Acts 26
1 And Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and made his defence:
Basi, Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Unaruhusiwa kujitetea.” Hapo Paulo alinyosha mkono wake akajitetea hivi:
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, that I am to make my defence before thee this day touching all the things whereof I am accused by the Jews:
“Mfalme Agripa, ninajiona mwenye bahati leo kujitetea mbele yako kuhusu yale mashtaka yote ambayo Wayahudi walikuwa wamesema juu yangu.
3 especially because thou art expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
Hasa kwa vile wewe mwenyewe ni mtaalamu wa desturi za Wayahudi na migogoro yao, ninakuomba basi unisikilize kwa uvumilivu.
4 My manner of life then from my youth up, which was from the beginning among mine own nation, and at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
“Wayahudi wanajua habari za maisha yangu tangu utoto, jinsi nilivyoishi tangu mwanzo kati ya taifa langu huko Yerusalemu.
5 having knowledge of me from the first, if they be willing to testify, how that after the straitest sect of our religion 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 I stand [here] to be judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers;
Na sasa niko hapa nihukumiwe kwa sababu ninaitumainia ile ahadi ambayo Mungu aliwaahidia babu zetu.
7 unto which [promise] our twelve tribes, earnestly serving [God] night and day, hope to attain. And concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O king!
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 doth raise the dead?
Kwa nini ninyi mnaona shida sana kuamini kwamba Mungu huwafufua wafu?
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to 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 And this I also did in Jerusalem: and I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were 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 punishing them oftentimes in all the synagogues, I strove to make them blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
Mara nyingi niliwafanya waadhibiwe katika masunagogi yote nikiwashurutisha waikane imani yao. Hasira yangu kwao ilikuwa kubwa hata nikawasaka mpaka miji ya mbali.
12 Whereupon as I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
“Kwa mujibu huohuo, nilikwenda Damasko wakati mmoja, nikiwa na mamlaka na maagizo kutoka kwa makuhani wakuu.
13 at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them that journeyed 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 when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying unto me in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goad.
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 art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Mimi nikauliza: Ni nani wewe Bwana? Naye Bwana akajibu: Mimi ni Yesu ambaye wewe unamtesa.
16 But arise, and stand upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared unto thee, to appoint thee a minister and a witness both of the things wherein thou hast seen me, and of the things wherein I will appear unto thee;
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 thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I send thee,
Nitakuokoa na watu wa Israeli na watu wa mataifa mengine ambao mimi ninakutuma kwao.
18 to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in 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 Wherefore, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
“Hivyo, mfalme Agripa, sikuweza kuwa mkaidi kwa maono hilo la mbinguni.
20 but declared both to them of Damascus first, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judaea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
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 For this cause the Jews seized me in the temple, and assayed to kill me.
Kwa sababu hiyo, Wayahudi walinikamata nikiwa Hekaluni, wakajaribu kuniua.
22 Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand unto this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses did say should 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 how that the Christ must suffer, [and] how that he first by the resurrection of the dead should proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles.
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 as he thus made his defence, Festus saith with a loud voice, Paul, thou art mad; thy much learning doth turn thee to madness.
Paulo alipofika hapa katika kujitetea kwake, Festo alisema kwa sauti kubwa, “Paulo! Una wazimu! Kusoma kwako kwingi kunakutia wazimu!”
25 But Paul saith, I am not mad, most excellent Festus; but speak forth words of truth and soberness.
Lakini Paulo akasema, “Sina wazimu mheshimiwa Festo: Ninachosema ni ukweli mtupu.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, unto whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him; for this hath 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 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Mfalme Agripa, je, una imani na manabii? Najua kwamba unaamini.”
28 And Agrippa [said] unto Paul, With but little persuasion thou wouldest fain make me a Christian.
Agripa akamjibu Paulo, “Kidogo tu utanifanya Mkristo!”
29 And Paul [said], I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not thou only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I 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 the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
Hapo mfalme Agripa, mkuu wa mkoa, Bernike na wale wote waliokuwa pamoja nao, walisimama.
31 and when they had withdrawn, they spake one to another, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
Walipokwisha ondoka, waliambiana, “Mtu huyu hakufanya chochote kinachostahili adhabu ya kifo au kifungo.”
32 And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.
Naye Agripa akamwambia Festo, “Mtu huyu angeweza kufunguliwa kama asingalikuwa amekata rufani kwa Kaisari.”
