Acts 25
1 Three days after his arrival in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem,
Siku tatu baada ya Festo kuwasili Kaisaria kuchukua wajibu wake mpya, alipanda kwenda Yerusalemu,
2 where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus
ambako viongozi wa makuhani na viongozi wa Wayahudi walikuja mbele yake na kuleta mashtaka yao dhidi ya Paulo.
3 to grant them a concession against Paul by summoning him to Jerusalem, because they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way.
Wakamsihi sana Festo, kama upendeleo kwao, aamuru Paulo ahamishiwe Yerusalemu, kwa kuwa walikuwa wanaandaa kumvizia ili wamuue akiwa njiani.
4 But Festus replied, “Paul is being held in Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon.
Festo akawajibu, “Paulo amezuiliwa huko Kaisaria, nami mwenyewe ninakwenda huko hivi karibuni.
5 So if this man has done anything wrong, let some of your leaders come down with me and accuse him there.”
Baadhi ya viongozi wenu wafuatane nami na kutoa mashtaka dhidi ya mtu huyo huko, kama amekosa jambo lolote.”
6 After spending no more than eight or ten days with them, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he sat on the judgment seat and ordered that Paul be brought in.
Baada ya Festo kukaa miongoni mwao kwa karibu siku nane au kumi, akashuka kwenda Kaisaria na siku iliyofuata akaitisha mahakama, akaketi penye kiti chake cha hukumu, akaamuru Paulo aletwe mbele yake.
7 When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.
Paulo alipotokea, wale Wayahudi waliokuwa wameteremka toka Yerusalemu wakasimama wakiwa wamemzunguka, wakileta mashtaka mengi mazito dhidi yake ambayo hawakuweza kuyathibitisha.
8 Then Paul made his defense: “I have committed no offense against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
Ndipo Paulo akajitetea, akasema, “Mimi sikufanya jambo lolote kinyume cha sheria ya Wayahudi au dhidi ya Hekalu au kinyume cha Kaisari.”
9 But Festus, wishing to do the Jews a favor, said to Paul, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem to stand trial before me on these charges?”
Festo, akitaka kuwapendeza Wayahudi, akamuuliza Paulo, “Je, ungependa kwenda Yerusalemu na kukabili mashtaka mbele yangu huko?”
10 Paul replied, “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. I have done nothing wrong to the Jews, as you yourself know very well.
Paulo akasema, “Mimi sasa nimesimama mbele ya mahakama ya Kaisari, ambako ndiko ninakostahili kushtakiwa. Kama vile wewe mwenyewe ujuavyo vyema kabisa sijawatendea Wayahudi kosa lolote.
11 If, however, I am guilty of anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if there is no truth to their accusations against me, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
Basi kama mimi nina hatia ya kutenda kosa lolote linalostahili kifo, sikatai kufa. Lakini kama mashtaka yaliyoletwa dhidi yangu na hawa Wayahudi si kweli, hakuna yeyote aliye na haki ya kunikabidhi mikononi mwao. Naomba rufaa kwa Kaisari!”
12 Then Festus conferred with his council and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
Baada ya Festo kufanya shauri pamoja na baraza lake, akatangaza, “Wewe umeomba rufaa kwa Kaisari, nako kwa Kaisari utakwenda!”
13 After several days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea to pay their respects to Festus.
Baada ya siku kadhaa Mfalme Agripa na Bernike wakapanda kuja Kaisaria kumsalimu Festo.
14 Since they were staying several days, Festus laid out Paul’s case before the king: “There is a certain man whom Felix left in prison.
Kwa kuwa walikuwa wakae huko Kaisaria kwa siku nyingi, Festo alijadili shauri la Paulo na mfalme, akisema, “Kuna mtu mmoja hapa ambaye Feliksi alimwacha gerezani.
15 While I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and elders of the Jews presented their case and requested a judgment against him.
Nilipokuwa huko Yerusalemu, viongozi wa makuhani na wazee wa Wayahudi walinijulisha habari zake na wakaomba hukumu dhidi yake.
16 I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand a man over before he has had an opportunity to face his accusers and defend himself against their charges.
“Lakini mimi nikawaambia kwamba si desturi ya Kirumi kumtoa mtu yeyote auawe kabla mshtakiwa kuonana uso kwa uso na washtaki wake, naye awe amepewa nafasi ya kujitetea kuhusu mashtaka anayoshutumiwa.
17 So when they came here with me, I did not delay. The next day I sat on the judgment seat and ordered that the man be brought in.
Hivyo walipokutana hapa, sikukawia, kesho yake niliitisha baraza, nikaketi penye kiti changu cha hukumu, nikaagiza huyo mtu aletwe.
18 But when his accusers rose to speak, they did not charge him with any of the crimes I had expected.
Washtaki wake waliposimama, hawakushtaki kwa uhalifu wowote niliokuwa ninatarajia.
19 They only had some contentions with him regarding their own religion and a certain Jesus who had died, but whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
Badala yake walikuwa na vipengele fulani vya kutokukubaliana naye kuhusu dini yao na juu ya mtu mmoja aitwaye Yesu, ambaye alikufa, lakini yeye Paulo alidai kwamba yu hai.
20 Since I was at a loss as to how to investigate these matters, I asked if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there on these charges.
Kwa kuwa sikujua jinsi ya kupeleleza jambo hili, nilimuuliza kama angependa kwenda Yerusalemu na kuhojiwa huko kuhusu mashtaka haya.
21 But when Paul appealed to be held over for the decision of the Emperor, I ordered that he be held until I could send him to Caesar.”
Lakini Paulo alipoomba afadhiliwe ili rufaa yake isikilizwe na Mfalme Agusto, nilimwamuru alindwe mpaka nitakapoweza kumpeleka kwa Kaisari.”
22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, “I would like to hear this man myself.” “Tomorrow you will hear him,” Festus declared.
Ndipo Agripa akamwambia Festo, “Ningependa kumsikiliza mtu huyo mimi mwenyewe.” Yeye akajibu, “Kesho utamsikia.”
23 The next day Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp and entered the auditorium, along with the commanders and leading men of the city. And Festus ordered that Paul be brought in.
Siku iliyofuata Agripa na Bernike walifika kwa fahari kubwa wakaingia katika ukumbi wa mahakama, pamoja na majemadari wa jeshi na watu mashuhuri wa mji. Ndipo kwa amri ya Festo, Paulo akaletwa ndani.
24 Then Festus said, “King Agrippa and all who are present with us, you see this man. The whole Jewish community has petitioned me about him, both here and in Jerusalem, crying out that he ought not to live any longer.
Festo akasema, “Mfalme Agripa, nanyi nyote mlio hapa pamoja nasi, mnamwona mtu huyu! Jumuiya yote ya Kiyahudi wamenilalamikia kuhusu mtu huyu huko Yerusalemu na hapa Kaisaria, wakipiga kelele kwamba haimpasi kuendelea kuishi.
25 But I found he had done nothing worthy of death, and since he has now appealed to the Emperor, I decided to send him.
Sikuona kwamba ametenda jambo lolote linalostahili kifo, ila kwa kuwa alikuwa ameomba rufaa yake kwa mfalme, niliamua kumpeleka Rumi.
26 I have nothing definite to write to our sovereign one about him. Therefore I have brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after this inquiry I may have something to write.
Lakini mimi sina kitu maalum cha kumwandikia Bwana Mtukufu kumhusu mtu huyu. Kwa hiyo nimemleta mbele yenu ninyi nyote, hasa mbele yako, Mfalme Agripa, ili kutokana na matokeo ya uchunguzi huu, niweze kupata kitu cha kuandika.
27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send on a prisoner without specifying the charges against him.”
Kwa kuwa naona hakuna sababu ya kumpeleka mfungwa bila kuainisha mashtaka dhidi yake.”
