Matendo 17
1 Wakasafiri kupitia Amfipoli na Apolonia wakafika Thesalonike, ambako kulikuwa na sinagogi la Wayahudi.
And taking their journey through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica; where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 Kama desturi yake, Paulo aliingia ndani ya sinagogi, na kwa muda wa Sabato tatu akawa anahojiana nao kutoka kwenye Maandiko,
And according to Paul's custom, he entered in among them, and discoursed to them for three Sabbaths from the scriptures;
3 akidhihirisha wazi na kuthibitisha kwamba ilikuwa lazima Kristo ateswe na afufuke kutoka kwa wafu. Akasema, “Huyu Yesu ninayewaambia habari zake, ndiye Kristo.”
opening them, and evidently showing that the Messiah ought to suffer, and to rise from the dead; and that this is the Messiah, even Jesus, whom I declare to you.
4 Baadhi ya Wayahudi wakasadiki, wakaungana na Paulo na Sila, wakiwepo idadi kubwa ya Wayunani waliomcha Mungu na wanawake wengi mashuhuri.
And some of them believed, and adhered to Paul and Silas; besides, a considerable number of the devout Greeks, and 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.
But the unbelieving Jews, filled with zeal, gathered together some mean and profligate fellows, and making a mob, threw the city into a tumult; and assaulting the house of Jason, endeavored to bring them out to the people.
6 Lakini walipowakosa wakamburuta Yasoni na ndugu wengine mbele ya maafisa wa mji, wakipiga kelele: “Watu hawa ni wale walioupindua ulimwengu wamekuja huku,
But not finding them, they dragged Jason, and some of the brethren to the magistrates of the city, crying out, These men, that have turned the world upside down, are come hither, also;
7 naye Yasoni amewakaribisha nyumbani mwake. Hawa wote wanaasi amri za Kaisari wakisema yuko mfalme mwingine aitwaye Yesu.”
and Jason has privately received them. And all these men act contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
8 Waliposikia haya, ule umati wa watu na maafisa wa mji wakaongeza ghasia.
And they alarmed the multitude and the magistrates of the city, when they heard these things.
9 Nao baada ya kuchukua dhamana kwa ajili ya Yasoni na wenzake wakawaacha waende zao.
And having taken security of Jason, and the rest, they dismissed them.
10 Usiku ule ule, wale ndugu walioamini wakawapeleka Paulo na Sila waende zao Beroya. Walipowasili huko wakaenda kwenye sinagogi la Wayahudi.
But the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas, by night, to Berea: and when they came thither, they 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.
Now these were of a more noble disposition that those of Thessalonica: for they received the word with all readiness of mind, daily examining the scriptures, whether those things were so.
12 Wayahudi wengi wakaamini pamoja na wanawake na wanaume wa Kiyunani wa tabaka la juu.
Many of them, therefore, believed; both of the Grecian women of considerable rank, and of the men not a few.
13 Lakini wale Wayahudi wa Thesalonike waliposikia kuwa Paulo anahubiri neno la Mungu huko Beroya, wakaenda huko ili kuwashawishi watu na kuwachochea.
But as soon as some of the Jews of Thessalonica understood that the word of God was announced by Paul at Berea, they came thither, also, exciting the populace.
14 Mara hiyo, wale ndugu wakamsafirisha Paulo hadi pwani, lakini Sila na Timotheo wakabaki Beroya.
And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul, as if he were to go by sea. But Silas and Timothy continued 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 they that conducted Paul, brought him as far as Athens: and having received an order for Silas and Timothy, that they should come to him as soon as possible, they set out.
16 Paulo alipokuwa akiwasubiri huko Athene, alisumbuka sana moyoni mwake kuona vile mji huo ulivyojaa sanamu.
Now, while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit within him was strongly moved when he beheld the city enslaved to idolatry.
17 Hivyo akahojiana kwenye sinagogi na Wayahudi pamoja na Wayunani waliomcha Mungu, na pia sokoni kila siku na watu aliopatana nao huko.
He therefore reasoned with the Jews and proselytes in the synagogue; and in the forum, daily, 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.
Then some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers opposed him. Others said, What would this babbler say? And others, he seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities; because he declared to them the good news concerning Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Hivyo wakamchukua na kumleta kwenye mkutano wa Areopago, walikomwambia, “Je, tunaweza kujua mafundisho haya mapya unayofundisha ni nini?
And they took him and conducted him to the Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine is, which is spoken by you?
20 Wewe unaleta mambo mapya masikioni mwetu, hivyo tungetaka kujua maana yake ni nini.”
for you bring some strange things to our ears; we would, therefore, know what these things mean.
21 (Waathene na wageni wote walioishi humo hawakutumia muda wao kufanya chochote kingine isipokuwa kueleza au kusikia mambo mapya).
For all the Athenians, and the strangers that sojourned among them spent their leisure in nothing else but in telling or hearing news.
22 Ndipo Paulo akasimama katikati ya Areopago akasema, “Enyi watu wa Athene! Ninaona kwamba katika kila jambo ninyi ni watu wa dini sana.
Paul, therefore, standing up in the middle of Areopagus, said, Athenians, I perceive that you are exceedingly addicted to the worship of demons.
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, as I passed along, and beheld the objects of your worship, I found an altar with this inscription, To the Unknown God: Him, therefore, you ignorantly worship, 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.
The God who made the world, and all things that are in it, being the Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not 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 human hands, as if he stood in need of anything; he himself giving to all, life, 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.
And he has made of one blood, the whole race of men, to inhabit all the face of the earth; having marked out the times previously arranged in order, and the boundaries of their habitations:
27 Mungu alifanya hivyo ili wanadamu wamtafute na huenda wakamfikia ingawa kwa kupapasapapasa ijapokuwa kwa kweli hakai mbali na kila mmoja wetu.
that they might seek after the Lord, if possibly they might feel after him, and find him; though he be not far from every 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 are moved, and do exist; as some of your own poets have said--"For we his offspring are."
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.
We, therefore, being the offspring of God, ought not to imagine the Deity to be like gold, or silver, or stone, wrought by the art and contrivance of man.
30 Zamani wakati wa ujinga, Mungu alijifanya kama haoni, lakini sasa anawaamuru watu wote kila mahali watubu.
For though God overlooked the times of ignorance, he now makes proclamation to all men, everywhere, to reform;
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 has appointed a day, in which he will judge the world righteously, by that Man whom he has ordained: of which he has given assurance to all men, by raising him from the dead.
32 Waliposikia habari za ufufuo wa wafu, baadhi yao wakadhihaki, lakini wengine wakasema, “Tunataka kukusikia tena ukizungumza juu ya jambo hili.”
And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some made a jest of it, and others said, We will hear you again upon this subject.
33 Kwa hiyo Paulo akaondoka katikati yao.
And this Paul went out of the midst of them.
34 Lakini baadhi yao wakaungana naye wakaamini. Kati yao alikuwepo Dionisio, Mwareopago na mwanamke mmoja aliyeitwa Damari na wengine wengi.
Nevertheless, some men adhered to him, and believed: among whom was Dionysius, the Areopagite; also a woman, whose name was Damaris; and others with them.
