Imisebenzi 9
1 Kwathi uSawuli, esaphefumula insongo lokubulala emelane labafundi beNkosi, waya kumpristi omkhulu,
But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest
2 wacela kuye incwadi zokuya eDamaseko kumasinagoge, ukuze kuthi uba ethola abanye baleyondlela, amadoda kanye labafazi, abalethe eJerusalema bebotshiwe.
and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 Kwathi ekuhambeni, kwenzeka ukuthi esesondele eDamaseko; njalo kwahle kwamphazimela inhlangothi zonke ukukhanya okuvela ezulwini;
As he travelled, he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
4 njalo ewela emhlabathini, wezwa ilizwi lisithi kuye: Sawuli, Sawuli, ungizingelelani?
He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 Wasesithi: Ungubani, Nkosi? INkosi yasisithi: Mina nginguJesu omzingelayo; kulukhuni kuwe ukukhahlelana lezincijo.
He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
6 Ethuthumela njalo emangala wathi: Nkosi, uthanda ukuthi ngenzeni? LeNkosi yathi kuye: Sukuma ungene emzini, njalo uzatshelwa lokho omele ukwenze.
But rise up and enter into the city, then you will be told what you must do.”
7 Lamadoda ayehamba laye ayemi engelakukhuluma, esizwa ilizwi, kodwa engaboni muntu.
The men who travelled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one.
8 USawuli wasevuka emhlabathini; kwathi esevule amehlo akhe, kabonanga muntu. Basebembamba ngesandla, bamusa eDamaseko.
Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.
9 Wasesiba lensuku ezintathu engaboni, njalo engadli futhi enganathi.
He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
10 Kwakukhona eDamaseko umfundi othile uAnaniya ngebizo; iNkosi yasisithi kuye ngombono: Ananiya! Wasesithi: Khangela ngilapha, Nkosi.
Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”
11 INkosi yasisithi kuye: Sukuma uye endleleni ethiwa iQondile, udinge endlini kaJudasi umuntu, uSawuli ngebizo, weTarsu; ngoba khangela uyakhuleka,
The Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying,
12 njalo ubonile ngombono umuntu, uAnaniya ngebizo, engena ebeka isandla phezu kwakhe, ukuze abuye abone.
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”
13 Kodwa uAnaniya waphendula wathi: Nkosi, ngizwile ngabanengi ngalindoda, kungakanani okubi akwenzileyo kwabangcwele bakho eJerusalema;
But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.
14 lalapha ulamandla avela kubapristi abakhulu, okubopha bonke labo ababiza ibizo lakho.
Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
15 Kodwa iNkosi yathi kuye: Hamba, ngoba lowo uyisitsha sami esikhethiweyo, ukuphatha ibizo lami phambi kwezizwe lamakhosi, labantwana bakoIsrayeli;
But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.
16 ngoba mina ngizamtshengisa ukuthi umele ukuhlupheka kangakanani ngenxa yebizo lami.
For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
17 UAnaniya wasesuka wangena endlini, wabeka izandla zakhe phezu kwakhe esithi: Sawuli mzalwane, iNkosi ingithumile, uJesu obonakele kuwe endleleni oze ngayo, ukuze ubuye ubone njalo ugcwaliswe ngoMoya oNgcwele.
Ananias departed and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Kwahle kwawa emehlweni akhe kwangathi zinkwethu, wahle wabuye wabona, njalo esukuma wabhabhathizwa,
Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptised.
19 njalo esedlile wathola amandla. USawuli wasehlala labafundi ababeseDamaseko insuku ezithile.
He took food and was strengthened. Saul stayed several days with the disciples who were at Damascus.
20 Wahle-ke watshumayela uKristu emasinagogeni, ukuthi yena uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.
Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Christ, that he is the Son of God.
21 Njalo bonke abezwayo basanganiseka bathi: Lo kayisuye yini owachitha eJerusalema labo ababiza lelibizo, lalapha uzele lokho ukuthi abaqhube bebotshiwe abase kubapristi abakhulu?
All who heard him were amazed, and said, “Isn’t this he who in Jerusalem made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the chief priests!”
22 Kodwa uSawuli waqiniswa kakhulu, wasanganisa amaJuda akhileyo eDamaseko, eqinisa ukuthi lo unguye uKristu.
But Saul increased more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
23 Kwathi sezigcwalisiwe insuku ezinengi, amaJuda enza icebo ndawonye ukuthi ambulale;
When many days were fulfilled, the Jews conspired together to kill him,
24 kodwa iqhinga lawo laziwa nguSawuli. Aselinda emasangweni emini lebusuku, ukuze ambulale;
but their plot became known to Saul. They watched the gates both day and night that they might kill him,
25 kodwa abafundi bamthatha ebusuku, bamehlisela emthangaleni bemehlisa ngesilulu.
but his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 Kwathi uSawuli esefikile eJerusalema, wazama ukuzihlanganisa labafundi; kodwa bonke bamesaba, bengakholwa ukuthi ungumfundi.
When Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join himself to the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple.
27 Kodwa uBarnabasi wamthatha wamusa kubaphostoli, wabalandisela ukuthi uyibone njani iNkosi endleleni, lokuthi ikhulumile kuye, lokuthi eDamaseko ukhulume njani ngesibindi ebizweni likaJesu.
But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
28 Wasehlala labo engena ephuma eJerusalema,
He was with them entering into Jerusalem,
29 wasekhuluma ngesibindi ngebizo leNkosi uJesu, wakhuluma njalo futhi ephikisana lamaHelenisiti; kodwa bazama ukumbulala.
preaching boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus. He spoke and disputed against the Hellenists, but they were seeking to kill him.
30 Kodwa abazalwane sebekwazi bamehlisela eKesariya, bamthuma eTarsu.
When the brothers knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus.
31 Ngakho amabandla kuyo yonke iJudiya leGalili leSamariya aba lokuthula, esakheka, ehamba ekwesabeni iNkosi langenduduzo kaMoya oNgcwele, anda.
So the assemblies throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were built up. They were multiplied, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
32 Kwasekusithi uPetro edabula indawo zonke wehlela lakwabangcwele abahlala eLida.
As Peter went throughout all those parts, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda.
33 Wasefica khona umuntu othile uEneya ngebizo, owayeselele ecansini iminyaka eyisificaminwembili, ome umhlubulo.
There he found a certain man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years because he was paralysed.
34 UPetro wasesithi kuye: Eneya, uJesu Kristu uyakusilisa; sukuma uzendlalele icansi. Njalo wahle wasukuma.
Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed!” Immediately he arose.
35 Basebembona bonke abakhileyo eLida leSaroni, abaphendukela eNkosini.
All who lived at Lydda and in Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.
36 Kwakukhona eJopha umfundikazi othile, uTabitha ngebizo, okungokuchasiswa kuthiwa nguDorkasi; lo wayegcwele imisebenzi emihle lemisebenzi yomusa ayenzayo.
Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which when translated means Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and acts of mercy which she did.
37 Kwasekusithi kulezonsuku wagula wafa; sebemgezisile bamlalisa endlini ephezulu.
In those days, she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.
38 Njalo njengoba iLida yayiseduze leJopha, abafundi sebezwile ukuthi uPetro wayekhona kuyo, bathuma amadoda amabili kuye, bemncenga ukuthi angaphuzi ukuza kubo.
As Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, hearing that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.
39 UPetro wasesukuma wahamba labo; okwathi esefikile bamthatha bamusa endlini ephezulu, labafelokazi bonke bema laye bekhala bemtshengisa izembatho lezigqoko uDorkasi ayezenzile eselabo.
Peter got up and went with them. When he had come, they brought him into the upper room. All the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the tunics and other garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.
40 Kodwa uPetro esebakhuphele phandle bonke eguqa ngamadolo wakhuleka; esetshibilikela esidunjini, wathi: Tabitha, vuka! Wasevula amehlo akhe; wabona uPetro, walulama.
Peter sent them all out, and knelt down and prayed. Turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
41 Wamelulela isandla, wamsukumisa; esebize abangcwele labafelokazi, wambeka phambi kwabo ephila.
He gave her his hand and raised her up. Calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.
42 Kwasekusaziwa kuyo yonke iJopha, labanengi bakholwa eNkosini.
This became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.
43 Kwenzeka ukuthi ahlale eJopha insuku ezinengi loSimoni othile umtshuki wezikhumba.
He stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.
