Imisebenzi 15
1 Kwasekusehla abathile bevela eJudiya, bafundisa abazalwane ukuthi: Nxa lingasokwanga ngokwesiko likaMozisi, lingesindiswe.
Then some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers: “If you are not 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.
Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had a great dissension and debate with them, the brothers appointed Paul and Barnabas and some others from among the believers to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem to discuss this issue.
3 Ngakho, kwathi sebephelekezelwe libandla, badabula iFenekiya leSamariya, balandisa ngokuphenduka kwabezizwe; benzela bonke abazalwane intokozo enkulu.
After being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria and brought great joy to all the brothers when they described in detail the conversion of the Gentiles.
4 Kwathi sebefikile eJerusalema, bemukelwa libandla labaphostoli labadala, njalo balandisa ukuthi zingakanani izinto uNkulunkulu ayezenze labo.
When they arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church, the apostles, and the elders, and they reported all that God had done through them.
5 Kodwa kwasukuma abanye abakholwayo abangabehlelo labaFarisi, besithi: Kufanele ukubasoka, lokubalaya bagcine umlayo kaMozisi.
But some of the believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise the Gentiles and command them to keep the law of Moses.”
6 Kwasekubuthana abaphostoli labadala ndawonye ukuze baluhlole loludaba.
So the apostles and the elders gathered 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.
After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among us, that by the words of my mouth the Gentiles would hear the message of the gospel and believe.
8 Njalo uNkulunkulu umazi wenhliziyo wabafakazela, ebanika uMoya oyiNgcwele, lanjengathi;
And God, who knows the heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us.
9 futhi kehlukanisanga phakathi kwethu labo, ehlambulula inhliziyo zabo ngokholo.
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 then, why are you putting God to the test by placing 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.
On the contrary, we believe that we are saved by the grace of the Lord Jesus in the same way they are.”
12 Ixuku lonke laselithula; laselisizwa uBarnabasi loPawuli belandisa ukuthi zingakanani izibonakaliso lezimangaliso uNkulunkulu ayezenze ngabo phakathi kwabezizwe.
Then the entire assembly fell silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul tell of all the signs and wonders God had performed through them among the Gentiles.
13 Kwathi bona sebeqedile ukukhuluma, uJakobe waphendula wathi: Madoda bazalwane, ngilalelani:
When they had finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me.
14 USimeyoni uselandisile ukuthi uNkulunkulu wahambela njani abezizwe ekuqaleni ukuze azuzele ibizo lakhe abantu kubo.
Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name.
15 Njalo amazwi abaprofethi ayavumelana lalokhu, njengoba kulotshiwe ukuthi:
The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, just as it is written:
16 Emva kwalezizinto ngizabuya, ngilakhe futhi ithabhanekele likaDavida eliwileyo; njalo ngizakwakha okudilikileyo kwalo, njalo ngilimise;
‘After this I will return and rebuild the tabernacle of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins and erect it again,
17 ukuze abaseleyo babantu bayidinge iNkosi, labezizwe bonke ibizo lami elibizwa phezu kwabo, itsho iNkosi eyenza lezizinto zonke.
so that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who does all these things.’
All God's works are known to him from long ago. (aiōn g165)
19 Ngakho mina ngiquma ukuthi singabakhathazi labo kwabezizwe abaphendukela kuNkulunkulu;
Therefore my judgment is that we not create difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God,
20 kodwa sibabhalele ukuthi bazile amanyala ezithombe, lokufeba, lokukhanyiweyo, legazi.
but that we write to them, telling them to abstain from things defiled by idols, from fornication, from what has been strangled, and from blood.
21 Ngoba uMozisi ulabo kusukela ezizukulwaneni zendulo abamtshumayelayo umuzi ngomuzi, efundwa emasinagogeni isabatha ngesabatha.
For from generations of old, Moses has had those who preach him in every city, because he is 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 seemed good to the apostles and to the elders, together with the whole church, to send men chosen from among them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, leading men among the brothers,
23 basebebhala lokhu ngesandla sabo ukuthi: Abaphostoli labadala labazalwane kubazalwane abangabezizwe eAntiyoki leSiriya leKilikhiya, bayabingelela;
and to send with them this letter they had written: “The apostles, elders, and 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 certain men, whom we did not authorize, have gone out from us and troubled you with their words, unsettling your minds by saying that you must be circumcised and keep the law,
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 send you men chosen from among us, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
26 abantu abanikele impilo yabo ngenxa yebizo leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.
who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
27 Ngakho sithumile uJudasi loSilasi, abazakuthi labo ngelizwi lomlomo balitshele izinto ezifananayo.
Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who will tell you the same things in their own words.
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 upon you no further burden than these essentials:
29 Ukuthi lizile okuhlatshelwe izithombe, legazi, lokukhanyiweyo, lokufeba; lezizinto nxa lizazizila, lizabe lenze kuhle. Salani kuhle.
You must abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what has been strangled, and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well. Farewell.”
30 Ngakho sebebakhululile beza eAntiyoki; futhi sebelihlanganisile ixuku, balinika incwadi.
So when these men had been sent off, they went to Antioch, and after gathering the congregation together, they delivered the letter.
31 Kwathi sebefundile, bathokoza ngenduduzo.
When the people read it, they rejoiced over its encouragement.
32 UJudasi kanye loSilasi, njengoba labo babengabaprofethi, balaya abazalwane ngamazwi amanengi, babaqinisa.
Then Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.
33 Sebehlale isikhathi, bayekelwa basuka ngokuthula kubazalwane baya kubaphostoli,
After spending some time there, they were sent off to the apostles in peace by the brothers.
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 stayed in Antioch, teaching and preaching, along with many others, the good news of 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.
After some days had gone by, Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit our brothers in every 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 wanted to bring John, who was called Mark.
38 Kodwa uPawuli wacabanga ukuthi kufanele ukuthi bangamthathi ahambe labo lowo owabatshiya ePamfiliya, kaze aya labo emsebenzini.
But Paul thought it best not to bring this man who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone on with them in their work.
39 Kwasekuvela ukuphikisana okukhulu, baze behlukana phakathi; uBarnabasi wasethatha uMarko wahamba laye ngomkhumbi, baya eKuprosi.
So there arose a sharp disagreement, with the result that they parted from one another. Barnabas took Mark and sailed off to Cyprus,
40 Kodwa uPawuli wakhetha uSilasi wasuka wahamba, esenikelwe emuseni kaNkulunkulu ngabazalwane.
but Paul chose Silas and departed, once he had been committed by the brothers to the grace of God.
41 Wasedabula iSiriya leKilikhiya, eqinisa amabandla.
And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
