Matendo 17
1 Wakasafiri kupitia Amfipoli na Apolonia wakafika Thesalonike, ambako kulikuwa na sinagogi la Wayahudi.
And having passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where the synagogue of the Jews was,
2 Kama desturi yake, Paulo aliingia ndani ya sinagogi, na kwa muda wa Sabato tatu akawa anahojiana nao kutoka kwenye Maandiko,
and according to the custom of Paul, he went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he was reasoning with them from the Writings,
3 akidhihirisha wazi na kuthibitisha kwamba ilikuwa lazima Kristo ateswe na afufuke kutoka kwa wafu. Akasema, “Huyu Yesu ninayewaambia habari zake, ndiye Kristo.”
opening and alleging that it was necessary [for] the Christ to suffer, and to rise again out of the dead, and that “this is the Christ—Jesus whom I proclaim to you.”
4 Baadhi ya Wayahudi wakasadiki, wakaungana na Paulo na Sila, wakiwepo idadi kubwa ya Wayunani waliomcha Mungu na wanawake wengi mashuhuri.
And certain of them believed, and attached themselves to Paul and to Silas, also a great multitude of the worshiping Greeks, also not a few of the principal women.
5 Lakini Wayahudi ambao hawakuwa wameamini wakawa na wivu, wakawakodi watu waovu kutoka sokoni, wakakutanisha umati wa watu, wakaanzisha ghasia mjini. Wakaenda mbio nyumbani kwa Yasoni wakiwatafuta Paulo na Sila ili kuwaleta nje penye ule umati wa watu.
And the Jews, having been moved with envy, and having taken to themselves certain evil men of the agitators, and having made a crowd, were setting the city in an uproar; having also assailed the house of Jason, they were seeking them to bring [them] to the populace,
6 Lakini walipowakosa wakamburuta Yasoni na ndugu wengine mbele ya maafisa wa mji, wakipiga kelele: “Watu hawa ni wale walioupindua ulimwengu wamekuja huku,
and having not found them, they drew Jason and certain brothers to the city rulers, calling aloud, “These, having put the world in commotion, are also present here,
7 naye Yasoni amewakaribisha nyumbani mwake. Hawa wote wanaasi amri za Kaisari wakisema yuko mfalme mwingine aitwaye Yesu.”
whom Jason has received; and all these do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying another to be king—Jesus.”
8 Waliposikia haya, ule umati wa watu na maafisa wa mji wakaongeza ghasia.
And they troubled the multitude and the city rulers, hearing these things,
9 Nao baada ya kuchukua dhamana kwa ajili ya Yasoni na wenzake wakawaacha waende zao.
and having taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 Usiku ule ule, wale ndugu walioamini wakawapeleka Paulo na Sila waende zao Beroya. Walipowasili huko wakaenda kwenye sinagogi la Wayahudi.
And the brothers immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went into the synagogue of the Jews;
11 Hawa Waberoya walikuwa waungwana zaidi kuliko wale wa Thesalonike, kwa kuwa waliupokea ule ujumbe kwa shauku kubwa na kuyachunguza Maandiko kila siku ili kuona kama yale Paulo aliyosema yalikuwa kweli.
and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Writings every day [to see] whether those things were so;
12 Wayahudi wengi wakaamini pamoja na wanawake na wanaume wa Kiyunani wa tabaka la juu.
therefore, many of them, indeed, believed, and not a few of the honorable Greek women and men.
13 Lakini wale Wayahudi wa Thesalonike waliposikia kuwa Paulo anahubiri neno la Mungu huko Beroya, wakaenda huko ili kuwashawishi watu na kuwachochea.
And when the Jews from Thessalonica knew that also in Berea was the word of God declared by Paul, they came there also, agitating the multitudes;
14 Mara hiyo, wale ndugu wakamsafirisha Paulo hadi pwani, lakini Sila na Timotheo wakabaki Beroya.
and then immediately the brothers sent forth Paul, to go on as it were to the sea, but both Silas and Timotheus were remaining there.
15 Wale waliomsindikiza Paulo wakaenda naye mpaka Athene, kisha wakarudi Beroya wakiwa na maagizo kutoka kwa Paulo kuhusu Sila na Timotheo kwamba wamfuate upesi iwezekanavyo.
And those conducting Paul, brought him to Athens, and having received a command to Silas and Timotheus that with all speed they may come to him, they departed;
16 Paulo alipokuwa akiwasubiri huko Athene, alisumbuka sana moyoni mwake kuona vile mji huo ulivyojaa sanamu.
and Paul waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, beholding the city wholly given to idolatry,
17 Hivyo akahojiana kwenye sinagogi na Wayahudi pamoja na Wayunani waliomcha Mungu, na pia sokoni kila siku na watu aliopatana nao huko.
therefore, indeed, he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the worshiping persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met with him.
18 Kisha baadhi ya Waepikureo na Wastoiko wenye falsafa wakakutana naye. Baadhi yao wakasema, “Je, huyu mpayukaji anajaribu kusema nini?” Wengine wakasema, “Inaonekana anasema habari za miungu ya kigeni.” Walisema haya kwa sababu Paulo alikuwa anahubiri habari njema kuhusu Yesu na ufufuo wa wafu.
And certain of the Epicurean and of the Stoic philosophers, were meeting together to see him, and some were saying, “What would this seed picker wish to say?” And others, “He seems to be an announcer of strange demons”; because he proclaimed to them Jesus and the resurrection as good news,
19 Hivyo wakamchukua na kumleta kwenye mkutano wa Areopago, walikomwambia, “Je, tunaweza kujua mafundisho haya mapya unayofundisha ni nini?
having also taken him, they brought [him] to the Areopagus, saying, “Are we able to know what this new teaching [is] that is spoken by you,
20 Wewe unaleta mambo mapya masikioni mwetu, hivyo tungetaka kujua maana yake ni nini.”
for you bring certain strange things to our ears? We resolve, then, to know what these things would wish to be”;
21 (Waathene na wageni wote walioishi humo hawakutumia muda wao kufanya chochote kingine isipokuwa kueleza au kusikia mambo mapya).
and all Athenians, and the strangers sojourning, for nothing else were at leisure but to say something, and to hear some newer thing.
22 Ndipo Paulo akasimama katikati ya Areopago akasema, “Enyi watu wa Athene! Ninaona kwamba katika kila jambo ninyi ni watu wa dini sana.
And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Areopagus, said, “Men, Athenians, in all things I perceive you as over-religious;
23 Kwa kuwa nilipokuwa nikitembea mjini na kuangalia kwa bidii vitu vyenu vya kuabudiwa, niliona huko madhabahu moja iliyoandikwa: Kwa Mungu Asiyejulikana. Basi sasa kile ambacho mmekuwa mkikiabudu kama kisichojulikana, ndicho ninachowahubiria.
for passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I also found an altar on which had been inscribed: To God—unknown; whom, therefore—not knowing—you worship, this One I announce to you.
24 “Mungu aliyeumba dunia na vyote vilivyomo ndani yake, yeye ndiye Bwana wa mbingu na nchi, hakai katika mahekalu yaliyojengwa kwa mikono ya wanadamu.
God, who made the world, and all things in it, this One, being Lord of Heaven and of earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,
25 Wala hatumikiwi na mikono ya wanadamu kana kwamba anahitaji chochote, kwa sababu yeye mwenyewe ndiye awapaye watu wote uhai na pumzi na vitu vyote.
neither is He served by the hands of men—needing anything, He giving life to all, and breath, and all things;
26 Kutoka kwa mtu mmoja, yeye aliumba mataifa yote ya wanadamu ili waikalie dunia yote, naye akaweka nyakati za kuishi.
He also made every nation of man of one blood, to dwell on all the face of the earth—having ordained times before appointed, and the bounds of their dwellings—
27 Mungu alifanya hivyo ili wanadamu wamtafute na huenda wakamfikia ingawa kwa kupapasapapasa ijapokuwa kwa kweli hakai mbali na kila mmoja wetu.
to seek the LORD, if perhaps they felt after Him and found, though, indeed, He is not far from each one of us,
28 ‘Kwa kuwa katika yeye tunaishi, tunatembea na kuwa na uzima wetu.’ Kama baadhi ya watunga mashairi wenu walivyosema, ‘Sisi ni watoto wake.’
for in Him we live, and move, and are; as certain of your poets have also said: For we are also His offspring.
29 “Kwa kuwa sisi ni watoto wa Mungu, haitupasi kudhani kuwa uungu ni kama sanamu ya dhahabu au ya fedha au ya jiwe, mfano uliotengenezwa kwa ubunifu na ustadi wa mwanadamu.
Being, therefore, offspring of God, we ought not to think the Godhead to be like to gold, or silver, or stone, [an] engraving of art and imagination of man;
30 Zamani wakati wa ujinga, Mungu alijifanya kama haoni, lakini sasa anawaamuru watu wote kila mahali watubu.
therefore indeed God, having overlooked the times of ignorance, now commands all men everywhere to convert,
31 Kwa kuwa ameweka siku ambayo atauhukumu ulimwengu kwa haki akimtumia mtu aliyemchagua. Amewahakikishia watu wote mambo haya kwa kumfufua Kristo kutoka kwa wafu.”
because He set a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness, by a Man whom He ordained, having given assurance to all, having raised Him out of the dead.”
32 Waliposikia habari za ufufuo wa wafu, baadhi yao wakadhihaki, lakini wengine wakasema, “Tunataka kukusikia tena ukizungumza juu ya jambo hili.”
And having heard of a resurrection of the dead, some, indeed, were mocking, but others said, “We will hear you again concerning this”;
33 Kwa hiyo Paulo akaondoka katikati yao.
and so Paul went forth from the midst of them,
34 Lakini baadhi yao wakaungana naye wakaamini. Kati yao alikuwepo Dionisio, Mwareopago na mwanamke mmoja aliyeitwa Damari na wengine wengi.
and certain men having cleaved to him, believed, among whom [is] also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman, by name Damaris, and others with them.
