Mabasa 22
1 “Hama nemi madzibaba, teererai kuzvidavirira kwangu zvino.”
“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
2 Pavakanzwa achitaura kwavari nechiHebheru, vakanyanya kunyarara. Ipapo Pauro akati,
When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,
3 “Ini ndiri muJudha, akaberekerwa kuTasasi yeSirisia, asi ndakarerwa muguta rino. Pasi paGamarieri ndakanyatsodzidziswa mutemo wamadzibaba edu uye ndakanga ndichishingairira Mwari sezvamunoita imi nhasi.
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today.
4 Ndakatambudza vateveri veNzira iyi kusvikira pakufa kwavo, ndichisunga zvose varume navakadzi ndichivaisa mutorongo,
I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
5 sezvandingapupurirwawo nomuprista mukuru namakurukota ose. Ndakapiwa matsamba aibva kwavari okuenda nawo kuhama dzavo dzaiva muDhamasiko, ndikaenda ikoko kuti ndinouya navanhu ava kuJerusarema savasungwa kuti vazorangwa.
as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “Nenguva dzinenge dzamasikati pandakanga ndoswedera pedyo neDhamasiko, pakarepo chiedza chakabva kudenga chikandipenyera kumativi ose.
About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
7 Ndakawira pasi ndikanzwa inzwi richiti kwandiri, ‘Sauro! Sauro! Unonditambudzireiko?’
I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’
8 “Ndakati, ‘Ndimi aniko, Ishe?’ “Iye akati, ‘Ndini Jesu weNazareta, wauri kutambudza.’
‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.
9 Shamwari dzangu dzakaona chiedza, asi hadzina kunzwa inzwi raiye akanga achitaura neni.
My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.
10 “Ndakabvunza ndikati, ‘Munoda kuti ndiiteiko Ishe?’ “Ishe akati, ‘Simuka, upinde muDhamasiko. Imomo ndimo mauchandoudzwa zvose zvawakatarirwa kuti uite.’
Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
11 Shamwari dzangu dzakandisesedza pakupinda kwangu muDhamasiko, nokuti kuvaima kwechiedza kwakanga kwandipofumadza.
Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.
12 “Murume ainzi Ananiasi akauya kuzondiona. Akanga akazvipira pakunamata Mwari nokucherechedza murayiro uye aikudzwa zvikuru navaJudha vose vaigaramo.
There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,
13 Akamira neni akati, ‘Hama Pauro, chiona!’ uye nenguva yakare iyoyo ndakakwanisa kumuona.
came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.
14 “Ipapo akati, ‘Mwari wamadzibaba edu akusarudza iwe kuti uzive kuda kwake uone Iye Akarurama uye unzwe mashoko anobva mumuromo make.
Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice.
15 Uchava chapupu chake kuvanhu vose, chezvawakaona nezvawakanzwa.
You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
16 Saka zvino wakamirireiko? Simuka ubhabhatidzwe usukwe zvivi zvako, udane kuzita rake.’
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
17 “Pandakadzokera kuJerusarema, uye ndichinyengetera ndiri mutemberi, ndakabatwa nomweya
Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
18 ndikaona Ishe achitaura kwandiri achiti, ‘Kurumidza kubva muJerusarema izvozvi, nokuti vanhu havangagamuchiri uchapupu hwako.’
and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’
19 “Ndakapindura ndikati, ‘Ishe, vanhu ava vanoziva kuti ndakanga ndichienda musinagoge rimwe nerimwe kuti ndinosunga uye ndirove vaya vaitenda kwamuri.
‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
20 Uye pavakateura ropa raSitefani chapupu chenyu, ndakanga ndimirepo ndichitenderana nazvo uye ndakachengeta nhumbi dzaivo vaimuuraya.’
And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’
21 “Ipapo Ishe akati kwandiri, ‘Enda, nokuti ndichakutuma kure kune veDzimwe Ndudzi.’”
Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22 Vanhu vakamuteerera kusvikira ataura izvi. Ipapo vakadanidzira vachiti, “Mubvisei panyika! Haafaniri kurarama!”
The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
23 Pavakanga vachiita mheremhere vachikanda nguo dzavo pasi, uye vachikushira ivhu mudenga,
As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,
24 mukuru wavarwi akarayira kuti Pauro aendeswe kudzimba dzavarwi. Akarayira kuti arohwe uye abvunzwe kuitira kuti vazive kuti nemhaka yei vanhu vakanga vachimupopotera kudai.
the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
25 Pavakamusunga kuti vamurove, Pauro akati kumukuru wezana akanga amirepo, “Munotenderwa here nomutemo kuti murove muRoma, asina kana kutombowanikwa ane mhosva?”
But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”
26 Mukuru wezana akati anzwa izvi, akaenda kumukuru wavarwi akandomuzivisa izvozvo, akati, “Muchaita seiko zvino? Munhu uyu muRoma.”
On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27 Mukuru wavarwi akaenda kuna Pauro akati, “Nditaurire, uri muRoma here iwe?” Akapindura akati, “Hongu, ndiri muRoma.”
The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
28 Mukuru wehondo akati, “Ini ndakaita zvokutenga nomutengo mukuru kuti ndive muRoma.” Pauro akati, “Ini ndakaberekwa ndiri muRoma.”
“I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29 Vaya vakanga voda kumubvunza vakabva varega pakarepo. Mukuru wamauto pachake akatya paakaona kuti akanga asunga Pauro, muRoma, nengetani.
Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
30 Zuva rakatevera, sezvo mukuru wavarwi aida kuziva chaizvoizvo kuti sei Pauro akanga achipomerwa mhosva navaJudha, akamusunungura akarayira kuti vaprista vakuru neDare Guru ravaJudha vaungane. Ipapo akatora Pauro akamumisa pamberi pavo.
The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
