< Masengo 6 >

1 Kanyuma, winji wa ŵakulijiganya pawaliji nkonjecheka, kwatyochele kunyinyita mwa ŵakukulupilila ŵaŵaŵechetaga Chigiliki ni aŵala ŵaŵaŵechetaga Chiebulania. Aŵala ŵaŵaŵechetaga Chigiliki ŵanyinyitaga kuti achakongwe ŵa Chigiliki ŵaŵawililwe ni achiŵankwawo, ŵaliŵalikwe kwagaŵila yakulya moŵa gose.
During that time, many more people were becoming believers. [Some of them were from other countries and spoke only the Greek language, but most of them had always lived in Israel and spoke the Hebrew language]. Those who spoke Greek began to complain about those who spoke Hebrew. They were saying. “When [you Hebrew-speaking believers] distribute [food or money] to widows every day, you are not giving fair amounts to the widows who speak Greek!”
2 Nipele, achinduna likumi ni ŵaŵili ŵala ŵauŵilasile mpingo wose wa ŵakulijiganya nikuti, “Ngaikuŵajilwa kuti tuleche kulalichila liloŵe lya Akunnungu kuti tuŵeje ŵagaŵanya yakulya.
So, [after the] twelve [apostles had heard what they were complaining about], they summoned all the [other] believers [in Jerusalem to meet] together. Then the apostles said [to those other believers], “We [(exc)] would not be doing right if we stopped [preaching and teaching] God’s message [about Jesus] in order to distribute food [MTY] [and money to the widows]!
3 Nipele achalongo achinjetu, mwasagule ŵandu nsano ni ŵaŵili ŵakumanyika kuti ali ni umboni ŵambone, ŵaagumbale Mbumu jwa Akunnungu ni lunda ni uweji chitwape masengo go.
So, fellow believers, carefully choose seven men from among you, men whom [you] know that the Spirit [of God] controls completely and who are very wise. Then we [(exc)] will appoint them to do this work,
4 Nambo uweji tutulimbichile nkupopela ni kulalichila Liloŵe lya Akunnungu.”
and we [(exc)] will devote our time to pray and to preach and teach the message [about Jesus].”
5 Ngani jo jaanonyelesye mpingo wose wa ŵakukulupilila ŵala. Ni ŵaasagwile che Stefano jwagumbele chikulupi ni Mbumu jwa Akunnungu ni che Filipo ni che Plokolo ni che Nikanoli ni che Timona ni che Pamena ni che Nikolau jwa ku Antiokia juŵajinjile dini ja Chiyahudi.
What the apostles recommended pleased all of the [other] believers. So they group chose Stephen. He was a man who strongly believed [in God] and whom the Holy Spirit controlled completely. [They also chose] Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas who was from Antioch [city]. Nicolas had accepted the Jewish religion [before he had believed in Jesus].
6 Ŵaajimiche mmbujo pa achinduna, nombewo ŵapopele ni kwasajichila makono gao.
They brought these [seven] men to the apostles. Then after the apostles prayed [for those men], they placed their hands on [the heads of each one of] them [to appoint them to do that work].
7 Ni liloŵe lya Akunnungu lyapundile kwenela, ni ku Yelusalemu ko winji wa ŵakukulupilila wajonjesyeche nnope, ni mpingo wekulungwa wa ŵambopesi ŵaakulupilile Che Yesu.
So [the believers] continued to tell many people the message from God. (The number of people in Jerusalem who believed [in Jesus] was increasing greatly./More and more people in Jerusalem were believing in Jesus.) [Among them] were many [Jewish] priests who were believing the message [about Jesus].
8 Akunnungu ŵapele che Stefano upile weujinji ni ukombole ni ŵapanganyaga imanyisyo ni yakusimonjeka yejinji pasikati ja ŵandu.
God was enabling Stephen to do many things by God’s power. He was doing many amazing miracles among the [Jewish] people.
9 Nambo ŵakopochele ŵandu achisakaga kutenda makani ni che Stefano. Ŵampepe mwa ŵandu wo ŵaliji ŵa nyuumba jimo ja kupopelela jajikuŵilanjikwa, “Nyuumba ja kupopelela ŵandu Hulu,” ni ŵandu wo ŵatyochelaga ku Kulene ni ku Alekisandilia ni ŵane kutyochela ku Kilikia ni ku Asia.
However, some people opposed Stephen. They were Jews from a group [that regularly met together in a Jewish meeting place that was] {[that people]} called the Freedmen’s Meeting Place. [Those people were from] Cyrene and Alexandria [cities] and [also] from Cilicia and Asia [provinces]. They all began to argue with Stephen.
10 Nambo Mbumu jwa Akunnungu ŵampele che Stefano lunda, kwa yele nganakombolanga kumpunda paŵaŵechetaga.
But they were not able (to refute [what he said/to prove that what he said was wrong]), [because God’s] Spirit enabled him to speak very wisely.
11 Nipele ŵaonjile ŵandu ŵampepe aŵechete kuti, “Twampilikene che Stefano achiŵechetaga maloŵe ga kwatukana che Musa ni Akunnungu.”
Then that group secretly persuaded [some] men to [falsely accuse Stephen. saying], “We [(exc)] heard him say bad things about Moses and God.”
12 Kwanti yeleyi, ŵaachisisye ŵandu ni achachekulu ni ŵakwiganya Malajisyo ga Akunnungu gaŵapele che Musa. Nipele, ŵankamwile che Stefano ni kunnyikanawo paujo pa Nkungulu wekulu.
So, [by saying that], they made the [other Jewish] people angry [at Stephen, including] the elders and the teachers of the [Jewish] laws. Then [they all] seized Stephen and took him to the Jewish Council.
13 Ni ŵajimiche ŵaumboni ŵa unami ŵaŵatite, “Mundu ju ngaakuleka ng'o kujichembulusya Nyuumba ja Akunnungu jajiswela ji ni kugachembulusya Malajisyo.
They [also] brought in some other men who accused Stephen falsely [about several things]. They said, “This fellow continually says bad things about this holy Temple and about the laws [that Moses received from God].
14 Pakuŵa twampilikene achiŵechetaga kuti jwele Che Yesu jwa ku Nasaleti chajijonanje Nyuumba ja Akunnungu ji ni kuchigalausya chisyoŵelo chiŵatupele che Musa.”
Specifically, we [(exc)] have heard him say that this Jesus from Nazareth [town] will destroy this Temple and will tell us to obey different customs than Moses [taught our ancestors].”
15 Wose ŵaŵaliji pa Nkungulu ŵankolondolele che Stefano, ŵambweni ku meeso kwakwe kuli mpela ku meeso kwa katumetume jwa kwinani.
When all [the people] who were sitting in the Council [room heard that, and as they] all stared at Stephen, they saw that his face was [shining] [SIM] like the face of an angel.

< Masengo 6 >