Matendo 16
1 Paulo akafika Derbe na kisha Listra, ambako kulikuwa na mwanafunzi mmoja jina lake Timotheo, ambaye mama yake alikuwa Myahudi aliyeamini, lakini baba yake alikuwa Myunani.
Paul went first to Derbe, and then on to Lystra, where he met a believer by the name of Timothy. He was the son of a Jewish Christian mother, and his father was Greek.
2 Alikuwa amesifiwa sana na wale ndugu waliokuwa wameamini huko Listra na Ikonio
The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him.
3 Paulo alitaka Timotheo afuatane naye, hivyo akamchukua na kumtahiri kwa sababu ya Wayahudi waliokuwa wanaishi eneo lile kwa maana wote walimjua baba yake ni Myunani.
Paul wanted Timothy to travel with him, so he circumcised him because the Jews in the area all knew that Timothy's father was Greek.
4 Walipokuwa wakienda mji kwa mji, wakawa wanawapa maamuzi yaliyotolewa na mitume na wazee huko Yerusalemu ili wayafuate.
As they went through the different towns they gave them the requirements the apostles and elders in Jerusalem had said should be observed.
5 Hivyo makanisa yakawa imara katika imani na kuongezeka kiidadi kila siku.
The churches were strengthened in their trust in the Lord and every day their numbers increased.
6 Paulo pamoja na wenzake wakasafiri sehemu za Frigia na Galatia, kwa kuwa Roho Mtakatifu hakuwaruhusu kulihubiri neno huko Asia.
They traveled through the districts of Phrygia and Galatia, since the Holy Spirit prevented them from going to the province of Asia to speak the word.
7 Walipofika mpaka wa Misia, wakajaribu kuingia Bithinia lakini Roho wa Yesu hakuwaruhusu.
When they arrived at the border of Mysia they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to enter.
8 Kwa hiyo wakapita Misia, wakafika Troa.
So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.
9 Wakati wa usiku Paulo akaona maono, mtu wa Makedonia amesimama akimsihi, “Vuka uje huku Makedonia utusaidie.”
There Paul saw in vision during the night a man from Macedonia standing up, pleading with him, “Please come over to Macedonia and help us!”
10 Baada ya Paulo kuona maono haya, tulijiandaa kwa haraka kuondoka kwenda Makedonia tukiwa tumesadiki kuwa Mungu alikuwa ametuita kuhubiri habari njema huko.
After Paul saw this vision, we immediately made arrangements to go to Macedonia, since we concluded that God had called us to share the good news with them.
11 Tukasafiri kwa njia ya bahari kutoka Troa na kwenda moja kwa moja hadi Samothrake, kesho yake tukafika Neapoli.
We set sail from Troas and made straight for Samothrace. The next day we went on to Neapolis,
12 Kutoka huko tukasafiri hadi Filipi, mji mkuu wa jimbo hilo la Makedonia, uliokuwa koloni ya Warumi. Nasi tukakaa huko siku kadhaa.
and from there to Philippi, the most important town in Macedonia, and also a Roman colony. We stayed in this city for several days.
13 Siku ya Sabato tukaenda nje ya lango la mji kando ya mto, mahali ambapo tulitarajia tungepata mahali pa kufanyia maombi. Tukaketi, tukaanza kuongea na baadhi ya wanawake waliokuwa wamekusanyika huko.
On the Sabbath day we went out of the town gates down to the riverside where we thought people would come to pray. We sat down and talked with the women that had gathered there.
14 Mmoja wa wale wanawake waliotusikiliza aliitwa Lidia, mfanyabiashara wa nguo za zambarau, mwenyeji wa mji wa Thiatira, aliyekuwa mcha Mungu. Bwana akaufungua moyo wake akaupokea ujumbe wa Paulo.
One of them was called Lydia, who sold purple cloth from the town of Thyatira. She worshiped God, and she listened to us. The Lord opened her mind to what Paul was saying, and she accepted what he told her.
15 Basi alipokwisha kubatizwa yeye na watu wa nyumba yake, alitukaribisha nyumbani kwake akisema, “Kama mmeona kweli mimi nimemwamini Bwana, karibuni mkae nyumbani mwangu.” Naye akatushawishi.
After she and all her household were baptized, she pleaded with us, “If you really think that I'm truly committed to the Lord, then come and stay at my house.” She kept on insisting until we agreed!
16 Siku moja, tulipokuwa tukienda mahali pa kusali, tulikutana na mtumwa mmoja wa kike ambaye alikuwa na pepo wa uaguzi. Naye alikuwa amewapa mabwana zake mapato makubwa ya fedha kwa ubashiri.
One day when we were going down to the place of prayer we met a slave girl possessed by an evil spirit. She earned her masters a great deal of money by fortune-telling.
17 Huyu msichana alikuwa akimfuata Paulo na sisi akipiga kelele, “Watu hawa ni watumishi wa Mungu Aliye Juu Sana, wao wanawatangazieni njia ya wokovu.”
This girl followed Paul and the rest of us around, shouting, “These men are the servants of Almighty God. They are telling you how to be saved!”
18 Akaendelea kufanya hivi kwa siku nyingi, lakini Paulo akiwa ameudhika sana, akageuka na kumwambia yule pepo mchafu, “Ninakuamuru katika jina la Yesu Kristo, umtoke!” Yule pepo mchafu akamtoka saa ile ile.
She went on doing this for several days. This bothered Paul so he turned around and told the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to leave her!” The spirit immediately left her.
19 Basi mabwana wa yule mtumwa wa kike walipoona kuwa tumaini lao la kuendelea kujipatia fedha limetoweka, wakawakamata Paulo na Sila wakawaburuta mpaka sokoni mbele ya viongozi wa mji.
But when her masters saw they had lost their means of making money, they grabbed hold of Paul and Silas and dragged them before the authorities at the marketplace.
20 Baada ya kuwafikisha mbele ya mahakimu wakawashtaki wakisema, “Hawa watu wanaleta ghasia katika mji wetu, nao ni Wayahudi.
They brought them in front of the magistrates, and accused them: “These Jewish men are causing a great disturbance in our town,” they said.
21 Wanafundisha desturi ambazo sisi raiya wa Kirumi hatuwezi kuzikubali au kuzitimiza.”
“They're advocating things that are illegal for us as Romans to accept or to practice.”
22 Umati wa watu waliokuwepo wakajiunga katika kuwashambulia Paulo na Sila na wale mahakimu wakaamuru wavuliwe nguo zao na wachapwe viboko.
The crowd joined together in an attack on them. The magistrates tore off Paul and Silas' clothes, and ordered them beaten with rods.
23 Baada ya kuwachapa sana, wakawatupa gerezani na kumwagiza mkuu wa gereza awalinde kikamilifu.
After giving them a severe beating, they threw them into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them locked up.
24 Kufuata maelekezo haya, yule mkuu wa gereza akawaweka katika chumba cha ndani sana mle gerezani, na akawafunga miguu yao kwa minyororo.
The jailer followed his orders. He threw Paul and Silas into the inner cell and shackled their feet in the stocks.
25 Ilipokaribia usiku wa manane, Paulo na Sila walikuwa wakiomba na kuimba nyimbo za kumsifu Mungu, nao wafungwa wengine walikuwa wakiwasikiliza.
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26 Ghafula pakatokea tetemeko kubwa la ardhi, hata msingi wa gereza ukatikisika. Mara milango ya gereza ikafunguka na ile minyororo iliyowafunga kila mmoja ikafunguka.
Suddenly a tremendous earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. Immediately all the doors flew open and everyone's chains fell off.
27 Yule mkuu wa gereza alipoamka na kuona milango ya gereza iko wazi, akachomoa upanga wake akataka kujiua, akidhani ya kuwa wafungwa wote wametoroka.
The jailer woke up and saw the doors of the prison wide open. He drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped.
28 Lakini Paulo akapiga kelele kwa sauti kubwa, akasema, “Usijidhuru kwa maana sisi sote tuko hapa!”
But Paul shouted out, “Don't hurt yourself—we're all still here!”
29 Yule askari wa gereza akaagiza taa ziletwe, akaingia ndani ya kile chumba cha gereza, akapiga magoti akitetemeka mbele ya Paulo na Sila.
The jailer asked for lights to be brought and rushed in. Shaking with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas.
30 Kisha akawaleta nje akisema, “Bwana zangu, nifanye nini nipate kuokoka?”
He escorted them out and asked them, “Sirs, what do I have to do so I can be saved?”
31 Wakamjibu, “Mwamini Bwana Yesu Kristo, nawe utaokoka, pamoja na watu wa nyumbani mwako.”
“Trust in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your whole household,” they replied.
32 Wakamwambia neno la Bwana yeye pamoja na wote waliokuwako nyumbani mwake.
Then they shared the word of the Lord with him and everyone who lived in his house.
33 Wakati ule ule, yule mkuu wa gereza akawachukua, akawaosha majeraha yao, kisha akabatizwa yeye pamoja na wote waliokuwa nyumbani mwake bila kuchelewa.
Even though it was late at night he bathed their wounds, and he was baptized right away, along with all his family.
34 Akawapandisha nyumbani mwake akawaandalia chakula, yeye pamoja na nyumba yake yote wakafurahi sana kwa kuwa sasa walikuwa wamemwamini Mungu.
He took them home and had a meal prepared for them. The jailer and his whole family were full of joy because they trusted in God.
35 Kulipopambazuka wale mahakimu wakawatuma maafisa wao kwa mkuu wa gereza wakiwa na agizo linalosema, “Wafungue wale watu, waache waende zao.”
Early the next day the magistrate sent officials to the jailer, telling him, “Release those men.”
36 Mkuu wa gereza akamwambia Paulo “Mahakimu wameagiza niwaache huru, kwa hiyo tokeni na mwende zenu kwa amani.”
The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have sent word to release you. So you can leave, and go in peace.”
37 Lakini Paulo akawaambia wale maafisa, “Wametupiga hadharani bila kutufanyia mashtaka na kutuhoji, nao wakatutupa gerezani, hata ingawa sisi ni raiya wa Rumi. Nao sasa wanataka kututoa gerezani kwa siri? Hapana! Wao na waje wenyewe watutoe humu gerezani.”
But Paul told them, “They publicly beat us without a trial—and yet we're Roman citizens! Then they threw us in prison. Now they want to quietly let us go? No, they should come themselves and release us!”
38 Wale maafisa wakarudi na kuwaambia wale mahakimu maneno haya, wakaogopa sana walipofahamu kuwa Paulo na Sila ni raiya wa Rumi.
The officials went back and reported this to the magistrates. When they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens they were really worried,
39 Kwa hiyo wakaja wakawaomba msamaha, wakawatoa gerezani, wakawaomba waondoke katika ule mji.
and went to apologize to them. They escorted them out and begged them to leave town.
40 Baada ya Paulo na Sila kutoka gerezani walikwenda nyumbani kwa Lidia, ambapo walikutana na wale ndugu walioamini, wakawatia moyo, ndipo wakaondoka.
So Paul and Silas left the prison and went to Lydia's house. There they met with the believers, encouraged them, and then went on their way.
