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.
And he came also to Derbe and Lystra, where there was a certain disciple named Timothy, the son of a believing Jewess, and of a Greek father.
2 Alikuwa amesifiwa sana na wale ndugu waliokuwa wameamini huko Listra na Ikonio
He was well spoken of by the brothers in Lystra and Iconiun.
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.
Now Paul, wishing that this man should accompany him on his journey, took him and circumcised him because of the local Jews, who all knew that his father was a Greek.
4 Walipokuwa wakienda mji kwa mji, wakawa wanawapa maamuzi yaliyotolewa na mitume na wazee huko Yerusalemu ili wayafuate.
And as they went on their way through the cities they handed them the resolutions which the apostles and the elders in Jerusalem had ordained for them to keep.
5 Hivyo makanisa yakawa imara katika imani na kuongezeka kiidadi kila siku.
So the churches were strengthened in the faith and continued to increase in number daily.
6 Paulo pamoja na wenzake wakasafiri sehemu za Frigia na Galatia, kwa kuwa Roho Mtakatifu hakuwaruhusu kulihubiri neno huko Asia.
Then they went through Phrygia and Galatia, the Holy Spirit having forbidden them to proclaim the message in Asia.
7 Walipofika mpaka wa Misia, wakajaribu kuingia Bithinia lakini Roho wa Yesu hakuwaruhusu.
When they got as far as Mysia, they attempted to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not permit it;
8 Kwa hiyo wakapita Misia, wakafika Troa.
and so they passed by Mysia and went on down to Troas.
9 Wakati wa usiku Paulo akaona maono, mtu wa Makedonia amesimama akimsihi, “Vuka uje huku Makedonia utusaidie.”
Here a vision appeared to Paul in the night. There stood a man of Macedonia, entreating him and saying, "Come over into 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.
So when he had seen the vision, we sought at once to go forth into Macedonia, because we concluded that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
11 Tukasafiri kwa njia ya bahari kutoka Troa na kwenda moja kwa moja hadi Samothrake, kesho yake tukafika Neapoli.
So we set sail from Troas and ran a straight course to Samothrace. The next day we arrived in Neapolis,
12 Kutoka huko tukasafiri hadi Filipi, mji mkuu wa jimbo hilo la Makedonia, uliokuwa koloni ya Warumi. Nasi tukakaa huko siku kadhaa.
and thence came to Philippi, a city of Macedonia, the fore most in its district, a Roman colony. There we stayed for some time.
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 outside the city gate, to a riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and talked to the women who 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.
Among them was a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, who belonged to the town of Thyatira. She, since she was a worshiper of God, listened to us, and the Lord opened her heart to attend to what Paul said.
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.
When she was baptized, and her household, she urged us, saying, "If in your judgment I am a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my house." And she compelled us to come.
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.
Now as we were going to the place of prayer, a certain slave girl met us, who had a spirit of divination, and who brought her masters great gain 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.”
She used to follow after Paul and us, crying out again and again, "These men are servants of the most high God, who proclaimed to you the way of salvation."
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 persisted in this for many days, until Paul, worn out, turned round and said to the spirit, "I charge you, in the name of Jesus Christ, to come out of her." In that very hour it came out of 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 owners saw that their hopes of gain were gone, they seized Paul and Silas, and dragged them before the magistrates, into the market-place.
20 Baada ya kuwafikisha mbele ya mahakimu wakawashtaki wakisema, “Hawa watu wanaleta ghasia katika mji wetu, nao ni Wayahudi.
Then they brought them before the praetors, saying. "These fellows are Jews, who are making a great disturbance in our city.
21 Wanafundisha desturi ambazo sisi raiya wa Kirumi hatuwezi kuzikubali au kuzitimiza.”
"They are teaching customs which it is not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or practise."
22 Umati wa watu waliokuwepo wakajiunga katika kuwashambulia Paulo na Sila na wale mahakimu wakaamuru wavuliwe nguo zao na wachapwe viboko.
The crowd, too, rose up together against them, and the praetors, after having them stripped, and after ordering them to be flogged,
23 Baada ya kuwachapa sana, wakawatupa gerezani na kumwagiza mkuu wa gereza awalinde kikamilifu.
had many lashes inflicted upon them, and put them in prison, with a charge to the jailer to keep them safe.
24 Kufuata maelekezo haya, yule mkuu wa gereza akawaweka katika chumba cha ndani sana mle gerezani, na akawafunga miguu yao kwa minyororo.
On receiving so strict an order he cast them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
25 Ilipokaribia usiku wa manane, Paulo na Sila walikuwa wakiomba na kuimba nyimbo za kumsifu Mungu, nao wafungwa wengine walikuwa wakiwasikiliza.
But at midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the 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 there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison-house were shaken; and instantly all the doors were opened, and every one’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, roused from sleep, and seeing the doors wide open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, because he thought that the prisoners had escaped.
28 Lakini Paulo akapiga kelele kwa sauti kubwa, akasema, “Usijidhuru kwa maana sisi sote tuko hapa!”
But Paul shouted loudly to him. "Do yourself no harm; for we are all here!"
29 Yule askari wa gereza akaagiza taa ziletwe, akaingia ndani ya kile chumba cha gereza, akapiga magoti akitetemeka mbele ya Paulo na Sila.
So he called for lights, and sprang in, and, trembling for fear, fell down before Paul and Silas,
30 Kisha akawaleta nje akisema, “Bwana zangu, nifanye nini nipate kuokoka?”
and brought them out, saying, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
31 Wakamjibu, “Mwamini Bwana Yesu Kristo, nawe utaokoka, pamoja na watu wa nyumbani mwako.”
"Believe on the Lord Jesus," they answered, "and you will be saved, you and all your household."
32 Wakamwambia neno la Bwana yeye pamoja na wote waliokuwako nyumbani mwake.
Then they spoke the message of the Lord to him, as well as to all who were 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.
And he took them, the same hour of the night, and washed their wounds, and he was baptized at once, he and all his.
34 Akawapandisha nyumbani mwake akawaandalia chakula, yeye pamoja na nyumba yake yote wakafurahi sana kwa kuwa sasa walikuwa wamemwamini Mungu.
And after bringing them up into his house, he set food before them, overjoyed with all his household in having believed in God.
35 Kulipopambazuka wale mahakimu wakawatuma maafisa wao kwa mkuu wa gereza wakiwa na agizo linalosema, “Wafungue wale watu, waache waende zao.”
But in the morning the praetors sent their lictors with the order, "Let these men go."
36 Mkuu wa gereza akamwambia Paulo “Mahakimu wameagiza niwaache huru, kwa hiyo tokeni na mwende zenu kwa amani.”
The jailer reported the words to Paul, saying. "The praetors have sent to release you; so come out, 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 said. "They have flogged us publicly, uncondemned, men that are Roman citizens; and have thrown us into prison. Are they now going to get rid of us secretly? No, indeed! Let them come here, themselves and take us out."
38 Wale maafisa wakarudi na kuwaambia wale mahakimu maneno haya, wakaogopa sana walipofahamu kuwa Paulo na Sila ni raiya wa Rumi.
The lictors reported these words to the praetors, who were frightened when they heard that they were Romans.
39 Kwa hiyo wakaja wakawaomba msamaha, wakawatoa gerezani, wakawaomba waondoke katika ule mji.
So they came and conciliated them, and after taking them out of prison, begged them to leave the 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 came out of the prison, and went to Lydia’s house; and after they had seen the brethren and encouraged them, they left Philippi.
