Acts 23
1 And Paul, fixing his eyes on the council, said, Brethren, I have walked in all good conscience with God unto this day.
UPhawuli wawujolozela umphakathi weSanihedrini wathi, “Bazalwane, sengiwugcwalisile umlandu wami kuNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo eqotho kuze kube lamuhla.”
2 But the high priest Ananias ordered those standing by him to smite his mouth.
Umphristi omkhulu, u-Ananiya, kwamcunula lokhu, watshela labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli ukuthi bamukule umlomo.
3 Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, whited wall. And thou, dost thou sit judging me according to the law, and breaking the law commandest me to be smitten?
UPhawuli wathi kuye, “UNkulunkulu uzakumukula, wena mduli oconjwe ngekalaga emhlophe! Lapha uhlalele ukungahlulela ngomthetho, ikanti wena ngokwakho uyaweqa umthetho ngokulaya ukuthi ngitshaywe!”
4 And those that stood by said, Dost thou rail against the high priest of God?
Labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli bathi, “Ulesibindi sokuthuka umphristi omkhulu kaNkulunkulu wena?”
5 And Paul said, I was not conscious, brethren, that he was high priest; for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evilly of the ruler of thy people.
UPhawuli waphendula wathi, “Bazalwane, bengingazi ukuthi ungumphristi omkhulu; ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Ungakhulumi okubi ngombusi wabantu bakini.’”
6 But Paul, knowing that the one part [of them] were of the Sadducees and the other of the Pharisees, cried out in the council, Brethren, I am a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: I am judged concerning the hope and resurrection of [the] dead.
UPhawuli wayesazi ukuthi abanye babo babe ngamaSadusi, abanye bengabaFarisi, wasememeza phakathi kweSanihedrini wathi, “Bazalwane, mina ngingumFarisi, indodana yomFarisi. Ngithoniselwa ukuthi ngilethemba lokuvuka kwabafileyo.”
7 And when he had spoken this, there was a tumult of the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the multitude was divided.
Wathi ngokutsho lokhu, kwavuka umsindo phakathi kwabaFarisi lamaSadusi, umphakathi wasudabukana phakathi.
8 For Sadducees say there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but Pharisees confess both of them.
(AmaSadusi athi kakulakuvuka ekufeni, lokuthi kakulazingilosi loba imimoya, kodwa abaFarisi bayakuvuma konke lokho ukuthi kukhona.)
9 And there was a great clamour, and the scribes of the Pharisees' part rising up contended, saying, We find nothing evil in this man; and if a spirit has spoken to him, or an angel...
Kwaba lokuxokozela okukhulu, kwathi abanye abafundisi bomthetho ababe ngabaFarisi basukuma bayidaza inkani. Bathi, “Kasiboni lutho olubi ngendoda le. Mhlawumbe umoya kumbe ingilosi ikhulume kuye ke?”
10 And a great tumult having arisen, the chiliarch, fearing lest Paul should have been torn in pieces by them, commanded the troop to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and to bring [him] into the fortress.
Yavutha inkani umlawuli webutho waze wesaba ukuthi uPhawuli sebengamdabudabula. Waselaya amabutho ukuthi ahle amsuse kubo ngamandla amlethe enkambeni yamabutho.
11 But the following night the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast testified the things concerning me at Jerusalem, so thou must bear witness at Rome also.
Ngobusuku obulandelayo iNkosi yema eduze kukaPhawuli yathi, “Iba lesibindi! Njengoba usufakaze ngami eJerusalema, kusamele njalo uyofakaza eRoma.”
12 And when it was day, the Jews, having banded together, put themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they should kill Paul.
Ngosuku olulandelayo amaJuda abumba icebo njalo enza isifungo sokuthi kawayikudla kumbe anathe engakambulali uPhawuli.
13 And they were more than forty who had joined together in this oath;
Kwakungamadoda edlula amatshumi amane ayehambisana lalelocebo.
14 and they went to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have cursed ourselves with a curse to taste nothing until we kill Paul.
Baya kubaphristi abakhulu labadala bathi, “Sesifunge ijoyi lokuthi kasiyikudla lutho size simbulale uPhawuli.
15 Now therefore do ye with the council make a representation to the chiliarch so that he may bring him down to you, as about to determine more precisely what concerns him, and we, before he draws near, are ready to kill him.
Ngakho-ke lina leSanihedrini khalazani kumlawuli webutho ukuthi amlethe kini ngenhloso yokuthi lifuna ubufakazi obugcweleyo ngecala lakhe. Thina sesilungisile ukuthi simbulale engakafiki lapha.”
16 But Paul's sister's son, having heard of the lying in wait, came and entered into the fortress and reported [it] to Paul.
Kodwa kwathi ukuba indodana kadadewabo kaPhawuli isilizwile lelicebo, yaya enkambeni yamabutho yayamtshela uPhawuli.
17 And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Take this youth to the chiliarch, for he has something to report to him.
UPhawuli wasebiza omunye umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Hamba lejaha leli kumlawuli wamabutho; kukhona elifuna ukukutsho kuye.”
18 He therefore, having taken him with [him], led him to the chiliarch, and says, The prisoner Paul called me to [him] and asked me to lead this youth to thee, who has something to say to thee.
Ngakho wasemusa kumlawuli. Umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Isibotshwa esinguPhawuli singibizile sangicela ukuthi ngilethe ijaha leli kuwe ngoba kukhona elifuna ukukutshela khona.”
19 And the chiliarch having taken him by the hand, and having gone apart in private, inquired, What is it that thou hast to report to me?
Umlawuli wamthatha lowojaha, wambamba ngesandla waya laye eceleni, wambuza wathi, “Kuyini ofuna ukungitshela khona?”
20 And he said, The Jews have agreed together to make a request to thee, that thou mayest bring Paul down to-morrow into the council, as about to inquire something more precise concerning him.
Wathi: “AmaJuda asevumelene ukuthi akucele wena ukuthi ulethe uPhawuli phambi kweSanihedrini kusasa ngenhloso yokuthi afuna ingcazelo epheleleyo mayelana laye.
21 Do not thou then be persuaded by them, for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, who have put themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they kill him; and now they are ready waiting the promise from thee.
Ungabavumeli ngoba abeqa amatshumi amane bawo bazamcathamela. Asenze isifungo sokuthi angadli njalo anganathi engakabulali uPhawuli. Kunje nje sebelungile, sebelindele imvumo yakho ngesicelo sabo.”
22 The chiliarch then dismissed the youth, commanding [him], Utter to no one that thou hast represented these things to me.
Umlawuli wathi kahambe umfana, wamqonqosela wathi, “Ungatsheli muntu ukuthi usungazisile ngalokhu.”
23 And having called to [him] certain two of the centurions, he said, Prepare two hundred soldiers that they may go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred light-armed footmen, for the third hour of the night.
Wasebiza abaphathi bebutho ababili wabalaya wathi, “Lungisani ixuku lamabutho angamakhulu amabili, abagadi bamabhiza abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa labangamakhulu amabili abahlome ngemikhonto ukuthi baye eKhesariya lamuhla ebusuku ngehola lesithathu.
24 And [he ordered them] to provide beasts, that they might set Paul on them and carry [him] safe through to Felix the governor,
Lilungisele loPhawuli amabhiza ukuze asiwe kuMbusi uFelikhe evikelekile.”
25 having written a letter, couched in this form:
Wabhala incwadi kanje:
26 Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix, greeting.
Klawudiyasi Lisiya, Kumhlekazi, uMbusi uFelikhe: Ngiyabingelela.
27 This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I came up with the military and took out [of their hands], having learned that he was a Roman.
Indoda le yabanjwa ngamaJuda, okwathi esezama ukuyibulala ngafika lamabutho ami sayilamulela ngoba ngasengizwile ukuthi ingumRoma.
28 And desiring to know the charge on which they accused him, I brought him down to their council;
Ngadinga ukwazi ukuthi ayesithi yoneni, yikho ngayiletha phambi kweSanihedrini yawo.
29 whom I found to be accused of questions of their law, but to have no charge laid against him [making him] worthy of death or of bonds.
Ngezwa ukuthi icala layo laliphathelene lomlayo wawo, kodwa kwasweleka icala elingafanela ukufa loba ukugwetshelwa entolongweni.
30 But having received information of a plot about to be put in execution against the man [by the Jews], I have immediately sent him to thee, commanding also his accusers to say before thee the things that are against him. [Farewell.]
Ngithe sengilunywe indlebe ngecebo lokuyibulala ngahle ngayedlulisela kuwe. Ngiphinde ngatshela omayimangalela ukuthi bazokwethula kuwe abamangalela ngakho.
31 The soldiers therefore, according to what was ordered them, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris,
Ngakho amabutho azilandela lezo ziqondiso amthatha uPhawuli ebusuku ayamfikisa e-Antiphatri.
32 and on the morrow, having left the horsemen to go with him, returned to the fortress.
Ngosuku olulandelayo amabutho amtshiya leqembu labagade amabhiza ukuthi liqhubeke laye, bona babuyela enkambeni.
33 And these, having entered into Caesarea, and given up the letter to the governor, presented Paul also to him.
Kwathi abamabhiza sebefikile eKhesariya bayethula incwadi kumbusi loPhawuli laye bamnikela kuye.
34 And having read [it], and asked of what eparchy he was, and learned that [he was] of Cilicia,
Umbusi wayibala incwadi wambuza ukuthi wayedabuka kusiphi isifunda. Esezwile ukuthi wayengoweSilisiya,
35 he said, I will hear thee fully when thine accusers also are arrived. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's praetorium.
Wathi, “Icala lakho ngizalihlola nxa labo abakumangalelayo sebefikile lapha.” Waselaya ukuthi uPhawuli agcinwe elindiwe esigodlweni sikaHerodi.
