Mitendo 22
1 “Baakwetu ni batayo, mutekeleze buikalabelo bwangu bweti nihe hanu kwenu.
"Brethren and fathers," he said, "listen to my defence which I now make before you."
2 Linu ikunga halizuwa Paulusi nawamba kubali mumushobo wa Chiheberu, nibatotola zii. Nazwilahabusu nati,
And on hearing him address them in Hebrew, they kept all the more quiet; and he said,
3 “Ime ni Mujuda, yabahwizumukilwa mwa Terese yamwa Silisia, kono nibawani ituto mounu muleneñi hamatandabalilo a Gamaliele. Nibarutwa chamilao ikolete yenzila ibeshetu betanzi. Nitukufalelwe za Ireeza, mane sina njinwe mubonse sunu.
"I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I was carefully trained at the feet of Gamaliel in the Law of our forefathers, and, like all of you to-day, was zealous for God.
4 Nibasukululi cheyi Nzila (babalikuzumina Linzwi la Ireeza) kutwala ifu; nibasumini bonse bakwame ni banakanzi ni kubenjiza mutolongo.
I persecuted to death this new faith, continually binding both men and women and throwing them into prison;
5 Muprisita mukulwani ni bakulwana bonse bawola kuba ipaki kuti nibaamuheli mañolo abalikuzwa kubali abakwetu ba Damasika, kuti niye kwateni. Nibali kukaleta basuminwe kuzwa kwa Jerusalema abo baseyi Inzila (babalikuzumina Linzwi la Ireeza) kuti njebahewe mulandu.
as the High Priest also and all the Elders can bear me witness. It was, too, from them that I received letters to the brethren in Damascus, and I was already on my way to Damascus, intending to bring those also who had fled there, in chains to Jerusalem, to be punished.
6 Kubatendahali buti kuti hanibena mulwendo nili hembali ni Damasika, izuba nilina hewulu lamutwi inakozana nikweza mumuni uzwa kwiwulu ubezi kumunika kunizimbuluka.
"But on my way, when I was now not far from Damascus, about noon a sudden blaze of light from Heaven shone round me.
7 Nibawili hansi ni kuzuwa inzwi liti kwangu, 'Saule, Saule, unisukulwilazi?'
I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, "'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'
8 Nibetabi, 'Njiwe ni, Simwine?' Nati kwangu, 'Njime Jesu wa Nazareta, yokwete kusukulula.'
"'Who art thou, Lord?' I asked. "'I am Jesus, the Nazarene,' He replied, 'whom you are persecuting.'
9 Banibena nabo bababoni mumuni, kono kanababazuwi inzwi liyabali kuwamba kwangu.
"Now the men who were with me, though they saw the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.
10 Ninati, 'Niyelele kutenda nzi, Simwine?' Simwine nati kwangu, 'Katuke ni kuyenda kwa Damasika; kwateni uko kokawambilwe zonse zotameha kutenda.'
And I asked, "'What am I to do, Lord?' "And the Lord said to me, "'Rise, and go into Damascus. There you shall be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.'
11 Kana nibali kubona chebaka labukali bwalumonyi luna, chobulyo ninayenda mwa Damasika ninietelelwe chamayanza abana banibena nabo.
"And as I could not see because the light had been so dazzling, those who were with me had to lead me by the arm, and so I came to Damascus.
12 Kwateni uko ninakasangana ni mukwame yosupwa Ananiasi, mukwame yotokomele chakuya chomulao ni yopakwa ni majuda bonse babali kuhala mwecho chibaka.
"And a certain Ananias, a pious man who obeyed the Law and bore a good character with all the Jews of the city,
13 Abezi kwangu, kwiza kuzima hembali name, mi nati, 'Saule mwinakwetu, amuhele kubona kwako.' Mwihola iswana ninamubona.
came to me and standing at my side said, "'Brother Saul, recover your sight.' "I instantly regained my sight and looked up at him.
14 Kuzwaho nati, Ireeza ubeshetu betanzi abakusangi kuti wizibe itato yakwe, ubone Yonjolwele, ni kuzuwa linzwi lizwa mukaholo kakwe mwine.
Then he said, 'The God of our forefathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the righteous One and hear Him speak.
15 Mukuti kobe ipaki yakwe kubakwame bonse kuchobaboni ni kusuwa.
For you shall be a witness for Him, to all men, of what you have seen and heard.
16 Imi linu chinzi holindile? Katuke, kakolobezwe, ni kukasamba zive zako, nosupa izina lyakwe.'
And now why delay? Rise, get yourself baptized, and wash off your sins, calling upon His name.'
17 Kuzwa hanikabola kwa Jerusalema, mi hanibakwete kulapela mwitempele, kubatendahali kuti ni bahewa ipono.
"After my return to Jerusalem, and while praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance.
18 Nibamuboni naniwambila kuti, 'Hwele ni kusiya Jerusalema kapili, mukuti keti ni bazumine bupaki bwangu kwako.'
I saw Jesus, and He said to me, "'Make haste and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.'
19 Ninati, 'Simwine, abo bene bezi kuti nibenjizi mutolongo ni kukaba babali kuzumina mwizina lyako mwisinagoge yimwi ni yimwi.
"'Lord,' I replied, 'they themselves well know how active I was in imprisoning, and in flogging in synagogue after synagogue those who believe in Thee;
20 Mwizuba hakuitika malaha a Setefani ipaki yako, name bulyo nibazimene habumbali ninizumina, imi nibali kumamela zizabalo zabana babali kumwihaya.'
and when they were shedding the blood of Stephen, Thy witness, I was standing by, fully approving of it, and I held the clothes of those who were killing him.'
21 Kono nati kwangu, 'Yende, mukuti kanikutumine kule, kubantu bamasi angi.'
"'Go,' He replied; 'I will send you as an Apostle to nations far away.'"
22 Bantu babamuzuminini kuwamba mane kwiza kusika heyo inako. Kono kuzwaho nibahuweleza hakando nibati, “Muntu yoswana nozo azwisiwe mukanda: mukuti kakuyelele kuti ahale.”
Until they heard this last statement the people listened to Paul, but now with a roar of disapproval they cried out, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He ought not to be allowed to live."
23 Hababakwete kuhuweleza, kuzula ni kusohela kuna zizabalo zabo, ni kuganwina ibu muluhuho, muyendisi mukulwana wamasole nichalaela kuti Paulusi aletwe muzubo ikozezwe.
And when they continued their furious shouts, throwing their clothes into the air and flinging dust about,
24 Abalaeli kuti abuzwe nasupiwa, kokuti iye mwine alizibile kuti chinzi habahuweleza chakwe bulyo.
the Tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and be examined by flogging, in order to ascertain the reason why they thus cried out against him.
25 Linu heti chibamusumina kuti ashupwe, Paulusi nichati kumuyenzi wamasole yabazimene hembali naye, “Kena mulao kwako kushupa mukwame yeli Muroma nosaatulwa?”
But, when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul said to the Captain who stood by, "Does the Law permit you to flog a Roman citizen--and one too who is uncondemned?"
26 muyenzi wamasole hazuwa bulyo, abayendi kumuyenzi mukulwana wamasole nakamuwambila nati, “Chosaka kuchita chinzi? Mukuti uzu mukwame muzaki wa Roma.”
On hearing this question, the Captain went to report the matter to the Tribune. "What are you intending to do?" he said. "This man is a Roman citizen."
27 Muyenzi wamasole mukulwana abezi kwali namucho, “Honiwambile, kana umuzaki wa Roma?” Paulusi nati, “Ii”.
So the Tribune came to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.
28 Mulauli mukulwana wamasole netaba, “Ibali chakuliha bulyo masheleñi mangimangi chibaleti kuti niwane buzaki bwekanda.” Kono Paulusi nati, “Nibapepwa ninili muzaki wa Roma.”
"I paid a large sum for my citizenship," said the Tribune. "But I was born free," said Paul.
29 Kuzwaho bakwame babali kuyelele kumubuza nibamusiya chabuhweluhwelu. Muyenzi mukulwana wamasole naye abakutite, hazuwa kuti Paulusi ibali muzaki wa Roma, mukuti abamusumine kale.
So the men who had been on the point of putting him under torture immediately left him. And the Tribune, too, was frightened when he learnt that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had had him bound.
30 Mwizuba litatama, muyenzi mukulwana wamasole abali kusaka kwiziba buniti kuamana ni zibanyasa Paulusi Majuda chazo. Chobulyo namusumununa mumawenge mwabasuminwe ni kulaela maprista bakulwana ni manduna kuti bakopane hamwina. Linu naleta Paulusi ni kumuzimika hakati kabo.
The next day, wishing to know exactly what charge was being brought against him by the Jews, the Tribune ordered his chains to be removed; and, having sent word to the High Priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble, he brought Paul down and made him stand before them.
