Acts 23
1 And Paul, looking steadfastly, at the High-council, said—Brethren! I, in all good conscience have used my citizenship for 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, ordered them that stood by him, to be smiting him on the mouth.
Umphristi omkhulu, u-Ananiya, kwamcunula lokhu, watshela labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli ukuthi bamukule umlomo.
3 Then, Paul, unto him, said—God is about to be smiting thee, thou whited wall! Dost, thou, then sit to judge me according to the law, and, unlawfully, orderest 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, they who stood by, said—The High-priest of God, dost thou revile?
Labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli bathi, “Ulesibindi sokuthuka umphristi omkhulu kaNkulunkulu wena?”
5 And Paul said—I was not aware, brethren, that he was high-priest; because it is written—Of a ruler of thy people, shalt thou not speak injuriously.
UPhawuli waphendula wathi, “Bazalwane, bengingazi ukuthi ungumphristi omkhulu; ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Ungakhulumi okubi ngombusi wabantu bakini.’”
6 But Paul, getting to know that, the one part, were Sadducees and, the other, Pharisees, began to cry aloud in the council—Brethren! I, am, a Pharisee, son of Pharisees: —Concerning a hope, even of a rising again of the dead, am I to be judged.
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, as this he was saying, there arose a dissension of the Pharisees and Sadducees; and rent asunder was the throng.
Wathi ngokutsho lokhu, kwavuka umsindo phakathi kwabaFarisi lamaSadusi, umphakathi wasudabukana phakathi.
8 For, Sadducees, say, there is no rising again, nor messenger, nor spirit, whereas, Pharisees, confess them both.
(AmaSadusi athi kakulakuvuka ekufeni, lokuthi kakulazingilosi loba imimoya, kodwa abaFarisi bayakuvuma konke lokho ukuthi kukhona.)
9 And there arose a great outcry, and certain of the Scribes of the party of the Pharisees, standing up, began to strive, saying—Nothing bad, find we in this man; —but, if a spirit hath spoken unto him, or a messenger…
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, great dissension arising, the captain, fearing lest Paul would be torn in pieces by them, ordered the troop to go down, and take him by force out of their midst, 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 But, on the following night, the Lord, standing over him, said—Be of good courage! for, as thou hast fully borne witness of the things concerning me in Jerusalem, so must thou, in Rome also, bear witness.
Ngobusuku obulandelayo iNkosi yema eduze kukaPhawuli yathi, “Iba lesibindi! Njengoba usufakaze ngami eJerusalema, kusamele njalo uyofakaza eRoma.”
12 And, when it became day, the Jews, forming a conspiracy, bound themselves under a curse, saying, that they would neither eat nor drink till they had slain Paul.
Ngosuku olulandelayo amaJuda abumba icebo njalo enza isifungo sokuthi kawayikudla kumbe anathe engakambulali uPhawuli.
13 And they were, more than forty, who, this sworn-confederacy, had formed.
Kwakungamadoda edlula amatshumi amane ayehambisana lalelocebo.
14 And they went unto the High-priests and Elders, and said—With a curse have we bound ourselves, to taste, nothing, until we have slain Paul.
Baya kubaphristi abakhulu labadala bathi, “Sesifunge ijoyi lokuthi kasiyikudla lutho size simbulale uPhawuli.
15 Now, therefore, do, ye, with the High-council, make it appear unto the captain, that he should bring him down unto you, as though about to ascertain more exactly the things that concern 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 But Paul’s sister’s son hearing of the lying-in-wait, happening to be near, and coming into the castle, —reported it unto Paul.
Kodwa kwathi ukuba indodana kadadewabo kaPhawuli isilizwile lelicebo, yaya enkambeni yamabutho yayamtshela uPhawuli.
17 And Paul, calling unto him one of the centurions, said—This young man, lead thou away unto the captain, for he hath somewhat to report unto him.
UPhawuli wasebiza omunye umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Hamba lejaha leli kumlawuli wamabutho; kukhona elifuna ukukutsho kuye.”
18 He, therefore, taking him with him, brought him unto the captain, and saith—The prisoner Paul, calling me unto him, requested me to bring this young man unto thee, as having somewhat to tell thee.
Ngakho wasemusa kumlawuli. Umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Isibotshwa esinguPhawuli singibizile sangicela ukuthi ngilethe ijaha leli kuwe ngoba kukhona elifuna ukukutshela khona.”
19 And the captain, taking him by the hand, and going aside, began, privately, to ask—What is it which thou hast to report unto me?
Umlawuli wamthatha lowojaha, wambamba ngesandla waya laye eceleni, wambuza wathi, “Kuyini ofuna ukungitshela khona?”
20 And he said—The Jews, have agreed to request thee, that, to-morrow, thou wouldst bring, Paul, down into the High-council, as though about to ascertain something, more exact, concerning him.
Wathi: “AmaJuda asevumelene ukuthi akucele wena ukuthi ulethe uPhawuli phambi kweSanihedrini kusasa ngenhloso yokuthi afuna ingcazelo epheleleyo mayelana laye.
21 Thou, therefore, do not be persuaded by them, for there are lying in wait for him, from among them, more than forty men, —who, indeed, have bound themselves under a curse, neither to eat nor drink, till they have killed him; and, now, are they ready, awaiting 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 captain, therefore, dismissed the young man, charging him—Unto no one, divulge thou, that, these things, thou hast shewed unto me.
Umlawuli wathi kahambe umfana, wamqonqosela wathi, “Ungatsheli muntu ukuthi usungazisile ngalokhu.”
23 And calling certain two of the centurions he said—Make ye ready two hundred soldiers, that they may journey as far as Caesarea, —and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, by 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 beasts also provide, in order that, seating Paul thereon, they may bring him safely through unto Felix the governor.
Lilungisele loPhawuli amabhiza ukuze asiwe kuMbusi uFelikhe evikelekile.”
25 And he wrote a letter, after this form: —
Wabhala incwadi kanje:
26 Claudius Lysias, unto the most excellent governor Felix, Joy!
Klawudiyasi Lisiya, Kumhlekazi, uMbusi uFelikhe: Ngiyabingelela.
27 This man, having been apprehended by the Jews, and being about to be killed by them, I went down with the troop, and rescued; having learned that he was, a Roman.
Indoda le yabanjwa ngamaJuda, okwathi esezama ukuyibulala ngafika lamabutho ami sayilamulela ngoba ngasengizwile ukuthi ingumRoma.
28 And, being minded to find out the cause for which they were accusing him, [I took him down into their High-council],
Ngadinga ukwazi ukuthi ayesithi yoneni, yikho ngayiletha phambi kweSanihedrini yawo.
29 whom I found to be accused concerning questions of their law, but, of nothing worthy of death or bonds, to be charged.
Ngezwa ukuthi icala layo laliphathelene lomlayo wawo, kodwa kwasweleka icala elingafanela ukufa loba ukugwetshelwa entolongweni.
30 But, when I was informed there would be a plot against the man, forthwith, I sent him unto thee, charging, his accusers also, to be speaking against him before thee.
Ngithe sengilunywe indlebe ngecebo lokuyibulala ngahle ngayedlulisela kuwe. Ngiphinde ngatshela omayimangalela ukuthi bazokwethula kuwe abamangalela ngakho.
31 So the soldiers, according to their orders, taking up Paul, brought him by night unto Antipatris;
Ngakho amabutho azilandela lezo ziqondiso amthatha uPhawuli ebusuku ayamfikisa e-Antiphatri.
32 and, on the morrow, leaving the horsemen to go on with him, returned to the castle, —
Ngosuku olulandelayo amabutho amtshiya leqembu labagade amabhiza ukuthi liqhubeke laye, bona babuyela enkambeni.
33 and the others, entering into Caesarea, and delivering the letter unto the governor, set, Paul also, before him.
Kwathi abamabhiza sebefikile eKhesariya bayethula incwadi kumbusi loPhawuli laye bamnikela kuye.
34 And, when he had read it, and asked out of what province he was, and learned that he was from Cilicia,
Umbusi wayibala incwadi wambuza ukuthi wayedabuka kusiphi isifunda. Esezwile ukuthi wayengoweSilisiya,
35 I myself will hear thee in full, said he, whensoever, thine accusers also, are come; and gave orders that, in the palace of Herod, he should be kept under guard.
Wathi, “Icala lakho ngizalihlola nxa labo abakumangalelayo sebefikile lapha.” Waselaya ukuthi uPhawuli agcinwe elindiwe esigodlweni sikaHerodi.
