Mabasa 26
1 Ipapo Agiripa akati kuna Pauro, “Unotenderwa kuzvidavirira.” Saka Pauro akaninira noruoko rwake akatanga kuzvidavirira achiti,
Agrippa then said to Paul, “You are free to speak on your own behalf.” With a sweep of his arm, Paul began his defense.
2 “Mambo Agiripa, ndinoona kuti ndine rombo rakanaka kuti ndimire pamberi penyu nhasi ndichizvidavirira pamusoro pezvose zvandinopomerwa navaJudha,
“I am delighted, King Agrippa, to make my defense before you today regarding everything I am accused of by the Jews,
3 uye zvikuru nokuti imi munonyatsoziva tsika dzavaJudha uye namakakatanwa avo. Naizvozvo ndinokukumbirai kuti munditeerere nomwoyo murefu chaizvo.
particularly because you are an expert in all Jewish issues and customs. I beg your patient indulgence as you listen to what I have to say.
4 “VaJudha vose zvavo vanoziva nzira yandakararama nayo kubvira pandakanga ndiri mwana, kubva pakutanga kwoupenyu hwangu munyika yokwangu, nomuJerusaremawo.
All the Jews know my life story—from my earliest days beginning in my own country and then in Jerusalem.
5 Vakandiziva kwenguva refu uye vanogona kupupura, kana vachida zvavo, kuti maererano nedzidziso yakasimba yechitendero chedu, ndakagara ini ndiri muFarisi.
They have known me for a long time and can verify, if they choose to, that I have followed the religious school that observes our faith in the strictest way—I lived as a Pharisee.
6 Uye zvino ndiri kutongwa pano nhasi nokuda kwetariro yangu mune zvakavimbiswa madzibaba edu naMwari.
Now I am standing here to be judged regarding the promised hope God gave to our fathers
7 Iyi ndiyo vimbiso yakamirirwa namarudzi edu gumi namaviri kuti isvike sezvavanoshumira Mwari kwazvo masikati nousiku. Imi mambo, vaJudha vari kundipa mhosva nokuda kwetariro iyi.
that our twelve tribes hoped to receive as they continually dedicated themselves in God's service. Yes, it's because of this hope that I'm accused by the Jews, Your Majesty!
8 Seiko zvisingagoni kutendwa pakati penyu kuti Mwari anomutsa vakafa?
Why should any of you think it's unbelievable that God raises the dead?
9 “Neniwo ndakanga ndichigutsikana ndichitoti ndinofanira kuita zvose zvandaigona kuti ndipikise zita raJesu weNazareta.
Previously I was sincerely convinced I should do as much as I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Uye ndizvo chaizvo zvandakaita muJerusarema. Nemvumo yandakanga ndapiwa navaprista vakuru, ndakaisa vazhinji vavatsvene mutorongo, uye pavainge vachiurayiwa, ndaitenderana nazvo.
This is what I did in Jerusalem. I threw many of the believers in prison, having been given authority to do this by the chief priests. When they were sentenced to death I cast my vote against them.
11 Nguva zhinji ndaibva kune rimwe sinagoge ndichienda kune rimwe ndichiita kuti varangwe, uye ndakaedza kuvamanikidza kuti vamhure Mwari. Noruvengo rwandaiva narwo pamusoro pavo, ndakaenda kunyange kuna mamwe maguta avatorwa kundovatambudza.
I had them punished in all the synagogues, trying to make them recant. I was so furiously opposed to them that I went to cities outside our country to persecute them.
12 “Pane imwe yenzendo idzi ndakanga ndichienda kuDhamasiko ndine mvumo uye ndatumwa navaprista vakuru.
That's why one day I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and orders from the chief priests.
13 Nenguva dzinenge dzamasikati, mambo, ndiri mumugwagwa, ndakaona chiedza chakabva kudenga, chaipenya kupfuura zuva, chikavaima chakandipoteredza ini navandaiva navo.
At about noon as I was on my way, Your Majesty, I saw a light from heaven that blazed brighter than the sun. It shone around me and those who were traveling with me.
14 Tose takawira pasi, uye ndakanzwa inzwi richiti kwandiri norurimi rwechiHebheru, ‘Sauro, Sauro, unonditambudzireiko? Zvakakuomera iwe kuti ukave zvibayiso.’
All of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice speaking to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It's hard for you to fight against me!’
15 “Ipapo ndakati, ‘Ndimi aniko, Ishe?’ “Ishe akapindura akati, ‘Ndini Jesu waunotambudza.
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, the one you're persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16 Zvino chisimuka umire netsoka dzako. Ndazviratidza kwauri kuti ndikugadze somuranda uye sechapupu chezvawaona kwandiri uye nezvandichakuratidza.
‘But pick yourself up and get to your feet. The reason why I've appeared to you is to appoint you as my servant, to be a witness for me, telling others how you have seen me and everything I will reveal to you.
17 Ndichakununura kubva kuvanhu vokwako uye kubva kune veDzimwe Ndudzi. Ndiri kukutuma kwavari
I will save you from your own people and from the foreigners. I am sending you to them
18 kuti usvinudze meso avo nokuvadzora kubva kurima kuti vauye kuchiedza, nokubva musimba raSatani kuti vauye kuna Mwari, kuti vagamuchire kanganwiro yezvivi uye vawane nzvimbo pakati paavo vakaitwa vatsvene nokutenda kwandiri.’
to open their eyes so they can turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, and so that they can receive forgiveness for their sins and a place with those who are set right as they trust in me.’
19 “Saka ipapo, Mambo Agiripa, handina kuramba kuteerera kuchiratidzo chakabva kudenga.
Clearly, King Agrippa, I could not disobey this vision from heaven.
20 Ndakatanga kuparidza kuna avo vaiva muDhamasiko, nokuna avo vaiva muJerusarema nomuJudhea yose, uye nokune veDzimwe Ndudziwo kuti vatendeuke vadzokere kuna Mwari vagoratidza kutendeuka kwavo namabasa avo.
First in Damascus, then in Jerusalem, and then all over Judea and also to the foreigners I shared the message of repentance: how they should turn to God, demonstrating their repentance through their actions.
21 Ndizvo zvakaita kuti vaJudha vandibate mutemberi uye vaedze kundiuraya.
That's why the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.
22 Asi ndakabatsirwa naMwari kusvikira nhasi uno, uye ndimire pano kuti ndipupure kuvaduku nokuvakuru zvimwe chetezvo. Handina kutaura zvinopfuura zvakataurwa navaprofita uye naMozisi kuti zvichaitika,
God has looked after me so I can stand here today as a witness to everyone, both to ordinary people and to those who are important. I am only repeating what Moses and the prophets said would happen—
23 kuti Kristu achatambudzika, uye, saiye wokutanga kumuka kubva kuvakafa achaparidza chiedza kuvanhu vake uye nokune veDzimwe Ndudzi.”
how the Messiah had to suffer, and that by being the first to rise from the dead he would announce the light of God's salvation to both Jews and foreigners.”
24 Ipapo Fesitasi akati kuna Pauro nenzwi guru, “Pauro, wava kupenga! Kudzidza kwako kukuru kwava kukupengesa.”
Festus interrupted Paul as he made his defense, shouting out, “Paul, you've gone mad! All your knowledge is driving you insane!”
25 Pauro akapindura akati, “Handisi kupenga, changamire Fesitasi. Zvandiri kutaura ichokwadi uye zvinotendeka.
“I'm not mad, Festus your Excellency,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and makes sense.
26 Mambo vanoziva zvinhu izvi, uye ndinogona kutaura ndakasununguka kwavari. Ndinogutsikana kuti hapana chimwe chezvinhu izvi chichavapunyuka, nokuti hazvina kuitwa pakavanda.
The king recognizes this, and I'm explaining it very clearly. I am sure that he is aware of what's been happening, because none of this took place as if it were hidden in a corner.
27 Mambo Agiripa munotenda vaprofita here? Ndinoziva kuti munotenda.”
King Agrippa, do you believe what the prophets said? I'm sure you do!”
28 Ipapo Agiripa akati kuna Pauro, “Unenge unoda kundiita muKristu nenguva duku.”
“Do you think you can convince me to become a Christian so quickly?” Agrippa asked Paul.
29 Pauro akapindura akati, “Nguva pfupi kana refu, ndinonyengetera kuna Mwari kuti murege kuva imi bedzi asi vose ava vakateerera kwandiri nhasi kuti vave seni, kunze kwengetani idzi chete.”
“Whether it takes a short time or a long time doesn't matter,” Paul answered. “But my prayer to God is that not just you, but everybody listening to me today would become like me—except for these chains!”
30 Mambo akasimuka, pamwe chete nomubati naBhenisi uye navose vaakanga agere navo.
The king stood up, along with the governor and Bernice, and everyone who had been sitting with them.
31 Vakabuda mumba, uye pavaitaurirana, vakati, “Munhu uyu haasi kuita chinhu chinofanira rufu kana kupfigirwa mutorongo.”
They conferred together after they had left. “This man hasn't done anything that deserves death or imprisonment,” they concluded.
32 Agiripa akati kuna Fesitasi, “Munhu uyu angadai asunungurwa dai akanga asina kuzviisa kuna Kesari.”
Agrippa told Festus, “He could have been freed if he hadn't appealed to Caesar.”
