Misala ya Bantoma 7
1 Bongo, mokonzi ya Banganga-Nzambe atunaki ye: — Boni, makambo oyo bafundeli yo ezali ya solo?
Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are the things that [these people are saying about you(sg)] true?”
2 Etieni azongisaki: — Batata mpe bandeko, boyoka ngai! Nzambe ya nkembo abimelaki koko na biso Abrayami tango azalaki na Mezopotami, liboso ete akende kovanda na Sharani.
Stephen replied, “Fellow Jews and respected leaders, [please] listen to me! The glorious God [whom we(inc) worship] appeared to our ancestor Abraham while he was still [living] in Mesopotamia [region], before he moved to Haran [town].
3 Boye, Nzambe alobaki na ye: « Longwa na mokili na yo mpe na libota na yo, mpe kende na mokili oyo nakolakisa yo! »
God said to him, ‘Leave this land where you [(sg)] and your relatives [are living], and go into the land to which I will lead you.’
4 Boye, alongwaki na mokili ya Chalide mpe akendeki kovanda na mokili ya Sharani. Sima na kufa ya tata na ye, Nzambe atindaki ye na mokili oyo, mokili oyo bino bozali kovanda sik’oyo.
So Abraham left that land, [which was also called] Chaldea, and he arrived in Haran and lived there. After his father died, God told him to move to this land in which you [and I] are now living.”
5 Apesaki ye mabele moko te awa, ezala ata mwa eteni. Kasi Nzambe apesaki ye elaka, ye elongo na bakitani na ye sima na ye, ete bakozwa mokili lokola libula, atako, na tango wana, Abrayami azalaki nanu na mwana te.
“[At that time] God did not give Abraham any [land here], not even a small plot of [this] land that would belong to him. God promised that he would [later] give this land to him and his descendants, and that it would [always] belong [to them. However], at that time Abraham did not have any children [who would] ([inherit it/receive it after he died]).”
6 Tala makambo oyo Nzambe alobaki: « Bakitani na ye bakozala bapaya kati na mokili ya bapaya; bakokomisa bango bawumbu mpe bakonyokola bango mibu nkama minei. »
“[Later] God told Abraham, ‘Your descendants will go and live in a foreign country. They [will live there] for 400 years, and [during that time their leaders] will mistreat your descendants and force them to work as slaves.’
7 Kasi Nzambe alobaki lisusu: « Nakopesa etumbu na ekolo oyo ekokomisa bango bawumbu. Mpe na sima, bakobima longwa na mokili yango mpe bakosambela Ngai na esika oyo. »
But God [also] said, ‘I will punish the people who make them work as slaves. Then, after that, your descendants will leave [that land] and they will [come and] worship me in this land.’”
8 Bongo Nzambe asalaki boyokani elongo na Abrayami, mpe elembo ya boyokani yango ezalaki: kokatama ngenga. Abrayami abotaki Izaki mpe akataki ye ngenga na mokolo ya mwambe ya mbotama na ye; Izaki abotaki Jakobi mpe akataki ye ngenga, bongo Jakobi mpe abotaki bakoko na biso zomi na mibale mpe akataki bango ngenga.
“Then God commanded Abraham that [every male in his household and all of his male descendants] should be circumcised [to show that they all belonged to God] and that they would obey what he had told Abraham to do. Later Abraham’s son, Isaac, was born, and when Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. [Later] Isaac’s son, Jacob, was born, and Isaac [similarly circumcised] him. And Jacob [similarly circumcised] his twelve sons. They are the twelve men [from whom we(inc) Jews have all descended].”
9 Lokola bakoko na biso bayokelaki Jozefi likunya, batekaki ye mpo ete azala mowumbu na Ejipito. Kasi Nzambe azalaki na ye elongo
“[You know that] Jacob’s [older] sons became jealous [because their father favored their younger brother] Joseph. So they sold him [to merchants/traders who took him] [MTY] to Egypt. There he became a slave [of an official who lived there]. But God [helped] Joseph.
10 mpe akangolaki ye na minyoko na ye nyonso; Apesaki ye bwanya mpe asalelaki ye ngolu na miso ya Faraon, mokonzi ya Ejipito, oyo akomisaki ye moyangeli ya Ejipito mpe ya ndako na ye mobimba.
He protected him whenever people caused him to suffer. He enabled Joseph to be wise; and he caused Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to think well of Joseph. So Pharaoh appointed him to rule [over] Egypt and to look after all of Pharaoh’s property [MTY].”
11 Nzokande, nzala moko ya makasi ekotaki na Ejipito mobimba mpe na Kanana, ememaki pasi penza, bongo bakoko na biso bazalaki lisusu na eloko ya kolia te.
“[While Joseph was doing that work], there was a time (when there was very little food/of famine) throughout Egypt and also throughout Canaan. People did not have enough food to eat. People were suffering. [At that time] Jacob and his sons [in Canaan] also could not find [enough] food.
12 Tango Jakobi ayokaki ete ble ezali na Ejipito, atindaki bakoko na biso mbala ya liboso.
When Jacob heard [people report that] there was grain/food [that people could buy] in Egypt, he sent Joseph’s older brothers [to go there to buy grain. They went and bought grain from Joseph, but they did not recognize him. Then they returned home].
13 Na mbala ya mibale, Jozefi amilakisaki epai ya bandeko na ye, bongo Faraon ayaki koyeba libota ya Jozefi.
When Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt the second time, [they again bought grain from Joseph]. But this time [he] told them who he was. [And] people told Pharaoh that Joseph’s people were Hebrews [and that those men who had come from Canaan were his brothers].
14 Bongo, Jozefi atindaki ete bakende kozwa tata na ye Jakobi elongo na bandeko na ye nyonso. Bango nyonso bazalaki bato tuku sambo na mitano.
Then after Joseph sent [his brothers back home, they] told their father Jacob [that Joseph wanted] him and his entire family to come [to Egypt. At that time] ([Jacob’s family consisted of] 75 people/there were 75 people in Jacob’s family) [SYN].
15 Boye, Jakobi akendeki kovanda na Ejipito epai wapi ye elongo na bakoko na biso bakufaki.
[So when] Jacob [heard that, he and all his family] went to [live in] Egypt.” Acts 7:15b-16 “[Later on], Jacob died [there], and our [other] ancestors, [his sons, also died there].
16 Bamemaki banzoto na bango na engumba ya Sishemi mpe bakundaki yango kati na kunda oyo Abrayami asombaki na mbongo epai ya bana ya Amori, tata ya Sishemi.
[But] the bodies [of Jacob and Joseph] were brought {[they] brought the bodies [of Jacob and Joseph]} [back to our land], and [Jacob’s body] was buried {they buried [Jacob’s body]} [in the tomb that Abraham had bought, and they buried Joseph’s body] in Shechem in the ground that [Jacob] had bought from Hamor’s sons.”
17 Wana tango oyo Nzambe alingaki kokokisa elaka oyo apesaki na Abrayami ekomaki pene, motango ya bato na biso, kati na Ejipito, ekomaki ebele penza,
“Our ancestors had become very numerous when it was almost time for [God to rescue them] from Egypt, [as] he had promised Abraham that he would do.
18 kino mokonzi mosusu, oyo ayebaki Jozefi te, azwaki bokonzi na Ejipito.
Another king had begun to rule in Egypt. He did not know that Joseph, [long before that time, had greatly helped the people of Egypt] [MTY].
19 Na mayele mabe, mokonzi yango anyokolaki bakoko na biso kino kotinda bango na makasi ete babwaka bana na bango oyo babotami sika mpo ete bakufa.
That king cruelly tried to get rid of our ancestors. He oppressed them and caused them to suffer greatly. He [even commanded] them to leave their baby [boys] outside [their homes] so that they would die.”
20 Ezalaki na tango wana nde Moyize abotamaki. Nzambe asalaki ye kitoko mingi. Babatelaki ye sanza misato na ndako ya tata na ye.
“During that time Moses was born, and he was a very beautiful [LIT] [child]. So his parents [secretly] cared for him in their house for three months.
21 Wana baboti na ye batiaki ye libanda, mwana mwasi ya Faraon azwaki ye mpe abokolaki ye lokola mwana na ye penza.
Then they had to put him outside [the house, but] Pharaoh’s daughter [found him and] adopted him and cared for him as [though he were] her own son.
22 Bayekolisaki Moyize na bwanya nyonso ya bato ya Ejipito, mpe akomaki moto na nguya na maloba mpe na misala.
Moses was taught {[The Egyptian teachers] taught Moses} many kinds of wise things [HYP] that the people in Egypt knew, and [when he grew up], he spoke powerfully and did things powerfully.”
23 Tango Moyize akokisaki mibu tuku minei, azwaki mokano ya kokende kotala bandeko na ye, bana ya Isalaele.
“[One day] when Moses was about 40 years old, he decided that he would [go and] see his fellow Israelis. [So he went to the place where they worked].
24 Awa amonaki moto moko ya Ejipito kobeta moto ya ekolo na ye, akotelaki moto ya Isalaele, azongisaki mabe na mabe epai ya moto ya Ejipito mpe abomaki ye.
He saw an Egyptian beating one of the Israelis. So he went over to help [MTY] the Israeli man who was being hurt/beat {whom [the Egyptian] was hurting/beating}, and he (got revenge on/paid back) the Israeli man by killing the Egyptian [who was hurting/beating him].
25 Moyize akanisaki ete bandeko na ye bakososola ete Nzambe azali kosalela ye mpo na kopesa bango lobiko, kasi basosolaki yango te.
Moses was thinking that his fellow Israelis would understand that God had sent him to free them [from being slaves]. But they did not understand that.
26 Mokolo oyo elandaki, Moyize akutaki bana ya Isalaele mibale kobunda. Bongo amekaki kozongisa boyokani kati na bango; alobaki na bango: « Ah baninga na ngai, bozali bandeko; mpo na nini bozali kosalana mabe? »
The next day, Moses saw two Israeli men fighting [each other]. He tried to make them stop fighting by saying to them, ‘Men, you two are fellow [Israelis! So] (stop hurting each other!/why are you hurting each other?) [RHQ]’
27 Kasi moto oyo azalaki konyokola ndeko na ye atindikaki Moyize mpe alobaki: « Nani atie yo mokonzi mpe mosambisi kati na biso?
But the man who was injuring the other man pushed Moses away and said to him, ‘(No one appointed you [(sg)] to rule and judge us [(exc)]!/Do you [(sg)] think someone appointed you [(sg)] to rule and judge us [(exc)]?) [RHQ]
28 Olingi koboma ngai ndenge obomaki moto ya Ejipito lobi? »
Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 Tango Moyize ayokaki bongo, akimaki na mokili ya Madiani epai wapi avandaki lokola mopaya mpe abotaki bana mibale ya mibali.
When Moses heard that, [he thought to himself, ‘Obviously, people know what I have done, and someone will kill me.’ He was afraid, so] he fled [from Egypt] to Midian land. He lived there [for some years]. He [got married, and he and his wife] had two sons.”
30 Sima na mibu tuku minei, anjelu moko abimelaki Moyize kati na esobe, pene ya ngomba Sinai, kati na ndemo ya moto oyo ezalaki komata longwa kati na mwa nzete oyo ezalaki kopela.
“[One day] 40 years later, [the Lord God appeared as] an angel to Moses. He appeared in a bush that was burning in the desert near Sinai Mountain.
31 Tango Moyize amonaki yango, akamwaki makasi. Mpe awa azalaki kopusana mpo na kotala yango malamu, ayokaki mongongo ya Nkolo koloba:
When Moses saw that, he was greatly surprised, [because the bush was not burning up]. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord [God] say [to him],
32 « Nazali Nzambe ya bakoko na yo, Nzambe ya Abrayami, Nzambe ya Izaki, mpe Nzambe ya Jakobi. » Moyize alengaki na somo mpe akokaki kutu kotala te.
‘I [am] the God [whom] your ancestors [worshipped]. I [am] the God that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [worship].’ Moses [was so afraid that he] began to shake. He was afraid to look [at the bush any longer].
33 Bongo, Nkolo alobaki na ye: « Longola basandale na yo na makolo na yo, pamba te esika oyo otelemi ezali mabele ya bule.
Then the Lord [God] said to him, ‘Take your sandals off [to show that you(sg) revere me]. Because I [am here], the place where you are standing is holy/sacred.
34 Namoni minyoko ya bato na Ngai kati na Ejipito. Nayoki kolela na bango mpe nakiti mpo na kokangola bango. Mpe yaka sik’oyo, nakotinda yo ete ozonga na Ejipito. »
I have surely seen how the people of Egypt are continually causing my people to suffer. I have heard my people when they groan [because those people continually oppress them]. So I have come down to rescue them [from Egypt]. Now get ready, because I am going to send you [back] to Egypt [to do that].’”
35 Kaka Moyize oyo bandeko na ye baboyaki na koloba na ye: « Nani atie yo mokonzi mpe mosambisi, » ye nde Nzambe atindaki mpo ete azala mokonzi mpe mokangoli na bango, na lisungi ya anjelu oyo abimelaki ye na mwa nzete.
“This Moses [is the one who had tried to help our Israeli people, but] whom they rejected [by saying], ‘No one [RHQ] appointed you to rule and judge [us!’] Moses [is the one whom] God [himself] sent to rule them and to free them [from being slaves. He is the one whom] an angel in the bush [commanded to do that].
36 Abimisaki bango na mokili ya Ejipito, na nzela ya bikamwa mpe ya bilembo minene oyo asalaki kuna, na ebale monene ya Motane mpe na esobe, mibu tuku minei.
Moses [is the one who] led our ancestors out [from Egypt]. He did many kinds of miracles in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and during the 40 years [that the Israelite people lived] in the desert.
37 Ezalaki kaka Moyize wana oyo alobaki na bana ya Isalaele: « Nzambe akobimisela bino mosakoli moko lokola ngai, oyo akowuta kati na bandeko na bino. »
This Moses is the one who said to the Israelite people, ‘God will appoint a prophet for you from among your own people. [He will speak words from God], just like I [speak his words to you].’
38 Azalaki kati na mayangani oyo bakoko na biso basanganaki na esobe; ye nde azalaki molobeli, kati na bakoko na biso mpe anjelu oyo asololaki na ye, na ngomba Sinai epai wapi azwaki Maloba ya bomoi mpo na kopesa biso.
This man [Moses] was [our people’s leader] when they gathered together in the desert. It is Moses to whom [God sent] the angel on Sinai Mountain to [give him our laws], and [he was the one who told] our [other] ancestors [what the angel had said]. He was the one who received [from God] words that tell us how to live [eternally, and Moses] passed [them] on to us.”
39 Kasi bakoko na biso baboyaki kotosa ye; batombokelaki ye mpe bazwaki likanisi ya kozonga na Ejipito.
“[However], our ancestors did not want to obey [Moses]. Instead, [while he was still on the mountain], they rejected him [as their leader] and decided that they wanted to return to Egypt.
40 Balobaki na Aron: « Salela biso banzambe oyo bakotambola liboso na biso. Pamba te toyebi te soki makambo nini ekomeli Moyize oyo abimisaki biso na mokili ya Ejipito! »
So they told [his older brother] Aaron, ‘Make idols for us who will be our gods to lead us [back to Egypt]! As for that fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt we [(exc)] do not know what has happened to him!’
41 Ezalaki na mikolo wana nde basalaki nzambe ya ekeko, na lolenge ya mwana ngombe; babonzelaki nzambe yango ya ekeko mbeka mpe basalaki feti mpo na lokumu ya misala ya maboko na bango.
So, they made [out of gold] an image [that looked like] a calf. Then they sacrificed [animals and offered other things] to [honor] that idol, and they sang and danced to honor the idol that they themselves had made.
42 Kasi Nzambe apesaki bango mokongo mpe atikaki bango kosambela mampinga ya likolo, ndenge ekomama kati na buku ya basakoli: « Oh bato ya Isalaele, boni, bozalaki kobonzela Ngai mbeka mpe kopesa Ngai makabo na mibu tuku minei oyo bolekisaki na esobe?
So God rejected them. He abandoned them to worship the sun, moon and stars in the sky. This agrees with the words that one of the prophets wrote that God said, You Israelite [people] [MTY], when you [repeatedly] killed animals and offered them as sacrifices during those 40 years [that you were] in the desert, (you [most certainly] were not offering them to me!/what makes you think that you were offering them to me?) [RHQ]
43 Bomemaki nde ndako ya kapo ya Moloki mpe monzoto ya nzambe na bino Rofa, banzambe ya bikeko oyo bosalaki mpo na kogumbamela! Yango wana, nakotinda bino na bowumbu, mosika koleka Babiloni! »
[On the contrary], you carried [with you from place to place] the tent [that contained the idol] representing [the god] Molech [that you worshipped]. You also [carried with you] the image of the star [called] Rephan. [Those] were idols that you had made, [and you] worshipped [them instead of me]. So I will [cause you to] be taken away {[people to] take you} [from your own country. You will be taken] {[They will take you]} [far from your homes to regions] even farther than Babylon [Country].”
44 Bakoko na biso bazalaki na Ndako ya kapo ya Boyokani kati na esobe, batongaki yango ndenge Nzambe atindaki Moyize, kolanda ndakisa oyo amonaki.
“While our ancestors were in the desert, they worshipped God at the tent that showed [that he was there with them]. They had made the tent exactly like God had commanded Moses [to make it. It was] exactly like the model that Moses had seen [when he was up on the mountain].
45 Sima na kozwa Ndako ya kapo yango, bakoko na biso na bokambami ya Jozue, bamemaki yango tango babotolaki mikili ya Bapagano, mikili oyo Nzambe abenganaki liboso na bango. Mpe Ndako ya kapo yango etikalaki kuna kino na tango ya Davidi;
[Later on], other ancestors of ours carried that tent with them when Joshua led them [into this land]. That was during the time that they took this land for themselves, when God forced the people [who previously lived here] to leave. So the Israelis were able to possess this land. [The tent remained in this land and was still here] when [King] David ruled.
46 oyo azwaki ngolu na miso ya Nzambe mpe asengaki ete atongela Nzambe ya Jakobi ndako.
David pleased God, and he asked God to let him build a house where [he and] all of our Israeli people could worship God.
47 Kasi Salomo nde moto atongelaki ye ndako.
But [instead, God let David’s son] Solomon build a house [where people could worship] God.”
48 Nzokande, Ye-Oyo-Aleki-Likolo avandaka te kati na bandako oyo bato batonga, ndenge kaka mosakoli aloba:
“However, [we(inc) know that] God is greater than everything, and he does not live in [houses that] people [SYN] have made. It is like the prophet [Isaiah] wrote. He wrote [these words that God had spoken: ]
49 « Likolo ezali Kiti na Ngai ya bokonzi, mpe mabele ezali enyatelo makolo na Ngai. Ndako ya ndenge nini penza bokoki kotongela Ngai, elobi Nkolo, to esika ya bopemi ya ndenge nini penza bokoki kobongisela Ngai?
Heaven is (my throne/the place from which I rule the entire universe), and the earth is (my footstool/[merely like] a stool on which I may rest my feet). I myself [SYN] have made everything [both in heaven and on the earth]. So you [human beings], ([you] really cannot build a house that would be [adequate] for me!/do you think you can build a house that would be [appropriate] for me?) [RHQ] You cannot [RHQ] make a place good enough for me [to live in]!”
50 Boni, ezali loboko na Ngai te nde esalaki biloko wana nyonso? »
51 Bato ya mito makasi, ya mitema mabanga mpe bakufa matoyi! Bozali ndenge moko kaka na bakoko na bino: botelemelaka tango nyonso Molimo Mosantu!
“You people are extremely stubborn [MET], not wanting to obey God or listen [MTY] [to him!] You are exactly like your ancestors! You always resist the Holy Spirit [as they did]!
52 Boni, ezalaki solo ata na mosakoli moko oyo bakoko na bino bazangaki konyokola? Kutu, babomaki ezala basakoli oyo basakolaki koya ya Moyengebene, Ye oyo bosili sik’oyo koteka mpe koboma,
Your ancestors caused [RHQ] every prophet to suffer, [including Moses]. They even killed those who long ago announced [that the Messiah] would come, the one who always did what pleased God. [And the Messiah has come! He is the one whom] you [recently] turned over [to his enemies] and [insisted that] they kill him!
53 bino bato oyo bozwaki Mobeko ya Nzambe na nzela ya ba-anjelu, kasi botosaki yango te.
You [are the people] who have received God’s laws. [Those were laws] that God caused angels to give [to our ancestors]. However, [incredibly], you have not obeyed them!”
54 Tango bato ya Likita-Monene bayokaki bongo, batombokaki makasi mpe bakomaki kolia minu mpo na Etieni.
When the Jewish Council members [and others there] heard all that [Stephen said], they became very angry. They were grinding their teeth [together because they were so angry] at him!
55 Kasi lokola Etieni atondisamaki na Molimo Mosantu, atalaki na Likolo, amonaki nkembo ya Nzambe mpe Yesu atelema na ngambo ya loboko ya mobali ya Nzambe.
But the Holy Spirit completely controlled Stephen. He looked up into heaven and saw a dazzling light from God, and [he saw] Jesus standing at God’s right side.
56 Alobaki: — Botala, namoni Likolo efungwami mpe Mwana na moto atelema na ngambo ya loboko ya mobali ya Nzambe!
“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open, and I [see] the one who came from heaven standing at God’s right side!”
57 Bongo, bakangaki matoyi na bango, bagangaki makasi penza, mpe bango nyonso basangelaki ye,
[When the Jewish Council members and others heard that], they shouted loudly. They put their hands over their ears [so that they could not hear Stephen, and immediately] they all rushed at him.
58 bamemaki ye libanda ya engumba mpe babambaki ye mabanga. Na tango wana, batatoli batikaki bilamba na bango epai ya elenge mobali moko na kombo Saulo.
They dragged him outside the city [of Jerusalem] and started to throw stones at him. The people who were accusing him [took off] their outer garments [in order to throw stones more easily, and] they put their clothes [on the ground] next to a young man whose name was Saul, [so that he could guard them].
59 Wana bazalaki kobamba ye mabanga, Etieni azalaki kosambela na koloba: — Nkolo Yesu, yamba molimo na ngai!
While they continued to throw stones at Stephen, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Bongo, afukamaki mpe agangaki makasi: — Nkolo, kotangela bango lisumu oyo te! Tango kaka Etieni alobaki bongo, akufaki.
Then Stephen fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not punish them (OR, forgive them) [LIT] for this sin!” After he had said that, he died.
