Acts 23
1 And Paul, looking fixedly at the Sanhedrin, said, My brothers, my life has been upright before God till this day.
Paulo aliwakodolea macho wale wanabaraza, halafu akaanza kusema, “Ndugu zangu, mpaka hivi leo nimekuwa nikiishi na dhamiri njema mbele ya Mungu.”
2 And the high priest, Ananias, gave orders to those who were near him to give him a blow on the mouth.
Hapo Kuhani Mkuu Anania akaamuru wale waliokuwa wamesimama karibu na Paulo wampige kofi mdomoni.
3 Then Paul said to him, God will give blows to you, you whitewashed wall: are you here to be my judge by law, and by your orders am I given blows against the law?
Basi, Paulo akamwambia, “Mungu mwenyewe atakupiga kofi wewe uliye kama ukuta uliopakwa chokaa! Unawezaje kukaa hapo ili unihukumu kisheria na huku wewe mwenyewe unaivunja Sheria kwa kuamuru nipigwe?”
4 And those who were near said, Do you say such words against God's high priest?
Watu waliokuwa wamesimama pale wakamwambia Paulo, “Unamtukana Kuhani Mkuu wa Mungu!”
5 And Paul said, Brother, I had no idea that he was the high priest: for it has been said, You may not say evil about the ruler of your people.
Paulo akajibu, “Ndugu zangu, sikujua kama yeye ni Kuhani Mkuu. Maana Maandiko yasema hivi: Usiseme vibaya juu ya mtawala wa watu wako.”
6 But when Paul saw that half of them were Sadducees and the rest Pharisees, he said in the Sanhedrin, Brothers, I am a Pharisee, and the son of Pharisees: I am here to be judged on the question of the hope of the coming back from the dead.
Wakati huo Paulo alikwisha tambua kwamba sehemu moja ya wanabaraza wale ilikuwa ni Masadukayo na nyingine Mafarisayo. Basi, alipaaza sauti yake mbele ya Baraza: “Ndugu zangu, mimi ni Mfarisayo, mwana wa Mfarisayo. Mimi nimeletwa mahakamani kwa kuwa ninatumaini kwamba wafu watafufuka.”
7 And when he had said this, there was an argument between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and a division in the meeting.
Baada ya kusema hivyo, mzozo mkali ulitokea kati ya Mafarisayo na Masadukayo na mkutano ukagawanyika sehemu mbili.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no coming back from the dead, and no angels or spirits: but the Pharisees have belief in all these.
Kisa chenyewe kilikuwa hiki: Masadukayo hushikilia kwamba wafu hawafufuki, hakuna malaika, na roho nazo hazipo. Lakini Mafarisayo husadiki hayo yote matatu.
9 And there was a great outcry: and some of the scribes on the side of the Pharisees got up and took part in the discussion, saying, We see no evil in this man: what if he has had a revelation from an angel or a spirit?
Kelele ziliongezeka na baadhi ya walimu wa Sheria wa kikundi cha Mafarisayo walisimama na kutoa malalamiko yao kwa nguvu: “Hatuoni chochote kilicho kiovu katika mtu huyu; huenda ikawa kwamba roho au malaika ameongea naye.”
10 And when the argument became very violent, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be pulled in two by them, gave orders to the armed men to take him by force from among them, and take him into the army building.
Mzozo ulizidi kuwa mwingi hata mkuu wa jeshi akaogopa kwamba Paulo angeraruliwa vipandevipande. Kwa hiyo, aliwaamuru askari wake kuingia kati ya lile kundi, wamtoe Paulo na kumrudisha ndani ya ngome.
11 And the night after, the Lord came to his side and said, Be of good heart, for as you have been witnessing for me in Jerusalem, so will you be my witness in Rome.
Usiku uliofuata, Bwana alisimama karibu na Paulo, akamwambia, “Jipe moyo! Umenishuhudia katika Yerusalemu, utafanya vivyo hivyo mjini Roma.”
12 And when it was day, the Jews came together and put themselves under an oath that they would take no food or drink till they had put Paul to death.
Kulipokucha, Wayahudi walifanya kikao cha faragha. Wakala kiapo: “Hatutakula wala kunywa mpaka tutakapokuwa tumekwisha muua Paulo.”
13 And more than forty of them took this oath.
Watu zaidi ya arobaini ndio waliokula njama kufanya hivyo.
14 And they came to the chief priests and the rulers and said, We have taken a great oath to take no food till we have put Paul to death
Basi, walikwenda kwa makuhani wakuu na wazee, wakasema, “Sisi tumeapa kwamba hatutaonja chochote kwa vinywa vyetu mpaka hapo tutakapokuwa tumemuua Paulo.
15 So now, will you and the Sanhedrin make a request to the military authorities to have him sent down to you, as if you were desiring to go into the business in greater detail; and we, before ever he gets to you, will be waiting to put him to death.
Sasa basi, ninyi pamoja na Baraza tumeni ujumbe kwa mkuu wa jeshi ili amlete Paulo kwenu mkijisingizia kwamba mnataka kupata habari kamili zaidi juu yake. Tuko tayari kumuua hata kabla hajafika karibu.”
16 But Paul's sister's son had word of their design, and he came into the army building and gave news of it to Paul.
Lakini mtoto wa kiume wa dada yake Paulo alisikia juu ya mpango huo; hivyo akaenda ndani ya ngome, akamjulisha Paulo juu ya njama hiyo.
17 And Paul sent for a captain and said, Take this young man to your chief, for he has news for him.
Hapo Paulo akamwita mmoja wa askari, akamwambia, “Mchukue kijana huyu kwa mkuu wa jeshi; ana kitu cha kumwambia.”
18 So he took him to the chief captain and said, Paul, the prisoner, made a request to me to take this young man to you, for he has something to say to you.
Askari akamchukua huyo kijana, akamwongoza mpaka kwa mkuu wa jeshi, akasema, “Yule mfungwa Paulo ameniita akaniomba nimlete kijana huyu kwako kwa maana ana jambo la kukwambia.”
19 And the chief took him by the hand and, going on one side, said to him privately, What is it you have to say to me?
Mkuu wa jeshi alimshika huyo kijana mkono, akampeleka mahali pa faragha, akamwuliza, “Una nini cha kuniambia?”
20 And he said, The Jews are in agreement together to make a request to you for Paul to be taken, on the day after this, into the Sanhedrin, to be questioned in greater detail.
Yeye akasema, “Wayahudi wamepatana wakuombe umpeleke Paulo Barazani wakijisingizia kwamba Baraza lingependa kupata habari kamili zaidi juu yake.
21 But do not give way to them, for more than forty of them are waiting for him, having taken an oath not to take food or drink till they have put him to death: and now they are ready, waiting for your order.
Lakini wewe usikubali kwa maana kuna watu zaidi ya arobaini walio tayari kumvamia. Wameapa kutokula wala kunywa mpaka watakapokuwa wamemuua. Sasa wako tayari, wanangojea tu uamuzi wako.”
22 So the chief captain let the young man go, saying to him, Do not say to anyone that you have given me word of these things.
Mkuu wa jeshi alimwacha aende zake akimwonya asimwambie mtu yeyote kwamba amemletea habari hizo.
23 And he sent for two captains and said, Make ready two hundred men, with seventy horsemen and two hundred spearmen, to go to Caesarea, at the third hour of the night:
Basi, mkuu wa jeshi aliwaita askari wawili akawaambia, “Wekeni tayari askari mia mbili, wapanda farasi sabini na askari mia mbili wa mikuki, waende Kaisarea; muwe tayari kuondoka kabla ya saa tatu leo usiku.
24 And get beasts so that they may put Paul on them, and take him safely to Felix, the ruler.
Wekeni farasi kadhaa kwa ajili ya Paulo; mfikisheni salama kwa Felisi, mkuu wa mkoa.”
25 And he sent a letter in these words:
Halafu mkuu huyo wa jeshi akaandika barua hivi:
26 Claudius Lysias, to the most noble ruler, Felix, peace be with you.
“Mimi Klaudio Lusia ninakuandikia wewe Mheshimiwa Felisi, mkuu wa mkoa. Salamu!
27 This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be put to death by them, when I came on them with the army and took him out of danger, having knowledge that he was a Roman.
“Wayahudi walimkamata mtu huyu na karibu wangemuua kama nisingalifahamishwa kwamba yeye ni raia wa Roma na hivyo nikaenda pamoja na askari nikamwokoa.
28 And, desiring to get at the reason for their attack on him, I took him down to their Sanhedrin:
Nilimpeleka mbele ya Baraza lao kuu nikitaka kujua kisa cha mashtaka yao.
29 Then it became clear to me that it was a question of their law, and that nothing was said against him which might be a reason for prison or death.
Niligundua kwamba mashtaka yenyewe yalihusu ubishi juu ya sehemu kadha wa kadha za Sheria yao na hivyo sikuona kwamba amefanya chochote kinachostahili auawe au afungwe gerezani.
30 And when news was given to me that a secret design was being made against the man, I sent him straight away to you, giving orders to those who are against him to make their statements before you.
Nilipofahamishwa kwamba Wayahudi walikuwa wamefanya njama za kumuua, niliamua kumleta kwako. Nikamwambia washtaki wake walete mashtaka yao mbele yako.”
31 So the armed men, as they were ordered, took Paul and came by night to Antipatris.
Basi, hao askari walimchukua Paulo kama walivyoamriwa; wakampeleka usiku uleule mpaka Antipatri.
32 But on the day after, they sent the horsemen on with him, and went back to their place:
Kesho yake askari wa miguu walirudi ngomeni, wakawaacha wale askari wapanda farasi waendelee na safari pamoja na Paulo.
33 And they, when they came to Caesarea, gave the letter to the ruler, and took Paul before him.
Walipofika Kaisarea walimpa mkuu wa mkoa ile barua na kumweka Paulo chini ya mamlaka yake.
34 And after reading it, he said, What part of the country do you come from? And, hearing that he was from Cilicia,
Felisi alipoisoma hiyo barua aliwauliza Paulo ametoka mkoa gani. Alipofahamishwa kwamba alikuwa ametoka mkoa wa Kilikia,
35 I will give hearing to your cause, he said, when those who are against you have come. And he gave orders for him to be kept in Herod's Praetorium.
akasema, “Nitasikiliza kesi yako baada ya washtaki wako kufika.” Kisha akaamuru Paulo awekwe chini ya ulinzi ndani ya ukumbi wa Herode.
