Mabasa 7
1 Ipapo muprista mukuru akamubvunza akati, “Izvi zvauri kupomerwa ndezvechokwadi here?”
Then the high priest asked, “Is this true?”
2 Iye akapindura achiti, “Hama dzangu nemi madzibaba, nditeererei! Mwari wokubwinya akazviratidza kuna baba vedu Abhurahama paakanga achiri kuMesopotamia, asati agara muHarani.
Stephen replied, “Brothers and fathers, hear what I have to say. God, who manifests himself in the glory, appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, and before he settled in Haran, and said to him –
3 Mwari akati kwaari, ‘Ibva munyika yako nokuhama dzako, uende kunyika yandichakuratidza.’
‘Leave your country and your people, and come into the country that I will show you.’
4 “Saka akabva munyika yavaKaradhea akandogara muHarani. Shure kwokufa kwababa vake, Mwari akamutuma munyika ino yamugere zvino.
And so Abraham left the country of the Chaldaeans and settled in Haran; and from there, after his father’s death, God caused him to migrate into this country, in which you are now living.
5 Haana kumupa nhaka imomo, kunyange paangatsika norutsoka rwake. Asi Mwari akamuvimbisa kuti iye nezvizvarwa zvake zvaimutevera vaizotora nyika ino, kunyange panguva iyoyo Abhurahama akanga asina mwana.
God did not at that time give him any part of it, not even a foot of ground. But he promised to give him possession of it and his descendants after him, though at that time he had no child.
6 Mwari akataura naye achiti, ‘Zvizvarwa zvako zvichava vatorwa munyika isiri yavo, uye vachaitwa varanda vagotambudzwa kwamakore mazana mana.
God’s words were these – ‘Abraham’s descendants will live in a foreign country, where they will be enslaved and ill-treated for four hundred years.
7 Asi ndicharanga rudzi rwavachashandira senhapwa,’ ndizvo zvakataurwa naMwari, ‘uye shure kwaizvozvo vachabuda munyika iyoyo vagondishumira panzvimbo ino.’
But I myself will judge the nation, to which they will be enslaved,’ God said, ‘and after that they will leave the country and worship me in this place.’
8 Ipapo akapa Abhurahama sungano yokudzingiswa. Abhurahama akabereka Isaka akamudzingisa zuva rorusere shure kwokuberekwa kwake. Shure kwaizvozvo Isaka akabereka Jakobho, uye Jakobho akabereka madzitateguru ane gumi navaviri.
Then God made with Abraham the covenant of circumcision; and under it Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him when he was eight days old; and Isaac became the father of Jacob; and Jacob of the Twelve Patriarchs.
9 “Nokuti madzitateguru akaitira godo Josefa, vakamutengesa senhapwa kuIjipiti. Asi Mwari akanga anaye
The Patriarchs, out of jealousy, sold Joseph into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him,
10 akamununura kubva pamatambudziko ake ose. Akapa Josefa uchenjeri uye akaita kuti adikanwe naFaro mambo weIjipiti; saka akamuita mutongi weIjipiti nomuzinda wake wose.
and delivered him out of all his troubles, and enabled him to win favor and show wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who appointed him Governor of Egypt and of his whole household.
11 “Zvino nzara yakasvika muIjipiti yose neKenani, kukava nokutambudzika kukuru, uye madzibaba edu akashayiwa zvokudya.
Then a famine spread over the whole of Egypt and Canaan, causing great distress, and our ancestors could find no food.
12 Jakobho akati anzwa kuti kuIjipiti kwaiva nezviyo, akatuma madzibaba edu parwendo rwavo rwokutanga.
Hearing, however, that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob sent our ancestors there on their first visit.
13 Parwendo rwavo rwechipiri, Josefa akaudza madzikoma ake kuti iye aiva ani uye Faro akanzwa nezvemhuri yaJosefa.
In the course of their second visit, Joseph revealed himself to his brothers, and his family became known to Pharaoh.
14 Shure kwaizvozvo, Josefa akatuma shoko kuti baba vake Jakobho, nemhuri yavo yose, vanhu makumi manomwe navashanu pamwe chete, vauye.
Then Joseph sent an urgent invitation to his father Jacob and to his relatives, seventy-five persons in all;
15 Ipapo Jakobho akaburuka akaenda kuIjipiti, uko kwaakandofira iye namadzibaba edu.
and so Jacob went down into Egypt. There he died, and our ancestors also,
16 Mitumbi yavo yakatakurwa ikaendeswa kuShekemu vakavigwa muguva rakanga ratengwa naAbhurahama kubva kuvanakomana vaHamori, paShekemu, nomutengo wemari yakati kuti.
and their bodies were removed to Shechem, and laid in the tomb which Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
17 “Nguva yakati yaswedera yokuti Mwari azadzise chipikirwa chake kuna Abhurahama, uwandu hwavanhu vedu muIjipiti hwakawedzerwa zvikuru.
As the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise which God had made to Abraham, the people increased largely in numbers in Egypt,
18 Ipapo mumwe mambo, akanga asingazivi nezvaJosefa, akava mutongi weIjipiti.
until a new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to the throne.
19 Akabata vanhu vedu zvakaipa akadzvinyirira madzitateguru edu achivamanikidza kuti varase vana vachangoberekwa kuitira kuti vagofa.
This king acted deceitfully towards our people and ill-treated our ancestors, making them abandon their own infants, so that they should not be reared.
20 “Panguva iyoyo Mozisi akaberekwa, uye akanga asiri mwanawo zvake. Akachengetwa mumba mababa vake kwemwedzi mitatu.
It was just at this time that Moses was born. He was an exceedingly beautiful child, and for three months was brought up in his own father’s house;
21 Paakasiyiwa kunze, mwanasikana waFaro akamutora akamurera somwanakomana wake.
and, when he was abandoned, the daughter of Pharaoh found him and brought him up as her own son.
22 Mozisi akadzidziswa uchenjeri hwose hweIjipiti uye aigona kwazvo kutaura nokuita zvinhu.
So Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and proved his ability both by his words and actions.
23 “Mozisi paakanga ava namakore makumi mana okuberekwa, akafunga zvokundoshanyira hama dzake ivo vaIsraeri.
When he was in his fortieth year, he resolved to visit his fellow Israelites;
24 Akaona mumwe wavo achitambudzwa nomuIjipita, saka akasvika akamurwira akatsiva nokuuraya muIjipita uya.
and, seeing an Israelite ill-treated, he defended him, and avenged the man, who was being wronged, by striking down the Egyptian.
25 Mozisi akafunga kuti vanhu vake vachaziva kuti Mwari ainge achimushandisa kuti avanunure, asi ivo havana kuzviziva.
He thought his own people would understand that God was using him to save them; but they failed to do so.
26 Fume mangwana Mozisi akasvikowana vaIsraeri vaviri vachirwa. Akaedza kuvayananisa achiti, ‘Varume, muri hama imi; munodireiko kukuvadzana?’
The next day he again appeared on the scene, when some of them were fighting, and tried to make peace between them. ‘Men,’ he said, ‘you are brothers; how is it that you are ill-treating one another?’
27 “Asi murume uya akanga achitambudza mumwe akasundidzira Mozisi padivi akati, ‘Ndianiko akakuita mubati nomutongi wedu?
But the man who was ill-treating his fellow workman pushed Moses aside saying – ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us?
28 Unoda kundiuraya sokuuraya kwawakaita muIjipita nezuro?’
Do you mean to make away with me as you did yesterday with that Egyptian?’
29 Mozisi paakanzwa izvozvo, akatiza akaenda kuMidhiani, uko kwaakandogara ari mutorwa uye akabereka vanakomana vaviri.
At these words Moses took to flight, and became an exile in Midian; and there he had two sons born to him.
30 “Makore makumi mana akati apfuura, mutumwa akazviratidza kuna Mozisi ari mumurazvo womoto mugwenzi, mugwenga raiva pedyo neGomo reSinai.
Forty years had passed when there appeared to him, in the desert of Mount Sinai, an angel in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 Paakaona chinhu ichi, akashamiswa nezvaakaona. Akati achiswedera kuti anyatsoona, akanzwa inzwi raIshe richiti,
When Moses saw it, he was astonished at the vision; but on his going nearer to look at it more closely, the voice of the Lord was heard to say –
32 ‘Ndini Mwari wamadzibaba ako, Mwari waAbhurahama, Isaka naJakobho.’ Mozisi akadedera nokutya akatadza kana kutarisa.
‘I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Moses trembled, and did not dare to look.
33 “Ipapo Jehovha akati kwaari, ‘Bvisa shangu dzako; nokuti nzvimbo yaumire pairi itsvene.
Then the Lord said to him – ‘Take your sandals off your feet, for the spot where you are standing is holy ground.
34 Zvirokwazvo ndaona kudzvinyirirwa kwavanhu vangu muIjipiti. Ndanzwa kugomera kwavo, saka ndaburuka kuti ndizovasunungura. Zvino uya, ndinoda kukutuma udzokere kuIjipiti.’
I have seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and heard their groans, and I have come down to deliver them. Come now and I will send you into Egypt.’
35 “Ndiye Mozisi uya wavakanga varamba namashoko okuti, ‘Ndianiko akakuita mubati nomutongi wedu?’ Ndiye akatumwa naMwari pachake kuti ave mubati nomusununguri wavo, kubudikidza nomutumwa akazviratidza kwaari mugwenzi.
This same Moses, whom they had disowned with the words – ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’ was the man whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer, under the guidance of the angel that had appeared to him in the bush.
36 Ndiye akavabudisa muIjipiti uye akaita zvishamiso nezviratidzo muIjipiti, paGungwa Dzvuku uye kwamakore makumi mana murenje.
He it was who led them out, after he had shown wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the desert during forty years.
37 “Ndiye Mozisi uya akaudza vaIsraeri kuti, ‘Mwari achakutumirai muprofita akaita seni anobva muvanhu venyu chaivo.’
This was the Moses who said to the people of Israel – ‘God will raise up for you, from among yourselves, a prophet, as he raised up me.’
38 Akanga ari muungano yaiva murenje, pamwe chete nomutumwa akataura kwaari paGomo reSinai, uye namadzibaba edu; uye akagamuchira mashoko mapenyu kuti azoasvitsa kwatiri.
He, too, it was who was present at the assembly in the desert, with the angel who talked to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors, and who received living truths to impart to you.
39 “Asi madzibaba edu akaramba kumuteerera. Vakamuramba uye mumwoyo yavo vakadzokerazve kuIjipiti.
Yet our ancestors refused him obedience; more than that, they rejected him, and in their hearts turned back to Egypt,
40 Vakati kuna Aroni, ‘Tiitire vamwari vachatitungamirira. Kana ari Mozisi uyu akatibudisa muIjipiti, hatizivi zvakamuwira!
while they said to Aaron – ‘Make us Gods who will lead the way for us, since, as for this Moses who has brought us out of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’
41 Ndiyo nguva yavakaumba chifananidzo chakaita semhuru. Vakauya nezvibayiro kwachiri vakachipemberera vachikudza chinhu chakaitwa namaoko avo.
That was the time when they made the calf and offered sacrifice to their idol, and held festivities in honor of their own handiwork!
42 Asi Mwari akavafuratira akavasiya kuti vanamate hondo dzokudenga, sezvazvakanyorwa mubhuku ravaprofita zvichinzi: “‘Makandivigira zvibayiro nezvipo makore makumi mana murenje here, imi imba yaIsraeri?
So God turned from them and left them to the worship of the Starry Host, as is written in the book of the prophets – ‘Did you offer victims and sacrifices to me, house of Israel, all those forty years in the desert?
43 Makatakura tabhenakeri yaMoreki nenyeredzi yamwari wenyu Refani, zvifananidzo zvamakaita kuti muzvinamate. Naizvozvo ndichakuendesai kuutapwa’ mberi kweBhabhironi.
You took with you the tent where Moloch is worshiped and the star of the god Rephan – the images which you had made to worship. Therefore I will exile you beyond Babylon.’
44 “Madzitateguru edu akanga ane tabhenakeri yeChipupuriro pakati pavo murenje. Yakanga yakagadzirwa sokurayirwa kwakanga kwaitwa Mozisi naMwari, maererano nomufananidzo waakanga aona.
Our ancestors had the tent where they worshiped God in the desert, constructed, just as he who spoke to Moses had directed him to make it, after the model which he had seen.
45 Vakagamuchira tabhenakeri, vachitungamirirwa naJoshua, madzibaba edu akauya pamwe chete nayo paya pavakatora nyika kubva kundudzi dzakanga dzadzingwa pamberi pavo naMwari. Tabhenakeri yakagara munyika iyo kusvikira panguva yaDhavhidhi,
This tent, which was handed down to them, was brought into this country by our ancestors who accompanied Joshua (at the conquest of the nations that God drove out before their advance), and remained here until the time of David.
46 uyo akaitirwa zvakanaka naMwari uye akakumbira kuti avakire Mwari waJakobho nzvimbo yokugara.
David found favor with God, and prayed that he might provide the God of Jacob with a place to reside.
47 Asi Soromoni ndiye akazomuvakira imba.
But it was Solomon who built a house for God.
48 “Kunyange zvakadaro, Wokumusoro-soro haagari mudzimba dzakavakwa navanhu. Sezvinorehwa nomuprofita achiti:
Yet it is not in buildings made by hands that the Most High dwells. As the prophet says –
49 “‘Denga ndicho chigaro changu choushe uye nyika ndiyo chitsiko chetsoka dzangu. Ko, muchandivakira imba yakaita sei? ndizvo zvinotaura Ishe. Kana kuti nzvimbo yangu yokuzorora ichava kupiko?
‘The heavens are a throne for me, and the earth a stool for my feet. What manner of house will you build me, asks the Lord, or what place is there where I may rest?
50 Ko, ruoko rwangu haruna kuita izvozvi zvose here?’
Was it not my hand that made all these things?’
51 “Imi vanhu vemitsipa mikukutu, vane mwoyo nenzeve dzisina kudzingiswa! Makangoita samadzibaba enyu: Munogara muchidzivisa Mweya Mutsvene!
Stubborn people, heathen in heart and ears, you are for ever resisting the Holy Spirit; your ancestors did it, and you are doing it still.
52 Kwakambova nomuprofita asina kutambudzwa namadzibaba enyu here? Vakauraya kunyange vaya vakaprofita kuuya kwaIye Oga Akarurama. Uye zvino makamupandukira mukamuuraya,
Which of the prophets escaped persecution at their hands? They killed those who foretold the coming of the righteous one; of whom you, in your turn, have now become the betrayers and murderers –
53 iyemi makagamuchira murayiro wamakapiwa kubudikidza navatumwa, asi mukasauteerera.”
you who received the Law as transmitted by angels and yet failed to keep it.”
54 Vakati vanzwa izvi, vakashatirwa zvikuru uye vakamurumanyira meno avo.
As they listened to this, the Council grew frantic with rage, and gnashed their teeth at Stephen.
55 Asi Sitefani, azere noMweya Mutsvene, akatarisa kudenga akaona kubwinya kwaMwari, uye Jesu amire kuruoko rworudyi rwaMwari.
He, filled as he was with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes intently on the heavens, and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at God’s right hand.
56 Akati, “Tarirai, ndinoona denga razaruka uye Mwanakomana woMunhu amire kuruoko rworudyi rwaMwari.”
“Look,” he exclaimed, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at God’s right hand!”
57 Pavakanzwa izvi vakadzivira nzeve dzavo vakamhanyira kwaari vose, vachidanidzira namanzwi ari pamusoro-soro,
At this, with a loud shout, they stopped their ears and all rushed on him, forced him outside the city,
58 vakamuzvuzvurudzira kunze kweguta vakatanga kumutaka namabwe. Uye, vaya vaiva zvapupu vakandoisa nguo dzavo patsoka dzejaya rainzi Sauro.
and began to stone him, the witnesses laying their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 Vachiri kumutaka namabwe, Sitefani akanyengetera, akati, “Ishe Jesu, gamuchirai mweya wangu.”
And they stoned Stephen, while he cried to the Lord, “Lord Jesus! Receive my spirit!”
60 Ipapo akapfugama namabvi ake akadanidzira achiti, “Ishe, musavapa mhosva yechivi ichi.” Akati ataura izvi, akavata.
Falling on his knees, he called out loudly, “Lord! Do not charge them with this sin;” and with these words he fell asleep.
