Acts 26
1 And Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted to you to speak for yourself”; then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defense:
Basi, Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Unaruhusiwa kujitetea.” Hapo Paulo alinyosha mkono wake akajitetea hivi:
2 “Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I have thought myself blessed, being about to make a defense before you today,
“Mfalme Agripa, ninajiona mwenye bahati leo kujitetea mbele yako kuhusu yale mashtaka yote ambayo Wayahudi walikuwa wamesema juu yangu.
3 especially knowing you to be acquainted with all things—both customs and questions—among Jews; for this reason, I implore you to hear me patiently.
Hasa kwa vile wewe mwenyewe ni mtaalamu wa desturi za Wayahudi na migogoro yao, ninakuomba basi unisikilize kwa uvumilivu.
4 The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth—which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem—all the Jews know,
“Wayahudi wanajua habari za maisha yangu tangu utoto, jinsi nilivyoishi tangu mwanzo kati ya taifa langu huko Yerusalemu.
5 knowing me before from the first (if they may be willing to testify), that after the most exact sect of our worship, I lived a Pharisee;
Wananifahamu kwa muda mrefu, na wanaweza kushuhudia, kama wakipenda, kwamba tangu mwanzo niliishi kama mmoja wa kikundi chenye siasa kali zaidi katika dini yetu, yaani kikundi cha Mafarisayo.
6 and now for the hope of the promise made to the fathers by God, I have stood judged,
Na sasa niko hapa nihukumiwe kwa sababu ninaitumainia ile ahadi ambayo Mungu aliwaahidia babu zetu.
7 to which our twelve tribes, intently serving night and day, hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, King Agrippa, by the Jews;
Ahadi hiyo ndiyo ileile inayotumainiwa na makabila kumi na mawili ya taifa letu, wakimtumikia Mungu kwa dhati mchana na usiku. Mheshimiwa mfalme, Wayahudi wananishtaki kwa sababu ya tumaini hilo!
8 why is it judged incredible with you if God raises the dead?
Kwa nini ninyi mnaona shida sana kuamini kwamba Mungu huwafufua wafu?
9 I indeed, therefore, thought with myself that it was necessary [for me] to do many things against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth,
Kwa kweli mimi mwenyewe niliamini kwamba ni wajibu wangu kufanya mambo mengi kulipinga jina la Yesu wa Nazareti.
10 which I also did in Jerusalem, and I shut up many of the holy ones in prison, having received the authority from the chief priests; they also being put to death, I gave my vote against them,
Mambo hayo ndiyo niliyoyafanya huko Yerusalemu. Mimi binafsi, nikiwa nimepewa mamlaka kutoka kwa makuhani wakuu, nilipata kuwatia gerezani wengi wa watu wa Mungu. Nao walipohukumiwa kuuawa, nilipiga kura ya kukubali.
11 and in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining [them] to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting [them] even to strange cities.
Mara nyingi niliwafanya waadhibiwe katika masunagogi yote nikiwashurutisha waikane imani yao. Hasira yangu kwao ilikuwa kubwa hata nikawasaka mpaka miji ya mbali.
12 In which things, also, going on to Damascus—with authority and commission from the chief priests—
“Kwa mujibu huohuo, nilikwenda Damasko wakati mmoja, nikiwa na mamlaka na maagizo kutoka kwa makuhani wakuu.
13 at midday, I saw in the way, O king, out of Heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining around me a light—and those going on with me;
Mheshimiwa, wakati nilipokuwa njiani, saa sita mchana, niliona mwanga mkubwa kuliko wa jua ukiangaza kutoka mbinguni, ukanizunguka mimi na wale wasafiri wenzangu.
14 and we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? [It is] hard for you to kick against goads!
Sisi sote tulianguka chini, nami nikasikia sauti ikiniambia kwa Kiebrania: Saulo, Saulo! Kwa nini unanitesa? Unajiumiza bure kama punda anayepiga teke fimbo ya bwana wake.
15 And I said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you persecute;
Mimi nikauliza: Ni nani wewe Bwana? Naye Bwana akajibu: Mimi ni Yesu ambaye wewe unamtesa.
16 but rise, and stand on your feet, for this I appeared to you, to appoint you an officer and a witness both of the things you saw, and of the things [in which] I will appear to you,
Haidhuru, inuka sasa; simama wima. Nimekutokea ili nikuweke rasmi kuwa mtumishi wangu. Utawathibitishia watu wengine mambo uliyoyaona leo na yale ambayo bado nitakuonyesha.
17 delivering you from the people, and the nations, to whom I now send you,
Nitakuokoa na watu wa Israeli na watu wa mataifa mengine ambao mimi ninakutuma kwao.
18 to open their eyes, to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the authority of Satan to God, for their receiving forgiveness of sins, and a lot among those having been sanctified by faith that [is] toward Me.
Utayafumbua macho yao na kuwawezesha watoke gizani na kuingia katika mwanga; watoke katika utawala wa Shetani, wamgeukie Mungu; ili kwa kuamini, wapate kusamehewa dhambi na kuchukua nafasi yao kati ya wale ambao wamepata kuwa watu wa Mungu.
19 After which, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
“Hivyo, mfalme Agripa, sikuweza kuwa mkaidi kwa maono hilo la mbinguni.
20 but to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem, also to all the region of Judea, and to the nations, I was preaching to convert, and to turn back to God, doing works worthy of conversion;
Ila nilianza kuhubiri kwanza kwa watu wa Damasko, halafu kwa wale wa Yerusalemu na nchi yote ya Yudea, na pia kwa watu wa mataifa mengine. Niliwahimiza wamgeukie Mungu na kuonyesha kwa vitendo kwamba wamebadilisha mioyo yao.
21 because of these things the Jews—having caught me in the temple—were endeavoring to kill [me].
Kwa sababu hiyo, Wayahudi walinikamata nikiwa Hekaluni, wakajaribu kuniua.
22 Having obtained, therefore, help from God, until this day, I have stood witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing besides the things that both the prophets and Moses spoke of as about to come,
Lakini Mungu alinisaidia; na hivyo mpaka siku ya leo nimesimama imara nikitoa ushuhuda kwa wote, wakubwa na wadogo. Ninayosema ni yale ambayo manabii na Mose walisema yatatukia;
23 that the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a resurrection from the dead, He is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.”
yaani ilimpasa Kristo ateseke na kuwa wa kwanza kufufuka kutoka wafu, ili atangaze kwamba mwanga wa ukombozi unawaangazia sasa watu wote, Wayahudi na pia watu wa mataifa mengine.”
24 And he thus making a defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “You are mad, Paul; much learning turns you mad!”
Paulo alipofika hapa katika kujitetea kwake, Festo alisema kwa sauti kubwa, “Paulo! Una wazimu! Kusoma kwako kwingi kunakutia wazimu!”
25 And he says, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but of truth and soberness I speak forth the sayings;
Lakini Paulo akasema, “Sina wazimu mheshimiwa Festo: Ninachosema ni ukweli mtupu.
26 for the king knows concerning these things, before whom I also speak boldly, for none of these things, I am persuaded, are hidden from him; for this thing has not been done in a corner;
Wewe Mfalme unayafahamu mambo haya, kwa hiyo ninaweza kuongea bila uoga mbele yako. Sina mashaka kwamba matukio hayo yanajulikana kwako maana jambo hili halikutendeka mafichoni.
27 do you believe, King Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that you believe!”
Mfalme Agripa, je, una imani na manabii? Najua kwamba unaamini.”
28 And Agrippa said to Paul, “In [so] little you persuade me to become a Christian?”
Agripa akamjibu Paulo, “Kidogo tu utanifanya Mkristo!”
29 And Paul said, “I would have wished to God, both in a little, and in much, not only you, but also all those hearing me today, to become such as I also am—except these bonds.”
Paulo akamjibu, “Namwomba Mungu kwamba, kwa muda mfupi au mrefu, si wewe tu bali wote wanaonisikia leo wapate kuwa kama nilivyo mimi, lakini bila hii minyororo.”
30 And he having spoken these things, the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and those sitting with them,
Hapo mfalme Agripa, mkuu wa mkoa, Bernike na wale wote waliokuwa pamoja nao, walisimama.
31 and having withdrawn, they were speaking to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds”;
Walipokwisha ondoka, waliambiana, “Mtu huyu hakufanya chochote kinachostahili adhabu ya kifo au kifungo.”
32 and Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
Naye Agripa akamwambia Festo, “Mtu huyu angeweza kufunguliwa kama asingalikuwa amekata rufani kwa Kaisari.”
