Imisebenzi 26
1 U-Agripha wasesithi kuPhawuli, “Ulemvumo yokuzikhulumela.” Ngakho uPhawuli wasephakamisa isandla sakhe waqalisa ukuzivikela, wathi,
Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.
2 “Nkosi Agripha, ngizibona ngilenhlanhla ukuma phambi kwakho lamuhla ngisethula ukuzivikela kwami kuwo wonke amacala engiwetheswa ngamaJuda,
"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,
3 ikakhulu njengoba wena uwazi amasiko amaJuda kanye lokuphikisana kwawo. Ngakho ngiyakucela ukuthi ungilalele ngokubekezela.
especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4 AmaJuda wonke ayayazi impilo engiyiphilileyo kusukela ebuntwaneni bami, ekuqaleni kokuphila kwami elizweni lakithi njalo laseJerusalema.
"Indeed, all Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
5 Sebengazi okwesikhathi eside njalo bangafakaza nxa bethanda, ukuthi ngenhlelo zenkolo yethu eqinileyo, ngangiphila ngingumFarisi.
having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 Manje sekungenxa yethemba lami kulokho uNkulunkulu akuthembisa okhokho bethu okwenza ngithonisiswe lamuhla.
Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
7 Lesi yiso isithembiso esilindelwe yizizwana zakithi ezilitshumi lambili ukuthi zizasibona sigcwaliseka zilokhu zimkhonza uNkulunkulu ngokutshiseka emini lebusuku. Mhlekazi, kungenxa yalo lelithemba engimangalelwa lona ngamaJuda.
which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O King.
8 Kungenzakala kanjani ukuthi phakathi kwenu kube yinto engakholekiyo ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabavusa abafileyo na?
Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?
9 Lami ngokwami ngangizimisele ukuthi ngenze yonke imizamo yokuphikisana lebizo likaJesu waseNazaretha.
"In fact, I thought to myself that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean.
10 Lakanye yikho lokho engakwenzayo eJerusalema. Ngaphiwa amandla ngabaphristi abakhulu ngaphosela abanengi abangcwele entolongweni, kwathi ekubulaweni kwabo lami ngasekela ukubalahla.
This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.
11 Izikhathi ezinengi ngangihamba nginquma lamasinagogu ngisithi kabajeziswe, ngazama njalo ukubabamba ngamandla ukuthi bahlambaze uJesu. Ngathi ngihlanyiswa yikubazonda ngaya lakwamanye amadolobho asezizweni ukuyabahlukuluza khona.
Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 Kolunye uhambo lwami ngalubangisa eDamaseko ngilamandla lomlayo engawuphiwa ngabaphristi abakhulu.
"Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 Kwathi sekungaba yimini enkulu ngisendleleni Mhlekazi Agripha, ngabona ukukhanya kuvela ezulwini, kukhazimula ukwedlula ilanga, kungizingelezele kanye labakhula bami.
at noon, O King, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.
14 Sonke sawela phansi, ngezwa ilizwi lisithi kimi, ngesiHebheru, ‘Sawuli, Sawuli ungihlukuluzelani na? Kubuhlungu kuwe ukukhahlela izinciji.’
When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
15 Ngasengibuza ngathi, ‘Ungubani, Nkosi?’ INkosi yaphendula yathi, ‘NginguJesu omhlukuluzayo.
"I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 Phakama khathesi ume ngezinyawo zakho. Ngizibonise kuwe ukuthi ngikukhethe ukuba yinceku njalo ube ngufakazi walokho osukubonile ngami, lalokho engisazakutshengisa khona.
But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen me, and of the things which I will reveal to you;
17 Ngizakuphephisa ebantwini bakini lakwabeZizwe. Ngikuthuma
delivering you from the people, and from the non-Jewish people, to whom I send you,
18 ukuthi uvule amehlo abo, ubaphendule basuke ebumnyameni baye ekukhanyeni, njalo basuke emandleni kaSathane baye kuNkulunkulu ukuze bemukele ukuthethelelwa kwezono lendawo phakathi kwalabo abangcweliswe ngokukholwa kimi.’
to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19 Ngakho-ke, Nkosi Agripha, kangiqholozelanga umbono ovela ezulwini.
"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 Ngaqala ngaba seDamaseko, kwalandela abaseJerusalema laseJudiya lonke, kwalandela labeZizwe labo, ngatshumayela ukuthi kumele baphenduke babuyele kuNkulunkulu njalo babonise ukuphenduka kwabo ngezenzo zabo.
but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the non-Jews, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
21 Kungaleso isizatho okwenza amaJuda angibamba ngisemagumeni ethempeli azama ukungibulala.
For this reason Jews seized me when I was in the temple, and tried to kill me.
22 Kodwa uNkulunkulu ungiphephisile kuze kube namuhla, yikho ngimi lapha ngifakaza kwabancinyane labakhulu ngokufananayo. Kakulalutho engilutshoyo ngaphezu kwalokho abaphrofethi loMosi abathi kuzakwenzakala,
Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said would happen,
23 ukuthi uKhristu wayezahlupheka, njalo njengowokuqala ukuvuka kwabafileyo, atshumayele ukukhanya ebantwini bakibo lakwabeZizwe.”
how the Christ would suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to non-Jewish people."
24 Khonapho uFestasi wasemphazamisa esazivikela wathi, “Phawuli, usangene ingqondo! Ukufunda kwakho okukhulu sekukuphambanise ingqondo.”
As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy. Your great learning is driving you insane."
25 Waphendula uPhawuli wathi, “Kangihlanyi, Mhlekazi omkhulu Festasi. Engikutshoyo kuliqiniso njalo kulengqondo.
But he said, "I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.
26 Inkosi izijayele lezizinto yikho ngikhuluma kuyo ngikhululekile. Ngiyakholwa ukuthi kakukho lokukodwa kukho okuyeqileyo inkosi, ngoba kakwenziwanga ejikweni ngokucatshelana.
For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 Nkosi Agripha, uyabakholwa na abaphrofethi? Ngiyazi ukuthi uyabakholwa.”
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."
28 U-Agripha wasesithi kuPhawuli, “Kambe ucabanga ukuthi ngesikhatshana esifitshane kangaka ungangiphendula ngibe ngumKhristu?”
Agrippa said to Paul, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?"
29 UPhawuli waphendula wathi, “Singaba sisifitshane loba sibeside, ngiyakhuleka kuNkulunkulu ukuthi kakungabi nguwe kuphela kodwa bonke abangizwayo lamuhla bangaba yilokho engiyikho khona, ngaphandle kwala amaketane.”
Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds."
30 Inkosi yaphakama kanye lombusi loBhenikhe lalabo ababehlezi labo.
The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.
31 Baphuma endlini, bathi sebekhuluma bodwa, bathi, “Indoda le kakulalutho elwenzayo olufanele ukufa loba ukuvalelwa entolongweni.”
When they had withdrawn, they spoke one to another, saying, "This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds."
32 U-Agripha wathi kuFestasi, “Indoda le ibizakhululwa kube ibingedluliselanga icala layo kuKhesari.”
Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."
