Imisebenzi 25
1 Ngakho kwathi uFestusi esengenile emkhonweni, emva kwensuku ezintathu wenyukela eJerusalema esuka eKesariya,
Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 lompristi omkhulu lezikhulu zamaJuda bammangalela uPawuli kuye, bemncenga,
Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him,
3 bacela ukwenzelwa umusa omelane laye, ukuthi amthume eJerusalema, becathamela ukumbulala endleleni.
asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, plotting to kill him on the way.
4 Kodwa uFestusi waphendula ngokuthi uPawuli ugciniwe eKesariya, lokuthi laye ngokwakhe uzakuya khona ngokuphangisa.
However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.
5 Wathi: Ngakho labo abenelisayo phakathi kwenu kabehle kanye lami; uba kukhona ulutho olubi ngaleyondoda, bayimangalele.
“Let them therefore”, he said, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”
6 Kwathi esehlale phakathi kwabo insuku ezedlula itshumi, wehlela eKesariya; kusisa wahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela walaya ukuthi uPawuli alethwe.
When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.
7 Kwathi esefikile, amaJuda ayehlile evela eJerusalema ema emhanqile, embeka amacala amanengi lanzima uPawuli, ayengelakuwaqinisa,
When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,
8 yena eziphendulela wathi: Lemlayweni wamaJuda, lethempelini, lakuKesari kangonanga lutho.
while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”
9 Kodwa uFestusi ethanda ukuthabisa amaJuda, waphendula uPawuli wathi: Uyathanda yini ukwenyukela eJerusalema, wahlulelwe khona ngalezizinto phambi kwami?
But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be judged by me there concerning these things?”
10 Kodwa uPawuli wathi: Ngimi phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela sikaKesari, lapho okufanele ngahlulelwe khona; kangonanga lutho kumaJuda, njengoba lawe usazi kuhle kakhulu.
But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.
11 Ngoba uba ngonile ngenze ulutho olufanele ukufa, kangali ukufa; kodwa uba kungekho lutho lwezinto abangimangalela ngazo, kakulamuntu onganginikela kubo ngesihle. Ngilidlulisela kuKesari.
For if I have done wrong and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”
12 Khona uFestusi esekhulume lomphakathi waphendula wathi: Ulidlulisele kuKesari? KuKesari uzakuya.
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”
13 Kwathi sekudlule insuku ezithile, uAgripha inkosi loBernike bafika eKesariya, ukuze babingelele uFestusi.
Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea and greeted Festus.
14 Kwathi sebehlezi khona insuku ezinengi, uFestusi wayilandisela inkosi izindaba zikaPawuli, esithi: Kukhona indoda ethile eyatshiywa nguFelike iyisibotshwa,
As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;
15 kwathi ngiseJerusalema, abapristi abakhulu labadala bamaJuda bammangalela, becela isigwebo esimelene laye.
about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him.
16 Engabaphendula ngathi: Kakusiwo umkhuba wamaRoma ukumnikela umuntu ekufeni, omangalelweyo labammangalelayo bengalethwanga ubuso ngobuso, njalo azuze ithuba lokuziphendulela ngecala.
I answered them that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction before the accused has met the accusers face to face and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.
17 Ngakho sebebuthene lapha, kangizange ngiphuze; ngosuku olulandelayo ngahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela, ngalaya ukuthi indoda ilethwe;
When therefore they had come together here, I did not delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought.
18 leyo abayimangalelayo sebemi kabavezanga cala ngayo ngezinto mina ebengizicabangela,
When the accusers stood up, they brought no charges against him of such things as I supposed;
19 kodwa babelokuphikisana okuthile laye ngenkolo yakibo, langothile uJesu owafayo, uPawuli othi ngaye uyaphila.
but had certain questions against him about their own religion and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 Kuthe mina ngisadidekile ngombuzo onje, ngathi, angathanda yini ukuya eJerusalema, ayekwahlulelwa khona ngalezozinto.
Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.
21 Kodwa kwathi uPawuli eselidlulisele phambili ukuthi agcinelwe ukuhlolwa yinkosi enkulu, ngalaya ukuthi agcinwe, ngize ngimthume kuKesari.
But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 UAgripha wasesithi kuFestusi: Lami bengithanda ukuthi ngimuzwe lumuntu. Yena wathi: Kusasa uzamuzwa.
Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”
23 Ngakho kusisa, kwathi uAgripha loBernike befika ngokuzibonakalisa okukhulu, basebengena endlini yokwahlulela kanye lezinduna ezinkulu lamadoda ayizikhulu zomuzi, uFestusi waselaya ukuthi uPawuli alethwe.
So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and the principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.
24 UFestusi wasesithi: Nkosi Agripha, lani lonke madoda elikhona lapha kanye lathi, liyambona lo elangicela ngaye lonke ixuku lamaJuda eJerusalema kanye lalapha, limemeza lisithi kasafanele ukuphila.
Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.
25 Kodwa mina ngathola ukuthi kenzanga lutho olufanele ukufa, lokuthi yena ngokwakhe eselidlulisele enkosini enkulu, ngaquma ukumthuma.
But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor, I determined to send him,
26 Okungaye kangilalutho oluqinileyo engingalubhalela inkosi. Ngakho ngimlethile phambi kwenu, ikakhulu phambi kwakho, nkosi Agripha, ukuze kuthi esehloliwe ngibe lakho engingakubhala.
of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination I may have something to write.
27 Ngoba ngibona kungaqondanga ukuthuma isibotshwa, kungatshengiswanga lamacala amelene laso.
For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”
