Masengo 26
1 Nipele che Agilipa ŵansalile che Paolo, “Nkukombola kulichenjela.” Pelepo che Paolo ŵagolwesye nkono wao ni kulichenjela, achitiji.
Agrippa then said to Paul, “You are free to speak on your own behalf.” With a sweep of his arm, Paul began his defense.
2 “Mwenye che Agilipa, nguliwona ngwete upile lelo jino kwima paujo penu ni kulichenjela yankati yanayose yakumechetela une Ŵayahudi.
“I am delighted, King Agrippa, to make my defense before you today regarding everything I am accused of by the Jews,
3 Nnopennope pakuŵa alakwe mwasyene nkumanyilila uchenene masyoŵelo ga Ŵayahudi ni umenyani wao, ngunchondelela mumbilikanile mu upililiu.
particularly because you are an expert in all Jewish issues and customs. I beg your patient indulgence as you listen to what I have to say.
4 “Ŵayahudi wose akuumanyilila une uchenene chitandile uchanda wangu. Akumanyilila inatite pakutama ni ŵanyawo mu chilambo changu ni ku Yelusalemu nombeko chitandile ndanda jo.
All the Jews know my life story—from my earliest days beginning in my own country and then 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 verify, if they choose to, that I have followed the religious school that observes our faith in the strictest way—I lived as a Pharisee.
6 Ni sambano nyimi pelepa kulamulikwa ligongo nguchilolela chilanga chiŵalanjile Akunnungu kwa achambuje ŵetu chila.
Now I am standing here to be judged regarding the promised hope God gave 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.
that our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they continually dedicated themselves in God's service. Yes, it's because of this hope that I'm accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!
8 Ŵanyamwe wose ŵandi apano kwa chichi nkuganisya kuti Akunnungu ngakukombola kwasyusya ŵawe?
Why should any of you think it's unbelievable that God raises the dead?
9 Isyene uneji nansyene naliweni kuti ngusachilwa kutendekanya yejinji yakunkanila Che Yesu jwa ku Nasaleti.
Previously I was sincerely convinced I should do as much as 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.
This is what I did in Jerusalem. I threw many of the believers in prison, having been given authority to do this by the chief priests. When they were sentenced 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 had them punished in all the synagogues, trying to make them recant. I was so furiously opposed to them that I went to cities outside our country to persecute them.
12 “Ligongo lya masengo gagogo pego najawile ku Damesiki ndili ni ulamusi ni malajisyo ga achakulu ŵambopesi.
That's why one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and orders from 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.
At about noon as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven that blazed brighter than the sun. It shone around me and those who were traveling with me.
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.’
All of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to fight against me!’
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, the one you're 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 pick yourself up and get to your feet. The reason why I've appeared to you is to appoint you as my servant, to be a witness for me, telling others how you have seen me and everything I will reveal to you.
17 Chinankulupusye kutyoka mwa ŵandu wa ku Isilaeli pamo ni ŵandu ŵangaŵa Ŵayahudi kuchinantume une ko.
I will save you from your own people and from the foreigners. 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 they can turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and so they can receive forgiveness for their sins and a place with those who are set right as they trust in me.’
19 “Kwapele, alakwe mwenye che Agilipa, uneji nganileka kwitichisya yakwiwona yaikopochele kwinani.
Clearly, King Agrippa, I could not disobey this vision from heaven.
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 in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and then all over Judea and also to the foreigners I shared the message of repentance: how they should turn to God, demonstrating their repentance through their actions.
21 Kwa ligongo lya maloŵe go Ŵayahudi ŵangamwile une ndili pa Nyuumba ja Akunnungu ni kusaka kumulaga.
That's why the Jews seized me in the Temple 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,
God has looked after me so I can stand here today as a witness to everyone, both to ordinary people and to those who are important. I am only repeating what Moses and the prophets 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.”
how the Messiah had to suffer, and that by being the first to rise from the dead he would announce the light of God's salvation to both Jews and foreigners.”
24 Che Paolo paŵalichenjele mpaka pelepo, che Festo ŵaŵechete kwa liloŵe lyekulungwa, “Mmwe che Paolo ntekupungwana! Kulijiganya kose kuntesile mpungwane.”
Festus interrupted Paul as he made his defense, shouting out, “Paul, you've gone mad! All your knowledge is driving you insane!”
25 Che Paolo ŵajanjile, “Nganimbungwana, alakwe ambuje che Festo. Chinguŵecheta cho chili chisyene ni cha lunda.
“I'm not mad, Festus your Excellency,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and makes sense.
26 Alakwe mwenye che Agilipa nkuimanyilila uchenene yose yaikopochele yo. Noneji ngukombola kuŵecheta pangali lipamba paujo penu pakuŵa nguimanyilila isyene kuti ngapagwa chichatendekwe pachisyepela.
The king recognizes this, and I'm explaining it very clearly. I am sure that he is aware of what's been happening, because none of this took place as if it were hidden in a corner.
27 Mwenye che Agilipa, ana nkugakulupilila maloŵe gaŵaŵechete ŵakulondola ŵa Akunnungu, ŵa kalakala? Ngumanyilila kuti nkugakulupilila!”
King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets said? I'm sure you do!”
28 Ni che Agilipa ŵansalile che Paolo, “Ana nkuganisya kuti kwa katema kakajipi peka chinkombole kundendekasya meje Mkilisito?”
“Do you think you can convince me to become a Christian so quickly?” Agrippa asked Paul.
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.”
“Whether it takes a short time or a long time doesn't matter,” Paul answered. “But my prayer to God is that not just you, but everybody listening to me today would become like me—except for these chains!”
30 Pelepo mwenye che Agilipa ni jwankulu che Festo ni che Belinike pamo ni ŵane wose ŵaŵaliji pamo nawo ŵajimi.
The king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice, and everyone who had been sitting with them.
31 Ni paŵakopokaga ŵasalilene, “Mundu ju nganapanganya chachili chose chakusachilwa kuulajikwa natamuno kwataŵa.”
They conferred together after they had left. “This man hasn't done anything that deserves death or imprisonment,” they concluded.
32 Che Agilipa ŵansalile che Festo, “Ikakomboleche kungopola mundu ju ngaakaŵende kulamulikwa ni Mwenye jwa ku Loma.”
Agrippa told Festus, “He could have been freed if he hadn't appealed to Caesar.”
