Atũmwo 26
1 Nake Agiripa akĩĩra Paũlũ atĩrĩ, “Ũrĩ na rũũtha rwa kwĩyarĩrĩria.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Paũlũ agĩtambũrũkia guoko, akĩambĩrĩria kwĩyarĩrĩria, akiuga atĩrĩ,
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You [(sg)] are permitted [now] to speak [to defend] yourself.” Paul stretched out his hand ([dramatically/to salute the king]) and began to defend himself. He said,
2 “Mũthamaki Agiripa, nĩngũigua ndĩ mũtĩĩku kũrũgama mbere yaku ũmũthĩ ndĩyarĩrĩrie igũrũ rĩa maũndũ mothe marĩa thitangĩirwo nĩ Ayahudi,
“King Agrippa, I consider that I am fortunate that today, while you [(sg)] listen, I can defend myself from all the things about which the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] are accusing me.
3 na makĩria nĩ tondũ wee nĩũũĩ mĩtugo yothe ya Ayahudi na maũndũ marĩa makararanagĩria. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio nĩndakũhooya ũũthikĩrĩrie ũtegũthethũka.
I am really fortunate, because you [(sg)] know all about the customs of us Jews and the questions that we [(exc)] argue about. So I ask you, please listen patiently to what I say.”
4 “Ayahudi othe nĩmooĩ ũrĩa ndũũrĩte kuuma ndĩ mwana, kuuma kĩambĩrĩria kĩa mũtũũrĩre wakwa ndĩ bũrũri-inĩ wakwa kĩũmbe, o na ndĩ Jerusalemu.
“Many [HYP] of my fellow Jews know about how I have conducted my life, from the time I was a child. They know how I lived in the area where I [was born] and [also later] in Jerusalem.
5 Nĩmanjũũĩ hĩndĩ ndaaya, na mangĩenda, no maheane ũira wakwa, atĩ kũringana na watho ndaatũũrĩte ndĩ Mũfarisai, ndĩĩrutanĩirie na kĩyo kũrũmia maũndũ mothe ma ndini iitũ.
They have known for many years, and they could tell you, if they wanted to, that [since I was very young] I obeyed the customs of our religion very carefully, just like the [other] Pharisees do.
6 Na rĩrĩ, ndũgamĩte haha ũmũthĩ njiirithio nĩ ũndũ wa kwĩrĩgĩrĩra kĩĩranĩro kĩrĩa Ngai eerĩire maithe maitũ.
Today I am being put on trial {[they] are putting me on trial} because I am confidently expecting that God will do what he promised our [(exc)] ancestors.
7 Kĩĩranĩro kĩu no kĩo mĩhĩrĩga ĩrĩa iitũ ikũmi na ĩĩrĩ ĩĩrĩgagĩrĩra kuona gĩkĩhingio, rĩrĩa ĩtungatagĩra Ngai na kĩyo ũtukũ na mũthenya. Na rĩrĩ, wee Mũthamaki, Ayahudi maathitangĩte nĩ ũndũ wa kĩĩrĩgĩrĩro kĩu.
Our twelve tribes are [also] confidently waiting for God to do [for us what he promised], as they respectfully worship him, day and night. [Respected] king, I confidently expect [that God will do what he promised, and they also believe that! But that is the reason] that these Jewish leaders [SYN] are accusing me!
8 Nĩ kĩĩ kĩngĩtũma mũndũ o na ũrĩkũ wanyu atue atĩ nĩ ũndũ ũtangĩĩtĩkio, atĩ Ngai nĩariũkagia arĩa akuũ?
They believe that God can cause those who have died to become alive again, so (why [do any of you refuse to believe that he raised Jesus from the dead?/none of you should refuse to believe that he raised Jesus from the dead!]) [RHQ]”
9 “O na niĩ nĩndaiguithĩtio atĩ nĩndagĩrĩirwo nĩ gwĩka ũrĩa wothe ingĩahotire ndegane na rĩĩtwa rĩa Jesũ wa Nazarethi.
“[Formerly] I, too, was sure that I should do everything that I could to oppose Jesus [MTY], the man from Nazareth [town].
10 Na ũguo nĩguo ndeekire kũu Jerusalemu. Ngĩikia andũ aingĩ a arĩa aamũre njeera, heetwo rũũtha nĩ athĩnjĩri-Ngai arĩa anene, na rĩrĩa andũ acio mooragagwo, nĩndetĩkanagia na ituĩro rĩu.
So that is what I did [when I lived] in Jerusalem. I put many of the believers in jail, as the chief priests there had authorized me [to do]. When [the Jewish leaders wanted] those Christians killed {someone to kill those [Christians]}, I voted [for that].
11 Mahinda maingĩ nĩndathiiaga kuuma thunagogi-inĩ ĩmwe nginya ĩrĩa ĩngĩ nĩgeetha ndĩmaneane maherithio, na ngageria kũmahatĩrĩria marume Ngai. Na tondũ wa ũrĩa ndaamarakarĩire mũno nĩndathiiaga kũmanyariira o na matũũra-inĩ marĩa manene ma kũngĩ.
Many times I punished the believers [whom I found] in Jewish meeting places. [By punishing them], I tried to force them to speak evil [about Jesus]. I was so angry with the followers of Jesus that I even traveled to other cities to [find them and] do things to harm them.”
12 “Hĩndĩ ĩmwe ndĩ rũgendo-inĩ ta rũu-rĩ, ndaathiiaga Dameski heetwo ũhoti na ngatũmwo nĩ athĩnjĩri-Ngai arĩa anene.
“[One day], I was on my way to Damascus [city] to do that. The chief priests [in Jerusalem] had authorized and sent me [to seize the believers there].
13 Kũrĩ thaa thita cia mũthenya, wee Mũthamaki, ndĩ njĩra-inĩ ngĩona ũtheri mũnene woimĩte igũrũ ũkengete gũkĩra riũa, ũkĩnjarĩra mĩena yothe, niĩ na andũ arĩa twarĩ nao.
[My respected] king, [while I was going] along the road, at about noon I saw a [bright] light in the sky. It was even brighter than the sun! It shone all around me, and also around the men who were traveling with me.
14 Ithuothe tũkĩgũa thĩ, na niĩ ngĩigua mũgambo ũkĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ na rwario rwa Kĩhibirania, ‘Saũlũ, Saũlũ, ũũnyariiraga nĩkĩ? Nĩ ũndũ ũrĩ hinya harĩwe kũhũũra mĩcengi na haati.’
We [(exc)] all fell to the ground. Then I heard the voice of someone speaking to me in my own Hebrew language [MTY]. He said ‘Saul, Saul, (stop causing me to suffer!/why are you causing me to suffer?) [RHQ] You [(sg)] are [hurting yourself by trying to hurt me] [MET], [like an ox] kicking against [its owner’s] goad.’
15 “Na niĩ hĩndĩ ĩyo ngĩũria atĩrĩ, ‘Wee nĩwe ũ, Mwathani?’ “Nake Mwathani akĩnjookeria atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ niĩ Jesũ ũrĩa ũnyariiraga.
Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘I am Jesus. You [(sg)] are harming me [by harming my followers].
16 Rĩu ũkĩra ũrũgame na magũrũ maku. Ndaakuumĩrĩra ngwamũre ũtuĩke ndungata na ũtuĩke mũira wa maũndũ marĩa wonete mangoniĩ na marĩa ngũkuonia.
But instead [of continuing to do that], stand up now! I have appeared to you [(sg)] to tell you that I have chosen you to serve me. You must tell people about [what I am showing you] as you are seeing me [now], and about what I [will show you when] I will [later] appear to you.
17 Nĩngũkũhonokia kuuma kũrĩ andũ anyu na kuuma kũrĩ andũ-a-Ndũrĩrĩ arĩa ndĩragũtũma kũrĩ o,
I will protect you [from those who will try to harm you, both] your own people and [also] those who are not Jewish. I am sending you to non-Jews
18 ũkamahingũre maitho, na ũmagarũre moime nduma-inĩ mathiĩ ũtheri-inĩ, na ũmarute hinya-inĩ wa Shaitani ũmatware kũrĩ Ngai, nĩgeetha maamũkĩre ũrekanĩri wa mehia, na magĩe na handũ gatagatĩ-inĩ ka andũ arĩa matheretio na ũndũ wa kũnjĩtĩkia.’
to help them to realize [MTY] what is true and to stop believing what is false [MET]. I am sending you to them so that they may let God control them and not let Satan control them any more. [Then God] will forgive their sins and will accept them as his people because they believe in me.’ [That is what Jesus said to me].”
19 “Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, Mũthamaki Agiripa, ndiigana kwaga gwathĩkĩra kĩoneki kĩu kĩoimĩte igũrũ.
“So, King Agrippa, I fully obeyed [LIT] what [the Lord Jesus told me to do when he spoke to me] from heaven.
20 Ngĩambĩrĩria kũhunjĩria andũ arĩa maarĩ Dameski, ngĩcooka ngĩhunjĩria andũ a kũu Jerusalemu o na a Judea guothe, na andũ-a-Ndũrĩrĩ o nao. Ndaahunjagia atĩ nĩmagĩrĩirwo nĩ kwĩrira na magarũrũke kũrĩ Ngai, na moonanie kwĩrira kwao na ũndũ wa ciĩko ciao.
First, I preached to [the Jews] in Damascus. Then I [preached to the Jews] in Jerusalem and throughout [the rest of] Judea [province]. After that, I also preached to non-Jews. I preached that they must turn away from their sinful behavior and turn their lives over to God. I told them that they must do things that would show that they had truly stopped their sinful behavior.”
21 Kĩu nĩkĩo gĩatũmire Ayahudi maanyiitĩre hekarũ-inĩ, na magerie kũnjũraga.
“It is because I [preached] this message [that some] [SYN] Jews seized me [when I was] in the Temple [courtyard and] tried to kill me.
22 No nĩngoretwo ndĩ na ũteithio wa Ngai nginya ũmũthĩ ũyũ, na nĩkĩo nũngiĩ haha nĩguo heane ũira kũrĩ andũ arĩa anini na arĩa anene o ũndũ ũmwe. Ndirĩ ũndũ njugaga makĩria ma ũrĩa anabii na Musa moigĩte atĩ nĩũgekĩka,
However, God has been helping me [from that time, and he is still helping me] today. So I stand here and I tell [all of you people], those who are important and those who are not, [who Jesus is]. Everything that I say [about him] is what Moses and the [other] prophets wrote [about long ago, things that they said] would happen.
23 atĩ Kristũ nĩakanyariirwo, na atuĩke wa mbere kũriũka kuuma kũrĩ arĩa akuũ, nĩguo ahunjie ũhoro wa ũtheri kũrĩ andũ aake kĩũmbe o na kũrĩ andũ-a-Ndũrĩrĩ.”
They wrote that [people would cause] the Messiah to suffer and die. They also wrote that he would be the first person to become alive again, to proclaim [the message that would be like] light, [that he would save] both [his own Jewish] people and non-Jewish people.”
24 Fesito aigua ũguo, akĩmũgũthũkĩra akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Wee Paũlũ nĩkũgũrũka ũgũrũkĩte! Gĩthomo kĩu gĩaku kĩingĩ nĩgĩtũmĩte ũgũrũke.”
Before Paul could say anything [further] to defend himself, Festus shouted: “Paul, you are crazy! You have studied too much, and it has made you insane!”
25 Nake Paũlũ akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Atĩrĩrĩ mũgaathe Fesito, niĩ ndigũrũkĩte. Ũndũ ũrĩa ndĩroiga nĩ wa ma na ti ũgũrũki.
But Paul answered, “Your Excellency, Festus, I am not raving [insanely]. On the contrary, what I am saying is true and sensible!
26 Mũthamaki nĩoĩ maũndũ maya, na no ndĩmwarĩrie itegwĩtigĩra. Nĩ njũũĩ atĩ gũtirĩ ũndũ o na ũmwe wa maũndũ maya aagĩte kũmenya, tondũ matiekĩirwo hitho-inĩ.
King Agrippa knows the things [that I have been talking about], and I can speak confidently to him [about them]. I am sure that he knows [LIT] these things, because people everywhere [IDM] have heard [LIT] about what happened [to Jesus].”
27 Mũthamaki Agiripa, wee nĩwĩtĩkĩtie anabii? Nĩnjũũĩ atĩ nĩũmetĩkĩtie.”
Then Paul asked, “King Agrippa, do you believe [what] the prophets [wrote]? I know that you [(sg)] believe it.”
28 Hĩndĩ ĩyo Agiripa akĩũria Paũlũ atĩrĩ, “Nĩũgwĩciiria atĩ kahinda-inĩ kanini ũguo no ũnjiguithie nduĩke Mũkristiano?”
Then Agrippa [answered] Paul, “([I hope that you(sg)] do not think that by the few things [that you have just now said] you can persuade me to become a Christian!/You do not think, [do you], that by the few things [that you have just now said] you can persuade me to become a Christian?)” [RHQ]
29 Nake Paũlũ akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “kahinda kanyiihe kana karaihe, ndĩrahooya Ngai atĩ to wee wiki, no o na andũ aya angĩ othe maraathikĩrĩria ũmũthĩ, ndenda matuĩke ta niĩ, tiga o mĩnyororo ĩno.”
Paul replied, “Whether it takes a short time or a long time, it does not matter. I pray to God that you and also all of the others who are listening to me today will also [believe in Jesus] like I do, but I do not want you to become prisoners [MTY] [like I am].”
30 Mũthamaki ũcio agĩũkĩra marĩ hamwe na barũthi, na Berinike, na andũ arĩa maikarĩte hamwe nao.
Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others got up
31 Makiuma nyũmba ĩyo, na rĩrĩa maaranagĩria, makiuga atĩrĩ, “Mũndũ ũyũ ndarĩ ũndũ ekĩte wa gũtũma ooragwo kana ohwo.”
and left [the room. While] they were talking to one another they said to each other, “There is no reason why (the authorities/we) should execute this man, or that he should even be kept in prison [MTY].”
32 Agiripa akĩĩra Fesito atĩrĩ, “Mũndũ ũyũ nĩangĩarekererio korwo ndaracooketie ciira riiko kũrĩ Kaisari.”
Agrippa said to Festus, “If this man had not asked that the Emperor judge him, he could have been released {[we(inc)] could have released him}.”
