Imisebenzi 25
1 Ngakho kwathi uFestusi esengenile emkhonweni, emva kwensuku ezintathu wenyukela eJerusalema esuka eKesariya,
NOW when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Cæsarea to Jerusalem.
2 lompristi omkhulu lezikhulu zamaJuda bammangalela uPawuli kuye, bemncenga,
Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,
3 bacela ukwenzelwa umusa omelane laye, ukuthi amthume eJerusalema, becathamela ukumbulala endleleni.
And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
4 Kodwa uFestusi waphendula ngokuthi uPawuli ugciniwe eKesariya, lokuthi laye ngokwakhe uzakuya khona ngokuphangisa.
But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Cæsarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.
5 Wathi: Ngakho labo abenelisayo phakathi kwenu kabehle kanye lami; uba kukhona ulutho olubi ngaleyondoda, bayimangalele.
Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.
6 Kwathi esehlale phakathi kwabo insuku ezedlula itshumi, wehlela eKesariya; kusisa wahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela walaya ukuthi uPawuli alethwe.
And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Cæsarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.
7 Kwathi esefikile, amaJuda ayehlile evela eJerusalema ema emhanqile, embeka amacala amanengi lanzima uPawuli, ayengelakuwaqinisa,
And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.
8 yena eziphendulela wathi: Lemlayweni wamaJuda, lethempelini, lakuKesari kangonanga lutho.
While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Cæsar, have I offended any thing at all.
9 Kodwa uFestusi ethanda ukuthabisa amaJuda, waphendula uPawuli wathi: Uyathanda yini ukwenyukela eJerusalema, wahlulelwe khona ngalezizinto phambi kwami?
But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?
10 Kodwa uPawuli wathi: Ngimi phambi kwesihlalo sokwahlulela sikaKesari, lapho okufanele ngahlulelwe khona; kangonanga lutho kumaJuda, njengoba lawe usazi kuhle kakhulu.
Then said Paul, I stand at Cæsar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.
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 be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Cæsar.
12 Khona uFestusi esekhulume lomphakathi waphendula wathi: Ulidlulisele kuKesari? KuKesari uzakuya.
Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Cæsar? unto Cæsar shalt thou go.
13 Kwathi sekudlule insuku ezithile, uAgripha inkosi loBernike bafika eKesariya, ukuze babingelele uFestusi.
And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Cæsarea to salute Festus.
14 Kwathi sebehlezi khona insuku ezinengi, uFestusi wayilandisela inkosi izindaba zikaPawuli, esithi: Kukhona indoda ethile eyatshiywa nguFelike iyisibotshwa,
And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul’s cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds 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, desiring to have judgment against him.
16 Engabaphendula ngathi: Kakusiwo umkhuba wamaRoma ukumnikela umuntu ekufeni, omangalelweyo labammangalelayo bengalethwanga ubuso ngobuso, njalo azuze ithuba lokuziphendulela ngecala.
To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
17 Ngakho sebebuthene lapha, kangizange ngiphuze; ngosuku olulandelayo ngahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela, ngalaya ukuthi indoda ilethwe;
Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.
18 leyo abayimangalelayo sebemi kabavezanga cala ngayo ngezinto mina ebengizicabangela,
Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation 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 of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 Kuthe mina ngisadidekile ngombuzo onje, ngathi, angathanda yini ukuya eJerusalema, ayekwahlulelwa khona ngalezozinto.
And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of 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 reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Cæsar.
22 UAgripha wasesithi kuFestusi: Lami bengithanda ukuthi ngimuzwe lumuntu. Yena wathi: Kusasa uzamuzwa.
Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt 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.
And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus’ commandment Paul was brought forth.
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.
And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also 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 that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have 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 unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.
27 Ngoba ngibona kungaqondanga ukuthuma isibotshwa, kungatshengiswanga lamacala amelene laso.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.
