Matendo 17
1 Wakasafiri kupitia Amfipoli na Apolonia wakafika Thesalonike, ambako kulikuwa na sinagogi la Wayahudi.
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2 Kama desturi yake, Paulo aliingia ndani ya sinagogi, na kwa muda wa Sabato tatu akawa anahojiana nao kutoka kwenye Maandiko,
Paul, as was his custom, went in to them; and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them 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.”
explaining and demonstrating that the Messiah had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Yeshua, whom I proclaim to you, is the Messiah.”
4 Baadhi ya Wayahudi wakasadiki, wakaungana na Paulo na Sila, wakiwepo idadi kubwa ya Wayunani waliomcha Mungu na wanawake wengi mashuhuri.
Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas: of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and not a few of the chief 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 unpersuaded Jews took along some wicked men from the marketplace and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought 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,
When they didn’t find them, they dragged Jason and certain brothers before the rulers of the city, crying, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
7 naye Yasoni amewakaribisha nyumbani mwake. Hawa wote wanaasi amri za Kaisari wakisema yuko mfalme mwingine aitwaye Yesu.”
whom Jason has received. These all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Yeshua!”
8 Waliposikia haya, ule umati wa watu na maafisa wa mji wakaongeza ghasia.
The multitude and the rulers of the city were troubled when they heard these things.
9 Nao baada ya kuchukua dhamana kwa ajili ya Yasoni na wenzake wakawaacha waende zao.
When they had 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.
The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
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 more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
12 Wayahudi wengi wakaamini pamoja na wanawake na wanaume wa Kiyunani wa tabaka la juu.
Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.
13 Lakini wale Wayahudi wa Thesalonike waliposikia kuwa Paulo anahubiri neno la Mungu huko Beroya, wakaenda huko ili kuwashawishi watu na kuwachochea.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was proclaimed by Paul at Beroea also, they came there likewise, agitating the multitudes.
14 Mara hiyo, wale ndugu wakamsafirisha Paulo hadi pwani, lakini Sila na Timotheo wakabaki Beroya.
Then the brothers immediately sent out Paul to go as far as to the sea, and Silas and Timothy still stayed 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.
But those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens. Receiving a commandment to Silas and Timothy that they should come to him very quickly, they departed.
16 Paulo alipokuwa akiwasubiri huko Athene, alisumbuka sana moyoni mwake kuona vile mji huo ulivyojaa sanamu.
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw the city full of idols.
17 Hivyo akahojiana kwenye sinagogi na Wayahudi pamoja na Wayunani waliomcha Mungu, na pia sokoni kila siku na watu aliopatana nao huko.
So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met 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.
Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also were conversing with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign deities,” because he preached Yeshua and the resurrection.
19 Hivyo wakamchukua na kumleta kwenye mkutano wa Areopago, walikomwambia, “Je, tunaweza kujua mafundisho haya mapya unayofundisha ni nini?
They took hold of him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is, which you are speaking about?
20 Wewe unaleta mambo mapya masikioni mwetu, hivyo tungetaka kujua maana yake ni nini.”
For you bring certain strange things to our ears. We want to know therefore what these things mean.”
21 (Waathene na wageni wote walioishi humo hawakutumia muda wao kufanya chochote kingine isipokuwa kueleza au kusikia mambo mapya).
Now all the Athenians and the strangers living there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.
22 Ndipo Paulo akasimama katikati ya Areopago akasema, “Enyi watu wa Athene! Ninaona kwamba katika kila jambo ninyi ni watu wa dini sana.
Paul stood in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “You men of Athens, I perceive that you are very religious in all things.
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 observed the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription: ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What therefore you worship in ignorance, 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 in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, doesn’t 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.
He isn’t served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he himself gives 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.
He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the surface of the earth, having determined appointed seasons and the boundaries 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.
that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though 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, move, and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have 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 then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold, or silver, or stone, engraved by art and design of man.
30 Zamani wakati wa ujinga, Mungu alijifanya kama haoni, lakini sasa anawaamuru watu wote kila mahali watubu.
The times of ignorance therefore God overlooked. But now he commands that all people everywhere should repent,
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 in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained; of which he has given assurance to all men, in that he has raised 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.”
Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”
33 Kwa hiyo Paulo akaondoka katikati yao.
Thus Paul went out from among them.
34 Lakini baadhi yao wakaungana naye wakaamini. Kati yao alikuwepo Dionisio, Mwareopago na mwanamke mmoja aliyeitwa Damari na wengine wengi.
But certain men joined with him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
