Imisebenzi 23

1 UPawuli wasewujolozela umphakathi wathi: Madoda bazalwane, mina ngihambile phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngesazela sonke esihle, kuze kube lamuhla.

And Paul, looking the sanhedrim in the face, said, Men, brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God unto this day.

2 Kodwa uAnaniya umpristi omkhulu walaya labo ababemi phansi kwakhe ukuthi bamtshaye umlomo.

And the high priest Ananias commanded those standing near him to smite him in 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 is about to smite thee, thou whitewashed wall: indeed thou art sitting judging me according to the law, and dost thou command me to be smitten contrary to the law?

4 Lababemi lapho bathi: Uyamthuka umpristi omkhulu kaNkulunkulu yini?

And those standing by said, Do you revile the high priest of God?

5 UPawuli wasesithi: Bengingazi, bazalwane, ukuthi ungumpristi omkhulu; ngoba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Ungakhulumi kubi ngombusi wesizwe sakini.

And Paul said, Brethren, I did not know that he is the high priest; for it is written, You shall not speak evil of 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.

And Paul knowing that one part of them belongs to the Sadducees, and another to the Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men, brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of the Pharisees: concerning the hope and the resurrection of the dead I am judged.

7 Kwathi esetshilo lokhu, kwavela ukuphikisana kwabaFarisi labaSadusi, lexuku ladabuka phakathi;

And he speaking this, there was a dissension of the Pharisees and Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.

8 ngoba abaSadusi bathi kakukho ukuvuka kwabafileyo, loba ingilosi, loba umoya; kodwa abaFarisi bayakuvuma kokubili.

For the Sadducees indeed say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

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.

And there was a great clamor: and certain ones of the scribes on the part of the Pharisees, rising up, continued to strive, saying, We find nothing evil in this man: but has a spirit or an angel 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.

And the dissension being great, the chiliarch fearing lest Paul may be torn to pieces by them, commanded the army, having gone down, to take him from their midst, and lead him into the castle.

11 Njalo ngobusuku obulandelayo iNkosi yema phansi kwakhe yathi: Mana isibindi Pawuli; ngoba njengalokhu ufakaze izinto ngami eJerusalema, kunjalo-ke umele ufakaze leRoma.

And on the following night, the Lord standing over him, said, Take courage: for as thou hast testified to the things concerning me in Jerusalem, so it behooveth thee also to testify to me in Rome.

12 Kwathi sekusile, abanye bamaJuda benza iqhinga, bazibopha ngesiqalekiso, besithi kabayikudla lokunatha baze bambulale uPawuli.

And it being day, the Jews having formed a conspiracy, obligated themselves by an oath, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they might kill Paul.

13 Njalo babengaphezu kwamatshumi amane abenza lesisifungo ndawonye;

And there were more than forty having made this plot:

14 abaya kubapristi abakhulu labadala bathi: Sizibophe ngesiqalekiso esikhulu, sokuthi kasiyikudla lutho size simbulale uPawuli.

who, having come to the chief priests and elders, said, We have anathematized ourselves with an anathema, to taste nothing until we may kill 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 therefore do you appeal to the chiliarch along with the sanhedrim, that he may lead him down to you, as about to investigate matters concerning him more thoroughly: and we are ready to kill him before he comes nigh.

16 Kodwa indodana kadadewabo kaPawuli yezwa ngokumcathamela, yeza yangena enkambeni yamabutho, yamtshela uPawuli.

And the son of Paul's sister, having heard of ambuscade, coming and entering into the castle, reported it to Paul.

17 UPawuli wasebizela kuye enye yezinduna zekhulu wathi: Sana lelijaha enduneni enkulu; ngoba lilento elizayitshela yona.

And Paul, having called one of the centurions, said, Lead this young man to the chiliarch: for 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.

Then indeed taking him, he led him to the chiliarch, and says, Paul the prisoner, having called me, requested me to lead this young man to you, having something to tell you.

19 Induna enkulu yasilithatha ngesandla, yasibuyela eceleni bebodwa, yabuza: Kuyini ozongitshela khona?

And the chiliarch taking him by the hand, and having gone away privately, asked him, What is that which you have to tell me?

20 Laselisithi: AmaJuda avumelene ukucela kuwe, ukuze wehlisele uPawuli emphakathini kusasa, kungathi azahlolisisa ngcono ulutho ngaye.

And he said, The Jews have entered into an agreement to ask you that to-morrow you may lead Paul to the sanhedrim, as about to make inquiry as to something more definite concerning 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.

Therefore do not be persuaded by them: for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, who have obligated themselves by an oath, neither to eat nor drink until they may kill him: and now they are ready, awaiting the promise from you.

22 Ngakho induna enkulu yasiliyekela ijaha lahamba, ililaya isithi: Ungatsheli muntu ukuthi ungibikele lezizinto.

Then indeed the chiliarch sent away the young man, having commanded him to Tell no one that you have revealed these things 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;

And having called a certain two of the centurions, he said, Get ready two hundred soldiers that they may go unto Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, from the third hour of the night;

24 lungisani lezinyamazana, ukuze ligadise uPawuli limfikise ephephile kumbusi uFelike;

and prepare beasts of burden, that, having carried away Paul, you may deliver him safe to Felix the governor.

25 wabhala incwadi imumethe lokhu:

Writing a letter having this form:

26 Klawudiyosi Lisiya kumhlekazi umbusi uFelike ngiyabingelela.

Claudius Lysias to the most noble governor Felix, greeting.

27 Lindoda ibibanjwe ngamaJuda, njalo ibisizabulawa yiwo, ngafika lamabutho ngayophula, sengizwile ukuthi ungumRoma.

This man, having been taken by the Jews, and being about to be put to death by them, having interposed with my army, I took out of their hands, having learned that he is a Roman:

28 Ngathi ngifuna ukuthi ngazi isizatho ayimangalela ngaso, ngayehlisela emphakathini wawo;

and wishing to know the cause on account of which they clamored against him, I led him into their sanhedrim:

29 engathi ngithola ukuthi imangalelwe ngemibuzo yomlayo wawo, kodwa ingamangalelwanga ngalutho olufanele ukufa loba izibopho.

whom I found accused concerning questions of their law, having no charge worthy of death or bonds.

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.

And a plot from them being revealed to me to be against the man, I sent him to thee, having commanded his accusers also to speak in thy presence.

31 Abebutho-ke, njengokulaywa kwabo, bamthatha uPawuli, bamusa eAntipatri ngobusuku.

Then indeed the soldiers, according to that which had been commanded them, taking Paul led him by night to Antipatris:

32 Njalo kusisa, batshiya abagadi bamabhiza ukuthi bahambe laye, babuyela enkambeni yamabutho;

And on the following day letting the cavalry go on with him, they returned to the castle.

33 okwathi sebefikile eKesariya, bamnika umbusi incwadi, bammisa loPawuli phambi kwakhe.

Who, having come into Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, also committed Paul to him.

34 Kwathi umbusi eseyifundile incwadi, wasebuza ukuthi ungowawuphi umkhono; esezwile ukuthi ungoweKilikhiya,

And having read, and made inquiry of what jurisdiction,

35 wathi: Ngizakuzwa, sebefikile labamangaleli bakho. Waselaya ukuthi alondolozwe endlini kaHerodi yokwahlulela.

and ascertaining that he is from Cilicia, said, I will hear thee, when thy accusers may also be present, having commanded that he should be kept in Herod's judgment hall.