Matendo 26
1 Ndipo Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Unayo ruhusa kujitetea.” Hivyo Paulo akawaashiria kwa mkono wake, akaanza kujitetea, akasema:
Then Agrippa said to Paul: You are permitted to speak for yourself. Then Paul stretched forth his hand, and answered for himself.
2 “Mfalme Agripa, najiona kuwa na heri kusimama mbele yako leo ninapojitetea kuhusu mashtaka yote ya Wayahudi,
I think myself happy, King Agrippa, because I shall this day make my defense before you, concerning all things of which I am accused by the Jews;
3 hasa kwa sababu unajua vyema desturi zote za Kiyahudi na ya kuwa wewe unajua kwa undani mila na masuala ya mabishano. Kwa hiyo, nakusihi unisikilize kwa uvumilivu.
especially, since you are acquainted with all the customs and questions that are among the Jews. For this reason, I beseech you to hear me patiently.
4 “Wayahudi wote wanajua jinsi nilivyoishi tangu nilipokuwa mtoto, kuanzia mwanzo wa maisha yangu katika nchi yangu na pia huko Yerusalemu.
My course of life from my youth, which, from the beginning, was among my own nation in Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
5 Wao wamefahamu kwa muda mrefu na wanaweza kushuhudia kama wakipenda, ya kwamba kutokana na misimamo mikali sana ya dhehebu letu kwenye dini yetu, niliishi nikiwa Farisayo.
who, knowing me from the first, could testify, if they would, that, according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.
6 Nami sasa ni kwa sababu ya tumaini langu katika kile ambacho Mungu aliwaahidi baba zetu, ninashtakiwa leo.
And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers;
7 Hii ndiyo ahadi ambayo makabila yetu kumi na mawili yanatarajia kuiona ikitimizwa wanapomtumikia Mungu kwa bidii usiku na mchana. Ee mfalme, ninashtakiwa na Wayahudi kwa ajili ya tumaini hili.
to which promise our twelve tribes, zealously serving night and day, hope to come: on account of which hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.
8 Kwa nini yeyote miongoni mwenu afikiri kwamba ni jambo lisilosadikika Mungu kufufua wafu?
What? Is it thought a thing incredible among you, that God raises the dead?
9 “Mimi pia nilikuwa nimeshawishika kwamba imenipasa kufanya yote yale yaliyowezekana kupinga Jina la Yesu wa Nazareti.
I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazarene.
10 Nami hayo ndiyo niliyoyafanya huko Yerusalemu. Kwa mamlaka ya viongozi wa makuhani, niliwatia wengi wa watakatifu gerezani na walipokuwa wakiuawa, nilipiga kura yangu kuunga mkono.
And this I did in Jerusalem; and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests: and when they were put to death, I gave my vote against them.
11 Mara nyingi nilikwenda kutoka sinagogi moja hadi ingine nikiamuru waadhibiwe, nami nilijaribu kuwalazimisha wakufuru. Katika shauku yangu dhidi yao, hata nilikwenda miji ya kigeni ili kuwatesa.
And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to speak impiously; and, being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “Siku moja nilipokuwa katika mojawapo ya safari hizi nikiwa ninakwenda Dameski, nilikuwa na mamlaka na agizo kutoka kwa kiongozi wa makuhani.
While I was engaged in these things, and was going to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 Ilikuwa yapata adhuhuri, ee mfalme, nilipokuwa njiani, niliona nuru kutoka mbinguni kali kuliko jua, ikingʼaa kunizunguka pande zote mimi na wale niliokuwa pamoja nao.
at midday, while I was on the road, I saw, O King, a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and those who journeyed with me.
14 Wote tulipokuwa tumeanguka chini, nikasikia sauti ikisema nami kwa lugha ya Kiebrania, ‘Sauli, Sauli, mbona unanitesa? Ni vigumu kwako kuupiga teke mchokoo.’
And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying, in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.
15 “Nikauliza, ‘Ni nani wewe, Bwana?’ “Naye Bwana akajibu, ‘Ni Mimi Yesu unayemtesa.
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? He replied, I am Jesus, whom you persecute.
16 Sasa inuka usimame kwa miguu yako. Nimekutokea ili nikuteue uwe mtumishi na shahidi wa mambo ambayo umeyaona, na yale nitakayokuonyesha.
But arise, and stand upon your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness of the things which you have seen, and of those in which I will appear to you,
17 Nitakuokoa kutoka kwa watu wako na watu wa Mataifa ambao ninakutuma kwao,
delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom now I send you,
18 uyafumbue macho yao ili wageuke kutoka gizani waingie nuruni, na kutoka kwenye nguvu za Shetani wamgeukie Mungu, ili wapate msamaha wa dhambi na sehemu miongoni mwa wale waliotakaswa kwa kuniamini mimi.’
in order to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins, and an inheritance among the sanctified, by faith in me.
19 “Hivyo basi, Mfalme Agripa, sikuacha kuyatii yale maono yaliyotoka mbinguni,
Wherefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;
20 bali niliyatangaza kwanza kwa wale wa Dameski, kisha Yerusalemu na katika vijiji vyote vya Uyahudi na pia kwa watu wa Mataifa, kwamba inawapasa kutubu na kumgeukia Mungu na kuthibitisha toba yao kwa matendo yao.
but announced first to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works worthy of repentance.
21 Ni kwa sababu hii Wayahudi walinikamata nilipokuwa Hekaluni, wakataka kuniua.
For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple, and endeavored to kill me.
22 Hadi leo nimepata msaada kutoka kwa Mungu, na hivyo nasimama hapa nikishuhudia kwa wakubwa na wadogo. Sisemi chochote zaidi ya yale ambayo manabii na Mose walisema yatatukia:
Having, therefore, obtained help from God, I have stood till this day, testifying both to small and to great, saying nothing else than the things which the prophets and Moses did say should come to pass:
23 kwamba Kristo atateswa, na kwamba yeye atakuwa wa kwanza kufufuka kutoka kwa wafu, na atatangaza nuru kwa watu wake na kwa watu wa Mataifa.”
that Christ should suffer, and that he first, by his resurrection from the dead, should show light to the people, and to the Gentiles.
24 Paulo alipokuwa akifanya utetezi huu, Festo akasema kwa sauti kubwa, “Paulo, wewe umerukwa na akili! Kusoma kwingi kunakufanya uwe kichaa!”
And as he spoke these things in his defense, Festus said, with a loud voice; Paul, you are mad; much learning drives you to madness.
25 Lakini Paulo akajibu, “Mimi sijarukwa na akili, mtukufu sana Festo, bali nanena kweli nikiwa na akili zangu timamu.
But he replied: I am not mad, most excellent Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
26 Naam, Mfalme anajua kuhusu mambo haya yote, nami nasema naye kwa uhuru. Kwa sababu nina hakika kwamba hakuna hata mojawapo ya mambo haya asilolijua, kwa kuwa hayakufanyika mafichoni.
For the king has knowledge of these things, before whom, also, I speak with boldness; for I am persuaded that none of these things have escaped his notice; for this was not done in a corner.
27 Mfalme Agripa, je, unaamini manabii? Najua kuwa unaamini.”
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.
28 Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Je, unanishawishi kwa haraka namna hii niwe Mkristo?”
Then Agrippa said to Paul: You almost persuade me to be a Christian.
29 Paulo akasema, “Ikiwa ni kwa haraka au la, namwomba Mungu, si wewe peke yako bali pia wale wote wanaonisikiliza leo, wawe kama mimi nilivyo, kasoro minyororo hii.”
And Paul replied: I could pray to God, that not only you, but also all that hear me to-day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
30 Baada ya kusema hayo, mfalme akainuka pamoja na mtawala na Bernike na wale waliokuwa wameketi pamoja nao.
And the king arose, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.
31 Walipokuwa wakiondoka, wakaambiana, “Mtu huyu hafanyi jambo lolote linalostahili kufa au kufungwa.”
And when they had withdrawn, they conversed with one another, saying: This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
32 Agripa akamwambia Festo, “Mtu huyu angeachwa huru kama hangekuwa amekata rufaa kwa Kaisari.”
And Agrippa said to Festus: This man could have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cæsar
