Imisebenzi 15
1 Kwasekusehla abathile bevela eJudiya, bafundisa abazalwane ukuthi: Nxa lingasokwanga ngokwesiko likaMozisi, lingesindiswe.
And certain having come down from Judea, were teaching the brothers, “If you are not circumcised after the custom of Moses, you are not able to be saved”;
2 Ngakho kwathi sekulokuphambana lokuphikisana okungekuncinyane ngoPawuli loBarnabasi bemelane labo, bamisa ukuthi uPawuli loBarnabasi labanye abathile kubo benyukele kubaphostoli labadala eJerusalema, ngaloludaba.
there having been, therefore, not a little dissension and debate to Paul and Barnabas with them, they arranged for Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, to go up to the apostles and elders to Jerusalem about this question;
3 Ngakho, kwathi sebephelekezelwe libandla, badabula iFenekiya leSamariya, balandisa ngokuphenduka kwabezizwe; benzela bonke abazalwane intokozo enkulu.
they indeed, then, having been sent forward by the assembly, were passing through Phoenicia and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the nations, and they were causing great joy to all the brothers.
4 Kwathi sebefikile eJerusalema, bemukelwa libandla labaphostoli labadala, njalo balandisa ukuthi zingakanani izinto uNkulunkulu ayezenze labo.
And having come to Jerusalem, they were received by the assembly, and the apostles, and the elders; they also declared as many things as God did with them;
5 Kodwa kwasukuma abanye abakholwayo abangabehlelo labaFarisi, besithi: Kufanele ukubasoka, lokubalaya bagcine umlayo kaMozisi.
and there rose up certain of those of the sect of the Pharisees who believed, saying, “It is required to circumcise them, to command them also to keep the Law of Moses.”
6 Kwasekubuthana abaphostoli labadala ndawonye ukuze baluhlole loludaba.
And there were gathered together the apostles and the elders, to see about 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.
and there having been much disputing, Peter having risen up said to them, “Men, brothers, you know that from former days God made choice among us, through my mouth, for the nations to hear the word of the good news, and to believe;
8 Njalo uNkulunkulu umazi wenhliziyo wabafakazela, ebanika uMoya oyiNgcwele, lanjengathi;
and the heart-knowing God bore them testimony, having given to them the Holy Spirit, even as also to us,
9 futhi kehlukanisanga phakathi kwethu labo, ehlambulula inhliziyo zabo ngokholo.
and also put no difference between us and them, having purified 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 tempt God, to put a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
11 Kodwa sikholwa ukuthi sisindiswa ngomusa weNkosi uJesu Kristu, ngandlelanye labo.
But through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we believe to be saved, even as also they.”
12 Ixuku lonke laselithula; laselisizwa uBarnabasi loPawuli belandisa ukuthi zingakanani izibonakaliso lezimangaliso uNkulunkulu ayezenze ngabo phakathi kwabezizwe.
And all the multitude kept silence and were listening to Barnabas and Paul expounding as many signs and wonders as God did among the nations through them;
13 Kwathi bona sebeqedile ukukhuluma, uJakobe waphendula wathi: Madoda bazalwane, ngilalelani:
and after they were silent, James answered, saying, “Men, brothers, listen to me:
14 USimeyoni uselandisile ukuthi uNkulunkulu wahambela njani abezizwe ekuqaleni ukuze azuzele ibizo lakhe abantu kubo.
Simeon expounded how at first God looked on [us] to take a people out of [the] nations for His Name,
15 Njalo amazwi abaprofethi ayavumelana lalokhu, njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi:
and to this the words of the Prophets agree, as it has been 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 the dwelling place of David that has fallen down, And I will rebuild its ruins, And will set it upright—
17 ukuze abaseleyo babantu bayidinge iNkosi, labezizwe bonke ibizo lami elibizwa phezu kwabo, itsho iNkosi eyenza lezizinto zonke.
That the remnant of men may seek after the LORD, And all the nations on whom My Name has been called, Says the LORD, who is doing all these things.
Known from the ages to God are all His works. (aiōn g165)
19 Ngakho mina ngiquma ukuthi singabakhathazi labo kwabezizwe abaphendukela kuNkulunkulu;
For this reason I judge: not to trouble those who turn back to God from the nations,
20 kodwa sibabhalele ukuthi bazile amanyala ezithombe, lokufeba, lokukhanyiweyo, legazi.
but to write to them to abstain from the defilements of the idols, and the whoredom, and the strangled thing, and the blood;
21 Ngoba uMozisi ulabo kusukela ezizukulwaneni zendulo abamtshumayelayo umuzi ngomuzi, efundwa emasinagogeni isabatha ngesabatha.
for Moses has those preaching him from former generations in every city—being read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”
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 seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas chosen men out of themselves—Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers—
23 basebebhala lokhu ngesandla sabo ukuthi: Abaphostoli labadala labazalwane kubazalwane abangabezizwe eAntiyoki leSiriya leKilikhiya, bayabingelela;
having written through their hand thus: “The apostles, and the elders, and the brothers, to those in Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia, brothers, who [are] of the nations, greeting;
24 njengoba sizwile ukuthi abathile abaphume kithi balikhathazile ngamazwi, bedunga imiphefumulo yenu, besithi lisokwe lilonde umthetho, bona esingabalayanga;
seeing we have heard that some having gone forth from us troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying to be circumcised and to keep the Law, to whom we gave no charge,
25 kwabonakala kukuhle kithi singqondonye, ukuthi siwakhethe amadoda siwathume kini, kanye labathandekayo bethu uBarnabasi loPawuli,
it seemed good to us, having come together with one accord, to send to you chosen men, with our beloved Barnabas and Paul—
26 abantu abanikele impilo yabo ngenxa yebizo leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.
men who have given up their lives for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ—
27 Ngakho sithumile uJudasi loSilasi, abazakuthi labo ngelizwi lomlomo balitshele izinto ezifananayo.
we have sent, therefore, Judas and Silas, and they are telling the same things by word.
28 Ngoba kwabonakala kukuhle kuMoya oNgcwele, lakithi, ukuthi singalethesi umthwalo omkhulu, ngaphandle kwalezizinto ezifunekayo:
For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no more burden on you, except 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, and blood, and a strangled thing, and whoredom; keeping yourselves from which, you will do well; be strong!”
30 Ngakho sebebakhululile beza eAntiyoki; futhi sebelihlanganisile ixuku, balinika incwadi.
They then, indeed, having been let go, went to Antioch, and having brought the multitude together, delivered the letter,
31 Kwathi sebefundile, bathokoza ngenduduzo.
and having read [it] they rejoiced for the consolation;
32 UJudasi kanye loSilasi, njengoba labo babengabaprofethi, balaya abazalwane ngamazwi amanengi, babaqinisa.
Judas also and Silas, also being prophets themselves, through much discourse exhorted the brothers, and confirmed,
33 Sebehlale isikhathi, bayekelwa basuka ngokuthula kubazalwane baya kubaphostoli,
and having passed some time, they were let go with peace from the brothers to the apostles;
34 kodwa kwabonakala kukuhle kuSilasi ukuthi asale khona.
[[and it seemed good to Silas to remain there still.]]
35 UPawuli loBarnabasi basebesala eAntiyoki, befundisa betshumayela indaba ezinhle zelizwi leNkosi, kanye labanye abanengi.
And Paul and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming good news—with many others also—the word of the LORD;
36 Emva kwensuku ezithile uPawuli wasesithi kuBarnabasi: Ake sibuye sihambele abazalwane bethu emizini yonke, lapho esatshumayela khona ilizwi leNkosi, sibone ukuthi bahlezi njani.
and after certain days, Paul said to Barnabas, “Having turned back again, we may look after our brothers, in every city in which we have preached the word of the LORD—how they are.”
37 UBarnabasi wasehlosa ukuthatha uJohane, othiwa nguMarko, ahambe labo.
And Barnabas resolved to take with [them] John called Mark,
38 Kodwa uPawuli wacabanga ukuthi kufanele ukuthi bangamthathi ahambe labo lowo owabatshiya ePamfiliya, kaze aya labo emsebenzini.
and Paul was not thinking it good to take him with them who withdrew from them from Pamphylia, and did not go with them to the work;
39 Kwasekuvela ukuphikisana okukhulu, baze behlukana phakathi; uBarnabasi wasethatha uMarko wahamba laye ngomkhumbi, baya eKuprosi.
there came, therefore, a sharp contention, so that they were parted from one another, and Barnabas having taken Mark, sailed to Cyprus,
40 Kodwa uPawuli wakhetha uSilasi wasuka wahamba, esenikelwe emuseni kaNkulunkulu ngabazalwane.
and Paul having chosen Silas, went forth, having been given up to the grace of God by the brothers;
41 Wasedabula iSiriya leKilikhiya, eqinisa amabandla.
and he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the assemblies.
