Matendo 25
1 Siku tatu baada ya Festo kuwasili Kaisaria kuchukua wajibu wake mpya, alipanda kwenda Yerusalemu,
Now, Festus entered the province, and after three days, he went from Caesarea up to Jerusalem.
2 ambako viongozi wa makuhani na viongozi wa Wayahudi walikuja mbele yake na kuleta mashtaka yao dhidi ya Paulo.
The chief priest and the prominent Jews brought accusations against Paul, and they urged him
3 Wakamsihi sana Festo, kama upendeleo kwao, aamuru Paulo ahamishiwe Yerusalemu, kwa kuwa walikuwa wanaandaa kumvizia ili wamuue akiwa njiani.
and asked him for a favor that would put Paul in danger—that Festus might summon Paul to Jerusalem so that they could kill him along the way.
4 Festo akawajibu, “Paulo amezuiliwa huko Kaisaria, nami mwenyewe ninakwenda huko hivi karibuni.
Festus answered that Paul was being held at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there soon.
5 Baadhi ya viongozi wenu wafuatane nami na kutoa mashtaka dhidi ya mtu huyo huko, kama amekosa jambo lolote.”
“Therefore, those who can,” he said, “should go there with us. If there is something wrong with the man, you should 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.
Festus stayed not more than eight or ten days and then he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat in the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought to him.
7 Paulo alipotokea, wale Wayahudi waliokuwa wameteremka toka Yerusalemu wakasimama wakiwa wamemzunguka, wakileta mashtaka mengi mazito dhidi yake ambayo hawakuweza kuyathibitisha.
When he arrived, the Jews from Jerusalem stood nearby, and they brought many serious charges which they could not prove.
8 Ndipo Paulo akajitetea, akasema, “Mimi sikufanya jambo lolote kinyume cha sheria ya Wayahudi au dhidi ya Hekalu au kinyume cha Kaisari.”
Paul defended himself and said, “I have done nothing wrong against the law of the Jews or against the temple or against Caesar.”
9 Festo, akitaka kuwapendeza Wayahudi, akamuuliza Paulo, “Je, ungependa kwenda Yerusalemu na kukabili mashtaka mbele yangu huko?”
But Festus wanted to gain the favor of the Jews, and so he answered Paul and said, “Do you want to go up to Jerusalem and to be judged by me about these things there?”
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.
Paul said, “I stand before the judgment seat of Caesar where I must be judged. I have wronged no Jews, just as you also very well know.
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!”
Though if I have done wrong and if I have done what is worthy of death, I do not refuse to die. But if their accusations are nothing, no one may hand me over 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!”
After Festus talked with the council, he answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you will go!”
13 Baada ya siku kadhaa Mfalme Agripa na Bernike wakapanda kuja Kaisaria kumsalimu Festo.
Now after some days, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea to pay an official visit to 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.
After he had been there for many days, Festus presented Paul's case to the king; he said, “A certain man was left behind here by Felix as a prisoner.
15 Nilipokuwa huko Yerusalemu, viongozi wa makuhani na wazee wa Wayahudi walinijulisha habari zake na wakaomba hukumu dhidi yake.
When I was in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought charges against this man to me, and they asked for a sentence of condemnation 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.
I answered them that it was not the custom of the Romans to hand over anyone before the accused had faced his accusers and had an opportunity to defend himself against the charges.
17 Hivyo walipokutana hapa, sikukawia, kesho yake niliitisha baraza, nikaketi penye kiti changu cha hukumu, nikaagiza huyo mtu aletwe.
Therefore, when they came together here, I did not wait, but the next day I sat in the judgment seat and I ordered the man to be brought in.
18 Washtaki wake waliposimama, hawakushtaki kwa uhalifu wowote niliokuwa ninatarajia.
When the accusers stood up and accused him, I thought that none of the charges that they brought against him were serious.
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.
Instead, they had certain disputes with him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus who was dead, whom Paul claims to be alive.
20 Kwa kuwa sikujua jinsi ya kupeleleza jambo hili, nilimuuliza kama angependa kwenda Yerusalemu na kuhojiwa huko kuhusu mashtaka haya.
I was not certain about how to investigate this matter, and so I asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem to stand trial there about these charges.
21 Lakini Paulo alipoomba afadhiliwe ili rufaa yake isikilizwe na Mfalme Agusto, nilimwamuru alindwe mpaka nitakapoweza kumpeleka kwa Kaisari.”
But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody while awaiting the decision of the emperor, I ordered him to be held in custody until I could send him to Caesar.”
22 Ndipo Agripa akamwambia Festo, “Ningependa kumsikiliza mtu huyo mimi mwenyewe.” Yeye akajibu, “Kesho utamsikia.”
Agrippa spoke to Festus, “I would also like to listen to this man.” “Tomorrow,” Festus said, “you will 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.
So on the next day, Agrippa and Bernice came with much ceremony; they came into the hall with the military officers and with the prominent men of the city. When Festus spoke the command, Paul was brought to them.
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.
Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all you men who are here with us, you see this man; all the multitude of Jews consulted with me in Jerusalem and here also, and they shouted to me that he should no longer live.
25 Sikuona kwamba ametenda jambo lolote linalostahili kifo, ila kwa kuwa alikuwa ameomba rufaa yake kwa mfalme, niliamua kumpeleka Rumi.
I learned that he had done nothing worthy of death; but because he appealed to the emperor, I 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.
But I do not have something definite to write to the emperor. For this reason, I have brought him to you, especially to you, King Agrippa, so that I might have something more to write about the case.
27 Kwa kuwa naona hakuna sababu ya kumpeleka mfungwa bila kuainisha mashtaka dhidi yake.”
For it seems unreasonable for me to send a prisoner and to not also state the charges against him.”
