< Acts 23 >
1 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men [and] brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
UPhawuli wawujolozela umphakathi weSanihedrini wathi, “Bazalwane, sengiwugcwalisile umlandu wami kuNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo eqotho kuze kube lamuhla.”
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
Umphristi omkhulu, u-Ananiya, kwamcunula lokhu, watshela labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli ukuthi bamukule umlomo.
3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, [thou] whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
UPhawuli wathi kuye, “UNkulunkulu uzakumukula, wena mduli oconjwe ngekalaga emhlophe! Lapha uhlalele ukungahlulela ngomthetho, ikanti wena ngokwakho uyaweqa umthetho ngokulaya ukuthi ngitshaywe!”
4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?
Labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli bathi, “Ulesibindi sokuthuka umphristi omkhulu kaNkulunkulu wena?”
5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
UPhawuli waphendula wathi, “Bazalwane, bengingazi ukuthi ungumphristi omkhulu; ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Ungakhulumi okubi ngombusi wabantu bakini.’”
6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men [and] brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
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 so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
Wathi ngokutsho lokhu, kwavuka umsindo phakathi kwabaFarisi lamaSadusi, umphakathi wasudabukana phakathi.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
(AmaSadusi athi kakulakuvuka ekufeni, lokuthi kakulazingilosi loba imimoya, kodwa abaFarisi bayakuvuma konke lokho ukuthi kukhona.)
9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes [that were] of the Pharisees’ part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
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 when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring [him] into the castle.
Yavutha inkani umlawuli webutho waze wesaba ukuthi uPhawuli sebengamdabudabula. Waselaya amabutho ukuthi ahle amsuse kubo ngamandla amlethe enkambeni yamabutho.
11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
Ngobusuku obulandelayo iNkosi yema eduze kukaPhawuli yathi, “Iba lesibindi! Njengoba usufakaze ngami eJerusalema, kusamele njalo uyofakaza eRoma.”
12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Ngosuku olulandelayo amaJuda abumba icebo njalo enza isifungo sokuthi kawayikudla kumbe anathe engakambulali uPhawuli.
13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
Kwakungamadoda edlula amatshumi amane ayehambisana lalelocebo.
14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
Baya kubaphristi abakhulu labadala bathi, “Sesifunge ijoyi lokuthi kasiyikudla lutho size simbulale uPhawuli.
15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come 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 And when Paul’s sister’s son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
Kodwa kwathi ukuba indodana kadadewabo kaPhawuli isilizwile lelicebo, yaya enkambeni yamabutho yayamtshela uPhawuli.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto [him], and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
UPhawuli wasebiza omunye umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Hamba lejaha leli kumlawuli wamabutho; kukhona elifuna ukukutsho kuye.”
18 So he took him, and brought [him] to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto [him], and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
Ngakho wasemusa kumlawuli. Umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Isibotshwa esinguPhawuli singibizile sangicela ukuthi ngilethe ijaha leli kuwe ngoba kukhona elifuna ukukutshela khona.”
19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went [with him] aside privately, and asked [him], What is that thou hast to tell me?
Umlawuli wamthatha lowojaha, wambamba ngesandla waya laye eceleni, wambuza wathi, “Kuyini ofuna ukungitshela khona?”
20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
Wathi: “AmaJuda asevumelene ukuthi akucele wena ukuthi ulethe uPhawuli phambi kweSanihedrini kusasa ngenhloso yokuthi afuna ingcazelo epheleleyo mayelana laye.
21 But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a 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 So the chief captain [then] let the young man depart, and charged [him, See thou] tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
Umlawuli wathi kahambe umfana, wamqonqosela wathi, “Ungatsheli muntu ukuthi usungazisile ngalokhu.”
23 And he called unto [him] two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Cæsarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at 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 provide [them] beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring [him] safe unto Felix the governor.
Lilungisele loPhawuli amabhiza ukuze asiwe kuMbusi uFelikhe evikelekile.”
25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
Wabhala incwadi kanje:
26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix [sendeth] greeting.
Klawudiyasi Lisiya, Kumhlekazi, uMbusi uFelikhe: Ngiyabingelela.
27 This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
Indoda le yabanjwa ngamaJuda, okwathi esezama ukuyibulala ngafika lamabutho ami sayilamulela ngoba ngasengizwile ukuthi ingumRoma.
28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
Ngadinga ukwazi ukuthi ayesithi yoneni, yikho ngayiletha phambi kweSanihedrini yawo.
29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
Ngezwa ukuthi icala layo laliphathelene lomlayo wawo, kodwa kwasweleka icala elingafanela ukufa loba ukugwetshelwa entolongweni.
30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what [they had] against him. Farewell.
Ngithe sengilunywe indlebe ngecebo lokuyibulala ngahle ngayedlulisela kuwe. Ngiphinde ngatshela omayimangalela ukuthi bazokwethula kuwe abamangalela ngakho.
31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought [him] by night to Antipatris.
Ngakho amabutho azilandela lezo ziqondiso amthatha uPhawuli ebusuku ayamfikisa e-Antiphatri.
32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
Ngosuku olulandelayo amabutho amtshiya leqembu labagade amabhiza ukuthi liqhubeke laye, bona babuyela enkambeni.
33 Who, when they came to Cæsarea, and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
Kwathi abamabhiza sebefikile eKhesariya bayethula incwadi kumbusi loPhawuli laye bamnikela kuye.
34 And when the governor had read [the letter], he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that [he was] of Cilicia;
Umbusi wayibala incwadi wambuza ukuthi wayedabuka kusiphi isifunda. Esezwile ukuthi wayengoweSilisiya,
35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod’s judgment hall.
Wathi, “Icala lakho ngizalihlola nxa labo abakumangalelayo sebefikile lapha.” Waselaya ukuthi uPhawuli agcinwe elindiwe esigodlweni sikaHerodi.