Ebikolwa by’Abatume 25
1 Fesuto yamala ennaku ssatu mu Kayisaliya ng’azze okutandika emirimu gye emiggya, n’asitula okugenda e Yerusaalemi.
Three days after Festus had arrived in the province he left Caesarea to go to Jerusalem.
2 Bwe yali ali eyo, bakabona abakulu n’abakulembeze b’Abayudaaya ne bamutegeeza bye baali bavunaana Pawulo.
The chief priests and Jewish leaders came to him and brought their charges against Paul.
3 Ne bamwegayirira abayambe atumye Pawulo aleetebwe mu Yerusaalemi, kubanga baali bategeka bamuttire mu kkubo.
They begged Festus as a favor to send Paul to Jerusalem, plotting to ambush and kill him on the way.
4 Naye Fesuto n’abaddamu nti, “Nga Pawulo bw’ali mu Kayisaliya, ate nga nange nzija kuddayo mu nnaku ntono,
But Festus replied that Paul was in custody at Caesarea and that he himself would be there shortly.
5 abakulembeze mu nsonga ezo tugende nabo nga nzirayo.” Obanga waliwo omusango Pawulo gw’azizza baguleete mu mbuga z’amateeka awozesebwe.
“Your leaders can come with me, and make their accusation against this man, if he has done anything wrong,” he told them.
6 Oluvannyuma lw’ennaku nga munaana oba kkumi, Fesuto n’aserengeta mu Kayisaliya, era bwe yatuuka, enkeera n’alagira Pawulo aleetebwe mu mbuga z’amateeka.
After staying there with them for no more than eight or ten days, Festus returned to Caesarea. The following day he took his seat as judge, and ordered that Paul be brought before him.
7 Awo Pawulo bwe yaleetebwa, Abayudaaya abaava e Yerusaalemi ne baleeta emisango mingi egy’amaanyi bamuvunaane kyokka nga tebayinza kulaga bukakafu bwagyo.
When he came in the Jews that had come from Jerusalem surrounded him and brought many serious charges against him that they couldn't prove.
8 Pawulo n’awoza ng’agamba nti, “Simenyanga mateeka ga Kiyudaaya n’akamu, era siyonoonanga Yeekaalu, so sijeemeranga Kayisaali.”
Paul defended himself, telling them, “I have not sinned at all against the Jewish law, the Temple, or Caesar.”
9 Fesuto, olw’okwagala okusanyusa Abayudaaya, n’abuuza Pawulo nti, “Oyagala okugenda e Yerusaalemi gy’oba owoleza emisango gino mu maaso gange?”
But Festus, who was looking to gain favor with the Jews, asked Paul, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried before me there about these matters?”
10 Awo Pawulo n’addamu nti, “Kaakano nyimiridde mu maaso g’embuga ya Kayisaali era we nteekwa okuwozesebwa. Naawe omanyidde ddala bulungi nga bwe sirina musango gwonna gwe nazza ku Bayudaaya.
“I'm standing before Caesar's court to be tried, right where I should be,” Paul replied. “I have not done any wrong to the Jews, as you very well know.
11 Naye obanga waliwo omusango gwe nazza, ne gunsaanyiza okufa, nange sigaana kufa! Naye obanga siriiko musango, ng’emisango gyonna Abayudaaya bano gye bankakaatikako gya bulimba bwereere, ggwe tolina kw’osinziira wadde omuntu omulala yenna, okumpaayo gye bali okunzita. Njulidde eri Kayisaali.”
If I've committed a crime and have done something that deserves death, I do not ask to be pardoned from a death sentence. But if there's no substance to these accusations they're making against me, then nobody has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 Fesuto, bwe yamala okuteesaamu n’abamuwa amagezi, n’addamu nti, “Nga bw’ojulidde ewa Kayisaali, kale, onootwalibwa ewa Kayisaali.”
Festus then conferred with the council, and replied, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go!”
13 Awo bwe waayitawo ennaku Kabaka Agulipa ne Berenike ne batuuka mu Kayisaliya okukyalira Fesuto.
Several days later, King Agrippa and his sister Bernice arrived in Caesarea and came to pay their respects to Festus.
14 Ku bugenyi baamalako ennaku nnyingi, era mu bbanga eryo Fesuto n’ategeeza kabaka eby’omusango gwa Pawulo. N’amugamba nti, “Waliwo omusajja wano Ferikisi gwe yaleka mu kkomera nga musibe.
They were staying some time so Festus presented Paul's case to the king, explaining, “There's a man that Felix left as a prisoner here.
15 Bwe nnali mu Yerusaalemi, bakabona ne bantegeeza emisango gye baali bamuvunaana, ne bansaba musalire omusango gumusinge era abonerezebwe.
When I was in Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priests and leaders came and made accusations against him and asked me to sentence him.
16 “Ne mbannyonnyola nti mu mateeka g’Ekiruumi, omuntu tasalirwa musango kumusinga nga tamaze kuwozesebwa n’aweebwa omukisa okuwoza n’abamuwawaabira.
I replied that it is not according to Roman law to convict anyone without having them face their accusers and giving them the opportunity to defend themselves against the charges.
17 Bwe bajja wano okuwoza omusango ogwo, enkeera ne mpita Pawulo n’ajja mu mbuga z’amateeka.
So when his accusers arrived here, I wasted no time and convened the court the very next day. I ordered the man to be brought in.
18 Naye emisango gye baamuwawaabira si gye gyo gye nnali nsuubira.
However, when the accusers got up they didn't bring charges of criminal acts as I expected.
19 Gyali gikwata ku bya ddiini yaabwe, ne ku muntu ayitibwa Yesu eyafa, naye Pawulo gw’ategeeza abantu nti mulamu!
Instead they brought up controversies over religious questions, and over a man called Jesus who was dead but whom Paul insisted was alive.
20 Ebyo ne binnemesa. Kwe ku mubuuza obanga yandyagadde emisango egyo okugiwoleza mu Yerusaalemi.
Since I was undecided as to how to proceed in investigating such matters, I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and be tried there.
21 Naye Pawulo n’ajulira eri Kayisaali! Bwe ntyo ne mmuzzaayo mu kkomera, nteeketeeke okumuweereza eri Kayisaali.”
However, Paul appealed for his case to be heard by the emperor, so I ordered him detained until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Agulipa n’agamba nti, “Nange nandiyagadde okuwulira ku musajja ono by’agamba.” Fesuto n’addamu nti, “Enkya onoomuwulira.”
“I would like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa told Festus. “I'll arrange for you to hear him tomorrow,” Festus replied.
23 Awo ku lunaku olwaddirira Agulipa ne Berenike ne bayingira n’ekitiibwa kinene nnyo mu kisenge ekinene we batuukira, nga bawerekerwako abaserikale n’abantu abatutumufu mu kibuga. Fesuto n’alagira ne baleeta Pawulo.
The next day Agrippa arrived with Bernice in great ceremonial splendor and entered the auditorium with the commanders and leading citizens. Then Festus ordered Paul to be brought in.
24 Fesuto n’alyoka agamba nti, “Kabaka Agulipa, nammwe mwenna abali wano ono ye musajja, Abayudaaya aba kuno n’abo ab’omu Yerusaalemi, gwe bansabye attibwe!
“King Agrippa, and everyone who is present here with us,” Festus began, “you see before you this man whom all the Jewish people, both here and in Jerusalem, have complained to me about, shouting that he shouldn't be allowed to live.
25 Nze nga bwe ndaba, talina ky’akoze kimusaanyiza kufa. Naye bwe yajulira eri Kayisaali, nange kwe kusalawo okumuweereza e Ruumi.
However, I discovered he has not committed any crime that deserves death, and since he has appealed to the emperor I decided to send him there.
26 Naye bye nnassa mu bbaluwa emutwala eri Kayisaali nange bimbuze, kubanga taliiko musango gwennyini gwe yazza! Kyenvudde muleeta mu maaso gammwe mwenna, n’okusingira ddala gy’oli, Kabaka Agulipa, nga neesiga ng’okuva mu ebyo bye munaamubuuza, naye by’anaddamu, nzija kufunamu bye nnassa mu bbaluwa ya Kayisaali.
But I don't have anything specific to write about him to His Imperial Majesty. That's why I have brought him before you so I can have something definite to write.
27 Kubanga sirowooza nti kirungi okuweereza omusibe eri Kayisaali ng’omusango gw’azizza tegunnyonnyose.”
It doesn't seem fair to me to send on a prisoner without explaining the charges made against him.”
