Imisebenzi 25
1 Ngakho kwathi uFestusi esengenile emkhonweni, emva kwensuku ezintathu wenyukela eJerusalema esuka eKesariya,
When Festus, therefore, was come into the province, after three days, he went up from Cesarea to Jerusalem;
2 lompristi omkhulu lezikhulu zamaJuda bammangalela uPawuli kuye, bemncenga,
and the high priest, and the chief among the Jews, appeared before him against Paul, and entreated him
3 bacela ukwenzelwa umusa omelane laye, ukuthi amthume eJerusalema, becathamela ukumbulala endleleni.
that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying an ambush to kill him by the way.
4 Kodwa uFestusi waphendula ngokuthi uPawuli ugciniwe eKesariya, lokuthi laye ngokwakhe uzakuya khona ngokuphangisa.
But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Cesarea, and that he himself would shortly set out for that place:
5 Wathi: Ngakho labo abenelisayo phakathi kwenu kabehle kanye lami; uba kukhona ulutho olubi ngaleyondoda, bayimangalele.
therefore, said he, Let those of you who are able, go down with me; and if there be anything criminal in this man, let them accuse him.
6 Kwathi esehlale phakathi kwabo insuku ezedlula itshumi, wehlela eKesariya; kusisa wahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela walaya ukuthi uPawuli alethwe.
And, having continued among them more than ten days, he went down to Cesarea; and the next day, sitting down on the tribunal, he commanded Paul to be brought.
7 Kwathi esefikile, amaJuda ayehlile evela eJerusalema ema emhanqile, embeka amacala amanengi lanzima uPawuli, ayengelakuwaqinisa,
And when he appeared, the Jews, who came down from Jerusalem, stood round about, bringing many heavy accusations against Paul, which they were not able to prove;
8 yena eziphendulela wathi: Lemlayweni wamaJuda, lethempelini, lakuKesari kangonanga lutho.
while he answered for himself--Neither against the laws of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Cesar, have I committed any offense at all.
9 Kodwa uFestusi ethanda ukuthabisa amaJuda, waphendula uPawuli wathi: Uyathanda yini ukwenyukela eJerusalema, wahlulelwe khona ngalezizinto phambi kwami?
But Festus, willing to ingratiate himself with the Jews, answered Paul, and said, Will you go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged before me, 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 at Cesar's tribunal, where I ought to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you know perfectly 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, indeed, I have done wrong, or have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if there is no fact of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to gratify them! I appeal to Cesar.
12 Khona uFestusi esekhulume lomphakathi waphendula wathi: Ulidlulisele kuKesari? KuKesari uzakuya.
Then Festus, having spoken with the council, answered, Have you appealed to Cesar? To Cesar you shall go.
13 Kwathi sekudlule insuku ezithile, uAgripha inkosi loBernike bafika eKesariya, ukuze babingelele uFestusi.
And when some days were passed, King Agrippa, and Bernice, came to Cesarea, to pay their respects to Festus.
14 Kwathi sebehlezi khona insuku ezinengi, uFestusi wayilandisela inkosi izindaba zikaPawuli, esithi: Kukhona indoda ethile eyatshiywa nguFelike iyisibotshwa,
And as they continued there many days, Festus laid before the king the case of Paul, saying, There is a certain man, left in bonds by Felix;
15 kwathi ngiseJerusalema, abapristi abakhulu labadala bamaJuda bammangalela, becela isigwebo esimelene laye.
concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews, informed me, desiring 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, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, till he that is accused have the accusers face to face, and be allowed an opportunity of making his defense, as to the crime laid to his charge.
17 Ngakho sebebuthene lapha, kangizange ngiphuze; ngosuku olulandelayo ngahlala esihlalweni sokwahlulela, ngalaya ukuthi indoda ilethwe;
When, therefore, they were come hither, I, without any delay, sat down on the tribunal next day, 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 no charge 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, relating to their own religion, and about one Jesus, that was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 Kuthe mina ngisadidekile ngombuzo onje, ngathi, angathanda yini ukuya eJerusalema, ayekwahlulelwa khona ngalezozinto.
But as I was dubious of the question relating to him, I said, that if he were willing, he should go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things.
21 Kodwa kwathi uPawuli eselidlulisele phambili ukuthi agcinelwe ukuhlolwa yinkosi enkulu, ngalaya ukuthi agcinwe, ngize ngimthume kuKesari.
But Paul, appealing to be kept to the hearing of his majesty, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Cesar.
22 UAgripha wasesithi kuFestusi: Lami bengithanda ukuthi ngimuzwe lumuntu. Yena wathi: Kusasa uzamuzwa.
Then Agrippa said to Festus, I also would willingly hear the man myself. And he said, To-morrow 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.
The next day, therefore, Agrippa and Bernice, coming with great pomp, and entering into the place of audience, with the commanders and principal men of the city; at the command of Festus, 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 you who are present with us! you see this man, concerning whom all the multitude of the Jews have pleaded with me, both at Jerusalem, and here, crying out 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 I could not apprehend him to have done anything worthy of death; yet, as he himself has appealed to his majesty, 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.
Concerning whom I have nothing certain to write to my master: wherefore, I have brought him out before you all; and especially before you, King Agrippa! that, after examination taken, I may have something to write:
27 Ngoba ngibona kungaqondanga ukuthuma isibotshwa, kungatshengiswanga lamacala amelene laso.
for it seems to me absurd, to send a prisoner, and not to signify the crimes alleged against him.
