Imisebenzi 1
1 Ukulandisa kokuqala ngakwenza, Teyofilu, ngakho konke uJesu aqala kokubili ukukwenza lokukufundisa,
Dear Theophilus, in my previous book I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning
2 kwaze kwaba lusuku akhutshulwa ngalo, esebalayile ngoMoya oNgcwele abaphostoli ayebakhethile;
until the day he was taken up to heaven. This was after he'd given instructions through the Holy Spirit to his chosen apostles.
3 wazibonakalisa futhi kubo ephilile emva kokuhlupheka kwakhe ngobufakazi obunengi obuqinisekileyo, wabonwa yibo okwensuku ezingamatshumi amane, ekhuluma ngezinto ezimayelana lombuso kaNkulunkulu.
Over the course of forty days after the death he suffered, he showed himself to them, proving that he was alive with convincing evidence. He appeared to them, and told them about the kingdom of God.
4 Kwathi ehlangene labo, wabalaya ukuthi bangasuki eJerusalema, kodwa balindele isithembiso sikaBaba, elasizwa ngami;
While he was still with them he instructed them, “Do not leave Jerusalem. Wait to receive what the Father promised, just as you heard it from me.
5 ngoba ngeqiniso uJohane wabhabhathiza ngamanzi, kodwa lina lizabhabhathizwa ngoMoya oNgcwele kungakadluli insuku ezinengi.
It's true that John baptized with water, but in just a few days' time you will be baptized by the Holy Spirit.”
6 Kwathi sebebuthene bambuza bathi: Nkosi, uzabuyisela umbuso kuIsrayeli kulesisikhathi yini?
So when the disciples met with Jesus, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will re-establish Israel's kingdom?”
7 Wasesithi kubo: Kakusikho okwenu ukwazi izikhathi kumbe imizuzu ayimisileyo uBaba ngawakhe amandla;
“You don't need to know about the dates and times that are set by the Father's authority,” he told them.
8 kodwa lizakwemukela amandla, esefikile phezu kwenu uMoya oNgcwele; njalo libe ngabafakazi bami eJerusalema kanye layo yonke iJudiya leSamariya, njalo kuze kube semkhawulweni womhlaba.
“But you will be given power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest places on earth.”
9 Kwathi esetshilo lezizinto, wakhutshulwa bekhangele, leyezi lamsusa emehlweni abo.
After Jesus had told them this, he was taken up as they were watching and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 Bathi besajolozele ezulwini, esenyuka, njalo khangela, amadoda amabili ema labo elezembatho ezimhlophe,
While they were staring intently at the sky as he ascended, two men dressed in white were suddenly standing beside them.
11 njalo athi: Madoda maGalili, limeleni lijolozele ezulwini? UJesu lo, osuswe kini wenyukiselwa ezulwini, uzabuya ngokunjalo ngendlela elimbone esiya ngayo ezulwini.
“Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky?” they asked. “This same Jesus who has been taken up from you to heaven shall come in the same way you saw him go into heaven.”
12 Basebebuyela eJerusalema bevela entabeni ethiwa ngeyoMhlwathi, eseduze leJerusalema, ummango wohambo lwesabatha.
Then the disciples went back to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives which is about a Sabbath day's walk from Jerusalem.
13 Kwathi sebengenile, benyukela endlini ephezulu, lapho ababehlala khona, uPetro loJakobe loJohane loAndreya, uFiliphu loTomasi, uBartolomewu loMathewu, uJakobe kaAlfewu loSimoni umZelothi, loJudasi kaJakobe.
When they arrived, they went upstairs to the upper room where they were staying: Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.
14 Bonke laba baphikelela bengqondonye emkhulekweni lekuncengeni, kanye labesifazana loMariya unina kaJesu, njalo labafowabo.
They all joined together in prayer, together with the women and Mary, Jesus' mother, and his brothers.
15 Kwathi ngalezonsuku uPetro wasukuma phakathi kwabafundi, kwakulexuku labantu ndawonye elalingaba likhulu lamatshumi amabili, wathi:
At this time Peter stood up and addressed a crowd of around one hundred and twenty believers who had gathered together.
16 Madoda bazalwane, kwakumele ukuthi lumbhalo ugcwaliswe, uMoya oyiNgcwele awukhuluma ngaphambili ngomlomo kaDavida ngoJudasi, owayengumkhokheli walabo abambambayo uJesu,
“My brothers and sisters,” he said, “The Scriptures, spoken by the Holy Spirit through David, had to be fulfilled regarding Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus.
17 ngoba wayebalwe kanye lathi, njalo wemukela isabelo salinkonzo.
He was counted as one of us, and shared in this ministry.”
18 Lo-ke wathenga isiqinti ngomvuzo wobubi, wawa ngekhanda waqhekezeka phakathi, lemibilini yakhe yonke yachitheka.
(Judas had bought a field with his ill-gotten gains. There he fell down headfirst, and his body burst apart, spilling out all his intestines.
19 Njalo kwaziwa yibo bonke abakhileyo eJerusalema, saze sabizwa lesosiqinti ngolimi lwakibo ngokuthi iAkeldama, okuyikuthi iSiqinti segazi.
Everybody who lived in Jerusalem heard about this so that the field was called in their language “Akeldama,” which means, “Field of blood.”)
20 Ngoba kulotshiwe egwalweni lweziHlabelelo ukuthi: Umuzi wakhe kawube lunxiwa, njalo kungabi khona ohlala kuwo; lokuthi: Omunye kathathe ubuphathi bakhe.
As it's written in the book of Psalms, “Let his home be abandoned, and no-one live there;” and “Let someone else take over his position.”
21 Ngakho kumele ukuthi kulawomadoda ayehamba lathi kuso sonke isikhathi lapho iNkosi uJesu yayingena njalo iphuma phakathi kwethu,
“So now we have to choose someone who has been with us the whole time that Jesus was with us,
22 kusukela ebhabhathizweni lukaJohane, kwaze kwaba lusuku akhutshulwa ngalo kithi, omunye wabo kabe ngumfakazi kanye lathi wokuvuka kwakhe.
from the time John was baptizing up until the day Jesus was taken up to heaven from us. One of these must be chosen to join together with us as we witness, giving evidence of Jesus' resurrection.”
23 Basebemisa ababili, uJosefa othiwa nguBarsaba, othiwa futhi nguJustusi, loMathiyasi.
Two names were put forward: Joseph Justus, also known as Barsabbas, and Matthias.
24 Basebekhuleka besithi: Wena Nkosi, wena owaziyo inhliziyo zabo bonke, tshengisa kulaba ababili oyedwa, omkhethileyo,
They prayed together and said, “Lord, you know everyone's thoughts please show us which of these two you have chosen
25 ukwemukela isabelo kulinkonzo lobuphostoli, uJudasi aphambuka kuso, ukuthi aye endaweni engeyakhe.
to replace Judas as an apostle in this ministry that he gave up to go to where he belongs.”
26 Basebebapha inkatho yabo; lenkatho yadla uMathiyasi, wasebalwa kanye labaphostoli abalitshumi lanye.
They cast lots, and Matthias was chosen. He was counted as an apostle with the other eleven.
