Ebikolwa by’Abatume 26
1 Agulipa n’agamba Pawulo nti, “Okkirizibbwa okuwoza ensonga zo.” Awo Pawulo n’agolola omukono gwe, n’awoza nti,
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 “Kabaka Agulipa, nnina omukisa okuwoleza mu maaso go leero, nga nnyanukula byonna Abayudaaya bye banvunaana,
“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 kubanga mmanyi ng’empisa z’Ekiyudaaya, zonna ozitegeera bulungi. Kyenva nkusaba ompulirize n’obugumiikiriza.
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 “Nayigirizibwa n’obwegendereza mu mpisa z’Ekiyudaaya okuviira ddala mu buto bwange mu kibuga ky’ewaffe e Taluso ne mu Yerusaalemi, era ne ntambulira mu mpisa ezo obulamu bwange bwonna. Ebyo byonna Abayudaaya bonna babimanyi bulungi.
“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 Era bammanyidde ebbanga ddene nnyo, singa babadde baagala bandinjulidde, nga ndi munnakibiina eky’Abafalisaayo, eky’omu ddiini yaffe ekisingira ddala okunonooza mu buli nsonga ey’Ekiyudaaya.
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 Kaakano nnyimiridde nga nvunaanibwa, kubanga nnina essuubi mu ebyo Katonda bye yasuubiza bajjajjaffe,
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 ebika byaffe ekkumi n’ebibiri bye basuubira okutuukako nga banyiikira okusinza emisana n’ekiro; era olw’essuubi eryo, ayi kabaka, Abayudaaya kyebavudde banvunaana.
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 Kiki ekibalowoozesa nti tekiyinzika Katonda okuzuukiza abafu?
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 “Nze ku lwange nalowooza nti kiŋŋwanidde okuyigganya erinnya lya Yesu Omunnazaaleesi, n’obukambwe bungi.
“[Formerly] I, too, was sure that I should do everything that I could to oppose Jesus [MTY], the man from Nazareth [town].
10 Bwe ntyo ne mbikola ne mu Yerusaalemi era ne nsiba abatuukirivu bangi mu makomera, era ne mpeebwa n’obuyinza okuva eri bakabona abakulu; abatukuvu ne bwe battibwanga, nga nkiwagira.
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 Ne mu makuŋŋaaniro gonna wonna ne mbasindiikirizanga nga mbawalirizanga okuvvoola, ne mbasunguwaliranga nnyo, ne mbayigganyanga okutuuka ne mu bibuga eby’ewala.
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 “Awo bwe nnali nga ndaga e Damasiko, nga ndagiddwa era nga mpeereddwa obuyinza okuva eri bakabona abakulu,
“[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 nga ndi mu kkubo mu ttuntu, ayi Kabaka, ne ndaba ekitangaala ekyaka okusinga eky’enjuba, ne kinjakira ne bannange be nnali ntambula nabo.
[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 Ffenna bwe twagwa wansi, ne mpulira eddoboozi nga liŋŋamba mu Lwebbulaniya nti, ‘Sawulo, Sawulo, onjigganyiza ki? Weerumya wekka bw’osamba ku nkato.’
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 Ne mbuuza nti, ‘Ggwe ani Mukama wange?’ Mukama waffe n’addamu nti, ‘Nze Yesu, gw’oyigganya.
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 Naye golokoka. Nkulabikidde, nkulonde obeere omuweereza wange era omujulirwa w’ebyo mw’ondabidde era ow’ebyo mwe nnaakulabikiranga.
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 Era ndikuwonya mu bantu bano ne mu baamawanga gye ndikutuma
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 okuzibula amaaso gaabwe bakyuke bave mu kizikiza badde eri omusana, n’okuva mu buyinza bwa Setaani, badde eri Katonda balyoke basonyiyibwe ebibi bafunire wamu omugabo gwa Katonda n’abo abatukuzibwa olw’okunzikiriza.’
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 “Bwe ntyo, Ayi Kabaka Agulipa, ne sinyooma kwolesebwa okwo okwava mu ggulu,
“So, King Agrippa, I fully obeyed [LIT] what [the Lord Jesus told me to do when he spoke to me] from heaven.
20 naye ne nsookera ku b’omu Damasiko, ne nzizaako ab’omu Yerusaalemi ne mu Buyudaaya mwonna, n’eri Abaamawanga, nga mbategeeza beenenye bakyukire Katonda, era bakolenga ebikolwa eby’okwenenya ebisaanira.
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 Eyo y’ensonga Abayudaaya kyebaava bankwata nga ndi mu Yeekaalu ne bagezaako n’okunzita.
“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 Katonda kyavudde ankuuma okutuusa leero ndyoke nyimirire nga ndi mujulirwa eri ab’ekitiibwa era n’aba bulijjo, nga sirina kirala kye njogera, wabula ebyo bannabbi ne Musa bye baategeeza nga bigenda okujja
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 nti Kristo kimugwanira okubonaabona, era abeere omubereberye mu kuzuukira kw’abafu, alyoke aleetere abantu bano n’Abamawanga omusana.”
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 Awo Pawulo bwe yali akyawoza Fesuto n’aleekaana mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka nti, “Pawulo, olaluse! Okusoma ennyo kukusudde eddalu!”
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 Pawulo n’addamu nti, “Siraluse, Oweekitiibwa Fesuto. Ebigambo bye njogera bya nsonga era bya mazima.
But Paul answered, “Your Excellency, Festus, I am not raving [insanely]. On the contrary, what I am saying is true and sensible!
26 Era ebintu bino Kabaka Agulipa abitegeera, noolwekyo nnyinza okubimubuulira nga seekomoma. Era nkakasa nga tewali na kimu ku bintu bino ky’ataamanya, kubanga tebyakolerwa mu nkiso!
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 Kabaka Agulipa, bannabbi obakkiriza? Mmanyi ng’obakkiriza.”
Then Paul asked, “King Agrippa, do you believe [what] the prophets [wrote]? I know that you [(sg)] believe it.”
28 Agulipa n’agamba Pawulo nti, “Onsendasenda nfuuke Omukristaayo mu kaseera kano akatono bwe kati?”
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 Pawulo n’addamu nti, “Nsaba Katonda, mu kaseera katono oba mu kiseera kinene, ggwe ne bonna abampuliriza kaakano, bafuuke nga nze, okuggyako enjegere zino ezinsibiddwa.”
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 Awo Kabaka, ne gavana ne Berenike, n’abalala bwe baali batudde, ne basituka ne bafuluma.
Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others got up
31 Bwe badda ebbali ne bakkiriziganya ne bagamba nti, “Omusajja ono talina ky’akoze kimusaanyiza kuttibwa wadde okusibwa mu njegere.”
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 Agulipa kwe kugamba Fesuto nti, “Omusajja ono yanditeereddwa singa teyajulira wa Kayisaali.”
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}.”
