Imisebenzi 25
1 Ngemva kwensuku ezintathu efikile esifundeni uFestasi, wasuka eKhesariya waya eJerusalema
Festus, therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea,
2 lapho abaphristi abakhulu labakhokheli bamaJuda bema phambi kwakhe beneka amacala kaPhawuli.
and the chief priest and the principal men of the Jews disclosed to him [the things] against Paul, and were calling on him,
3 Bamcela ngokuphangisa uFestasi, ukuba abenzele umusa, abalethele uPhawuli eJerusalema, ngoba babeceba ukumcathamela bambulale endleleni.
asking favor against him, that he may send for him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to put him to death in the way.
4 UFestasi waphendula wathi, “UPhawuli uvalelwe eKhesariya, njalo mina ngokwami Ngiya khona masinyane.
Then, indeed, Festus answered that Paul is kept in Caesarea, and is himself about to go forth speedily,
5 Akuthi abanye abakhokheli bakini bahambe lami bafike bamethese amacala khonale, nxa kukhona akonileyo.”
“Therefore those able among you,” he says, “having come down together, if there be anything in this man—let them accuse him”;
6 Esehlale insuku eziyisificaminwembili loba ezilitshumi labo, wehlela eKhesariya, kwathi ngosuku olulandelayo wangenisa inkundla wathi kalethwe uPhawuli phambi kwakhe.
and having tarried among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the next day having sat on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought;
7 Esefikile uPhawuli amaJuda ayebuyile evela eJerusalema ambuthanela, ethula amacala amanengi esabekayo ngaye, kodwa engelabufakazi ngawo.
and he having come, there stood around the Jews who have come down from Jerusalem—many and weighty charges they are bringing against Paul, which they were not able to prove,
8 UPhawuli wasezivikela wathi, “Angenzanga lutho oluphikisa umlayo wamaJuda kumbe ukudumaza ithempeli, kumbe oluphikisa uKhesari.”
he making defense, [said, ] “Neither in regard to the Law of the Jews, nor in regard to the temple, nor in regard to Caesar—did I commit any sin.”
9 UFestasi wayefuna ukwenzela amaJuda umusa, wathi kuPhawuli, “Uyavuma na ukuya eJerusalema ukuthi ngiyekuthonisela khona amacala la?”
And Festus willing to lay on the Jews a favor, answering Paul, said, “Are you willing, having gone up to Jerusalem, to be judged before me there concerning these things?”
10 Waphendula uPhawuli wathi, “Khathesi sengisiyakuma phambi kwenkundla kaKhesari, lapho engifanele ukuthonisiswa khona. Kangonanga lutho kumaJuda, njengoba lawe usazi kakuhle.
And Paul said, “At the judgment seat of Caesar I am standing, where it is necessary for me to be judged; I did no unrighteousness to Jews, as you also very well know;
11 Kodwa, nxa ngilecala lokwenza loba yini efanele ukufa kangali ukubulawa. Kodwa nxa lawomacala engiwetheswa ngamaJuda la engasiqiniso, kakho olelungelo lokunginikela kuwo. Ngilidlulisela kuKhesari!”
for if I am indeed unrighteous, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate to die; and if there is none of the things of which these accuse me, no one is able to make a favor of me to them; I appeal to Caesar!”
12 UFestasi esehlanganise amakhanda lomphakathi wakhe, wathi, “Usulidlulisele kuKhesari. Uzakuya-ke kuKhesari!”
Then Festus, having communed with the council, answered, “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you will go.”
13 Sekuyizinsuku ezimbalwa ngemva kwalokho iNkosi u-Agripha loBhenikhe bafika eKhesariya ukuyaqinisa ubudlelwano laye uFestasi.
And certain days having passed, Agrippa the king, and Bernice, came down to Caesarea greeting Festus,
14 Njengoba babezachitha insuku ezinengi khona, uFestasi wakhuluma leNkosi ngendaba kaPhawuli. Wathi, “Kulendoda lapha eyatshiywa nguFelikhe iyisibotshwa.
and as they were continuing there more days, Festus submitted to the king the things concerning Paul, saying, “There is a certain man, left by Felix, a prisoner,
15 Ngathi ngiseJerusalema, abaphristi abakhulu labadala bamaJuda bayimangalela ngamacala athile, bacela ukuthi ibulawe.
about whom, in my being at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid information, asking a decision against him,
16 Ngabatshela ukuthi kakusimkhuba wamaRoma ukunikela umuntu engakahlanganiswa labamangaleli bakhe, waphiwa ithuba lokuzivikela kulawo macala abambeka wona.
to whom I answered, that it is not a custom of Romans to make a favor of any man to die, before that he who is accused may have the accusers face to face, and may receive place of defense in regard to the charge laid against [him].
17 Bathi sebefikile lapha behamba lami, ngahle ngalingenisa icala, kodwa inkundla ngayihlanganisa ngosuku olulandelayo, ngathi indoda leyo kayingeniswe.
They, therefore, having come together—I, making no delay, on the succeeding [day] having sat on the judgment seat, commanded the man to be brought,
18 Sebephakamile ukuba bakhulume, kabasambekanga lawomacala engangiwakhumbula.
concerning whom the accusers, having stood up, were bringing against [him] no accusation of the things I was thinking of,
19 Kodwa, kulezinto ezithile ababephikisana ngazo laye mayelana lenkolo yabo langenye indoda eyafayo ethiwa nguJesu, uPhawuli athi yena iyaphila.
but certain questions concerning their own religion they had against him, and concerning a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive;
20 Ngisuke ngadideka ukuthi ngizicubungule njani izindaba ezinjalo; yikho ngimbuzile ukuthi angavuma yini ukuya eJerusalema ayethonisiswa khona ngamacala la.
and I, doubting in regard to the question concerning this, asked if he was willing to go on to Jerusalem, and to be judged there concerning these things—
21 Kuthe uPhawuli esethe ucela icala lakhe limiswe liyoqunywa nguMbusi oMkhulu, ngathi kagcinwe entolongweni ngize ngimdlulisele kuKhesari.”
but Paul having appealed to be kept to the hearing of Sebastus, I commanded him to be kept until I might send him to Caesar.”
22 U-Agripha wasesithi kuFestasi, “Ngifuna ukuthi kengiyizwe mina ngokwami indoda leyo.” Waphendula wathi, “Uzayizwa kusasa.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, “I was also intending to hear the man myself”; and he said, “Tomorrow you will hear him”;
23 Kusisa u-Agripha loBhenikhe bafika ngodumo olukhulu bangena emthethwandaba lezikhulu zakhona ezaziwayo kanye labakhokheli bedolobho. UFestasi wathi uPhawuli kalethwe.
on the next day, therefore—on the coming of Agrippa and Bernice with much display, and they having entered into the audience chamber, with the chief captains also, and the principal men of the city, and Festus having ordered—Paul was brought forth.
24 UFestasi wasesithi, “Nkosi Agripha, lani lonke elikhona lathi lapha, liyayibona indoda le! Sonke isizwe samaJuda eJerusalema lakhona lapha eKhesariya senza isikhalazo kimi bememeza ukuthi kayisafanelanga ukuthi ibe ilokhu iphila.
And Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are present with us, you see this one, about whom all the multitude of the Jews dealt with me, both in Jerusalem and here, crying out, He ought not to live any longer;
25 Ngafumana ukuthi kwakungelalutho alwenzayo olufanele ukufa, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wacela ukudluliselwa kuMbusi oMkhulu, ngakhetha ukuthi ngimdlulisele eRoma.
and I, having found him to have done nothing worthy of death, and he also himself having appealed to Sebastus, I decided to send him,
26 Kodwa kakulalutho olubambekayo engizalulobela uMhlekazi ngaye. Ngakho sengimlethe lapha phambi kwenu lonke, ikakhulu phambi kwakho wena Nkosi Agripha, ukuze kuthi ngemva kokumhlola hlezi ngithole ulutho engingaluloba.
concerning whom I have no certain thing to write to [my] lord, for what reason I brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that the examination having been made, I may have something to write;
27 Ngibona kungaba liphutha elikhulu ukuthumela isibotshwa ngingacacanga ngamacala esiwetheswayo.”
for it seems to me irrational, sending a prisoner, not to also signify the charges against him.”
