Imisebenzi 11
1 Abaphostoli labazalwane ababeseJudiya basebesizwa ukuthi abezizwe labo balemukele ilizwi likaNkulunkulu.
The apostles and brothers in Judea heard that foreigners had also accepted the word of God.
2 Kwathi uPetro esenyukele eJerusalema, abokusoka baphikisana laye,
When Peter arrived back in Jerusalem, those who believed circumcision was still essential argued with him.
3 besithi: Ungene emadodeni angasokanga, wadla lawo.
“You went into the homes of uncircumcised men, and ate with them,” they said.
4 Kodwa uPetro eqala wabalandisela ngokulandelana esithi:
Peter began to explain to them everything that had happened.
5 Mina ngangisemzini weJopha ngikhuleka, ngasengibona ekuhlehlisweni kwengqondo umbono, kwehla isitsha esithile, sinjengelembu elikhulu sisehliswa ngamasondo amane sivela ezulwini, sasesifika kimi;
“While I was in the town of Joppa I was praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. Something that looked like a large sheet was being let down by its four corners from heaven, and it came down to me.
6 okwathi sengilikhangelisisile ngaqaphelisa, ngasengibona inyamazana ezilenyawo ezine zomhlaba lezeganga lezihuquzelayo lenyoni zezulu.
When I looked inside I saw animals, wild beasts, reptiles, and birds.
7 Ngasengisizwa ilizwi lisithi kimi: Sukuma, Petro, hlaba udle.
Then I heard a voice that told me, ‘Get up, Peter, kill and eat.’
8 Kodwa ngathi: Hatshi bo Nkosi; ngoba loba yini engahlambulukanga kumbe engcolileyo kayizake ingene emlonyeni wami.
But I replied, ‘Absolutely not, Lord! Nothing impure or unclean has ever entered my mouth!’
9 Kodwa ilizwi langiphendula ngokwesibili livela ezulwini lathi: Izinto uNkulunkulu azihlambululileyo, wena ungatsho ukuthi kazihlambulukanga.
The voice from heaven spoke again, and said, ‘Don't you call unclean what God has made clean!’
10 Lokhu-ke kwenzeka kathathu, njalo konke kwabuye kwadonselwa phezulu ezulwini.
This happened three times, and then it was all taken back into heaven.
11 Njalo khangela, ngasona lesosikhathi amadoda amathathu ema phambi kwendlu engangikuyo, ethunyiwe kimi evela eKesariya.
At that very moment three men were standing in front of the house where we were staying. They had been sent from Caesarea to see me.
12 UMoya wasesithi kimi ngihambe lawo, ngingathandabuzi; lalababazalwane abayisithupha labo bahamba lami, sasesingena endlini yendoda;
The Spirit told me to go with them, and not to worry about who they were. These six brothers here also went with me, and we went into the man's house.
13 yasisibikela ukuthi yayibone njani ingilosi imi endlini yayo, isithi kuyo: Thumela amadoda eJopha, ubize uSimoni, othiwa nguPetro,
He explained to us how an angel had appeared to him in his house, who told him, ‘Send someone to Joppa, and fetch Simon, also called Peter,
14 ozakutshela amazwi, ozasindiswa ngawo wena lendlu yakho yonke.
who will tell you what you need to hear so you can be saved—you and your whole household.’
15 Kwathi ngisaqala ukukhuluma, uMoya oyiNgcwele wehlela phezu kwabo, lanjengakithi ekuqaleni.
When I started speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as happened to us in the beginning.
16 Ngakhumbula ilizwi leNkosi, ukuthi yakhuluma njani isithi: Isibili uJohane wabhabhathiza ngamanzi, kodwa lina lizabhabhathizwa ngoMoya oNgcwele.
Then I remembered what the Lord said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
17 Ngakho nxa uNkulunkulu ebanikile isipho esifananayo lanjengakithi, esakholwa eNkosini uJesu Kristu, mina bengingubani ebengingavimbela uNkulunkulu?
Since God gave them the same gift as he gave us when we trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ, what power did I have to oppose God?”
18 Njalo bathi sebezizwile lezizinto bathula, bamdumisa uNkulunkulu, besithi: Ngakho-ke uNkulunkulu unikile abezizwe labo ukuphendukela empilweni.
After they had heard this explanation, they didn't argue with him anymore, and praised God, saying, “Now God has granted the opportunity to repent and have eternal life to foreigners as well.”
19 Labo-ke abahlakazeka ngokuhlupheka okwenzeka mayelana loStefane badabula baze bafika eFenekiya leKuprosi leAntiyoki, bengalikhulumi ilizwi lakoyedwa ngaphandle kumaJuda kuphela.
Now those who had been scattered by the persecution that happened when Stephen was killed, traveled all the way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. They only spread the good news among the Jews.
20 Kodwa kwakukhona abanye kubo, amadoda amaKuprosi lamaKurene, abathi sebefike eAntiyoki, bakhuluma lamaHelenisiti, betshumayela indaba ezinhle zeNkosi uJesu.
But when some of them who were from Cyprus and Cyrene arrived in Antioch, they shared the good news with the Greeks too, telling them about the Lord Jesus.
21 Lesandla seNkosi sasilabo; njalo inani elikhulu lakholwa laphendukela eNkosini.
The power of the Lord was with them and a large number trusted in the Lord and turned to him.
22 Zasezizwakala indaba ngabo endlebeni zebandla elaliseJerusalema; basebethuma uBarnabasi ukuthi adabule kuze kube seAntiyoki;
News about what had happened reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch.
23 kwathi esefikile esebona umusa kaNkulunkulu wathokoza, wasebakhuthaza bonke ukuthi babambelele eNkosini ngokuzimisela kwenhliziyo;
When he arrived and saw for himself how God's grace was working, he was delighted. He encouraged all of them to completely dedicate themselves to God and to stay true.
24 ngoba wayeyindoda elungileyo egcwele uMoya oNgcwele lokholo; kwengezelelwa eNkosini ixuku elikhulu.
Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit, and put his whole trust in God. Many people were brought to the Lord.
25 UBarnabasi wasesiya eTarsu ukuze adinge uSawuli,
Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul,
26 kwathi esemtholile wamletha eAntiyoki. Kwasekusithi umnyaka wonke behlangana ebandleni bafundisa ixuku elikhulu; njalo abafundi baqala ukubizwa ngokuthi ngamaKristu eAntiyoki.
and when he found him, he took Saul back with him to Antioch. Over the course of the next year they worked together with the church, teaching the message to crowds of people. It was in Antioch that the believers were first called “Christians.”
27 Kwathi ngalezonsuku kwafika eAntiyoki abaprofethi bevela eJerusalema.
It was during this time that some prophets went from Jerusalem to Antioch.
28 Kwasekusukuma omunye wabo othiwa nguAgabusi, watshengisa ngoMoya ukuthi kuzakuba khona indlala enkulu emhlabeni wonke; eyaba khona futhi ngesikhathi sikaKlawudiyosi Kesari.
One of them called Agabus stood up and gave a prophetic warning by the Spirit that there would be a terrible famine that would affect the known world. (This came true in the reign of Emperor Claudius.)
29 Labafundi bazimisela ukuthi ngulowo lalowo wabo athumele njengamandla alowo lalowo okokusiza abazalwane abahlala eJudiya;
The believers decided to send funds to help the brothers that lived in Judea, with everyone giving according to what they had.
30 abakwenzayo-ke, bakuthumela kubadala ngesandla sikaBarnabasi loSawuli.
So they did this and sent the money with Barnabas and Saul to the church leaders there.
