Imisebenzi 22
1 Madoda, bazalwane, labobaba, zwanini ukuziphendulela kwami khathesi kini.
"Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make in your presence."
2 Sebezwile ukuthi ukhuluma labo ngolimi lwamaHebheru, bathula kakhulu, wasesithi:
When they heard him speaking in Hebrew they became the more quiet.
3 Mina ngiyindoda engumJuda, eyazalelwa eTarsu yeKilikhiya, ngakhuliselwa kulumuzi enyaweni zikaGamaliyeli, ngafundiswa ngokuqinileyo umlayo wabobaba, ngitshisekela uNkulunkulu, njengani lonke lamuhla;
"I am a Jew," he said, "born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strict manner of the Law of our forefathers, ardent for God, even as you all are this day.
4 eyazingela leyondlela kwaze kwaba sekufeni, ngibabopha ngibanikela entolongweni amadoda kanye labafazi,
"I persecuted to the death this way, continually binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women.
5 njengoba lompristi omkhulu engifakazela, lomphakathi wonke wabadala; engazuza kubo incwadi eziya kubazalwane, ngaya eDamaseko, ukuthi lababekhona lapho ngibalethe eJerusalema bebotshiwe, ukuze bajeziswe.
"To this the high priest and all the council of elders are witnesses. It was from them that I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was already on my way to bring those also who were there back to Jerusalem, in bonds, for punishment.
6 Kwasekusithi ngisahamba sengisondela eDamaseko, sekungaba yimini enkulu, kwahle kwakhanya ukukhanya okukhulu okuvela ezulwini kungizingelezela.
"But when, on my journey, I was nearing Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone round about me.
7 Ngasengiwela phansi, ngasengisizwa ilizwi lisithi kimi: Sawuli, Sawuli, ungizingelelani?
"I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, "‘Saul! Saul! why are you persecuting me?’
8 Mina ngasengiphendula ngathi: Ungubani, Nkosi? Wasesithi kimi: NginguJesu weNazaretha wena omzingelayo.
"‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. "‘I am Jesus, the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting,’ he answered me.
9 Lalabo ababelami bakubona ukukhanya, njalo basebesesaba, kodwa kabalizwanga ilizwi elakhuluma lami.
"Now my companions, though they beheld the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.
10 Ngasengisithi: Ngenzeni, Nkosi? INkosi yasisithi kimi: Sukuma uye eDamaseko; njalo uzatshelwa khona ngazo zonke izinto ozimiselwe ukuthi uzenze.
"And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ and the Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about all that you are destined to do.’
11 Njengoba ngangingaboni ngenxa yenkazimulo yalokhokukhanya, ngakhokhelwa ngesandla yilabo ababelami, ngafika eDamaseko.
"And as I was seeing nothing for the glory of the light, I was led by the hand of my companions, and so came into Damascus.
12 Njalo uAnaniya othile, indoda ekhuthele ekukhonzeni ngokomlayo, owayefakazelwa yiwo wonke amaJuda ahlala khona,
"And a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the Law, well thought of by all the Jews who lived there,
13 weza kimi wasesima phansi kwami wathi kimi: Sawuli mzalwane, buya ubone. Njalo mina ngalesosikhathi ngasengimbona.
"came to me, and standing by me, said to me, "‘Brother Saul, receive your sight’ "In that very hour I regained my sight and looked up at him.
14 Wasesithi: UNkulunkulu wabobaba bethu ukumisile ngaphambili ukuthi wazi intando yakhe, lokuthi ubone oLungileyo, njalo uzwe ilizwi eliphuma emlonyeni wakhe,
"Then he said. "‘The God of our forefathers has appointed you to know his will; and to see the righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15 ngoba uzakuba ngumfakazi wakhe kubo bonke abantu, walokho okubonileyo lokuzwileyo.
"‘For before the face of all men you will be a witness for him of what you have seen and heard.
16 Khathesi-ke, usalindeleni? Sukuma ubhabhathizwe uhlanjululwe ezonweni zakho, ubize ibizo leNkosi.
"‘And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling upon his name.’
17 Kwasekusithi kimi sengibuyele eJerusalema, njalo ngikhuleka ethempelini, ngaba lokuhlehla kwengqondo,
"After my return to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple,
18 ngasengimbona wathi kimi: Phangisa uphume ngesiqubu eJerusalema; ngoba kabasoze bemukele ubufakazi bakho ngami.
"I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, "‘Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.’
19 Ngasengisithi: Nkosi, bayazi bona ukuthi mina ngangibafaka entolongweni ngibatshaya emasinagogeni wonke labo abakholwa kuwe;
"‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘they themselves well know that I was beating and imprisoning in synagogue after synagogue those who believed in you,
20 njalo mhla kuchithwa igazi likaStefane umfakazi wakho, mina uqobo ngangimi khona ngivumelana lokufa kwakhe, njalo ngilondoloza izembatho zalabo abambulalayo.
"‘and when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting, and holding the garments of his murders.’
21 Wasesithi kimi: Hamba, ngoba mina ngizakuthuma khatshana kwabezizwe.
"‘Depart,’ he said to me, ‘for I will send you forth, far hence, to the Gentiles.’"
22 Bamlalela kwaze kwafika kulelolizwi, baphakamisa ilizwi labo besithi: Msuseni onje emhlabeni, ngoba kakufanele ukuthi aphile!
Until they heard this last statement, the people were listening to Paul, but now they roared out. "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He is not fit to live!"
23 Kwathi besamemeza, baphosa izembatho, baphosa uthuli emoyeni,
When they continued to shout, throwing their clothes into the air, and flinging dust around,
24 induna enkulu yalaya ukuthi angeniswe enkambeni yamabutho, yathi kahlolisiswe ngokutshaywa ngesiswepu, ukuze yazi ukuthi kungasizatho bani bememeza ngokunjalo ngaye.
the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and examined under the lash, to learn for what reason the people were thus crying out against him.
25 Kwathi sebemelulele phambili ngemichilo, uPawuli wathi enduneni yekhulu eyayimi lapho: Kuvunyelwe kini yini ukutshaya ngesiswepu umuntu ongumRoma engalahlwanga licala?
But when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing near, "If a man is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned, is it lawful for you to scourge him?"
26 Induna yekhulu isizwile yasondela yatshela induna enkulu isithi: Nanzelela osuzakwenza; ngoba lumuntu ungumRoma.
When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him. "What are you intending to do? This man is a Roman citizen."
27 Induna enkulu yasifika yathi kuye: Ngitshele, wena ungumRoma yini? Yena wathi: Yebo.
So the tribune came to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.
28 Induna enkulu yasiphendula yathi: Mina lelilungelo lokuba yisakhamuzi ngalizuza ngemali enkulu. UPawuli wasesithi: Kodwa lami ngazalwa lalo.
"I paid a large sum to get this citizenship," said the tribune. "But I was citizen-born," said Paul.
29 Ngakho labo abasebezamhlola bahle basuka kuye. Lenduna enkulu layo yesaba, isisazi ukuthi ungumRoma, lokuthi ibimbophile.
Then those who were about to scourge him, immediately left him. And the tribune too, was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had had him bound.
30 Kwathi kusisa ifuna ukwazi iqiniso, ukuthi kungani emangalelwa ngamaJuda, yamkhulula kuzibopho, yalaya ukuthi abapristi abakhulu lomphakathi wabo wonke babuye, yamehlisa uPawuli yammisa phambi kwabo.
The next day, as he wished to learn the real reason why the Jews accused Paul, he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together, and brought Paul down, and placed him before them.
