Matendo 26
1 Ndipo Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Unayo ruhusa kujitetea.” Hivyo Paulo akawaashiria kwa mkono wake, akaanza kujitetea, akasema:
And Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted to you to speak for yourself”; then Paul having stretched forth the hand, was making a defense:
2 “Mfalme Agripa, najiona kuwa na heri kusimama mbele yako leo ninapojitetea kuhusu mashtaka yote ya Wayahudi,
“Concerning all things of which I am accused by Jews, King Agrippa, I have thought myself blessed, being about to make a defense before you today,
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 knowing you to be acquainted with all things—both customs and questions—among Jews; for this reason, I implore 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.
The manner of my life then, indeed, from youth—which from the beginning was among my nation, in Jerusalem—all the Jews know,
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.
knowing me before from the first (if they may be willing to testify), that after the most exact sect of our worship, I lived a Pharisee;
6 Nami sasa ni kwa sababu ya tumaini langu katika kile ambacho Mungu aliwaahidi baba zetu, ninashtakiwa leo.
and now for the hope of the promise made to the fathers by God, I have stood judged,
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 our twelve tribes, intently serving night and day, hope to come, concerning which hope I am accused, King Agrippa, by the Jews;
8 Kwa nini yeyote miongoni mwenu afikiri kwamba ni jambo lisilosadikika Mungu kufufua wafu?
why is it judged incredible with you if God raises the dead?
9 “Mimi pia nilikuwa nimeshawishika kwamba imenipasa kufanya yote yale yaliyowezekana kupinga Jina la Yesu wa Nazareti.
I indeed, therefore, thought with myself that it was necessary [for me] to do many things against the Name of Jesus of Nazareth,
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.
which I also did in Jerusalem, and I shut up many of the holy ones in prison, having received the authority from the chief priests; they also being 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 in every synagogue, often punishing them, I was constraining [them] to speak evil, being also exceedingly mad against them, I was also persecuting [them] even to strange cities.
12 “Siku moja nilipokuwa katika mojawapo ya safari hizi nikiwa ninakwenda Dameski, nilikuwa na mamlaka na agizo kutoka kwa kiongozi wa makuhani.
In which things, also, going on 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, I saw in the way, O king, out of Heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining around me a light—and those going on 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 we all having fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew dialect, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? [It is] hard for you to kick against goads!
15 “Nikauliza, ‘Ni nani wewe, Bwana?’ “Naye Bwana akajibu, ‘Ni Mimi Yesu unayemtesa.
And I said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, 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 rise, and stand on your feet, for this I appeared to you, to appoint you an officer and a witness both of the things you saw, and of the things [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 the nations, to whom I now 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.’
to open their eyes, to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the authority of Satan to God, for their receiving forgiveness of sins, and a lot among those having been sanctified by faith that [is] toward Me.
19 “Hivyo basi, Mfalme Agripa, sikuacha kuyatii yale maono yaliyotoka mbinguni,
After which, 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 to those in Damascus first, and to those in Jerusalem, also to all the region of Judea, and to the nations, I was preaching to convert, and to turn back to God, doing works worthy of conversion;
21 Ni kwa sababu hii Wayahudi walinikamata nilipokuwa Hekaluni, wakataka kuniua.
because of these things the Jews—having caught me in the temple—were endeavoring 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 obtained, therefore, help from God, until this day, I have stood witnessing both to small and to great, saying nothing besides the things that both the prophets and Moses spoke of as about to come,
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 the Christ is to suffer, whether first by a resurrection from the dead, He is about to proclaim light to the people and to the nations.”
24 Paulo alipokuwa akifanya utetezi huu, Festo akasema kwa sauti kubwa, “Paulo, wewe umerukwa na akili! Kusoma kwingi kunakufanya uwe kichaa!”
And he thus making a defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “You are mad, Paul; much learning turns you mad!”
25 Lakini Paulo akajibu, “Mimi sijarukwa na akili, mtukufu sana Festo, bali nanena kweli nikiwa na akili zangu timamu.
And he says, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but of truth and soberness I speak forth the sayings;
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 knows concerning these things, before whom I also speak boldly, for none of these things, I am persuaded, are hidden from him; for this thing has not been done in a corner;
27 Mfalme Agripa, je, unaamini manabii? Najua kuwa unaamini.”
do you believe, King Agrippa, the prophets? I have known that you believe!”
28 Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Je, unanishawishi kwa haraka namna hii niwe Mkristo?”
And Agrippa said to Paul, “In [so] little you persuade me to become 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 said, “I would have wished to God, both in a little, and in much, not only you, but also all those hearing me today, to become such as I also am—except these bonds.”
30 Baada ya kusema hayo, mfalme akainuka pamoja na mtawala na Bernike na wale waliokuwa wameketi pamoja nao.
And he having spoken these things, the king rose up, and the governor, Bernice also, and those sitting with them,
31 Walipokuwa wakiondoka, wakaambiana, “Mtu huyu hafanyi jambo lolote linalostahili kufa au kufungwa.”
and having withdrawn, they were speaking to 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 might have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
