Mabasa 22
1 “Hama nemi madzibaba, teererai kuzvidavirira kwangu zvino.”
"Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make in your presence."
2 Pavakanzwa achitaura kwavari nechiHebheru, vakanyanya kunyarara. Ipapo Pauro akati,
When they heard him speaking in Hebrew they became the more quiet.
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," he said, "born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strict manner of the Law of our forefathers, ardent for God, even as you all are this day.
4 Ndakatambudza vateveri veNzira iyi kusvikira pakufa kwavo, ndichisunga zvose varume navakadzi ndichivaisa mutorongo,
"I persecuted to the death this way, continually binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women.
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.
"To this the high priest and all the council of elders are witnesses. It was from them that I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was already on my way to bring those also who were there back to Jerusalem, in bonds, for punishment.
6 “Nenguva dzinenge dzamasikati pandakanga ndoswedera pedyo neDhamasiko, pakarepo chiedza chakabva kudenga chikandipenyera kumativi ose.
"But when, on my journey, I was nearing Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone round about me.
7 Ndakawira pasi ndikanzwa inzwi richiti kwandiri, ‘Sauro! Sauro! Unonditambudzireiko?’
"I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, "‘Saul! Saul! why are you persecuting me?’
8 “Ndakati, ‘Ndimi aniko, Ishe?’ “Iye akati, ‘Ndini Jesu weNazareta, wauri kutambudza.’
"‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. "‘I am Jesus, the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting,’ he answered me.
9 Shamwari dzangu dzakaona chiedza, asi hadzina kunzwa inzwi raiye akanga achitaura neni.
"Now my companions, though they beheld the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.
10 “Ndakabvunza ndikati, ‘Munoda kuti ndiiteiko Ishe?’ “Ishe akati, ‘Simuka, upinde muDhamasiko. Imomo ndimo mauchandoudzwa zvose zvawakatarirwa kuti uite.’
"And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ and the Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about all that you are destined to do.’
11 Shamwari dzangu dzakandisesedza pakupinda kwangu muDhamasiko, nokuti kuvaima kwechiedza kwakanga kwandipofumadza.
"And as I was seeing nothing for the glory of the light, I was led by the hand of my companions, and so came into Damascus.
12 “Murume ainzi Ananiasi akauya kuzondiona. Akanga akazvipira pakunamata Mwari nokucherechedza murayiro uye aikudzwa zvikuru navaJudha vose vaigaramo.
"And a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the Law, well thought of by all the Jews who lived there,
13 Akamira neni akati, ‘Hama Pauro, chiona!’ uye nenguva yakare iyoyo ndakakwanisa kumuona.
"came to me, and standing by me, said to me, "‘Brother Saul, receive your sight’ "In that very hour I regained my sight and looked up at 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 forefathers has appointed you to know his will; and to see the righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15 Uchava chapupu chake kuvanhu vose, chezvawakaona nezvawakanzwa.
"‘For before the face of all men you will be a witness for him of what you have seen and heard.
16 Saka zvino wakamirireiko? Simuka ubhabhatidzwe usukwe zvivi zvako, udane kuzita rake.’
"‘And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling upon his name.’
17 “Pandakadzokera kuJerusarema, uye ndichinyengetera ndiri mutemberi, ndakabatwa nomweya
"After my return to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple,
18 ndikaona Ishe achitaura kwandiri achiti, ‘Kurumidza kubva muJerusarema izvozvi, nokuti vanhu havangagamuchiri uchapupu hwako.’
"I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, "‘Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.’
19 “Ndakapindura ndikati, ‘Ishe, vanhu ava vanoziva kuti ndakanga ndichienda musinagoge rimwe nerimwe kuti ndinosunga uye ndirove vaya vaitenda kwamuri.
"‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘they themselves well know that I was beating and imprisoning in synagogue after synagogue 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 martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting, and holding the garments of his murders.’
21 “Ipapo Ishe akati kwandiri, ‘Enda, nokuti ndichakutuma kure kune veDzimwe Ndudzi.’”
"‘Depart,’ he said to me, ‘for I will send you forth, far hence, to the Gentiles.’"
22 Vanhu vakamuteerera kusvikira ataura izvi. Ipapo vakadanidzira vachiti, “Mubvisei panyika! Haafaniri kurarama!”
Until they heard this last statement, the people were listening to Paul, but now they roared out. "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He is not fit to live!"
23 Pavakanga vachiita mheremhere vachikanda nguo dzavo pasi, uye vachikushira ivhu mudenga,
When they continued to shout, throwing their clothes into the air, and flinging dust around,
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 tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and examined under the lash, to learn for what reason the people were thus crying out against him.
25 Pavakamusunga kuti vamurove, Pauro akati kumukuru wezana akanga amirepo, “Munotenderwa here nomutemo kuti murove muRoma, asina kana kutombowanikwa ane mhosva?”
But when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing near, "If a man is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned, is it lawful for you to scourge him?"
26 Mukuru wezana akati anzwa izvi, akaenda kumukuru wavarwi akandomuzivisa izvozvo, akati, “Muchaita seiko zvino? Munhu uyu muRoma.”
When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him. "What are you intending to do? This man is a Roman citizen."
27 Mukuru wavarwi akaenda kuna Pauro akati, “Nditaurire, uri muRoma here iwe?” Akapindura akati, “Hongu, ndiri muRoma.”
So the tribune came to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.
28 Mukuru wehondo akati, “Ini ndakaita zvokutenga nomutengo mukuru kuti ndive muRoma.” Pauro akati, “Ini ndakaberekwa ndiri muRoma.”
"I paid a large sum to get this citizenship," said the tribune. "But I was citizen-born," said Paul.
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 scourge him, immediately left him. And the tribune too, was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had had him bound.
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, as he wished to learn the real reason why the Jews accused Paul, he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together, and brought Paul down, and placed him before them.
