Matendu 17
1 Mulugendu lwavi vakapitila Amfipoli na Apolonia, vakahika ku Tesalonike kwavili na nyumba ya kukonganekela Vayawudi.
Bathi sebedlule e-Amfipholi le-Apholoniya, bafika eThesalonika lapho okwakulesinagogu yamaJuda khona.
2 Na ngati chayavili mvelu wa Pauli, akayingila mugati mula na kukotana nawu kugavala mu Mayandiku Gamsopi Magono gadatu ga Kupumulila gegagekilini.
Njengenjayelo yakhe uPhawuli waya esinagogweni, kwathi ngamaSabatha amathathu wabonisana labo ngeMibhalo,
3 Avadandaulili na kuvalangisa kuvya yikumgana Kilisitu kung'aiswa na kuyuka. Akavajovela, “Yesu mwenikuvakokosela nyenye ndi Kilisitu.”
echaza njalo eveza obala ukuthi uKhristu wayemele ahlupheke njalo avuke kwabafileyo. Wathi, “UJesu lo engitshumayela ngaye kini unguye uKhristu.”
4 Vangi pagati yavi vakasadika na kuvya pamonga na Pauli na Sila. Mewawa Vagiliki vamahele vevakumsadika Chapanga pamonga na vadala vevitopeswa vakavya pamonga.
Amanye amaJuda akukholwa lokho asehlanganyelana loPhawuli loSayilasi, njengalokho okwenziwa linani elikhulu lamaGrikhi abesaba uNkulunkulu, kugoqela lehlekanyana labesifazane abahloniphekayo.
5 Nambu Vayawudi vakavya na wihu, hati vakavakoka valauni va pabomani na kukita msambi na kuhenga chitututu muji woha. Vakaizangila nyumba ya Yasoni vahuvalilayi vihotola kuvapata Pauli na Sila muni vavaleta pavandu.
Kodwa amaJuda aba lomona; ngakho asehuga izixhwali endaweni yokuthengisa, abalixuku elithile asevusa umsindo edolobheni. Aphuthumela endlini kaJasoni edinga uPhawuli loSayilasi efuna ukubaletha phambi kukazulu.
6 Ndava vavapatili lepi, ndi vakamukwega Yasoni na vamsadika vangi mbaka pavakulu va muji, vakajova kwa lwami luvaha, “Vandu ava ndi vevikita chitututu pamulima woha na hinu vahikili kwitu.
Kodwa kwathi sebebaswele basebedonsela uJasoni labanye abazalwane abathile kubaphathi bedolobho bememeza besithi: “Amadoda la abekade edala uhlupho emhlabeni wonke manje aseze lapha,
7 Yasoni avagongolili kunyumba yaki. Voha vihenga chimumbele na malagizu ga nkosi wa ku Loma, vijova kuvya avi nkosi yungi liina laki Yesu.”
uJasoni yena wawemukela endlini yakhe. Bonke bahlinikeza imithetho kaKhesari besithi kulenye inkosi ethiwa nguJesu.”
8 Ndava ya malovi ago vakavamesa ligoga vandu vamahele na vachilongosi va muji.
Bathi bekuzwa lokhu abantu labaphathi bedolobho bazonda kakhulu.
9 Hinu pevamali kumlipisa mashonga Yasoni na vayaki kangi vakavaleka vahamba.
Kwasekuthiwa uJasoni labanye bakhe kabakhuphe isibambiso ngemali ethile, kwayikhona bekhululwa ukuthi bahambe.
10 Kanyata kilu yila, vamsadika vala vakavatuma Pauli na Sila vahamba ku Belea. Navene pavahikili kwenuko vakayingila munyumba ya kukonganekela Vayawudi.
Konela ukuthi kuhlwe abazalwane babasusa uPhawuli loSayilasi babasa eBheriya. Ekufikeni kwabo khona baya esinagogweni yamaJuda.
11 Vayawudi va ku Belea vavi vayuwanaji neju kuliku Vayawudi va ku Tesalonike, valipokili Lilovi la Chapanga na kugalingulila bwina Mayandiku Gamsopi muni vamanya ngati Pauli na Sila ijova malovi ga chakaka.
AmaJuda eBheriya wona ayelesimilo esingcono kulaleso esamaThesalonika, ngoba alemukela ilizwi ngomfutho omkhulu njalo ayihlola iMibhalo insuku zonke ukuze abone ukuthi lokho uPhawuli ayekutsho kwakuliqiniso na.
12 Vandu vamahele pagati yavi vasadiki, vavi na vadala va Chigiliki vevitopeswa mewa na vagosi.
AmaJuda amanengi akholwa, kanye labesifazane abanengi bamaGrikhi abahloniphekayo lamadoda amanengi amaGrikhi.
13 Nambu Vayawudi wa ku Tesalonike pevamanyili kuvya Pauli akokosayi Lilovi la Chapanga Belea, vakahamba kwenuko na kutumbula chitututu na kuvakokeha vandu vamahele.
Kwathi amaJuda aseThesalonika esezwile ukuthi uPhawuli wayesetshumayela ilizwi likaNkulunkulu eBheriya, aya khona futhi, athela abantu umoya omubi abadunga.
14 Vamsadika vala vakamhindikila kanyata Pauli ahamba kumbwani, nambu Sila na Timoti vasigalili balapala.
Abazalwane bahle bathumela uPhawuli ngasokhunjini lolwandle, kodwa uSayilasi loThimothi basala eBheriya.
15 Vandu vala vakamhindikila Pauli mbaka Atene. Kangi vakawuya na kuni valagaziwi na Pauli kuvya, Sila na Timoti vamlanda kanyata.
Amadoda ayephelekezela uPhawuli amtshiya e-Athene asebuyela lomlayezo wokuthi uSayilasi loThimothi bamlandele ngokuphangisa.
16 Pauli peavalindilayi Sila na Timoti ku Atene kula, akaviniswa neju mumtima waki ndava auwene muji wula umemili vimong'omong'o vya uchapanga.
UPhawuli esabamelele e-Athene, wakhathazeka kakhulu ngokubona ukuthi idolobho lelo laligcwele izithombe.
17 Ajovisini na Vayawudi na vandu vangi vevakumsadika Chapanga, munyumba ya kukonganekela Vayawudi, ndi kila ligono ajovesana na vandu vevahumila pandu pakugulisila vindu.
Ngakho wabonisana lamaJuda kanye lamaGrikhi ayemesaba uNkulunkulu esinagogweni lasendaweni yokuthengisa zonke insuku lalabo ababekhonapho.
18 Vandu vevalanda mawuliwu ga Epikulo na Stoiki vakotini nayu. Ndi vangi vakajova, “Igana kujova kyani muyimu uyu?” Hinu vangi vakajova, “Ikokosela vachapanga vachiyehe.” Ndava Pauli avakokosela malovi ga kumvala Yesu na kuyuka,
Ixuku lezazi zama-Ephikhuri lamaStoyikhi laphikisana laye. Abanye babo babuza bathi, “Uwumani lolu luzama ukuthini kanti?” Abanye bathi, “Kungathi utshumayela ngonkulunkulu bezizweni.” Bakutsho lokhu ngoba uPhawuli wayetshumayela izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu langokuvuka kwabafileyo.
19 Kangi vakamgongolela Pauli na ahamba palongolo ya libanji lelikemelewa Aleopago, vakajova, “Tigana utimanyisa mawuliwu aga gamupya geukugajova.
Basebehamba laye enkundleni ye-Ariyophagasi, bafika bathi kuye, “Ake usitshele ukuthi imfundiso le entsha oyethulayo iyini.
20 Ndava muni ukutijovela mambu ga chiyehe mumakutu gitu. Tigana kumanya maana ya mambu ago.”
Uletha ezindlebeni zethu imibono engajayelekanga, ngakho sifuna ukwazi ukuthi itshoni.”
21 Vandu va ku Atene pamonga na vayehe va kwenuko lukumbi lwavi lwoha vadandaulilana na kuyuwanila mambu gamupya.
(Wonke ama-Atheni labezizwe ababehlala khona babechitha isikhathi sabo bengenzi lutho ngaphandle kokukhuluma lokulalela imibono emitsha.)
22 Pauli akayima pa libanji la Aleopago, akajova, “Vandu va ku Atene! Nikuvalola nyenye kuvya vandu mwemukumuyupa Chapanga.
UPhawuli wasukuma enkundleni ye-Ariyophagasi wathi, “Madoda ase-Atheni! Ngiyabona ukuthi kukho konke lingabantu abakhonzayo.
23 Ndava panapitayi kuni na kula na kulola mambu ga kuyupa kwinu, nayiwene lusanja lwa luteta lweluyandikwi, ‘Kwa Chapanga Angamanyikana.’ Hinu nene nikuvakokosela malovi gaki mwenuyo mwemukumuyupa changali kumanya.
Ngoba ngithe ngihambahamba, ngabona izithombe zenu, ngaze ngafumana i-alithari elilombhalo othi: Kunkulunkulu Ongaziwayo. Manje-ke lokho elikukhonza njengolutho olungaziwayo yikho engizakutshumayela kini.
24 Chapanga mweawumbili mulima pamonga vindu vyoha yvevivi mugati yaki, ndi Bambu wa kunani na pamulima, mwene nakutama Nyumba za Chapanga zezijengiwi na mawoko ga vandu.
UNkulunkulu owenza umhlaba lakho konke okukuwo uyiNkosi yezulu lomhlaba, njalo kahlali emathempelini akhiwe ngezandla.
25 Mwene igana lepi kuhengewa na vandu, ngati kuvya igana utangatila wowoha wula, ndava muni mwene ndi mweakuvapela vandu wumi, mweakuvahotosa kukeka na kuvapela kila chindu.
Njalo kancediswa yizandla zabantu ingathi kukhona akuswelayo, ngoba yena ngokwakhe upha bonke abantu impilo, umphefumulo lokunye konke.
26 Kuhuma kwa mundu mmonga, mwene awumbili vandu va milima yoha muni vatama pamulima woha, avapangili lusenje na mibaka ya pandu pakutama.
Ngomuntu oyedwa wenza zonke izizwe zabantu, ukuthi zakhe emhlabeni wonke; njalo wamisa izikhathi abazilungiselweyo lazo kanye izindawo abamele bahlale kuzo.
27 Chapanga aganili vandu vamulanda na hati cha kupapasa, vahotola kumhikila. Nambu mwene avi lepi patali na kila mmonga witu.
UNkulunkulu wakwenza lokhu ukuze abantu bamdinge lokuthi mhlawumbe bamfinyelele bamfumane, loba nje uvele engakhatshana komunye lomunye wethu.
28 Ngati cheajovili mundu mmonga kuvya, ‘mugati mwaki tete titama na kugenda na tivili!’ Ngati vayimbaji vangi chavijova, ‘Tete ndi vana vaki.’
‘Ngoba siphila kuye, sihambe ngaye njalo sipheleliswe nguye.’ Njengokutsho kwezinye izimbongi zakini ukuthi, ‘Singabantwabakhe.’
29 Muni tete tavana vaki Chapanga, nakuganikiwa kumhololela mwene kuvya avi ngati zahabu amala mashonga amala liganga lelihongoliwi kwa luhala na vandu.
Ngakho-ke njengoba singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu, kasingacabangini ukuthi ubuNkulunkulu bunjengegolide, loba isiliva kumbe ilitshe; umfanekiso obunjwe ngobungcitshi bomuntu.
30 Chapanga akitili ngati ilola lepi lusenje lula vandu pavahimwiki. Nambu hinu, ihamula vandu voha kila pandu vamuwuyila mwene.
Endulo uNkulunkulu kakunakanga ukungazi lokhu, kodwa khathesi uselaya bonke abantu ezindaweni zonke ukuba baphenduke.
31 Ndava amali kuhagula ligono leihamula mulima pangali kumganisila yoyoha munjila ya mundu mmonga mweamhagwili. Chapanga avalangisi voha lijambu lenilo kwa kumyukisa mundu mwenuyo kwevafwili.”
Ngoba uselumisile usuku lapho azakwahlulela khona umhlaba ngokulunga ngaye umuntu amkhethileyo. Usebuvezile ubufakazi balokhu kubo bonke abantu ngokumvusa kwabafileyo.”
32 Pavamuyuwini Pauli ijova lijambu la kuyuka kuhuma kwa vafwili, vangi vakamuheka nambu vangi vakajova, “Tigana kuyuwana kavili lijambu lenili.”
Bathi besizwa ngokuvuka kwabafileyo, abanye babo bamklolodela, kodwa abanye bathi, “Sifuna ukuphinda sikuzwe ukhuluma ngale indaba njalo.”
33 Na Pauli akavaleka akahuma mu libanji.
Ngalokho-ke, uPhawuli wasesuka enkundleni.
34 Nambu vandu nunuyu vakawungana nayu, vakavya vamsadika. Pagati yavi avi Dionisi wa ku Aleopago na mdala mmonga liina laki Damali, pamonga na vandu vangi.
Abantu abathile baba ngabalandeli bakaPhawuli, bakholwa. Phakathi kwabo kwakuloDiyonisiyu owayelilunga le-Ariyophagasi, njalo lowesifazane okwakuthiwa nguDamari kanye labanye abalinani elithile.
