Imisebenzi 23
1 UPawuli wasewujolozela umphakathi wathi: Madoda bazalwane, mina ngihambile phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngesazela sonke esihle, kuze kube lamuhla.
Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
2 Kodwa uAnaniya umpristi omkhulu walaya labo ababemi phansi kwakhe ukuthi bamtshaye umlomo.
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
3 UPawuli wasesithi kuye: UNkulunkulu uzakutshaya, mduli oconjwe waba mhlophe; ngoba wena uhlalele ukungahlulela ngomlayo, kanti ngokuphambene lomlayo ulaya ukuthi ngitshaywe?
Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”
4 Lababemi lapho bathi: Uyamthuka umpristi omkhulu kaNkulunkulu yini?
But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”
5 UPawuli wasesithi: Bengingazi, bazalwane, ukuthi ungumpristi omkhulu; ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Ungakhulumi kubi ngombusi wesizwe sakini.
“Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
6 Kwathi uPawuli esekwazi ukuthi enye ingxenye yabo ingabaSadusi, lenye ingabaFarisi, wamemeza emphakathini wathi: Madoda bazalwane, mina ngingumFarisi, indodana yomFarisi; ngethemba langokuvuka kwabafileyo mina ngiyahlulelwa.
Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
7 Kwathi esetshilo lokhu, kwavela ukuphikisana kwabaFarisi labaSadusi, lexuku ladabuka phakathi;
As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8 ngoba abaSadusi bathi kakukho ukuvuka kwabafileyo, loba ingilosi, loba umoya; kodwa abaFarisi bayakuvuma kokubili.
For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection, nor angels, nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9 Kwasekuvela ukumemeza okukhulu; kwathi ababhali behlelo labaFarisi basukuma baphika kakhulu besithi: Kasitholi bubi kulumuntu; kodwa nxa umoya kumbe ingilosi kukhulume laye, kasingalwi simelene loNkulunkulu.
A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
10 Kwathi sekuvele ukuphikisana okukhulu, induna enkulu yesaba ukuthi uPawuli uzadatshulwa yibo, yalaya amabutho ukuthi ahle amhluthule phakathi kwabo, njalo abuyele laye enkambeni yamabutho.
The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 Njalo ngobusuku obulandelayo iNkosi yema phansi kwakhe yathi: Mana isibindi Pawuli; ngoba njengalokhu ufakaze izinto ngami eJerusalema, kunjalo-ke umele ufakaze leRoma.
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
12 Kwathi sekusile, abanye bamaJuda benza iqhinga, bazibopha ngesiqalekiso, besithi kabayikudla lokunatha baze bambulale uPawuli.
When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Njalo babengaphezu kwamatshumi amane abenza lesisifungo ndawonye;
More than forty of them were involved in this plot.
14 abaya kubapristi abakhulu labadala bathi: Sizibophe ngesiqalekiso esikhulu, sokuthi kasiyikudla lutho size simbulale uPawuli.
They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
15 Ngakho khathesi lina kanye lomphakathi yazisani induna enkulu, ukuze imthume kini kusasa, ngokungathi lizazwisisa okunengi ngendaba zakhe; thina-ke, engakasondeli, sesilungele ukumbulala.
Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”
16 Kodwa indodana kadadewabo kaPawuli yezwa ngokumcathamela, yeza yangena enkambeni yamabutho, yamtshela uPawuli.
But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 UPawuli wasebizela kuye enye yezinduna zekhulu wathi: Sana lelijaha enduneni enkulu; ngoba lilento elizayitshela yona.
Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
18 Yasilithatha-ke yalisa enduneni enkulu, yasisithi: UPawuli isibotshwa ungibizele kuye wacela ukuthi ngilethe lelijaha kuwe, lilento elizakutshela yona.
So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
19 Induna enkulu yasilithatha ngesandla, yasibuyela eceleni bebodwa, yabuza: Kuyini ozongitshela khona?
The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”
20 Laselisithi: AmaJuda avumelene ukucela kuwe, ukuze wehlisele uPawuli emphakathini kusasa, kungathi azahlolisisa ngcono ulutho ngaye.
He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him.
21 Ngakho wena ungavunyiswa yiwo; ngoba amadoda adlula amatshumi amane kuwo amcathamele, azibophe ngesiqalekiso ngokuthi angadli anganathi aze ambulale; lakhathesi alungile elindele isithembiso sakho.
Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”
22 Ngakho induna enkulu yasiliyekela ijaha lahamba, ililaya isithi: Ungatsheli muntu ukuthi ungibikele lezizinto.
So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
23 Yasibizela kuyo induna zekhulu ezithile ezimbili, yathi: Lungisani abebutho abangamakhulu amabili ukuze bahambe baze bayefika eKesariya, labagadi bamabhiza abangamatshumi ayisikhombisa, labemikhonto abangamakhulu amabili, kusukela ngehola lesithathu lobusuku;
Then he called two of his centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.
24 lungisani lezinyamazana, ukuze ligadise uPawuli limfikise ephephile kumbusi uFelike;
Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”
25 wabhala incwadi imumethe lokhu:
And he wrote the following letter:
26 Klawudiyosi Lisiya kumhlekazi umbusi uFelike ngiyabingelela.
Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
27 Lindoda ibibanjwe ngamaJuda, njalo ibisizabulawa yiwo, ngafika lamabutho ngayophula, sengizwile ukuthi ungumRoma.
This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,
28 Ngathi ngifuna ukuthi ngazi isizatho ayimangalela ngaso, ngayehlisela emphakathini wawo;
and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
29 engathi ngithola ukuthi imangalelwe ngemibuzo yomlayo wawo, kodwa ingamangalelwanga ngalutho olufanele ukufa loba izibopho.
I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
30 Kwathi sekuvelile kimi ukuthi kwasekuzakuba khona iqhinga ngalindoda ngamaJuda, ngahle ngayithuma kuwe, ngibalayile futhi abamangaleli ukuthi bakhulume izinto ababemelene layo ngazo phambi kwakho. Sala kuhle.
When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.
31 Abebutho-ke, njengokulaywa kwabo, bamthatha uPawuli, bamusa eAntipatri ngobusuku.
So the soldiers followed their orders and brought Paul by night to Antipatris.
32 Njalo kusisa, batshiya abagadi bamabhiza ukuthi bahambe laye, babuyela enkambeni yamabutho;
The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.
33 okwathi sebefikile eKesariya, bamnika umbusi incwadi, bammisa loPawuli phambi kwakhe.
When the horsemen arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.
34 Kwathi umbusi eseyifundile incwadi, wasebuza ukuthi ungowawuphi umkhono; esezwile ukuthi ungoweKilikhiya,
The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
35 wathi: Ngizakuzwa, sebefikile labamangaleli bakho. Waselaya ukuthi alondolozwe endlini kaHerodi yokwahlulela.
he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.
