Matendo 25
1 Siku tatu baada ya Festo kuwasili Kaisaria kuchukua wajibu wake mpya, alipanda kwenda Yerusalemu,
Festus therefore, being come into the eparchy, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 ambako viongozi wa makuhani na viongozi wa Wayahudi walikuja mbele yake na kuleta mashtaka yao dhidi ya Paulo.
And the chief priests and the chief of the Jews laid informations before him against Paul, and besought him,
3 Wakamsihi sana Festo, kama upendeleo kwao, aamuru Paulo ahamishiwe Yerusalemu, kwa kuwa walikuwa wanaandaa kumvizia ili wamuue akiwa njiani.
asking as a grace against him that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying people in wait to kill him on the way.
4 Festo akawajibu, “Paulo amezuiliwa huko Kaisaria, nami mwenyewe ninakwenda huko hivi karibuni.
Festus therefore answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to set out shortly.
5 Baadhi ya viongozi wenu wafuatane nami na kutoa mashtaka dhidi ya mtu huyo huko, kama amekosa jambo lolote.”
Let therefore the persons of authority among you, says he, going down too, if there be anything in this man, accuse him.
6 Baada ya Festo kukaa miongoni mwao kwa karibu siku nane au kumi, akashuka kwenda Kaisaria na siku iliyofuata akaitisha mahakama, akaketi penye kiti chake cha hukumu, akaamuru Paulo aletwe mbele yake.
And having remained among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the next day, having sat down on the judgment-seat, commanded Paul to be brought.
7 Paulo alipotokea, wale Wayahudi waliokuwa wameteremka toka Yerusalemu wakasimama wakiwa wamemzunguka, wakileta mashtaka mengi mazito dhidi yake ambayo hawakuweza kuyathibitisha.
And when he was come, the Jews who were come down from Jerusalem stood round, bringing many and grievous charges which they were not able to prove:
8 Ndipo Paulo akajitetea, akasema, “Mimi sikufanya jambo lolote kinyume cha sheria ya Wayahudi au dhidi ya Hekalu au kinyume cha Kaisari.”
Paul answering for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I offended [in] anything.
9 Festo, akitaka kuwapendeza Wayahudi, akamuuliza Paulo, “Je, ungependa kwenda Yerusalemu na kukabili mashtaka mbele yangu huko?”
But Festus, desirous of obliging the Jews, to acquire their favour, answering Paul, said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, there to be judged before me concerning these things?
10 Paulo akasema, “Mimi sasa nimesimama mbele ya mahakama ya Kaisari, ambako ndiko ninakostahili kushtakiwa. Kama vile wewe mwenyewe ujuavyo vyema kabisa sijawatendea Wayahudi kosa lolote.
But Paul said, I am standing before the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.
11 Basi kama mimi nina hatia ya kutenda kosa lolote linalostahili kifo, sikatai kufa. Lakini kama mashtaka yaliyoletwa dhidi yangu na hawa Wayahudi si kweli, hakuna yeyote aliye na haki ya kunikabidhi mikononi mwao. Naomba rufaa kwa Kaisari!”
If then I have done any wrong and committed anything worthy of death, I do not deprecate dying; but if there is nothing of those things of which they accuse me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.
12 Baada ya Festo kufanya shauri pamoja na baraza lake, akatangaza, “Wewe umeomba rufaa kwa Kaisari, nako kwa Kaisari utakwenda!”
Then Festus, having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar. To Caesar shalt thou go.
13 Baada ya siku kadhaa Mfalme Agripa na Bernike wakapanda kuja Kaisaria kumsalimu Festo.
And when certain days had elapsed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to salute Festus.
14 Kwa kuwa walikuwa wakae huko Kaisaria kwa siku nyingi, Festo alijadili shauri la Paulo na mfalme, akisema, “Kuna mtu mmoja hapa ambaye Feliksi alimwacha gerezani.
And when they had spent many days there, Festus laid before the king the matters relating to Paul, saying, There is a certain man left prisoner by Felix,
15 Nilipokuwa huko Yerusalemu, viongozi wa makuhani na wazee wa Wayahudi walinijulisha habari zake na wakaomba hukumu dhidi yake.
concerning whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews laid informations, requiring judgment against him:
16 “Lakini mimi nikawaambia kwamba si desturi ya Kirumi kumtoa mtu yeyote auawe kabla mshtakiwa kuonana uso kwa uso na washtaki wake, naye awe amepewa nafasi ya kujitetea kuhusu mashtaka anayoshutumiwa.
to whom I answered, It is not [the] custom of the Romans to give up any man before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and he have got opportunity of defence touching the charge.
17 Hivyo walipokutana hapa, sikukawia, kesho yake niliitisha baraza, nikaketi penye kiti changu cha hukumu, nikaagiza huyo mtu aletwe.
When therefore they had come together here, without putting it off, I sat the next day on the judgment-seat and commanded the man to be brought:
18 Washtaki wake waliposimama, hawakushtaki kwa uhalifu wowote niliokuwa ninatarajia.
concerning whom the accusers, standing up, brought no such accusation of guilt as I supposed;
19 Badala yake walikuwa na vipengele fulani vya kutokukubaliana naye kuhusu dini yao na juu ya mtu mmoja aitwaye Yesu, ambaye alikufa, lakini yeye Paulo alidai kwamba yu hai.
but had against him certain questions of their own system of worship, and concerning a certain Jesus who is dead, whom Paul affirmed to be living.
20 Kwa kuwa sikujua jinsi ya kupeleleza jambo hili, nilimuuliza kama angependa kwenda Yerusalemu na kuhojiwa huko kuhusu mashtaka haya.
And as I myself was at a loss as to an inquiry into these things, I said, Was he willing to go to Jerusalem and there to be judged concerning these things?
21 Lakini Paulo alipoomba afadhiliwe ili rufaa yake isikilizwe na Mfalme Agusto, nilimwamuru alindwe mpaka nitakapoweza kumpeleka kwa Kaisari.”
But Paul having appealed to be kept for the cognisance of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I shall send him to Caesar.
22 Ndipo Agripa akamwambia Festo, “Ningependa kumsikiliza mtu huyo mimi mwenyewe.” Yeye akajibu, “Kesho utamsikia.”
And Agrippa [said] to Festus, I myself also would desire to hear the man. To-morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.
23 Siku iliyofuata Agripa na Bernike walifika kwa fahari kubwa wakaingia katika ukumbi wa mahakama, pamoja na majemadari wa jeshi na watu mashuhuri wa mji. Ndipo kwa amri ya Festo, Paulo akaletwa ndani.
On the morrow therefore, Agrippa being come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and having entered into the hall of audience, with the chiliarchs and the men of distinction of the city, and Festus having given command, Paul was brought.
24 Festo akasema, “Mfalme Agripa, nanyi nyote mlio hapa pamoja nasi, mnamwona mtu huyu! Jumuiya yote ya Kiyahudi wamenilalamikia kuhusu mtu huyu huko Yerusalemu na hapa Kaisaria, wakipiga kelele kwamba haimpasi kuendelea kuishi.
And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye see this person, concerning whom all the multitude of the Jews applied to me both in Jerusalem and here, crying out against [him] that he ought not to live any longer.
25 Sikuona kwamba ametenda jambo lolote linalostahili kifo, ila kwa kuwa alikuwa ameomba rufaa yake kwa mfalme, niliamua kumpeleka Rumi.
But I, having found that he had done nothing worthy of death, and this [man] himself having appealed to Augustus, I have decided to send him;
26 Lakini mimi sina kitu maalum cha kumwandikia Bwana Mtukufu kumhusu mtu huyu. Kwa hiyo nimemleta mbele yenu ninyi nyote, hasa mbele yako, Mfalme Agripa, ili kutokana na matokeo ya uchunguzi huu, niweze kupata kitu cha kuandika.
concerning whom I have nothing certain to write to my lord. Wherefore I have brought him before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, so that an examination having been gone into I may have something to write:
27 Kwa kuwa naona hakuna sababu ya kumpeleka mfungwa bila kuainisha mashtaka dhidi yake.”
for it seems to me senseless, sending a prisoner, not also to signify the charges against him.
