Matendo 26
1 Ndipo Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Unayo ruhusa kujitetea.” Hivyo Paulo akawaashiria kwa mkono wake, akaanza kujitetea, akasema:
Then Agrippa said to Paul, It is granted to you to speak for yourself. Then Paul, stretching forth his hand, made his defense.
2 “Mfalme Agripa, najiona kuwa na heri kusimama mbele yako leo ninapojitetea kuhusu mashtaka yote ya Wayahudi,
I esteem myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am this day to make my defense before you, concerning all those 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 as you are acquainted with all the customs and questions among the Jews: wherefore, I entreat you, that you will hear me with patience.
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, from my youth, which, from the beginning, was spent among my own nation, in Jerusalem, is known to 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 knew me from the first, (if they would testify, ) 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 in judgment for the hope of that promise, which was 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, worshiping continually, night and day, hope to attain: concerning which hope, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.
8 Kwa nini yeyote miongoni mwenu afikiri kwamba ni jambo lisilosadikika Mungu kufufua wafu?
Why should it be judged an incredible thing, by you, that God should raise the dead?
9 “Mimi pia nilikuwa nimeshawishika kwamba imenipasa kufanya yote yale yaliyowezekana kupinga Jina la Yesu wa Nazareti.
I, indeed, thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to 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.
Which, accordingly, I did in Jerusalem; and I shut up many of the saints in prison, having received authority from the chief priests. And when some of them were killed, 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 frequently punishing them in all the synagogues, I compelled them to blaspheme: 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.
With this view, I 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 mid-day, on the road, King Agrippa, I saw a light from heaven, exceeding the splendor of the sun, shining about me, and those who traveled 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 were all fallen down 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? 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 arise, and stand upon your feet, for to this purpose I have appeared to you, to ordain you a minister and a witness, both of the things which you have seen, and of those which I will hereafter show 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 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 darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God; that they may receive forgiveness of sons, and an inheritance amongst the sanctified, through faith in me.
19 “Hivyo basi, Mfalme Agripa, sikuacha kuyatii yale maono yaliyotoka mbinguni,
From that time, 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 declared, first to them at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and through all the country of Judea; and then to the Gentiles, that they should reform, and return to God, performing deeds worthy of reformation.
21 Ni kwa sababu hii Wayahudi walinikamata nilipokuwa Hekaluni, wakataka kuniua.
On account of these things, the Jews seizing me in the temple, attempted to have killed me with their own hands.
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 continue, till this day, testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses have declared would be;
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 Messiah would be a sufferer--would be first of a resurrection from the dead--would give 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 was thus making his defense, Festus said, with a loud voice, Paul, you are distracted: 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 noble Festus, but utter 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 knows of these things; to whom, also, I speak with freedom: for I am persuaded none of these things are hid from him, 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 said, I would to God that, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these chains.
30 Baada ya kusema hayo, mfalme akainuka pamoja na mtawala na Bernike na wale waliokuwa wameketi pamoja nao.
And as he said this, 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 retired, they spoke one with another, saying, This man has done 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 set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Cesar.
