Mabasa 26
1 Ipapo Agiripa akati kuna Pauro, “Unotenderwa kuzvidavirira.” Saka Pauro akaninira noruoko rwake akatanga kuzvidavirira achiti,
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You [(sg)] are permitted [now] to speak [to defend] yourself.” Paul stretched out his hand ([dramatically/to salute the king]) and began to defend himself. He said,
2 “Mambo Agiripa, ndinoona kuti ndine rombo rakanaka kuti ndimire pamberi penyu nhasi ndichizvidavirira pamusoro pezvose zvandinopomerwa navaJudha,
“King Agrippa, I consider that I am fortunate that today, while you [(sg)] listen, I can defend myself from all the things about which the Jewish [leaders] [SYN] are accusing me.
3 uye zvikuru nokuti imi munonyatsoziva tsika dzavaJudha uye namakakatanwa avo. Naizvozvo ndinokukumbirai kuti munditeerere nomwoyo murefu chaizvo.
I am really fortunate, because you [(sg)] know all about the customs of us Jews and the questions that we [(exc)] argue about. So I ask you, please listen patiently to what I say.”
4 “VaJudha vose zvavo vanoziva nzira yandakararama nayo kubvira pandakanga ndiri mwana, kubva pakutanga kwoupenyu hwangu munyika yokwangu, nomuJerusaremawo.
“Many [HYP] of my fellow Jews know about how I have conducted my life, from the time I was a child. They know how I lived in the area where I [was born] and [also later] 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 for many years, and they could tell you, if they wanted to, that [since I was very young] I obeyed the customs of our religion very carefully, just like the [other] Pharisees do.
6 Uye zvino ndiri kutongwa pano nhasi nokuda kwetariro yangu mune zvakavimbiswa madzibaba edu naMwari.
Today I am being put on trial {[they] are putting me on trial} because I am confidently expecting that God will do what he promised our [(exc)] ancestors.
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.
Our twelve tribes are [also] confidently waiting for God to do [for us what he promised], as they respectfully worship him, day and night. [Respected] king, I confidently expect [that God will do what he promised, and they also believe that! But that is the reason] that these Jewish leaders [SYN] are accusing me!
8 Seiko zvisingagoni kutendwa pakati penyu kuti Mwari anomutsa vakafa?
They believe that God can cause those who have died to become alive again, so (why [do any of you refuse to believe that he raised Jesus from the dead?/none of you should refuse to believe that he raised Jesus from the dead!]) [RHQ]”
9 “Neniwo ndakanga ndichigutsikana ndichitoti ndinofanira kuita zvose zvandaigona kuti ndipikise zita raJesu weNazareta.
“[Formerly] I, too, was sure that I should do everything that I could to oppose Jesus [MTY], the man from Nazareth [town].
10 Uye ndizvo chaizvo zvandakaita muJerusarema. Nemvumo yandakanga ndapiwa navaprista vakuru, ndakaisa vazhinji vavatsvene mutorongo, uye pavainge vachiurayiwa, ndaitenderana nazvo.
So that is what I did [when I lived] in Jerusalem. I put many of the believers in jail, as the chief priests there had authorized me [to do]. When [the Jewish leaders wanted] those Christians killed {someone to kill those [Christians]}, I voted [for that].
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.
Many times I punished the believers [whom I found] in Jewish meeting places. [By punishing them], I tried to force them to speak evil [about Jesus]. I was so angry with the followers of Jesus that I even traveled to other cities to [find them and] do things to harm them.”
12 “Pane imwe yenzendo idzi ndakanga ndichienda kuDhamasiko ndine mvumo uye ndatumwa navaprista vakuru.
“[One day], I was on my way to Damascus [city] to do that. The chief priests [in Jerusalem] had authorized and sent me [to seize the believers there].
13 Nenguva dzinenge dzamasikati, mambo, ndiri mumugwagwa, ndakaona chiedza chakabva kudenga, chaipenya kupfuura zuva, chikavaima chakandipoteredza ini navandaiva navo.
[My respected] king, [while I was going] along the road, at about noon I saw a [bright] light in the sky. It was even brighter than the sun! It shone all around me, and also around the men who were traveling with me.
14 Tose takawira pasi, uye ndakanzwa inzwi richiti kwandiri norurimi rwechiHebheru, ‘Sauro, Sauro, unonditambudzireiko? Zvakakuomera iwe kuti ukave zvibayiso.’
We [(exc)] all fell to the ground. Then I heard the voice of someone speaking to me in my own Hebrew language [MTY]. He said ‘Saul, Saul, (stop causing me to suffer!/why are you causing me to suffer?) [RHQ] You [(sg)] are [hurting yourself by trying to hurt me] [MET], [like an ox] kicking against [its owner’s] goad.’
15 “Ipapo ndakati, ‘Ndimi aniko, Ishe?’ “Ishe akapindura akati, ‘Ndini Jesu waunotambudza.
Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘I am Jesus. You [(sg)] are harming me [by harming my followers].
16 Zvino chisimuka umire netsoka dzako. Ndazviratidza kwauri kuti ndikugadze somuranda uye sechapupu chezvawaona kwandiri uye nezvandichakuratidza.
But instead [of continuing to do that], stand up now! I have appeared to you [(sg)] to tell you that I have chosen you to serve me. You must tell people about [what I am showing you] as you are seeing me [now], and about what I [will show you when] I will [later] appear to you.
17 Ndichakununura kubva kuvanhu vokwako uye kubva kune veDzimwe Ndudzi. Ndiri kukutuma kwavari
I will protect you [from those who will try to harm you, both] your own people and [also] those who are not Jewish. I am sending you to non-Jews
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 help them to realize [MTY] what is true and to stop believing what is false [MET]. I am sending you to them so that they may let God control them and not let Satan control them any more. [Then God] will forgive their sins and will accept them as his people because they believe in me.’ [That is what Jesus said to me].”
19 “Saka ipapo, Mambo Agiripa, handina kuramba kuteerera kuchiratidzo chakabva kudenga.
“So, King Agrippa, I fully obeyed [LIT] what [the Lord Jesus told me to do when he spoke to me] 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, I preached to [the Jews] in Damascus. Then I [preached to the Jews] in Jerusalem and throughout [the rest of] Judea [province]. After that, I also preached to non-Jews. I preached that they must turn away from their sinful behavior and turn their lives over to God. I told them that they must do things that would show that they had truly stopped their sinful behavior.”
21 Ndizvo zvakaita kuti vaJudha vandibate mutemberi uye vaedze kundiuraya.
“It is because I [preached] this message [that some] [SYN] Jews seized me [when I was] in the Temple [courtyard 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,
However, God has been helping me [from that time, and he is still helping me] today. So I stand here and I tell [all of you people], those who are important and those who are not, [who Jesus is]. Everything that I say [about him] is what Moses and the [other] prophets wrote [about long ago, things that they said] would happen.
23 kuti Kristu achatambudzika, uye, saiye wokutanga kumuka kubva kuvakafa achaparidza chiedza kuvanhu vake uye nokune veDzimwe Ndudzi.”
They wrote that [people would cause] the Messiah to suffer and die. They also wrote that he would be the first person to become alive again, to proclaim [the message that would be like] light, [that he would save] both [his own Jewish] people and non-Jewish people.”
24 Ipapo Fesitasi akati kuna Pauro nenzwi guru, “Pauro, wava kupenga! Kudzidza kwako kukuru kwava kukupengesa.”
Before Paul could say anything [further] to defend himself, Festus shouted: “Paul, you are crazy! You have studied too much, and it has made you insane!”
25 Pauro akapindura akati, “Handisi kupenga, changamire Fesitasi. Zvandiri kutaura ichokwadi uye zvinotendeka.
But Paul answered, “Your Excellency, Festus, I am not raving [insanely]. On the contrary, what I am saying is true and sensible!
26 Mambo vanoziva zvinhu izvi, uye ndinogona kutaura ndakasununguka kwavari. Ndinogutsikana kuti hapana chimwe chezvinhu izvi chichavapunyuka, nokuti hazvina kuitwa pakavanda.
King Agrippa knows the things [that I have been talking about], and I can speak confidently to him [about them]. I am sure that he knows [LIT] these things, because people everywhere [IDM] have heard [LIT] about what happened [to Jesus].”
27 Mambo Agiripa munotenda vaprofita here? Ndinoziva kuti munotenda.”
Then Paul asked, “King Agrippa, do you believe [what] the prophets [wrote]? I know that you [(sg)] believe it.”
28 Ipapo Agiripa akati kuna Pauro, “Unenge unoda kundiita muKristu nenguva duku.”
Then Agrippa [answered] Paul, “([I hope that you(sg)] do not think that by the few things [that you have just now said] you can persuade me to become a Christian!/You do not think, [do you], that by the few things [that you have just now said] you can persuade me to become a Christian?)” [RHQ]
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.”
Paul replied, “Whether it takes a short time or a long time, it does not matter. I pray to God that you and also all of the others who are listening to me today will also [believe in Jesus] like I do, but I do not want you to become prisoners [MTY] [like I am].”
30 Mambo akasimuka, pamwe chete nomubati naBhenisi uye navose vaakanga agere navo.
Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others got up
31 Vakabuda mumba, uye pavaitaurirana, vakati, “Munhu uyu haasi kuita chinhu chinofanira rufu kana kupfigirwa mutorongo.”
and left [the room. While] they were talking to one another they said to each other, “There is no reason why (the authorities/we) should execute this man, or that he should even be kept in prison [MTY].”
32 Agiripa akati kuna Fesitasi, “Munhu uyu angadai asunungurwa dai akanga asina kuzviisa kuna Kesari.”
Agrippa said to Festus, “If this man had not asked that the Emperor judge him, he could have been released {[we(inc)] could have released him}.”
