Imisebenzi 23
1 UPhawuli wawujolozela umphakathi weSanihedrini wathi, “Bazalwane, sengiwugcwalisile umlandu wami kuNkulunkulu ngenhliziyo eqotho kuze kube lamuhla.”
Paul fixed his eyes on the Council, and began: ‘Brothers, for my part, I have always ordered my life before God, with a clear conscience, up to this very day.’
2 Umphristi omkhulu, u-Ananiya, kwamcunula lokhu, watshela labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli ukuthi bamukule umlomo.
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;
3 UPhawuli wathi kuye, “UNkulunkulu uzakumukula, wena mduli oconjwe ngekalaga emhlophe! Lapha uhlalele ukungahlulela ngomthetho, ikanti wena ngokwakho uyaweqa umthetho ngokulaya ukuthi ngitshaywe!”
Paul turned to him and said: ‘God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?’
4 Labo ababemi eduze kukaPhawuli bathi, “Ulesibindi sokuthuka umphristi omkhulu kaNkulunkulu wena?”
The people standing near said to Paul, ‘Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?’
5 UPhawuli waphendula wathi, “Bazalwane, bengingazi ukuthi ungumphristi omkhulu; ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: ‘Ungakhulumi okubi ngombusi wabantu bakini.’”
‘I did not know, brothers, that it was the high priest,’ said Paul, ‘for scripture says – “Of the ruler of your people you should speak no ill”.’
6 UPhawuli wayesazi ukuthi abanye babo babe ngamaSadusi, abanye bengabaFarisi, wasememeza phakathi kweSanihedrini wathi, “Bazalwane, mina ngingumFarisi, indodana yomFarisi. Ngithoniselwa ukuthi ngilethemba lokuvuka kwabafileyo.”
Noticing that some of those present were Sadducees and others Pharisees, Paul called out in the Council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees. It is on the question of hope for the dead and of their resurrection that I am on my trial.’
7 Wathi ngokutsho lokhu, kwavuka umsindo phakathi kwabaFarisi lamaSadusi, umphakathi wasudabukana phakathi.
As soon as he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and there was a sharp division of opinion among those present.
8 (AmaSadusi athi kakulakuvuka ekufeni, lokuthi kakulazingilosi loba imimoya, kodwa abaFarisi bayakuvuma konke lokho ukuthi kukhona.)
(For Sadducees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)
9 Kwaba lokuxokozela okukhulu, kwathi abanye abafundisi bomthetho ababe ngabaFarisi basukuma bayidaza inkani. Bathi, “Kasiboni lutho olubi ngendoda le. Mhlawumbe umoya kumbe ingilosi ikhulume kuye ke?”
So a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teachers of the Law belonging to the Pharisees’ party stood up and hotly protested, ‘We find nothing whatever wrong in this man. Suppose a spirit did speak to him, or an angel…’
10 Yavutha inkani umlawuli webutho waze wesaba ukuthi uPhawuli sebengamdabudabula. Waselaya amabutho ukuthi ahle amsuse kubo ngamandla amlethe enkambeni yamabutho.
The dispute was becoming so violent, that the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces between them, ordered the Guard to go down and rescue him from them, and take him into the Fort.
11 Ngobusuku obulandelayo iNkosi yema eduze kukaPhawuli yathi, “Iba lesibindi! Njengoba usufakaze ngami eJerusalema, kusamele njalo uyofakaza eRoma.”
That night the Lord came and stood by Paul, and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem and you must bear witness in Rome also.’
12 Ngosuku olulandelayo amaJuda abumba icebo njalo enza isifungo sokuthi kawayikudla kumbe anathe engakambulali uPhawuli.
In the morning some Jewish men combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Kwakungamadoda edlula amatshumi amane ayehambisana lalelocebo.
There were more than forty in the plot;
14 Baya kubaphristi abakhulu labadala bathi, “Sesifunge ijoyi lokuthi kasiyikudla lutho size simbulale uPhawuli.
and they went to the chief priests and the elders, and said, ‘We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food until we have killed Paul.
15 Ngakho-ke lina leSanihedrini khalazani kumlawuli webutho ukuthi amlethe kini ngenhloso yokuthi lifuna ubufakazi obugcweleyo ngecala lakhe. Thina sesilungisile ukuthi simbulale engakafiki lapha.”
So we want you now, with the consent of the Council, to suggest to the commanding officer that he should bring Paul down before you, as though you intended to go more fully into his case; but, before he comes here, we will be ready to make away with him.’
16 Kodwa kwathi ukuba indodana kadadewabo kaPhawuli isilizwile lelicebo, yaya enkambeni yamabutho yayamtshela uPhawuli.
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
17 UPhawuli wasebiza omunye umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Hamba lejaha leli kumlawuli wamabutho; kukhona elifuna ukukutsho kuye.”
Paul called one of the garrison centurion and asked him to take the lad to the commanding officer, as he had something to tell him.
18 Ngakho wasemusa kumlawuli. Umphathi wekhulu wathi, “Isibotshwa esinguPhawuli singibizile sangicela ukuthi ngilethe ijaha leli kuwe ngoba kukhona elifuna ukukutshela khona.”
The centurion went with the lad to the commanding officer, and said, ‘The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this lad to you, as he has something to tell you.’
19 Umlawuli wamthatha lowojaha, wambamba ngesandla waya laye eceleni, wambuza wathi, “Kuyini ofuna ukungitshela khona?”
The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
20 Wathi: “AmaJuda asevumelene ukuthi akucele wena ukuthi ulethe uPhawuli phambi kweSanihedrini kusasa ngenhloso yokuthi afuna ingcazelo epheleleyo mayelana laye.
‘Some men have agreed,’ answered the lad, ‘to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council tomorrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.
21 Ungabavumeli ngoba abeqa amatshumi amane bawo bazamcathamela. Asenze isifungo sokuthi angadli njalo anganathi engakabulali uPhawuli. Kunje nje sebelungile, sebelindele imvumo yakho ngesicelo sabo.”
But do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, who have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink, until they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting on your promise.’
22 Umlawuli wathi kahambe umfana, wamqonqosela wathi, “Ungatsheli muntu ukuthi usungazisile ngalokhu.”
The commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
23 Wasebiza abaphathi bebutho ababili wabalaya wathi, “Lungisani ixuku lamabutho angamakhulu amabili, abagadi bamabhiza abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa labangamakhulu amabili abahlome ngemikhonto ukuthi baye eKhesariya lamuhla ebusuku ngehola lesithathu.
Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o’clock that night,
24 Lilungisele loPhawuli amabhiza ukuze asiwe kuMbusi uFelikhe evikelekile.”
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 Wabhala incwadi kanje:
He also wrote a letter along these lines:
26 Klawudiyasi Lisiya, Kumhlekazi, uMbusi uFelikhe: Ngiyabingelela.
“Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
27 Indoda le yabanjwa ngamaJuda, okwathi esezama ukuyibulala ngafika lamabutho ami sayilamulela ngoba ngasengizwile ukuthi ingumRoma.
The man whom I send with this had been seized by some Jews, and was on the point of being killed by them, when I came upon them with the force under my command, and rescued him, as I learned that he was a Roman citizen.
28 Ngadinga ukwazi ukuthi ayesithi yoneni, yikho ngayiletha phambi kweSanihedrini yawo.
Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 Ngezwa ukuthi icala layo laliphathelene lomlayo wawo, kodwa kwasweleka icala elingafanela ukufa loba ukugwetshelwa entolongweni.
when I found that their charges were connected with questions of their own Law, and that there was nothing alleged involving either death or imprisonment.
30 Ngithe sengilunywe indlebe ngecebo lokuyibulala ngahle ngayedlulisela kuwe. Ngiphinde ngatshela omayimangalela ukuthi bazokwethula kuwe abamangalela ngakho.
Having, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.”
31 Ngakho amabutho azilandela lezo ziqondiso amthatha uPhawuli ebusuku ayamfikisa e-Antiphatri.
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
32 Ngosuku olulandelayo amabutho amtshiya leqembu labagade amabhiza ukuthi liqhubeke laye, bona babuyela enkambeni.
and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 Kwathi abamabhiza sebefikile eKhesariya bayethula incwadi kumbusi loPhawuli laye bamnikela kuye.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 Umbusi wayibala incwadi wambuza ukuthi wayedabuka kusiphi isifunda. Esezwile ukuthi wayengoweSilisiya,
As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said,
35 Wathi, “Icala lakho ngizalihlola nxa labo abakumangalelayo sebefikile lapha.” Waselaya ukuthi uPhawuli agcinwe elindiwe esigodlweni sikaHerodi.
‘I will hear all you have to say as soon as your accusers have arrived.’ And he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in Herod’s Government house.
