Matendo 23
1 Paulo akawakazia macho wale wajumbe wa baraza, akasema, “Ndugu zangu, nimetimiza wajibu wangu kwa Mungu kwa dhamiri safi kabisa hadi leo.”
And Paul looking earnestly upon the council, said: Brethren! I have ordered my life in all good conscience before God to this day.
2 Kwa ajili ya jambo hili kuhani mkuu Anania akaamuru wale waliokuwa karibu na Paulo wampige kofi kinywani.
And the high-priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
3 Ndipo Paulo akamwambia, “Mungu atakupiga wewe, ewe ukuta uliopakwa chokaa! Wewe umeketi hapo ili kunihukumu kwa mujibu wa sheria, lakini wewe mwenyewe unakiuka sheria kwa kuamuru kwamba nipigwe kinyume cha sheria!”
Then Paul said to him, God will smite thee, thou whited wall! Art thou then sitting to judge me according to the law, and dost thou command me to be smitten contrary to the law?
4 Wale watu waliokuwa wamesimama karibu na Paulo wakamwambia, “Je, wewe wathubutu kumtukana kuhani mkuu wa Mungu?”
And they that stood by said, Dost thou revile God's high-priest?
5 Paulo akajibu, “Ndugu zangu, sikujua kwamba yeye alikuwa kuhani mkuu. Kwa maana imeandikwa, ‘Usimnenee mabaya kiongozi wa watu wako.’”
Then said Paul, I knew not, brethren, that he was high-priest; for it is written, “Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people.”
6 Paulo alipotambua ya kuwa baadhi yao walikuwa Masadukayo na wengine ni Mafarisayo, akapaza sauti kwenye baraza, “Ndugu zangu, mimi ni Farisayo, mwana Farisayo. Hapa nimeshtakiwa kuhusu tumaini langu katika ufufuo wa wafu.”
But Paul, perceiving one part to be Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, cried aloud in the council, Brethren! I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; for the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am now tried.
7 Aliposema haya, farakano likaanza kati ya Mafarisayo na Masadukayo na baraza lote likagawanyika.
And when he had said this, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the multitude was divided.
8 (Kwa maana Masadukayo wanasema kwamba hakuna ufufuo, wala hakuna malaika au roho, lakini Mafarisayo wanaamini haya yote.)
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees affirm both.
9 Kukawa na ghasia kubwa, nao baadhi ya walimu wa sheria ambao ni Mafarisayo, wakasimama wakapinga kwa nguvu wakisema, “Hatuoni kosa lolote la mtu huyu! Huenda ikawa roho au malaika amezungumza naye”
And there arose a great clamor; and scribes of the party of the Pharisees arose, and contended, saying, We find nothing amiss in this man; but if a spirit hath spoken to him or an angel—
10 Ugomvi ukawa mkubwa kiasi kwamba yule jemadari akahofu kuwa wangemrarua Paulo vipande vipande, akaamuru vikosi vya askari vishuke na kumwondoa Paulo katikati yao kwa nguvu na kumleta ndani ya ngome ya jeshi.
And a great dissension arising, the chief captain, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, ordered the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them, and bring him into the castle.
11 Usiku uliofuata, Bwana akasimama karibu naye akamwambia, “Jipe moyo! Kama vile ulivyonishuhudia hapa Yerusalemu, hivyo imekupasa kunishuhudia huko Rumi pia.”
And the night following, the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good courage; for as thou hast borne witness concerning me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
12 Kulipopambazuka Wayahudi wakafanya shauri pamoja na kujifunga kwa kiapo kwamba hawatakula wala kunywa mpaka wawe wamemuua Paulo.
And when it was day, the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 Waliofanya mpango huo walikuwa zaidi ya watu arobaini.
And there were more than forty who took this oath together.
14 Wakawaendea viongozi wa makuhani na wazee na kusema, “Tumejifunga pamoja kwa kiapo kwamba hatutakula wala kunywa mpaka tuwe tumemuua Paulo.
And they came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
15 Hivyo basi, wewe pamoja na baraza, inawapasa mkamjulishe jemadari ili amteremshe Paulo kwenu, mjifanye kama mnataka kufanya uchunguzi wa kina zaidi wa shauri lake. Nasi tuko tayari kumuua kabla hajafika hapa.”
Now therefore do ye with the council give notice to the chief captain, that he bring him down to you, as though ye were about to examine his case more thoroughly; and we are ready to kill him before he cometh near you.
16 Lakini mtoto wa dada yake Paulo aliposikia juu ya shauri hilo baya, alikwenda kule kwenye ngome ya askari na kumweleza Paulo.
But Paul's sister's son hearing of the plot went, and entering the castle, told Paul.
17 Ndipo Paulo akamwita mmoja wa viongozi wa askari, akamwambia, “Mpeleke huyu kijana kwa jemadari, analo jambo la kumweleza.”
Then Paul called one of the centurions to him, and said, Take this young man to the chief captain; for he hath something to tell him.
18 Hivyo yule kiongozi wa askari akampeleka yule kijana kwa jemadari, akamwambia, “Paulo yule mfungwa aliniita na kuniomba nimlete huyu kijana kwako, kwa sababu ana neno la kukueleza.”
So he took him and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me to him, and asked me to bring this young man to thee, as he hath something to say to thee.
19 Yule jemadari akamshika yule kijana mkono, akampeleka kando na kumuuliza, “Unataka kuniambia nini?”
Then the chief captain took him by the hand and went aside privately, and asked him, What is it that thou hast to tell me?
20 Yule kijana akasema, “Wayahudi wamekubaliana wakuombe umpeleke Paulo kwenye baraza lao kesho kwa kisingizio kwamba wanataka kufanya uchunguzi wa kina wa shauri lake.
And he said, The Jews have agreed to ask thee to bring down Paul tomorrow into the council, as though thou wert about to inquire more thoroughly concerning him.
21 Lakini usishawishiwe nao kwa maana zaidi ya watu arobaini wanamvizia. Wamejifunga kwa kiapo kwamba hawatakula wala kunywa mpaka wawe wamemuua Paulo. Sasa wako tayari, wanangoja idhini yako kwa ajili ya ombi lao.”
But do not thou yield to them; for there lie in wait for him more than forty men of them, who have bound themselves with an oath neither to eat nor drink till they have killed him; and they are now ready, looking for the promise from thee.
22 Yule jemadari akamruhusu yule kijana aende na akamwonya, akisema, “Usimwambie mtu yeyote kwamba umenieleza habari hizi.”
The chief captain then dismissed the young man with the charge, Tell no one that thou hast disclosed these things to me.
23 Kisha yule jemadari akawaita viongozi wake wawili wa askari akawaambia, “Jiandaeni kuondoka saa tatu usiku huu kuelekea Kaisaria pamoja na askari 200, wapanda farasi sabini na watu 200 wenye mikuki.
And he called to him two of the centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen, at the third hour of the night;
24 Pia tayarisheni na farasi watakaotumiwa na Paulo, mkampeleke salama kwa mtawala Feliksi.”
and provide beasts, whereon they may set Paul, and carry him safe to Felix the governor.
25 Kisha akaandika barua kwa Feliksi kama ifuatavyo:
And he wrote a letter after this manner:
26 Klaudio Lisia, Kwa Mtawala, Mtukufu Feliksi: Salamu.
Claudius Lysias to the moss excellent governor Felix, greeting.
27 Mtu huyu alikamatwa na Wayahudi wakakaribia kumuua, lakini nikaja na vikosi vyangu vya askari nikamwokoa, kwa kuwa nilipata habari kwamba yeye ni raiya wa Rumi.
This man was taken by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them; but I came upon them with the soldiery, and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
28 Nilitaka kujua kwa nini walikuwa wanamshutumu, hivyo nikamleta mbele ya baraza lao.
And wishing to know the crime of which they accused him, I brought him down to their council;
29 Ndipo nikaona kuwa alikuwa anashutumiwa kwa mambo yanayohusu sheria yao, lakini hakuwa ameshtakiwa kwa jambo lolote linalostahili kifo au kifungo.
but I found him to be accused only on account of questions of their law, and to have nothing laid to his charge deserving death or bonds.
30 Nilipoarifiwa kuwa kulikuwa na shauri baya dhidi ya mtu huyu, nilimtuma kwako mara moja. Niliwaagiza washtaki wake pia waeleze mashtaka yao dhidi yake mbele yako.
And having been informed of a plot against the man, I sent him at once to thee, and directed his accusers also to bring their charges against him before thee.
31 Hivyo askari, kwa kufuata maelekezo waliyopewa, wakamchukua Paulo wakati wa usiku na kumleta mpaka Antipatri.
Then the soldiers, as was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 Kesho yake wakawaacha wale wapanda farasi waendelee na safari wakiwa na Paulo, wao wakarudi kwenye ngome ya askari.
But on the morrow they left the horsemen to go on with him, and returned to the castle.
33 Askari walipofika Kaisaria, walimpa mtawala ile barua, na kumkabidhi Paulo kwake.
And they, when they had come to Caesarea, and delivered the letter to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
34 Mtawala alipokwisha kuisoma ile barua alimuuliza Paulo alikuwa mtu wa jimbo gani. Alipojua kuwa anatoka Kilikia,
And having read the letter, he asked of what province he was; and when he understood that he was of Cilicia,
35 alisema, “Nitasikiliza shauri lako washtaki wako watakapofika hapa.” Kisha akaamuru Paulo awekwe chini ya ulinzi kwenye jumba la kifalme la Herode.
he said, I will hear thee fully, when thy accusers also have arrived. And he ordered him to be kept in Herod's palace.
