Mitendo 26
1 Linu Agiripa chawamba kwa Paulusi, “Uwola kuli wambilila.” Lyahanu Paulusi cha wotolola iyanza lyakwe nikuli sileleza.
Agrippa then said to Paul, “You are free to speak on your own behalf.” With a sweep of his arm, Paul began his defense.
2 “Nilizuwa kuti nilukuluhite Mulena Agiripa, kutenda indava yangu havusu vwako sunu hewulu lyazintu zonse zivava nihambilizi ma Juda;
“I am delighted, King Agrippa, to make my defense before you today regarding everything I am accused of by the Jews,
3 sihulu, kakuli wichaziva wechizo cha ma Juda ni mpuzo. Linu ni kumbila kuti unizuwe chentokomelo.
particularly because you are an expert in all Jewish issues and customs. I beg your patient indulgence as you listen to what I have to say.
4 Cheniti, ma Juda vonse vezi muniva halili kuzwa kuvuhwile vwangu mwi nkanda yangu ni mwa Jerusalema.
All the Jews know my life story—from my earliest days beginning in my own country and then in Jerusalem.
5 Vavanizi kuzwa kuma tangilo vawola kuzumina kuti nivahali neli ni mu Falisi, yavali wachiyemba ahulu cha chilumeli chetu.
They have known me for a long time and can verify, if they choose to, that I have followed the religious school that observes our faith in the strictest way—I lived as a Pharisee.
6 Lyahanu nizimana hanu kuti ni atulwe kakuli ni lolete che nsepiso yaba tendi Ireeza ku veshetu.
Now I am standing here to be judged regarding the promised hope God gave to our fathers
7 Cheyi insepiso masika etu ekumi ni tobele vava lisepise kutambula niva kwatilile kulumbeka Ireeza masiku ni musihali. Nji cheyi insepo, Simwine mukando Agiripa, Juda chingi ivanihambiliza.
that our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they continually dedicated themselves in God's service. Yes, it's because of this hope that I'm accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!
8 Chinzi zumwi kwenu hazeza kuti kulotu kuti Ireeza uvusa vafu.
Why should any of you think it's unbelievable that God raises the dead?
9 Ka imwi inako nivazezi kuti niswanela kutenda zintu zingi zilwisanisa izina lya Jesu wa Nazareta.
Previously I was sincerely convinced I should do as much as I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Niva tendi izi mwa Jerusalema. Niva sumini valumeli vangi mwi ntolongo cha maata aniva wani ku mupurisita mukulwana, have haiwa, nivali kuvika inketisa zangu h havo.
This is what I did in Jerusalem. I threw many of the believers in prison, having been given authority to do this by the chief priests. When they were sentenced to death I cast my vote against them.
11 Niva kuvaha inkoto mwi nako zingi mu ma Sinagoge ni kulika kuva hambiliza kuti vanyanse. Nivava vengeli ahulu nikuva nyandisa nanga mu muleneñi muvasazwi.
I had them punished in all the synagogues, trying to make them recant. I was so furiously opposed to them that I went to cities outside our country to persecute them.
12 Anivali kupanga ichi, nivayendi kwa Damaseka ni maata ni ntaelo zizwa kumu purisita mukulwana;
That's why one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and orders from the chief priests.
13 linu mwi nzila, musihali, Simwine mukulwana, nivavoni iseli livakuzwa mwiwulu liva kuvenya kuhita izuva imi livatondezi kwetu niva kwame vani va kuyenda navo.
At about noon as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven that blazed brighter than the sun. It shone around me and those who were traveling with me.
14 Twense hatuwila hansi, niva zuwi inzwi liwamba kwangu mumushovo we chi Heveru, 'Saule, Saule, chinzi honi nyandisa? Ku kukutu kwako ku raha muso.
All of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to fight against me!’
15 China wamba kuti njewe ni, Simwine? Simwine chetava, njeme Jesu yo nyandisa.
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 Linu vuke uzimane cha matende ako; nji cheli ivaka haniva voneki kwako, kuketa iwe kuva umuhikana ni mpaki kuamana ni zintu ziwizi zangu hanu nizintu zete ni kutondeze chitwe kalakala;
‘But pick yourself up and get to your feet. The reason why I've appeared to you is to appoint you as my servant, to be a witness for me, telling others how you have seen me and everything I will reveal to you.
17 imi kani kulamulele kuvantu ni ku machava kuni kutuma,
I will save you from your own people and from the foreigners. I am sending you to them
18 kwiyalula menso avo kuazwisa mwififi ni kuatwala mwi seli ni ku ziho za Satani kwa Ireeza, njikuti vatambule kwa Ireeza maiswalelo ezivi zavo nikuyola zete nivahe ni kuli kauhanya kwangu che ntumelo ina kwangu.
to open their eyes so they can turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and so that they can receive forgiveness for their sins and a place with those who are set right as they trust in me.’
19 Chikwina vulyo, Simwine mukando Agiripa, kena navikila kwimbali chivono chewulu;
Clearly, King Agrippa, I could not disobey this vision from heaven.
20 kono kwavo vena mwa damaseka che ntanzi, navana vena kwa Jereusalema, ni nkanda yonse ya Judea, ni kumachava, niva kutazi kuti vavakile zivi zavo vavole kwa Ireeza, kuvonisa mitendo ivonisa kuvaka kwavo.
First in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and then all over Judea and also to the foreigners I shared the message of repentance: how they should turn to God, demonstrating their repentance through their actions.
21 Cheli ivaka ma Juda vava nisumini niku lika kuni haya.
That's why the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.
22 Ireeza avanitusi kusika hanu, cwale niziima nikuha vupaki kuvantu feela niku va tompeha nizimwi zihita zivawambwa kuma porofita ni Mushe kuti muzipangahale;
God has looked after me so I can stand here today as a witness to everyone, both to ordinary people and to those who are important. I am only repeating what Moses and the prophets said would happen—
23 kuti keresite uswanela kunyanda, ni kuta kuti mwave we ntanzi kukuvuka kuvafu niku zimana kupaka iseli kuma Juda ni machava.
how the Messiah had to suffer, and that by being the first to rise from the dead he would announce the light of God's salvation to both Jews and foreigners.”
24 Paulusi hamana kuli lamulela, fesitusi chawamba chenzwi li katukite, “Paulusi, uvurumuka; intuto yako inkando iku vulumuna.”
Festus interrupted Paul as he made his defense, shouting out, “Paul, you've gone mad! All your knowledge is driving you insane!”
25 Kono Paulusi chati, kani vurumuki, hande ahulu Fesitusi; kono cho vundume niwamba manzwi ovusakusima ninisa nywine.
“I'm not mad, Festus your Excellency,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and makes sense.
26 Kakuli Simwine mukando wizi izi zintu; njikuti, niwamba kwali nini lukuluhite, kakuli ni susuweze kuti kakwina zi patitwe kwali; mukuti izi kena ziva pangilwa kuliungwiile.
The king recognizes this, and I'm explaining it very clearly. I am sure that he is aware of what's been happening, because none of this took place as if it were hidden in a corner.
27 Uzumina kuvaporofita, Mulena Agiripa? Nizi kuti uzumina.”
King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets said? I'm sure you do!”
28 Agiripa chawamba kwa Paulusi, “Mu nako infuhi moni susuweze nive ni mulumeli?”
“Do you think you can convince me to become a Christian so quickly?” Agrippa asked Paul.
29 Paulusi chati, “Ni lapela kwa Ireeza, kuti kapa munfuhi kapa inde inako, insiñi iwe wenke, kono nivonse vanizuwa sunu, muvave uvu njeme, kono nikusena anu mahaka entorongo.”
“Whether it takes a short time or a long time doesn't matter,” Paul answered. “But my prayer to God is that not just you, but everybody listening to me today would become like me—except for these chains!”
30 Linu Mulena chazima mwiwulu, ni muyendisi, ni Bernise naye, ni vonse vavekele naavo;
The king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice, and everyone who had been sitting with them.
31 lyahanu hava siya uwo muyaho, vavawambi hamwina nikuti, “Uzu mukwame kakwina zavapangi ziswanela lufu ni ku suminwa.”
They conferred together after they had left. “This man hasn't done anything that deserves death or imprisonment,” they concluded.
32 Agiripa cha wambila Fesitusi, “Uzu mukwame ava kuwola kulukululwa kambe kena ava likumbili kwa Sizare.”
Agrippa told Festus, “He could have been freed if he hadn't appealed to Caesar.”
