Masengo 26
1 Nipele che Agilipa ŵansalile che Paolo, “Nkukombola kulichenjela.” Pelepo che Paolo ŵagolwesye nkono wao ni kulichenjela, achitiji.
Turning to Paul, Agrippa said: “You are at liberty to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defence.
2 “Mwenye che Agilipa, nguliwona ngwete upile lelo jino kwima paujo penu ni kulichenjela yankati yanayose yakumechetela une Ŵayahudi.
“I have been congratulating myself, King Agrippa,” he said, “that it is before you that I have to make my defence to-day, with regard to all the charges brought against me by Jews,
3 Nnopennope pakuŵa alakwe mwasyene nkumanyilila uchenene masyoŵelo ga Ŵayahudi ni umenyani wao, ngunchondelela mumbilikanile mu upililiu.
especially as you are so well-versed in all the customs and questions of the Jewish world. I beg you therefore to give me a patient hearing.
4 “Ŵayahudi wose akuumanyilila une uchenene chitandile uchanda wangu. Akumanyilila inatite pakutama ni ŵanyawo mu chilambo changu ni ku Yelusalemu nombeko chitandile ndanda jo.
My life, then, from youth upwards, was passed, from the very first, among my own nation, and in Jerusalem, and is within the knowledge of all Jews;
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.
and they have always known — if they choose to give evidence — that, in accordance with the very strictest form of our religion, I lived a true Pharisee.
6 Ni sambano nyimi pelepa kulamulikwa ligongo nguchilolela chilanga chiŵalanjile Akunnungu kwa achambuje ŵetu chila.
Even now, it is because of my hope in the promise given by God to our ancestors that I stand here on my trial —
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.
A promise which our Twelve Tribes, by earnest service night and day, hope to see fulfilled. It is for this hope, your Majesty, that I am accused — and by Jews themselves!
8 Ŵanyamwe wose ŵandi apano kwa chichi nkuganisya kuti Akunnungu ngakukombola kwasyusya ŵawe?
Why do you all hold it incredible that God should raise the dead?
9 Isyene uneji nansyene naliweni kuti ngusachilwa kutendekanya yejinji yakunkanila Che Yesu jwa ku Nasaleti.
I myself, it is true, once thought it my duty to oppose in every way 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 I actually did so at Jerusalem. Acting on the authority of the Chief Priests, I myself threw many of the People of Christ into prison, and, when it was proposed to put them to death, I gave my vote for it.
11 Naalagesye mmajumba gao ga kupopelela ni kwakanganichisya atukane. Naatumbilile kwannope namose najawile kukwasosasosa mmisi ja ilambo yakutalichila kuti naalagasye.
Time after time, in every Synagogue, I tried by punishments to force them to blaspheme. So frantic was I against them, that I pursued them even to towns beyond our borders.
12 “Ligongo lya masengo gagogo pego najawile ku Damesiki ndili ni ulamusi ni malajisyo ga achakulu ŵambopesi.
It was while I was traveling to Damascus on an errand of this kind, entrusted with full powers by 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.
that at mid-day, your Majesty, I saw right in my path, coming from the heavens, a light brighter than the glare of the sun, which shone all round me and those 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.’
We all fell to the ground, and then I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew — ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? By kicking against the goad you are punishing yourself.’
15 Noneji nausisye, ‘Ana ŵaani alakwe, Ambuje?’ Ni Ambuje wo ŵajanjile, ‘Uneji ndili Che Yesu junkunlagasya mmwejo.
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. And the Lord said: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting;
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 upright; for I have appeared to you in order to appoint you a servant and a witness of those revelations of me which you have already had, and of those in which I shall yet appear to you,
17 Chinankulupusye kutyoka mwa ŵandu wa ku Isilaeli pamo ni ŵandu ŵangaŵa Ŵayahudi kuchinantume une ko.
since I am choosing you out from your own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
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, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; so that they may receive pardon for their sins, and a place among those who have become God’s People, by faith in me.’
19 “Kwapele, alakwe mwenye che Agilipa, uneji nganileka kwitichisya yakwiwona yaikopochele kwinani.
After that, King Agrippa, I did not fail to obey 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.
on the contrary, first to those at Damascus and Jerusalem, and then through the whole of Judea, and to the Gentiles as well, I began to preach repentance and conversion to God, and a life befitting that repentance.
21 Kwa ligongo lya maloŵe go Ŵayahudi ŵangamwile une ndili pa Nyuumba ja Akunnungu ni kusaka kumulaga.
This is why the Jews seized me in the Temple, and made attempts upon my life.
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,
However I have received help from God to this very day, and so stand here, and bear my testimony to high and low alike — without adding a word to what the Prophets, as well as Moses, declared should 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 must suffer, and that, by rising from the dead, he was destined to be the first to bring news of Light, not only to our nation, but also to the Gentiles.”
24 Che Paolo paŵalichenjele mpaka pelepo, che Festo ŵaŵechete kwa liloŵe lyekulungwa, “Mmwe che Paolo ntekupungwana! Kulijiganya kose kuntesile mpungwane.”
While Paul was making this defence, Festus called out loudly: “You are mad, Paul; your great learning is driving you mad.”
25 Che Paolo ŵajanjile, “Nganimbungwana, alakwe ambuje che Festo. Chinguŵecheta cho chili chisyene ni cha lunda.
“I am not mad, your Excellency,” he replied; “on the contrary, the statements that I am making are true and sober.
26 Alakwe mwenye che Agilipa nkuimanyilila uchenene yose yaikopochele yo. Noneji ngukombola kuŵecheta pangali lipamba paujo penu pakuŵa nguimanyilila isyene kuti ngapagwa chichatendekwe pachisyepela.
Indeed, the King knows about these matters, so I speak before him without constraint. I am sure that there is nothing whatever of what I have been telling him that has escaped his attention; for all this has not been 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?”
But Agrippa said to Paul: “You are soon trying to make a Christian of me!”
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 is soon or late,” answered Paul, “I would to God that not only you, but all who are listening to me, might to-day become just what I am myself — 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 rose, with the Governor and Bernice and those who had been sitting with them,
31 Ni paŵakopokaga ŵasalilene, “Mundu ju nganapanganya chachili chose chakusachilwa kuulajikwa natamuno kwataŵa.”
and, after retiring, discussed the case among themselves. “There is nothing,” they said, “deserving death or imprisonment in this man’s conduct”;
32 Che Agilipa ŵansalile che Festo, “Ikakomboleche kungopola mundu ju ngaakaŵende kulamulikwa ni Mwenye jwa ku Loma.”
and, speaking to Festus, Agrippa added: “The man might have been discharged, if he had not appealed to the Emperor.”
