Itendi 22
1 “Ashaapwanga na asha awawa, nnaino mmbilikananje shinguti bheleketa nkwitapula!”
“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I am about to make.”
2 Bhakapilikananjeje bhalibheleketa Shiebhulania gubhapundilenje kupumula. Na bhalabho a Pauli gubhapundile kubheleketa.
When they heard that he was speaking to them in Hebrew, they were still more quiet; and Paul went on:
3 “Nne Nanyaudi, kumelekwe ku Tasho shilambo sha Kilikia. Ikabheje punelelwe pa Yelushalemu pepano na bhaajiganya bhangu a Gamalieli. Nashinkujiganywa ukoto Shalia ja ashinakulu bhetu. Nashinkwiishoya kwa ntima gwangu gowe kwa a Nnungu malinga lelo shinninginji mmanganyanjishi.
“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, but I was brought up in this city under the teaching of Gamaliel, and educated in accordance with the strict system of our ancestral Law. I was as zealous in God’s service as any of you who are here today.
4 Nashinkwaapotekanga mpaka kwaabhulaganga bhandunji bhakaagulanga a Yeshu. Natendaga kwaakamulanga bhanabhalume na bhanabhakongwe nikwaatabhanga, nikwaugalilanga nnigelesha.
In my persecution of this Way I did not stop even at the taking of life. I put in chains, and imprisoned, men and women alike –
5 Bhakulungwa bha bhaabhishila na bhanangulungwa bhowe bha lukumbi shibhakong'ondelanje gegano. Gumboshele bhaluwa kukopoka kunngwabhonji jibhajandishilwenje ashaapwetu Bhayaudi bhalinginji ku Dameshiki. Gumbite ku Dameshiki nkupinga ngaakamulanje bhene bhandunjibho na kwiyanabhonji ku Yelushalemu bhali bhatabhilwenje nkupinga bhaukumulwanje.
And to that the high priest himself and all the council of elders can testify. For I had letters of introduction from them to our fellow Jews at Damascus, and I was on my way to that place, to bring those whom I might find there prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment.
6 “Bhai, punaaliji mumpanda malanga ga shaa shita ja mui tome naika ku Dameshiki, shangupe shikukoposhelaga shilangaya sha punda kukopoka ku nnungu gushinangashiye mmbali yowe.
While I was still on my way, just as I was getting close to Damascus, about midday, suddenly there flashed from the heavens a great light all around me.
7 Penepo gung'wile pai, gumbilikene lilobhe lilimalanjila, ‘Shauli, Shauli! Kwa nndi unamboteka?’
I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 Nne gumushiye, ‘Mmwe Mmakulungwa agani?’ Nabhalabho gubhamalanjile, ‘Nne a Yeshu Bhanashaleti bhunkwaapoteka.’
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I replied. Then the voice said ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’
9 Na bhene bhalinginji pamo na nne bhala, bhashibhweninji shilangaya shila ikabheje bhangalipilikana lilobhe lika jwene abheleketaga na nne.
The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the speaker’s voice.
10 Bhai, gumushiye, ‘Ndende bhuli Mmakulungwa?’ Bhakulungwa bhala gubhamalanjile, ‘Jima, ujende ku Dameshiki na kweneko shiubhalanjilwe yupinjikwa utende.’
Then I said ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ The Lord said to me, ‘and there you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
11 Kwa ligongo lyapunda langaya shilangaya shila nangakombola kulola kwa nneyo gubhangamwilenje nkono ni nongoya mpaka ku Dameshiki.
In consequence of that dazzling light I could not see, but my companions held me by the hand, until I reached Damascus.
12 “Kweneko ashinkupagwa mundu jumo lina lyakwe a Anania, mundu abhajogopaga a Nnungu na kunda Shalia jetu na manyika na eshimika na Bhayaudi bhatamanganaga ku Dameshiki.
There a man named Ananias, a strict observer of our Law, well spoken of by all the Jewish inhabitants, came to see me.
13 Gubhaishe mmona, gubhajimi tome na nne, gubhashite, ‘Apwanga a Shauli! Nnole kabhili.’ Popo pepo gunnolile, gunaabhweni.
Standing close to me, he said ‘Saul, my brother, recover your sight.’ And then and there I recovered my sight and looked up at him.
14 Kungai Anania gubhashite, ‘Nnungu jwa ashainabhetu ashikunng'agula mmwe nkupinga mwiimanye ibhapinga na mwaamanye Bhakamula Maengo bhabho bhanguja na pilikana lilobhe likopoka nkang'wa jabho.
Then he said ‘The God of our ancestors has appointed you to learn his will, and to see the righteous one, and to hear words from his lips;
15 Pabha shimwaakong'ondele kubhandu bhowe ga imwibhweni na imwipilikene.
for you will be a witness for him to all the world of what you have just seen and heard.
16 Bhai, igala nkulinda nndi? Nnjime, nkabhatishwe nneshelelwe ilebho yenu kwa tenda nneyo shinnisheme lina lya Bhakulungwa.’
And now why wait any longer, Be baptized at once, wash away your sins, and invoke his name.’
17 “Bhai, ngabhujeje ku Yelushalemu, nilinkujuga Nnungu nniekalu guniibhweni agamii.
After my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying one day in the Temple, I fell into a trance,
18 Gunaabhweni Bhakulungwa bhalimalanjila, ‘Shangu! Ujabhule pa Yelushalemu pabha bhandunji bha pepano bhakakukundanga pushiungong'ondele nne.’
and saw Jesus saying to me ‘Make haste and leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’
19 Gunaajangwile, ‘Mmakulungwa, bhalabhonji bhamumanyinji kuti nne natendaga pita mmashinagogi kwaakamulanga na kwaakomanga bhankulupalilangaga mmwe bhala.
‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘these people know that I used to imprison and scourge, in synagogue after synagogue, those who believed in you;
20 Na kabhili pubhabhulegwe bhaakong'ondela bhenu a Shitepano, nne namwene naapali popo nguliengwa na yatendekaga ila akuno nilingamwile nngubho yabhonji bhaabhulagangaga bhala.’
and, when the blood of your martyr, Stephen, was being shed, I was myself standing by, approving of his death, and took charge of the clothes of those who were murdering him.’
21 Na Bhakulungwa gubhamalanjile, ‘Jenda, shinikutume kwaatalika kubhandunji bha ilambo ina.’”
But Jesus said to me ‘Go; for I will send you to the Gentiles far away’.”
22 Bhandunji bhala gubhaapilikenishiyenje a Pauli mpaka penepo, ikabheje bhakabheleketeje genego, gubhatandwibhenje kujobhela bhalinkutinji, “Mwabhulaje! Mundu jwa nnei kubhulagwape.”
Up to this point the people had been listening to Paul, but at these words they called out, “Kill him! A fellow like this ought not to have been allowed to live!”
23 Gubhapundilenje kujobhela akuno bhalileshelanga kunani nngubho yabhonji na litutuli.
As they were shouting, tearing off their clothes, and throwing dust in the air,
24 Bhakulungwa bha bhakomana ngondo gubhaamulishe bhaapelekanje a Pauli nkati lugwani lwa manjola, gubhaabhalanjilenje bhaakomanje ibhoko nkupinga bhamumanye shiumilo shajamililwa nneila na Bhayaudi.
the commanding officer ordered Paul to be taken into the Fort, and directed that he should be examined under the lash so that he might find out the reason for their outcry against him.
25 Ikabheje bhakaatabhanjeje nkupinga bhaakomanje ibhoko, a Pauli gubhaabhushiye bhakulungwa bha manjola bhajimi tome, “Bhuli, mwa mmbone mmanganya kunkoma mundu jwa ku Loma akanabhe ukumulwa?”
But just as they had tied him up to be scourged, Paul said to the centurion standing near, “Is it legal for you to scourge a Roman citizen, unconvicted?”
26 Bhakulungwa bha manjola bhala bhakapilikaneje nneyo, gubhaalugulile bhakulungwa bha bhakoma ngondo bhala bhalinkuti, “Nkupinga tenda nndi? Jwene munduju nshilambo jwa ku Loma!”
On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commanding officer. “Do you know what you are doing?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27 Bhai, bhakulungwa bha bhakomana ngondo bhala gubhaajendele a Pauli gubhaabhushiye, “Mmalanjile, mmwe mmashilambo sha ku Loma?” A Pauli gubhaajangwile, “Elo.”
So the commanding officer went up to Paul and said, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” replied Paul.
28 Bhakulungwa bha bhakomana ngondo gubhashite, “Nne njipata ushilambo gwa ku Loma kwalipila mmbiyayaigwinji.” A Pauli gubhashite, “Ikabheje nne nanshilambo jwa ku Loma kwa bhelekwa.”
“I had to pay a heavy price for my position as citizen,” said the officer. “I am one by birth,” rejoined Paul.
29 Bhai, bhandunji bhapingangaga kwaabhuya a Pauli bhala shangupe gubhajabhulenje. Nkali bhakulungwa bha bhakomana ngondo bhala gubhajogwepe bhakamumanyeje kuti a Pauli pubhaliji bha shilambo sha Loma na pabha bhashinkwaatabha mindondolo.
The men who were to have examined Paul immediately drew back, and the officer, finding that Paul was a Roman citizen, was alarmed at having put him in chains.
30 Malabhi gakwe, bhakulungwa bha manjola gubhapinjle bhamumanye kuti Bhayaudi bhakwaalugulanga bhuli a Pauli. Kwa nneyo gubhaagopwele mindondolo a Pauli, gubhaamulishenje bhakulungwanji bha bhaabhishila na bha lukumbi bhowe bhatamangane shitamo. Kungai gubhaajimishe a Pauli pakatipakati lukumbi.
On the next day the commanding officer, wishing to find out the real reason why Paul was denounced by the Jewish leaders, had his chains taken off, and directed the chief priests and the whole of the High Council to assemble, and then took Paul down and brought him before them.
