Acts 23
1 And Paul looking earnestly upon the council, said: Brethren! I have ordered my life in all good conscience before God to 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, commanded those who stood by him to smite him 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 smite thee, thou whited wall! Art thou then sitting to judge me according to the law, and dost thou command me to be smitten contrary to 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 they that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high-priest?
Watu waliokuwa wamesimama pale wakamwambia Paulo, “Unamtukana Kuhani Mkuu wa Mungu!”
5 Then said Paul, I knew not, brethren, that he was high-priest; for it is written, “Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy 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 Paul, perceiving one part to be Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried aloud in the council, Brethren! I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; for the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am now tried.
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 arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided.
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 resurrection, and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees affirm both.
Kisa chenyewe kilikuwa hiki: Masadukayo hushikilia kwamba wafu hawafufuki, hakuna malaika, na roho nazo hazipo. Lakini Mafarisayo husadiki hayo yote matatu.
9 And there arose a great clamor; and scribes of the party of the Pharisees arose, and contended, saying, We find nothing amiss in this man; but if a spirit hath spoken to him or an angel—
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 a great dissension arising, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, ordered the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.
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 following, the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast borne witness concerning me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at 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 banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
Kulipokucha, Wayahudi walifanya kikao cha faragha. Wakala kiapo: “Hatutakula wala kunywa mpaka tutakapokuwa tumekwisha muua Paulo.”
13 And there were more than forty who took this oath together.
Watu zaidi ya arobaini ndio waliokula njama kufanya hivyo.
14 And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
Basi, walikwenda kwa makuhani wakuu na wazee, wakasema, “Sisi tumeapa kwamba hatutaonja chochote kwa vinywa vyetu mpaka hapo tutakapokuwa tumemuua Paulo.
15 Now therefore do ye with the council give notice to the chief captain, that he bring him down to you, as though ye were about to examine his case more thoroughly; and we are ready to kill him before he cometh near you.
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 hearing of the plot went, and entering the castle, told 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 Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, Take this young man to the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him.
Hapo Paulo akamwita mmoja wa askari, akamwambia, “Mchukue kijana huyu kwa mkuu wa jeshi; ana kitu cha kumwambia.”
18 So he took him and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him, and asked me to bring this young man to thee, as he hath something to say to thee.
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 Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went aside privately, and asked him, What is it that thou hast to tell me?
Mkuu wa jeshi alimshika huyo kijana mkono, akampeleka mahali pa faragha, akamwuliza, “Una nini cha kuniambia?”
20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though thou wert about to inquire more thoroughly concerning him.
Yeye akasema, “Wayahudi wamepatana wakuombe umpeleke Paulo Barazani wakijisingizia kwamba Baraza lingependa kupata habari kamili zaidi juu yake.
21 But do not thou yield to them; for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves with an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him; and they are now ready, looking for the promise from thee.
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 The chief captain then dismissed the young man with the charge, Tell no one that thou hast disclosed these things to me.
Mkuu wa jeshi alimwacha aende zake akimwonya asimwambie mtu yeyote kwamba amemletea habari hizo.
23 And he called to him two of the centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, 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 provide beasts, whereon they may set Paul, and carry him safe to Felix the governor.
Wekeni farasi kadhaa kwa ajili ya Paulo; mfikisheni salama kwa Felisi, mkuu wa mkoa.”
25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
Halafu mkuu huyo wa jeshi akaandika barua hivi:
26 Claudius Lysias to the moss excellent governor Felix, greeting.
“Mimi Klaudio Lusia ninakuandikia wewe Mheshimiwa Felisi, mkuu wa mkoa. Salamu!
27 This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them; but I came upon them with the soldiery, and rescued him, having learned 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 wishing to know the crime of which they accused him, I brought him down to their council;
Nilimpeleka mbele ya Baraza lao kuu nikitaka kujua kisa cha mashtaka yao.
29 but I found him to be accused only on account of questions of their law, and to have nothing laid to his charge deserving death or bonds.
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 having been informed of a plot against the man, I sent him at once to thee, and directed his accusers also to bring their charges against him before thee.
Nilipofahamishwa kwamba Wayahudi walikuwa wamefanya njama za kumuua, niliamua kumleta kwako. Nikamwambia washtaki wake walete mashtaka yao mbele yako.”
31 Then the soldiers, as was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
Basi, hao askari walimchukua Paulo kama walivyoamriwa; wakampeleka usiku uleule mpaka Antipatri.
32 But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the castle.
Kesho yake askari wa miguu walirudi ngomeni, wakawaacha wale askari wapanda farasi waendelee na safari pamoja na Paulo.
33 And they, when they had come to Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
Walipofika Kaisarea walimpa mkuu wa mkoa ile barua na kumweka Paulo chini ya mamlaka yake.
34 And having read the letter, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia,
Felisi alipoisoma hiyo barua aliwauliza Paulo ametoka mkoa gani. Alipofahamishwa kwamba alikuwa ametoka mkoa wa Kilikia,
35 he said, I will hear thee fully, when thy accusers also have arrived. And he ordered him to be kept in Herod's palace.
akasema, “Nitasikiliza kesi yako baada ya washtaki wako kufika.” Kisha akaamuru Paulo awekwe chini ya ulinzi ndani ya ukumbi wa Herode.
