Imisebenzi 19
1 Kwasekusithi, uApolosi eseseKorinte, uPawuli wafika eEfesu esedabule indawo eziphakemeyo; wasefica abafundi abathile
It came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to the city of Ephesus, and found certain disciples there.
2 wathi kubo: Lamemukela yini uMoya oNgcwele mhla likholwayo? Basebesithi kuye: Kodwa kasizanga sizwe ngitsho ukuthi kukhona uMoya oNgcwele.
Paul said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we did not even hear about the Holy Spirit.”
3 Wasesithi kubo: Pho labhabhathizelwa kukuphi? Basebesithi: Kubhabhathizo lukaJohane.
Paul said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John's baptism.”
4 Kodwa uPawuli wathi: UJohane isibili wabhabhathiza ubhabhathizo lokuphenduka, etshela abantu ukuze bakholwe kulowo oweza emva kwakhe, okuyikuthi, kuKristu Jesu.
So Paul replied, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance. He told the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”
5 Lalabo abezwayo babhabhathizwa ebizweni leNkosi uJesu.
When the people heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 Wathi uPawuli esebeke izandla phezu kwabo, uMoya oyiNgcwele weza phezu kwabo; basebekhuluma ngendimi, baprofetha.
Then when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in other languages and prophesied.
7 Njalo wonke amadoda ayengaba litshumi lambili.
In all they were about twelve men.
8 Wasengena esinagogeni wakhuluma ngesibindi, inyanga ezintathu etshumayela eqinisekisa izinto ngombuso kaNkulunkulu.
Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
9 Kodwa kwathi abanye besiba lukhuni bengakholwa, bekhuluma kubi ngaleyondlela phambi kwabantu, wasuka kubo wehlukanisa abafundi, insuku ngensuku etshumayela esikolo sothile uTiranu.
But when some Jews were hardened and disobedient, they began to speak evil of the Way before the crowd. So Paul left them and took the disciples from him, reasoning with them every day in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
10 Lalokhu kwenzeka okweminyaka emibili, baze balizwa ilizwi leNkosi uJesu bonke abakhileyo eAsiya, amaJuda kanye lamaGriki.
This continued for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
11 UNkulunkulu wasesenza imisebenzi yamandla engejwayelekanga ngezandla zikaPawuli,
God was doing mighty deeds by the hands of Paul,
12 kwaze kwathi lakwabagulayo kwasiwa izifinyo kumbe amafasikoti okuvela emzimbeni wakhe, lezifo zasuka kubo, labomoya ababi baphuma kubo.
so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses left them and the evil spirits came out of them.
13 Kwathi abanye kumihambuma yamaJuda, izanuse, bazama ukubiza ibizo leNkosi uJesu kulabo ababelabomoya ababi, besithi: Siyalifungisa ngoJesu amtshumayelayo uPawuli.
But there were Jewish exorcists traveling through the area. They called on the name of the Lord Jesus so they could have power over evil spirits when they said, “By the Jesus whom Paul proclaims, I command you to come out.”
14 Njalo kwakukhona amadodana ayisikhombisa athile kaSikeva umJuda umpristi omkhulu akwenzayo lokho.
The Jewish high priest, whose name was Sceva, had seven sons who were doing this.
15 Kodwa umoya omubi waphendula wathi: UJesu ngiyamazi, loPawuli ngiyazi ngaye; kodwa lina lingobani?
An evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?”
16 Lowomuntu okwakukuye umoya omubi waseseqela phezu kwabo, njalo wabehlula, wabanqoba, baze babaleka kuleyondlu benqunu belimele.
The evil spirit in the man leaped on the exorcists and overpowered them and beat them up. Then they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
17 Lokhu kwasekusaziwa yibo bonke abakhileyo eEfesu amaJuda kanye lamaGriki; lokwesaba kwasekubehlela bonke; njalo lakhuliswa ibizo leNkosi uJesu.
This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. They became very afraid, and the name of the Lord Jesus was honored.
18 Labanengi balabo abakholwayo beza, bevuma, bememezela izenzo zabo.
Also, many of the believers came and confessed and admitted the evil things they had done.
19 Labanengi balabo ababesenza amasalamusi baletha ingwalo ndawonye bazitshisa phambi kwabo bonke; basebebala intengo yazo, bathola izinkulungwane ezingamatshumi amahlanu zesiliva.
Many who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of everyone. When they counted the value of them, it was fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 Ngokunjalo ilizwi leNkosi lakhula ngamandla lanqoba.
So the word of the Lord spread very widely in powerful ways.
21 Kwathi lezizinto seziphelile, uPawuli wazimisela emoyeni, esedabule eMakedoniya leAkaya, ukuya eJerusalema, esithi: Emva kokuba kwami lapho, ngimele ukubona iRoma layo.
Now after Paul completed his ministry in Ephesus, he decided in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia on his way to Jerusalem; he said, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”
22 Esethume eMakedoniya ababili balabo ababemsiza, uTimothi loErastu, yena wahlala eAsiya okwesikhathi.
Paul sent to Macedonia two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, who had helped him. But he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
23 Kodwa ngalesosikhathi kwasuka isiphithiphithi esingesincinyane mayelana laleyondlela.
At about that time there was no small disturbance in Ephesus concerning the Way.
24 Ngoba umuntu othile onguDemetriyu ngebizo, umkhandi wesiliva, owenza amathempelana esiliva kaDiyana, waletha kuzingcwethi inzuzo engencinyane;
A certain silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver statues of Artemis, brought in much business for the craftsmen.
25 owabaqoqayo bona, lezisebenzi zezinto ezifananayo, wathi: Madoda, liyazi ukuthi inotho yethu ivela kulumsebenzi.
So he gathered together the workmen of that occupation and said, “Sirs, you know that in this business we make much money.
26 Njalo liyabona liyezwa ukuthi kungeyisikho eEfesu kuphela, kodwa phose kulo lonke iAsiya, uPawuli lo uncengile njalo uphambule ixuku elikhulu, esithi kayisibo onkulunkulu abenziwe ngezandla.
You see and hear that, not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people. He is saying that there are no gods that are made with hands.
27 Njalo kayisikho lokhu kuphela ukuthi sisengozini yokuthi lolugatsha lomsebenzi lufike ekutheni lungahlonitshwa, kodwa lethempeli likankulunkulukazi omkhulu uDiyana lizathiwa liyinto engesilutho, njalo lobukhulukazi bakhe buzakwehliswa, elimkhonzayo yonke iAsiya lomhlaba wonke.
Not only is there danger that our trade will no longer be needed, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be considered worthless. Then she would even lose her greatness, she whom all Asia and the world worships.”
28 Kwathi bekuzwa bagcwala intukuthelo, bamemeza besithi: Mkhulu uDiyana wamaEfesu!
When they heard this, they were filled with anger and cried out, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”
29 Njalo umuzi wonke wagcwala isiphithiphithi; basebetheleka kanyekanye endaweni yokudlalela, bahudula uGayusi loAristako amaMakedoniya, abaphelekezeli bakaPawuli.
The whole city was filled with confusion, and the people rushed together into the theater. They had seized Paul's travel companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, who came from Macedonia.
30 Kwathi uPawuli efuna ukungena exukwini, abafundi kabamvumelanga.
Paul wanted to enter in among the crowd of people, but the disciples prevented him.
31 Njalo labanye bababusi beAsiya, ababengabangane bakhe, bathuma kuye, bemncenga ukuthi angazinikeli endaweni yokudlalela.
Also, some of the officials of the province of Asia who were his friends sent him a message strongly requesting him not to enter the theater.
32 Ngakho abanye bamemeza okunye labanye okunye; ngoba umhlangano wawusanganisekile, njalo inengi labo lalingazi ukuthi libuthene lapho ngenxa yani.
Some people were shouting one thing, and some another, for the crowd was in confusion. Most of them did not even know why they had come together.
33 Basebemusa phambili uAleksandro esuka exukwini, ngoba amaJuda amqhubela phambili. UAleksandro waseqhweba ngesandla, efuna ukuzivikela ebantwini.
Some of the crowd informed Alexander, whom the Jews were pushing to the front, and so Alexander motioned with his hand, wanting to give an explanation to those who were assembled.
34 Kodwa bathi sebekwazi ukuthi ungumJuda, kwaba lelizwi elilodwa livela kubo bonke okungaba ngamahola amabili limemeza lisithi: Mkhulu uDiyana wamaEfesu!
But when they became aware that he was a Jew, they all cried out for about two hours with one voice, saying, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians.”
35 Njalo kwathi umabhalane eselithulisile ixuku wathi: Madoda eEfesu, kanti kukhona yini umuntu ongaziyo ukuthi umuzi weEfesu ungumlondolozi wethempeli likankulunkulukazi omkhulu uDiyana lowento eyawa ivela kuZewusi?
When the town clerk had quieted the crowd, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great Artemis and of the image which fell down from heaven?
36 Ngakho njengoba lezizinto zingephikwe, kufanele lithule, lingenzi lutho ngamawala.
Seeing then that these things are undeniable, you ought to be quiet and do nothing rash.
37 Ngoba lilethe lamadoda, angeyisibo abaphangi bamathempeli langahlambazi unkulunkulukazi wenu.
For you have brought these men to this court who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess.
38 Ngakho uba uDemetriyu lezingcwethi kanye laye belodaba ngomuntu, amalanga okuthonisa amacala ayagcinwa, bakhona lababusi; kabamangalelane.
Therefore, if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have an accusation against anyone, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. Let them accuse one another.
39 Kodwa uba lidinga ulutho ngezinye izinto, kuzalungiswa emhlanganweni osemthethweni.
But if you seek anything about other matters, it shall be settled in the regular assembly.
40 Ngoba futhi sisengozini yokumangalelwa ngomvukela ngenxa yalamuhla, kungelambangela esingalandisa ngayo ngalesisiphithiphithi.
For indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning this day's riot. There is no cause for this disorder, and we will not be able to explain it.”
41 Njalo esetshilo lokho, wawuchitha umhlangano.
When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.
