka lyekulungwa kupunda lilanguka lya lyuŵa lichilanguchisyaga kutyochela kwinani. Ni lyatusyungwile uneji pamo ni achinjangu ŵanaliji nawo mu ulendo mo.
About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.
14 Wose twagwile, none napilikene liloŵe lichisalilaga mchiebulania, ‘Che Sauli, che Sauli! Ligongo chi nkuulagasya? Nkuliulasya mwasyene pangali ligongo mpela ng'ombe jajikuchiputa chiboko cha mmbujegwe.’
We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
15 Noneji nausisye, ‘Ana ŵaani alakwe, Ambuje?’ Ni Ambuje wo ŵajanjile, ‘Uneji ndili Che Yesu junkunlagasya mmwejo.
‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 Nambo Sambano njime, nankopochele kuti nambiche mme nkamusi jwangu. Mmwejo chimmalanje ya uneji, chimwasalile ŵandu yanyiweni lelo jino ni ichinannosye kanyuma.
‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.
17 Chinankulupusye kutyoka mwa ŵandu wa ku Isilaeli pamo ni ŵandu ŵangaŵa Ŵayahudi kuchinantume une ko.
I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them
18 Mwatatanukule meeso gao kuti akombole kopoka mu chipi ni kwinjila mu lulanga nombe akopoche mu ulamusi wa Shetani ni kwagalauchila Akunnungu kuti kwa kungulupilila une alecheleswe sambi syao ni kwinjila majumba pamo ni ŵandu ŵasagulikwe ni Akunnungu.’
to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those sanctified by faith in Me.’
19 “Kwapele, alakwe mwenye che Agilipa, uneji nganileka kwitichisya yakwiwona yaikopochele kwinani.
So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
20 Nipele natandite kulalichila maloŵe ga Akunnungu kwa ŵakutama ku Damesiki ni ku Yelusalemu ni chilambo chose cha ku Yudea pamo ni ŵandu ŵangaŵa Ŵayahudi. Naalalichile aleche sambi ni kwaujilila Akunnungu ni kulosya kwa isambo yao kuti alesile sambi.
First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.
21 Kwa ligongo lya maloŵe go Ŵayahudi ŵangamwile une ndili pa Nyuumba ja Akunnungu ni kusaka kumulaga.
For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.
22 Nambo Akunnungu aang'osile, mpaka lelo jino ndili jwansima. Noneji nguŵalanga kwa achanandi ni achakulungwa. Ngangusala ine ikaŵe yeila yasasile ŵakulondola ŵa Akunnungu ni che Musa kuti chiikopochele,
But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:
23 yakuti yaŵajilwe Kilisito alaje ni kuŵa mundu jwaandanda kusyuka mwa wose ŵawile. Nombejo chakombole kwaichisya lilanguka Ŵayahudi ni ŵandu ŵangaŵa Ŵayahudi.”
that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
24 Che Paolo paŵalichenjele mpaka pelepo, che Festo ŵaŵechete kwa liloŵe lyekulungwa, “Mmwe che Paolo ntekupungwana! Kulijiganya kose kuntesile mpungwane.”
At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”
25 Che Paolo ŵajanjile, “Nganimbungwana, alakwe ambuje che Festo. Chinguŵecheta cho chili chisyene ni cha lunda.
But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.
26 Alakwe mwenye che Agilipa nkuimanyilila uchenene yose yaikopochele yo. Noneji ngukombola kuŵecheta pangali lipamba paujo penu pakuŵa nguimanyilila isyene kuti ngapagwa chichatendekwe pachisyepela.
For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.
27 Mwenye che Agilipa, ana nkugakulupilila maloŵe gaŵaŵechete ŵakulondola ŵa Akunnungu, ŵa kalakala? Ngumanyilila kuti nkugakulupilila!”
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28 Ni che Agilipa ŵansalile che Paolo, “Ana nkuganisya kuti kwa katema kakajipi peka chinkombole kundendekasya meje Mkilisito?”
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”
29 Che Paolo ŵajanjile, “Iŵaga kwa katema kakajipi pane kakajinji, ngwapopelela Akunnungu, ngaŵa alakwe pe nambo ni ŵanawose ŵakumbikanila lelo jino ŵa aŵanje mpela indite pakuŵa une, nambo anaichile kutaŵikwa minyolo mpela une.”
“Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”
30 Pelepo mwenye che Agilipa ni jwankulu che Festo ni che Belinike pamo ni ŵane wose ŵaŵaliji pamo nawo ŵajimi.
Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.
31 Ni paŵakopokaga ŵasalilene, “Mundu ju nganapanganya chachili chose chakusachilwa kuulajikwa natamuno kwataŵa.”
On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
32 Che Agilipa ŵansalile che Festo, “Ikakomboleche kungopola mundu ju ngaakaŵende kulamulikwa ni Mwenye jwa ku Loma.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
