Imisebenzi 22
1 Madoda, bazalwane, labobaba, zwanini ukuziphendulela kwami khathesi kini.
“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defence which I now make to you.”
2 Sebezwile ukuthi ukhuluma labo ngolimi lwamaHebheru, bathula kakhulu, wasesithi:
When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
3 Mina ngiyindoda engumJuda, eyazalelwa eTarsu yeKilikhiya, ngakhuliselwa kulumuzi enyaweni zikaGamaliyeli, ngafundiswa ngokuqinileyo umlayo wabobaba, ngitshisekela uNkulunkulu, njengani lonke lamuhla;
“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.
4 eyazingela leyondlela kwaze kwaba sekufeni, ngibabopha ngibanikela entolongweni amadoda kanye labafazi,
I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into 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.
as also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and travelled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
6 Kwasekusithi ngisahamba sengisondela eDamaseko, sekungaba yimini enkulu, kwahle kwakhanya ukukhanya okukhulu okuvela ezulwini kungizingelezela.
“As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.
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.
I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’
9 Lalabo ababelami bakubona ukukhanya, njalo basebesesaba, kodwa kabalizwanga ilizwi elakhuluma lami.
“Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice 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.
I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.’
11 Njengoba ngangingaboni ngenxa yenkazimulo yalokhokukhanya, ngakhokhelwa ngesandla yilabo ababelami, ngafika eDamaseko.
When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 Njalo uAnaniya othile, indoda ekhuthele ekukhonzeni ngokomlayo, owayefakazelwa yiwo wonke amaJuda ahlala khona,
“One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
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 looked up at him.
14 Wasesithi: UNkulunkulu wabobaba bethu ukumisile ngaphambili ukuthi wazi intando yakhe, lokuthi ubone oLungileyo, njalo uzwe ilizwi eliphuma emlonyeni wakhe,
He said, ‘The God of our fathers 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 you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16 Khathesi-ke, usalindeleni? Sukuma ubhabhathizwe uhlanjululwe ezonweni zakho, ubize ibizo leNkosi.
Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptised, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
17 Kwasekusithi kimi sengibuyele eJerusalema, njalo ngikhuleka ethempelini, ngaba lokuhlehla kwengqondo,
“When I had returned to Jerusalem and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance
18 ngasengimbona wathi kimi: Phangisa uphume ngesiqubu eJerusalema; ngoba kabasoze bemukele ubufakazi bakho ngami.
and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’
19 Ngasengisithi: Nkosi, bayazi bona ukuthi mina ngangibafaka entolongweni ngibatshaya emasinagogeni wonke labo abakholwa kuwe;
I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every 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.
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’
21 Wasesithi kimi: Hamba, ngoba mina ngizakuthuma khatshana kwabezizwe.
“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”
22 Bamlalela kwaze kwafika kulelolizwi, baphakamisa ilizwi labo besithi: Msuseni onje emhlabeni, ngoba kakufanele ukuthi aphile!
They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”
23 Kwathi besamemeza, baphosa izembatho, baphosa uthuli emoyeni,
As they cried out, threw off their cloaks, and threw 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 commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.
25 Kwathi sebemelulele phambili ngemichilo, uPawuli wathi enduneni yekhulu eyayimi lapho: Kuvunyelwe kini yini ukutshaya ngesiswepu umuntu ongumRoma engalahlwanga licala?
When they had tied him up with straps, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”
26 Induna yekhulu isizwile yasondela yatshela induna enkulu isithi: Nanzelela osuzakwenza; ngoba lumuntu ungumRoma.
When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”
27 Induna enkulu yasifika yathi kuye: Ngitshele, wena ungumRoma yini? Yena wathi: Yebo.
The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”
28 Induna enkulu yasiphendula yathi: Mina lelilungelo lokuba yisakhamuzi ngalizuza ngemali enkulu. UPawuli wasesithi: Kodwa lami ngazalwa lalo.
The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”
29 Ngakho labo abasebezamhlola bahle basuka kuye. Lenduna enkulu layo yesaba, isisazi ukuthi ungumRoma, lokuthi ibimbophile.
Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realised that he was a Roman, because 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.
But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
