Imisebenzi 15
1 Kwasekusehla abathile bevela eJudiya, bafundisa abazalwane ukuthi: Nxa lingasokwanga ngokwesiko likaMozisi, lingesindiswe.
Then some men came down from Judea and started teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”
2 Ngakho kwathi sekulokuphambana lokuphikisana okungekuncinyane ngoPawuli loBarnabasi bemelane labo, bamisa ukuthi uPawuli loBarnabasi labanye abathile kubo benyukele kubaphostoli labadala eJerusalema, ngaloludaba.
Well this provoked serious dissension and argument between Paul and Barnabas and them, so Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with certain others of them, to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders about this question.
3 Ngakho, kwathi sebephelekezelwe libandla, badabula iFenekiya leSamariya, balandisa ngokuphenduka kwabezizwe; benzela bonke abazalwane intokozo enkulu.
So being sent on their way by the congregation, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brothers.
4 Kwathi sebefikile eJerusalema, bemukelwa libandla labaphostoli labadala, njalo balandisa ukuthi zingakanani izinto uNkulunkulu ayezenze labo.
Upon arriving in Jerusalem, they were received by the congregation and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.
5 Kodwa kwasukuma abanye abakholwayo abangabehlelo labaFarisi, besithi: Kufanele ukubasoka, lokubalaya bagcine umlayo kaMozisi.
But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the Law of Moses.”
6 Kwasekubuthana abaphostoli labadala ndawonye ukuze baluhlole loludaba.
So the apostles and the elders came together to consider this matter.
7 Kwathi sebephikisene kakhulu, uPetro wasukuma wathi kubo: Madoda bazalwane, lina liyazi ukuthi ensukwini zakuqala uNkulunkulu wakhetha phakathi kwethu, ukuthi ngomlomo wami abezizwe balizwe ilizwi levangeli, bakholwe.
When there had been plenty of discussion, Peter got up and said to them: “Men, brothers, you know that a good while ago God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Gospel and believe.
8 Njalo uNkulunkulu umazi wenhliziyo wabafakazela, ebanika uMoya oyiNgcwele, lanjengathi;
And the heart-knowing God acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us;
9 futhi kehlukanisanga phakathi kwethu labo, ehlambulula inhliziyo zabo ngokholo.
and He made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
10 Pho-ke limlingelani uNkulunkulu, ngokubeka ijogwe entanyeni yabafundi, obaba bethu kanye lathi esingabanga lamandla okulithwala?
Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?
11 Kodwa sikholwa ukuthi sisindiswa ngomusa weNkosi uJesu Kristu, ngandlelanye labo.
Rather, we believe that we are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same manner as they.”
12 Ixuku lonke laselithula; laselisizwa uBarnabasi loPawuli belandisa ukuthi zingakanani izibonakaliso lezimangaliso uNkulunkulu ayezenze ngabo phakathi kwabezizwe.
Then the whole assembly kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul reporting what signs and wonders God had done among the ethnic nations through them.
13 Kwathi bona sebeqedile ukukhuluma, uJakobe waphendula wathi: Madoda bazalwane, ngilalelani:
Now when they finished, James reacted saying: “Men, brothers, listen to me.
14 USimeyoni uselandisile ukuthi uNkulunkulu wahambela njani abezizwe ekuqaleni ukuze azuzele ibizo lakhe abantu kubo.
Simeon has described how God first intervened to extract from the Gentiles a people for His name.
15 Njalo amazwi abaprofethi ayavumelana lalokhu, njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi:
And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written:
16 Emva kwalezizinto ngizabuya, ngilakhe futhi ithabhanekele likaDavida eliwileyo; njalo ngizakwakha okudilikileyo kwalo, njalo ngilimise;
‘After these things I will return, and I will rebuild David's tent, the fallen one; yes, I will rebuild its ruins and restore it;
17 ukuze abaseleyo babantu bayidinge iNkosi, labezizwe bonke ibizo lami elibizwa phezu kwabo, itsho iNkosi eyenza lezizinto zonke.
so that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles—the ones, that is, upon whom my name has been called—says the Lord who does all these things.’
All His works are known to God from eternity. (aiōn g165)
19 Ngakho mina ngiquma ukuthi singabakhathazi labo kwabezizwe abaphendukela kuNkulunkulu;
Therefore I judge that we should not create difficulty for those who are turning to God from among the ethnic nations,
20 kodwa sibabhalele ukuthi bazile amanyala ezithombe, lokufeba, lokukhanyiweyo, legazi.
but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from fornication, from what is strangled, and from blood.
21 Ngoba uMozisi ulabo kusukela ezizukulwaneni zendulo abamtshumayelayo umuzi ngomuzi, efundwa emasinagogeni isabatha ngesabatha.
For from ancient generations Moses has in every city those who preach him, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”
22 Kwasekubonakala kukuhle kubaphostoli lakubadala kanye lebandla lonke, ukuthuma amadoda akhethiweyo phakathi kwabo eAntiyoki loPawuli loBarnabasi; babe ngoJudasi othiwa futhi nguBarsaba, loSilasi, amadoda angabakhokheli phakathi kwabazalwane,
Then it pleased the apostles and the elders, with the whole congregation, to send chosen men from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas (the one called Barsabas) and Silas, leading men among the brothers.
23 basebebhala lokhu ngesandla sabo ukuthi: Abaphostoli labadala labazalwane kubazalwane abangabezizwe eAntiyoki leSiriya leKilikhiya, bayabingelela;
They wrote by their hand the following: “The apostles and the elders and the brothers, to the Gentile brothers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings.
24 njengoba sizwile ukuthi abathile abaphume kithi balikhathazile ngamazwi, bedunga imiphefumulo yenu, besithi lisokwe lilonde umthetho, bona esingabalayanga;
Since we have heard that some who went out from among us have disturbed you with words, unsettling your souls, saying that you must be circumcised and keep the Law—to whom we gave no such authorization—
25 kwabonakala kukuhle kithi singqondonye, ukuthi siwakhethe amadoda siwathume kini, kanye labathandekayo bethu uBarnabasi loPawuli,
it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 abantu abanikele impilo yabo ngenxa yebizo leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.
men who have risked their lives for the sake of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Ngakho sithumile uJudasi loSilasi, abazakuthi labo ngelizwi lomlomo balitshele izinto ezifananayo.
So we have sent Judas and Silas, who will also confirm these things by word of mouth.
28 Ngoba kwabonakala kukuhle kuMoya oNgcwele, lakithi, ukuthi singalethesi umthwalo omkhulu, ngaphandle kwalezizinto ezifunekayo:
It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to place no greater burden upon you than these necessary things:
29 Ukuthi lizile okuhlatshelwe izithombe, legazi, lokukhanyiweyo, lokufeba; lezizinto nxa lizazizila, lizabe lenze kuhle. Salani kuhle.
to abstain from things offered to idols, from ‘blood’, from anything strangled and from fornication; it will be in your own best interest to keep away from these things. Farewell.”
30 Ngakho sebebakhululile beza eAntiyoki; futhi sebelihlanganisile ixuku, balinika incwadi.
So when they were sent off they came to Antioch, and gathering the crowd they delivered the letter.
31 Kwathi sebefundile, bathokoza ngenduduzo.
When they had read it, they rejoiced over the encouragement.
32 UJudasi kanye loSilasi, njengoba labo babengabaprofethi, balaya abazalwane ngamazwi amanengi, babaqinisa.
Both Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.
33 Sebehlale isikhathi, bayekelwa basuka ngokuthula kubazalwane baya kubaphostoli,
After some time, they were released with peace from the brothers to the apostles.
34 kodwa kwabonakala kukuhle kuSilasi ukuthi asale khona.
35 UPawuli loBarnabasi basebesala eAntiyoki, befundisa betshumayela indaba ezinhle zelizwi leNkosi, kanye labanye abanengi.
But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the Word of the Lord, with many others also.
36 Emva kwensuku ezithile uPawuli wasesithi kuBarnabasi: Ake sibuye sihambele abazalwane bethu emizini yonke, lapho esatshumayela khona ilizwi leNkosi, sibone ukuthi bahlezi njani.
Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return now and visit our brothers in each city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, to see how they are doing.”
37 UBarnabasi wasehlosa ukuthatha uJohane, othiwa nguMarko, ahambe labo.
Now Barnabas resolved to take John (the one called Mark) along as well.
38 Kodwa uPawuli wacabanga ukuthi kufanele ukuthi bangamthathi ahambe labo lowo owabatshiya ePamfiliya, kaze aya labo emsebenzini.
But Paul insisted on not taking someone who had deserted them in Pamphilia and not gone with them to the work.
39 Kwasekuvela ukuphikisana okukhulu, baze behlukana phakathi; uBarnabasi wasethatha uMarko wahamba laye ngomkhumbi, baya eKuprosi.
Well the contention became so sharp that they separated from each other. Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus;
40 Kodwa uPawuli wakhetha uSilasi wasuka wahamba, esenikelwe emuseni kaNkulunkulu ngabazalwane.
while Paul chose Silas and set out, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of God.
41 Wasedabula iSiriya leKilikhiya, eqinisa amabandla.
He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the congregations.
