Imisebenzi 22
1 Madoda, bazalwane, labobaba, zwanini ukuziphendulela kwami khathesi kini.
“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense I now make to you.”
2 Sebezwile ukuthi ukhuluma labo ngolimi lwamaHebheru, bathula kakhulu, wasesithi:
When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. Then he said,
3 Mina ngiyindoda engumJuda, eyazalelwa eTarsu yeKilikhiya, ngakhuliselwa kulumuzi enyaweni zikaGamaliyeli, ngafundiswa ngokuqinileyo umlayo wabobaba, ngitshisekela uNkulunkulu, njengani lonke lamuhla;
“I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel and instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
4 eyazingela leyondlela kwaze kwaba sekufeni, ngibabopha ngibanikela entolongweni amadoda kanye labafazi,
I persecuted this Way to the death, binding both men and women and putting them in prison,
5 njengoba lompristi omkhulu engifakazela, lomphakathi wonke wabadala; engazuza kubo incwadi eziya kubazalwane, ngaya eDamaseko, ukuthi lababekhona lapho ngibalethe eJerusalema bebotshiwe, ukuze bajeziswe.
as the high priest can testify about me, along with the whole council of elders. From them I received letters to the brothers in Damascus and then made my way there to make arrests and bring the prisoners back to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 Kwasekusithi ngisahamba sengisondela eDamaseko, sekungaba yimini enkulu, kwahle kwakhanya ukukhanya okukhulu okuvela ezulwini kungizingelezela.
“About noon, as I was going along and drawing near to Damascus, a great light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.
7 Ngasengiwela phansi, ngasengisizwa ilizwi lisithi kimi: Sawuli, Sawuli, ungizingelelani?
Then I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are yoʋ persecuting me?’
8 Mina ngasengiphendula ngathi: Ungubani, Nkosi? Wasesithi kimi: NginguJesu weNazaretha wena omzingelayo.
I answered, ‘Who are yoʋ, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom yoʋ are persecuting.’
9 Lalabo ababelami bakubona ukukhanya, njalo basebesesaba, kodwa kabalizwanga ilizwi elakhuluma lami.
Those who were with me saw the light and were afraid, but they did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
10 Ngasengisithi: Ngenzeni, Nkosi? INkosi yasisithi kimi: Sukuma uye eDamaseko; njalo uzatshelwa khona ngazo zonke izinto ozimiselwe ukuthi uzenze.
Then I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go to Damascus, and there yoʋ will be told about all that has been appointed for yoʋ to do.’
11 Njengoba ngangingaboni ngenxa yenkazimulo yalokhokukhanya, ngakhokhelwa ngesandla yilabo ababelami, ngafika eDamaseko.
But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus.
12 Njalo uAnaniya othile, indoda ekhuthele ekukhonzeni ngokomlayo, owayefakazelwa yiwo wonke amaJuda ahlala khona,
“Now a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who was well spoken of by all the Jews dwelling there,
13 weza kimi wasesima phansi kwami wathi kimi: Sawuli mzalwane, buya ubone. Njalo mina ngalesosikhathi ngasengimbona.
came and stood beside me. He said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive yoʋr sight,’ and in that very hour I received my sight and saw 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 fathers has appointed yoʋ to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice coming from his mouth.
15 ngoba uzakuba ngumfakazi wakhe kubo bonke abantu, walokho okubonileyo lokuzwileyo.
For yoʋ will be his witness to all people of what yoʋ have seen and heard.
16 Khathesi-ke, usalindeleni? Sukuma ubhabhathizwe uhlanjululwe ezonweni zakho, ubize ibizo leNkosi.
And now why do yoʋ delay? Rise and be baptized, and wash away yoʋr sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.’
17 Kwasekusithi kimi sengibuyele eJerusalema, njalo ngikhuleka ethempelini, ngaba lokuhlehla kwengqondo,
“When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
18 ngasengimbona wathi kimi: Phangisa uphume ngesiqubu eJerusalema; ngoba kabasoze bemukele ubufakazi bakho ngami.
and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not accept yoʋr testimony about me.’
19 Ngasengisithi: Nkosi, bayazi bona ukuthi mina ngangibafaka entolongweni ngibatshaya emasinagogeni wonke labo abakholwa kuwe;
So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe in yoʋ.
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 yoʋr witness Stephen was being shed, I myself stood there approving of his execution as I watched over the cloaks of those who were killing him.’
21 Wasesithi kimi: Hamba, ngoba mina ngizakuthuma khatshana kwabezizwe.
Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send yoʋ far away to the Gentiles.’”
22 Bamlalela kwaze kwafika kulelolizwi, baphakamisa ilizwi labo besithi: Msuseni onje emhlabeni, ngoba kakufanele ukuthi aphile!
The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement, but then they lifted up their voices and said, “Away with this man from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”
23 Kwathi besamemeza, baphosa izembatho, baphosa uthuli emoyeni,
As they were crying out, throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,
24 induna enkulu yalaya ukuthi angeniswe enkambeni yamabutho, yathi kahlolisiswe ngokutshaywa ngesiswepu, ukuze yazi ukuthi kungasizatho bani bememeza ngokunjalo ngaye.
the commander ordered Paul to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out the reason why they were shouting at him in this way.
25 Kwathi sebemelulele phambili ngemichilo, uPawuli wathi enduneni yekhulu eyayimi lapho: Kuvunyelwe kini yini ukutshaya ngesiswepu umuntu ongumRoma engalahlwanga licala?
But as one of the soldiers was stretching Paul out with the straps, Paul said to the centurion standing nearby, “Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman citizen without a proper trial?”
26 Induna yekhulu isizwile yasondela yatshela induna enkulu isithi: Nanzelela osuzakwenza; ngoba lumuntu ungumRoma.
When the centurion heard this, he went and reported it to the commander, saying, “Consider what yoʋ are about to do, for this man is a Roman citizen.”
27 Induna enkulu yasifika yathi kuye: Ngitshele, wena ungumRoma yini? Yena wathi: Yebo.
So the commander went over and said to Paul, “Tell me, are yoʋ a Roman citizen?” He said, “Yes.”
28 Induna enkulu yasiphendula yathi: Mina lelilungelo lokuba yisakhamuzi ngalizuza ngemali enkulu. UPawuli wasesithi: Kodwa lami ngazalwa lalo.
The commander responded, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”
29 Ngakho labo abasebezamhlola bahle basuka kuye. Lenduna enkulu layo yesaba, isisazi ukuthi ungumRoma, lokuthi ibimbophile.
So those who were about to examine him immediately drew back, and the commander was afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
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.
So the next day, wishing to know for certain why Paul was being accused by the Jews, the commander released him from his bonds and commanded the chief priests and their entire Sanhedrin to come. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
