Acts 19
1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples
Kwathi u-Apholo eseKhorinte uPhawuli wathatha indlela ehamba phakathi kwelizwe waze wayafika e-Efesu. Khonapho wafumana abafundi abathile,
2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
wababuza wathi, “Lamamukela na uMoya oNgcwele ngesikhathi liqalisa ukukholwa?” Baphendula bathi, “Hatshi, kasizwanga lokuzwa ukuthi kuloMoya oNgcwele.”
3 “Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.
Ngakho uPhawuli wasebuza wathi, “Pho lathola luphi ubhaphathizo?” Baphendula bathi, “Ubhaphathizo lukaJohane.”
4 Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
UPhawuli wathi, “Ubhaphathizo lukaJohane lwalulubhaphathizo lokuphenduka. Watshela abantu ukuthi bakholwe kulowo owayezakuza ngemva kwakhe, esitsho ukuthi kuJesu.”
5 On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
Sebekuzwile lokhu babhaphathizelwa ebizweni leNkosi uJesu.
6 And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
UPhawuli esebeke izandla zakhe phezu kwabo uMoya oNgcwele wehlela kubo, bakhuluma ngendimi njalo baphrofitha.
7 There were about twelve men in all.
Babengamadoda ayengaba litshumi lambili bebonke.
8 Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
UPhawuli wangena esinagogweni wakhuluma ngesibindi khona okwezinyanga ezintathu, echaza okusuthisayo ngombuso kaNkulunkulu.
9 But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
Kodwa abanye babo baba yiziqholo; bala ukukholwa, bakhuluma kubi obala ngeNdlela. Ngakho uPhawuli wabatshiya. Wathatha abafundi wasuka wayahlangana labo baxoxisana nsuku zonke esikolweni sikaThiranu.
10 This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.
Lokhu kwaqhubeka okweminyaka emibili, kwaze kwathi wonke amaJuda lamaGrikhi ayehlala kulesosifunda sase-Ezhiya alizwa ilizwi leNkosi.
11 God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,
UNkulunkulu wenza imimangaliso engajayelekanga ngoPhawuli,
12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.
izifinyo lamathawulo okwakuthintiswe kuye kwakusiwa kwabagulayo bahle basile emikhuhlaneni yabo lemimoya emibi iphume kubo.
13 Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I bind you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.”
Amanye amaJuda ayebhoda exotsha imimoya emibi azama ukubiza ibizo leNkosi uJesu kulabo ababelamadimoni. Ayesithi, “Ngebizo likaJesu uPhawuli atshumayela ngaye, ngikulaya ukuthi uphume.”
14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
Ababesenza lokhu ngamadodana ayisikhombisa kaSkeva umphristi omkhulu wamaJuda.
15 Eventually, one of the evil spirits answered them, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
Kwelinye ilanga umoya omubi waphendula wathi, “UJesu ngiyamazi, loPhawuli ngiyamazi, kodwa lina lingobani na?”
16 Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded.
Kwasekusithi indoda eyayilomoya omubi yabeqela, yabehlula bonke. Yabatshaya okuzwayo baze baphuma endlini bebaleka benqunu njalo besopha igazi.
17 This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.
Kwathi lokhu sekuzwakele kumaJuda lamaGrikhi ayehlala e-Efesu, onke ethuka ngokwesaba, ibizo leNkosi uJesu laselihlonitshwa kakhulu.
18 Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.
Abanengi balabo abasebekholwa beza baphumela egcekeni, bevuma iziphambeko zabo.
19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
Abanengi ababehlahlula baletha ndawonye imiqulu yabo bayitshisa obala. Bathi sebehlolile izindleko zaleyomiqulu kwabonakala kungaba ngamadrakhima azinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amahlanu.
20 So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.
Ngaleyondlela ilizwi leNkosi landa kabanzi njalo lakhula laba lamandla.
21 After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem after he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”
Ngemva kwakho konke lokhu sekwenzakele, uPhawuli wazimisela ukuya eJerusalema, ezadlula eMasedoniya lase-Akhayiya. Wathi, “Nxa sengike ngaya khona, kuzamele ngethekelele laseRoma.”
22 He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.
Wathuma ababili abasizi bakhe eMasedoniya, uThimothi lo-Erastu, yena esasele okwesikhatshana esifundeni sase-Ezhiya.
23 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
Ngalesosikhathi kwaba lokudungeka okukhulu ngeNdlela.
24 It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.
Umkhandi wesiliva owayethiwa nguDemetriyasi owayesenza izikhonzelo zokukhonzela u-Athemisi ngesiliva, wayengenisa imali ezwayo kubakhandi.
25 Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity.
Wababizela ndawonye kanye lezinye izisebenzi zemisebenzi efananayo wathi kubo, “Madoda, liyakwazi ukuthi sizuza imali enengi ngomsebenzi lo.
26 And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
Liyabona njalo liyezwa ukuthi uPhawuli lo usenze abantu abanengi bakholwa njalo uzadukisa abantu abanengi lapha e-Efesu lakuso sonke isifunda sase-Ezhiya. Uthi yena onkulunkulu ababunjwe ngumuntu kabasibo onkulunkulu lakancinyane.
27 There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”
Kulengozi-ke yokuthi kakuyikuba ngumsebenzi wethu kuphela ozalahlekelwa libizo lawo elihle, kodwa lethempeli likankulunkulukazi omkhulu u-Athemisi lizadunyazwa, laye unkulunkulukazi ngokwakhe, yena okhonzwa kusosonke isifunda sase-Ezhiya lasemhlabeni wonke, uzakwemukwa ubukhosi bakhe.”
28 When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Bathi bekuzwa lokhu bafuthelana ngokuzonda, bahle bamemeza besithi, “Mkhulu u-Athemisi wama-Efesu!”
29 Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.
Masinyane nje idolobho lonke laphithizela. Abantu badumela uGayiyasi lo-Aristakhasi ababe ngabaphelekezeli bakaPhawuli, bengabeMasedoniya, babahudulela enkundleni yemidlalo bonke bayakuthi cwi khona.
30 Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.
UPhawuli wayefuna ukuzithela emphakathini, kodwa abafundi bamalela.
31 Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre.
Labanye abaphathi besifunda, ababengabangane bakaPhawuli, labo bamthumela ilizwi bathi angaqali ukuyavela enkundleni yemidlalo.
32 Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there.
Kwakungasaqondakali enkundleni: Abanye babeklabalala besitsho lokhu, abanye labo besitsho okunye. Abantu abanengi babevele bengazi lokuthi babelandeni lapho.
33 The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people.
AmaJuda afuqela u-Alekizanda phambili esithi kawakhulumele. Waphakamisa isandla ukuwathulisa ukuze achasise kuhle indaba ebantwini.
34 But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
Kodwa athi ngokunanzelela ukuthi wayengumJuda, onke ahlaba umkhosi kanyekanye okwaphose kwathatha amahola amabili, besithi, “Mkhulu u-Athemisi wama-Efesu!”
35 Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?
Unobhala wedolobho walithulisa ixuku wathi, “Madoda ase-Efesu, akusikho yini ukuthi umhlaba wonke uyakwazi ukuthi idolobho lase-Efesu yilo elingumlondolozi wethempeli lika-Athemisi omkhulu, kanye lomfanekiso wakhe owehla uvela ezulwini?
36 Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.
Pho-ke njengoba lokhu kuyinto engaphikiswayo, thulani lingenzi izinto zamawala.
37 For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
Selilethe amadoda la lapha, kodwa wona engagqekezanga emathempelini kumbe athuka unkulunkulukazi wethu.
38 So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there.
Ngakho nxa uDemetriyasi lalabo akhanda labo belensolo loba ngobani, imithethwandaba ivuliwe, njalo labahluleli bakhona. Bangamangala.
39 But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.
Nxa kukhona njalo okunye elifuna ukukutsho, kakuyethoniswa ngomthetho enkundleni.
40 For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”
Njengoba kunje nje sisengozini yokubekwa icala lokuvusa isiyaluyalu ngenxa yezehlakalo zalamuhla. Kungenzeka lokho sizakwehluleka ukuchaza imbangela yalesisiphithiphithi, ngoba ngempela kungekho sizatho.”
41 After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
Eqeda kukhuluma lokhu, wawuchitha umhlangano.
