Imisebenzi 24
1 Ngemva kwensuku ezinhlanu umphristi omkhulu u-Ananiya wehlela eKhesariya labadala abathile kanye lomeli owayethiwa nguThethula, bafika beneka ukumangalela kwabo uPhawuli kumbusi.
And after five days, the high-priest Ananias came down with the elders, and one Tertulius an orator, who appeared before the governor against Paul.
2 UPhawuli esebiziwe, uThethula walethula icala kuFelikhe wathi: “Mhlekazi! Ngaphansi kombuso wakho sesikholise isikhathi sokuthula eside, ikanti lombono wakho usulethe intuthuko kulesisizwe.
And when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, "As by thee we enjoy much peace, and glorious things are done to this nation by thy prudent administration,
3 Yonke indawo, ngazozonke izindlela, mhlekazi omuhle Felikhe, siyakwamukela konke lokhu ngokubonga okukhulu.
we acknowledge it upon all occasions and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness.
4 Kodwa ukuthi ngingakuchitheli isikhathi, ngiyakucela ukuthi uke usizwe kancinyane esikutshoyo.
But that I may not trespass upon thee too far, I beg thou wouldst hear us a few words with thy wonted goodness.
5 Indoda le siyifumane ukuthi iluhlupho, ivusa isiphithiphithi phakathi kwamaJuda kuwo wonke umhlaba. Ingumholi wequla lamaNazarini
For having found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
6 futhi yazama njalo ukungcolisa ithempeli; yikho sayibamba. Sasifuna ukumahlulela ngokomlayo wethu. [
and attempting to profane the temple, we apprehended him, and would have judged him according to our law.
7 Kodwa umlawuli uLisiya weza wazamthatha ngodlakela ezandleni zethu, wathi obamangalelayo kabeze phambi kwakhe].
But Lysias the tribune came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come unto thee:
8 Ngokumhlola wena ngokwakho uzalibona iqiniso ngazozonke lezizinto esimangalela ngazo.”
from whom thou mayst thyself by examining him come to the knowledge of all these things of which we accuse him."
9 AmaJuda lawo ayingenela indaba eqinisa ukuthi lezizinto zaziliqiniso.
And the Jews also assented, saying, that these things were so.
10 Kwathi umbusi esemphile ithuba lokuthi akhulume uPhawuli waphendula wathi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi usube ngumahluli walesisizwe okweminyaka eminengi; ngakho ngizivikela ngesibindi langentokozo.
Then Paul, when the governor permitted him to speak, answered in this manner, "As I know that thou hast been many years a judge to this nation, I do the more chearfully answer for myself:
11 Ungalithola iqiniso lokuthi kakudluli insuku ezilitshumi lambili ngiyile eJerusalema ukuyakhonza.
because thou mayst know, that there are not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem:
12 Abangimangalelayo kabazange bangifumane ngiphikisana lomuntu ethempelini, loba ngitshotshozela amaxuku emasinagogweni kumbe ngaphi edolobheni.
and they neither found me disputing with any one in the temple, or making sedition among the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:
13 Bangezake balethe ubufakazi kuwe balezizinto abangimangalela ngazo.
nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.
14 Kodwa ngiyavuma ukuthi ngikhonza uNkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu, njengomlandeli weNdlela abayibiza ngokuthi ngumvukela. Ngiyakukholwa konke okuvumelana loMlayo lokubhaliweyo kubaphrofethi,
But this I confess unto thee, that after the way, which they call heresy, so do I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law, and the prophets:
15 njalo ngilethemba elifana lelamadoda la kuNkulunkulu, ukuthi kuzakuba lokuvuka kwabafileyo, abalungileyo lababi.
having hope in God, (which they themselves also expect) that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
16 Ngakho ngiyazama kokuphela ukuba isazela sami sihlale sihlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu laphambi kwabantu.
And on this account do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards men.
17 Ngemva kweminyaka eminengi ngingekho, ngeza eJerusalema ukuletha izipho zabaswelayo ebantwini bakithi lokwethula iminikelo.
Now after several years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings.
18 Ngangihlanzekile ngokomkhuba baze bangifumane ethempelini ngisenza lokhu. Kwakungelaxuku labantu elalilami, kumbe ukuthi ngangiphazamisa ngokuthile.
Upon which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with multitude nor with tumult:
19 Kodwa kukhona amaJuda athile avela esifundeni sase-Ezhiya, okufanele ukuthi ngabe akhona lapha phambi kwakho, angethese icala nxa kukhona akusolayo ngami.
who ought to have been here before thee, and make good their charge, if they had any thing against me.
20 Kumbe wonala akhona kawachaze ukuthi licala bani alifumanayo kimi mhlazana ngimi eSanihedrini,
Or let these themselves say, if they found any crime in me, when I stood before the sanhedrim;
21 ngaphandle kwalokhu kodwa engakumemezayo ngimi phambi kwawo ukuthi: ‘Kungenxa yokuvuka kwabafileyo okwenza ngithonisiswe phambi kwenu lamuhla.’”
unless for this one expression, that I cried out when I stood among them, For the resurrection of the dead I am called in question by you this day."
22 Ngakho uFelikhe, owayesazi kakhulu ngeNdlela walimisa icala. Wathi, “Kuzakuthi nxa uLisiya umlawuli angafika ngizaliquma icala lenu.”
And when Felix heard these things he put them off, (for he had been more particularly informed concerning this way of religion, ) and said, When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will thoroughly examine your matters.
23 Walaya umphathi wekhulu ukuthi agcine uPhawuli elindiwe kodwa amvumele ukukhululeka okuthile kanye labangane bakhe ukuthi bamuphe lokho akuswelayo.
And he commanded the centurion to keep Paul secure, and to let him have some liberty, and to hinder none of his friends from assisting him or coming to him.
24 Ngemva kwensuku ezinengi uFelikhe wafika lomkakhe uDrusila owaye ngumJudakazi. Wathi kakubizwe uPhawuli, wamlalela echaza ngokukholwa kuJesu Khristu.
Some days after Felix coming with his wife Drusilla, a Jewess, sent for Paul, and heard him concerning faith in Christ.
25 UPhawuli wathi esebalisa ngokulunga, langokuzithiba langokwahlulelwa okuzayo uFelikhe wesaba wathi, “Sekwanele okwamanje! Usungahamba. Kungaze kulunge njalo ngizakubiza.”
And as he was reasoning of justice, temperance, and a future judgement, Felix trembled, and said, Go thy way for this time, and I will take a proper opportunity to call for thee again.
26 Yena wayecabanga ukuthi uPhawuli uzamupha imali yokumfumbathisa, yikho wayembiza futhifuthi ekhuluma laye.
And hoping also that money would be given him by Paul, that he might discharge him; he sent for him the more frequently, and conversed with him.
27 Isidlule iminyaka emibili, uFelikhe walandelwa esikhundleni nguPhokhiyu Festasi, kodwa ngoba uFelikhe wayefuna ukuthabisa amaJuda, watshiya uPhawuli elokhu esentolongweni.
But after two years Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus; and being willing to gain favor with the Jews lest Paul confined.
