Matendo 7
1 Ndipo kuhani mkuu akamuuliza Stefano, “Je, mashtaka haya ni ya kweli?”
And the chief priest said: Are these things so?
2 Stefano akajibu, “Ndugu zangu na baba zangu, nisikilizeni! Mungu wa utukufu alimtokea baba yetu Abrahamu, alipokuwa bado yuko Mesopotamia, kabla hajaishi Harani,
He replied: Brethren and fathers, hear: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,
3 akamwambia, ‘Ondoka kutoka nchi yako na kutoka kwa jamii yako, uende hadi nchi nitakayokuonyesha.’
and said to him: Get out from your land, and from your kindred, and come into a land that I will show you.
4 “Hivyo aliondoka katika nchi ya Wakaldayo akaenda kukaa Harani. Baada ya kifo cha baba yake, Mungu akamtoa huko akamleta katika nchi hii ambayo mnaishi sasa.
Then he departed from the land of the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran; and thence, after his father died, he removed into this land, in which you now dwell.
5 Mungu hakumpa urithi wowote katika nchi hii, hakumpa hata mahali pa kuweka wayo mmoja. Bali Mungu alimwahidi kuwa yeye na uzao wake baada yake wangeirithi hii nchi, ingawa wakati huo Abrahamu hakuwa na mtoto.
And he gave him no inheritance in it, not a foot breadth: and yet he promised to give it for a possession to him, and to his posterity after him, when as yet he had no child.
6 Mungu akasema naye hivi: ‘Wazao wako watakuwa wageni kwenye nchi ambayo si yao, nao watafanywa watumwa na kuteswa kwa miaka mia nne.’
And God spoke thus: That his posterity should sojourn in a strange land, and they should enslave them and afflict them, for four hundred years.
7 Mungu akasema, ‘Lakini mimi nitaliadhibu taifa watakalolitumikia kama watumwa, na baadaye watatoka katika nchi hiyo na wataniabudu mahali hapa.’
And the nation to which they shall be in bondage I will judge, said God; and after that, they shall come forth and serve me in this place.
8 Ndipo akampa Abrahamu Agano la tohara. Naye Abrahamu akamzaa Isaki na kumtahiri siku ya nane. Baadaye Isaki akamzaa Yakobo, naye Yakobo akawazaa wale wazee wetu kumi na wawili.
And he gave him the covenant of circumcision, and thus he begot Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.
9 “Kwa sababu wazee wetu walimwonea wivu Yosefu ndugu yao, walimuuza kama mtumwa huko Misri. Lakini Mungu alikuwa pamoja naye.
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,
10 Akamwokoa kutoka mateso yote yaliyompata, tena akampa kibali na hekima aliposimama mbele ya Farao, mfalme wa Misri, ambaye alimweka kuwa mtawala juu ya Misri na juu ya jumba lote la kifalme.
and delivered him from all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharoah, king of Egypt: and he made him governor over Egypt, and his whole house.
11 “Basi kukawa na njaa katika nchi yote ya Misri na Kanaani, ikasababisha dhiki kubwa, nao baba zetu wakawa hawana chakula.
And there came a famine, and great affliction on the whole land of Egypt, and of Chanaan: and our fathers found no sustenance.
12 Lakini Yakobo aliposikia kwamba kuna nafaka huko Misri, aliwatuma baba zetu, wakaenda huko kwa mara yao ya kwanza.
But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent forth our fathers the first time:
13 Walipokwenda mara ya pili, Yosefu alijitambulisha kwa ndugu zake, nao ndugu zake Yosefu wakajulishwa kwa Farao.
and, on their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and the kindred of Joseph were made known to Pharaoh.
14 Ndipo Yosefu akawatuma kumleta Yakobo baba yake pamoja na jamaa yake yote, jumla yao walikuwa watu sabini na watano.
And Joseph sent and called to him his father Jacob, and all his kindred, seventy-five souls.
15 Hivyo Yakobo akaenda Misri ambako yeye na baba zetu walifia.
And Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, himself and our fathers;
16 Miili yao ilirudishwa Shekemu na kuzikwa katika kaburi ambalo Abrahamu alinunua kutoka kwa wana wa Hamori kwa kiasi fulani cha fedha.
and they were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulcher which Abraham bought for its value in silver, from the sons of Emmor, the father of Sychem.
17 “Lakini wakati ulipokuwa unakaribia wa kutimizwa kwa ile ahadi ambayo Mungu alikuwa amempa Abrahamu, watu wetu walizidi kuongezeka sana huko Misri.
And as the time of the promise which God had made with an oath to Abraham drew near, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt,
18 Ndipo mfalme mwingine ambaye hakujua lolote kuhusu Yosefu akatawala Misri.
till another king arose, who knew not Joseph.
19 Huyu mfalme akawatendea watu wetu hila na kuwatesa baba zetu kwa kuwalazimisha wawatupe watoto wao wachanga ili wafe.
He dealt insidiously with our race, and afflicted our fathers, so that they exposed their infants, in order that they might not live.
20 “Wakati huo Mose alizaliwa, naye hakuwa mtoto wa kawaida. Akalelewa nyumbani kwa baba yake kwa muda wa miezi mitatu.
At which time Moses was born; and he was exceedingly beautiful, and was nursed three months in his father’s house.
21 Waliposhindwa kumficha zaidi, wakamweka nje mtoni na binti Farao akamchukua akamtunza kama mtoto wake mwenyewe.
But having been exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and educated him as her own son.
22 Mose akafundishwa hekima yote ya Wamisri, akawa mtu hodari kwa maneno na matendo.
And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
23 “Mose alipokuwa na umri wa miaka arobaini aliamua kuwatembelea ndugu zake Waisraeli.
When he had completed his fortieth year, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.
24 Aliona mmoja wao akidhulumiwa na Mmisri, akamtetea yule aliyeonewa, akampiga yule Mmisri akamuua kulipiza kisasi.
And seeing one of them unjustly treated, he defended and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian.
25 Mose alidhani kuwa ndugu zake wangetambua kwamba Mungu anamtumia ili kuwaokoa, lakini wao hawakuelewa.
And he supposed that his brethren would understand that, by his hand, God would give them salvation: but they understood not.
26 Siku iliyofuata Mose aliwakuta Waisraeli wawili wakigombana, akajaribu kuwapatanisha kwa kuwaambia, ‘Enyi watu, ninyi ni ndugu, mbona mnataka kudhulumiana?’
And on the next day he showed himself to them, as they were fighting, and endeavored to persuade them to peace, saying, Men, you are brothers: why do you injure one another?
27 “Lakini yule mtu aliyekuwa akimdhulumu mwenzake akamsukuma Mose kando, akamuuliza, ‘Ni nani aliyekufanya mtawala na mwamuzi juu yetu?
But he that was doing the injury to his neighbor, thrust him away, saying, Who made you a ruler or a judge over us?
28 Je, unataka kuniua kama ulivyomuua yule Mmisri jana?’
Do you intend to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?
29 Mose aliposikia maneno haya, alikimbilia huko Midiani alikokaa kama mgeni, naye akapata watoto wawili wa kiume.
And at that saying Moses fled, and became a resident in the land of Midian, where he begot two sons.
30 “Basi baada ya miaka arobaini kupita, malaika wa Mungu akamtokea Mose jangwani karibu na Mlima Sinai katika kichaka kilichokuwa kinawaka moto.
And when forty years were completed, there appeared to him, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 Alipoona mambo haya, alishangaa yale maono. Aliposogea ili aangalie kwa karibu, akaisikia sauti ya Bwana, ikisema:
When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight, and as he was drawing near to observe it, the voice of the Lord came to him:
32 ‘Mimi ndimi Mungu wa baba zako, Mungu wa Abrahamu, Isaki na Yakobo.’ Mose alitetemeka kwa hofu na hakuthubutu kutazama.
I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses trembled, and durst not observe it.
33 “Ndipo Bwana akamwambia, ‘Vua viatu vyako kwa maana mahali unaposimama ni patakatifu.
Then said the Lord to him: Loose your shoes from your feet; for the place in which you stand is holy ground.
34 Hakika nimeona mateso ya watu wangu huko Misri. Nimesikia kilio chao cha uchungu, nami nimeshuka ili niwaokoe. Basi sasa njoo, nami nitakutuma Misri.’
I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them; and now come, and I will send you into Egypt.
35 “Huyu ndiye Mose yule waliyemkataa wakisema, ‘Ni nani aliyekufanya mtawala na mwamuzi juu yetu?’ Alikuwa ametumwa na Mungu mwenyewe kuwa mtawala na mkombozi wao, kwa njia ya yule malaika aliyemtokea katika kile kichaka.
This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, Who made you a ruler and a judge? him God sent as a ruler and as a redeemer, by the hand of the angel that appeared to him in the bush.
36 Aliwaongoza wana wa Israeli kutoka Misri, baada ya kufanya ishara na maajabu mengi huko Misri, katika Bahari ya Shamu, na katika jangwa kwa muda wa miaka arobaini.
He brought them out, after he had performed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness, forty years.
37 “Huyu ndiye yule Mose aliyewaambia Waisraeli, ‘Mungu atawainulia nabii kama mimi kutoka miongoni mwa ndugu zenu wenyewe.’
This is that Moses, who said to the sons of Israel, A prophet like me will the Lord your God raise up for you from among your brethren; him shall you hear.
38 Huyu ndiye yule Mose aliyekuwa katika kusanyiko huko jangwani, ambaye malaika alisema naye pamoja na baba zetu kwenye Mlima Sinai, naye akapokea maneno yaliyo hai ili atupatie.
This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers; he received the living oracles, that he might give them to us.
39 “Lakini baba zetu walikataa kumtii Mose, badala yake wakamkataa na kuielekeza mioyo yao Misri tena.
To him our fathers were not willing to be obedient; but they rejected him, and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
40 Wakamwambia Aroni, ‘Tufanyie miungu watakaotuongoza, kwa maana mtu huyu Mose aliyetutoa nchi ya Misri, hatujui yaliyompata.’
saying to Aaron: Make us gods that shall go before us; for, as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has become of him.
41 Huu ni ule wakati walitengeneza sanamu katika umbo la ndama, wakailetea sadaka kufanya maadhimisho kwa ajili ya kile kitu walichokitengeneza kwa mikono yao wenyewe.
And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
42 Ndipo Mungu akageuka, akawaacha waabudu jeshi lote la mbinguni, kama ilivyoandikwa katika Kitabu cha Manabii: “‘Je, mliniletea dhabihu na sadaka kwa miaka arobaini kule jangwani, ee nyumba ya Israeli?
But God turned and delivered them up to serve the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: Your victims and your sacrifices did you offer to me for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 La, ninyi mliinua madhabahu ya Moleki, na nyota ya mungu wenu Refani, vinyago mlivyotengeneza ili kuviabudu. Kwa hiyo nitawapeleka mbali’ kuliko Babeli.
Yes, you took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your God Remphan, images which you made to worship; and I will carry you away beyond Babylon.
44 “Baba zetu walikuwa na lile Hema la Ushuhuda huko jangwani. Lilikuwa limetengenezwa kama Mungu alivyokuwa amemwelekeza Mose, kulingana na kielelezo alichoona.
The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the wilderness, built as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to build it, according to the pattern which he had seen:
45 Baba zetu wakiisha kulipokea hema kwa kupokezana wakiongozwa na Yoshua katika milki ya nchi kutoka kwa yale mataifa ambayo Mungu aliyafukuza mbele yao, nalo likadumu katika nchi mpaka wakati wa Daudi,
which our fathers, who were with Joshua, received by succession, and brought into the land possessed by the Gentiles, whom God continued to drive out from the face of our fathers till the days of David,
46 ambaye alipata kibali kwa Mungu, naye akaomba kwamba ampatie Mungu wa Yakobo maskani.
who found favor before God, and desired to find a dwelling-place for the God of Jacob.
47 Lakini alikuwa Solomoni ndiye alimjengea Mungu nyumba.
But Solomon built him a house.
48 “Hata hivyo, Yeye Aliye Juu Sana hakai kwenye nyumba zilizojengwa kwa mikono ya wanadamu. Kama nabii alivyosema:
Yet the Most High dwells not in temples made with hands, as says the prophet:
49 “‘Mbingu ni kiti changu cha enzi, nayo dunia ni mahali pa kuweka miguu yangu. Mtanijengea nyumba ya namna gani? asema Bwana. Au mahali pangu pa kupumzikia patakuwa wapi?
Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What house will you build me? says the Lord; or what is the place of my rest?
50 Je, mkono wangu haukufanya vitu hivi vyote?’
Has not my hand made all these things?
51 “Enyi watu wenye shingo ngumu, msiotahiriwa mioyo wala masikio, daima hamwachi kumpinga Roho Mtakatifu, kama walivyofanya baba zenu.
You stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart and in ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so also do you.
52 Je, kuna nabii gani ambaye baba zenu hawakumtesa? Waliwaua wale waliotabiri habari za kuja kwake yule Mwenye Haki. Nanyi sasa mmekuwa wasaliti wake na wauaji.
Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? They slew also those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers;
53 Ninyi ndio mlipokea sheria zilizoletwa kwenu na malaika, lakini hamkuzitii.”
who received the law by the appointment of angels, and have not kepi, it.
54 Waliposikia haya wakaghadhibika, wakamsagia meno.
When they heard these things, they were enraged in their hearts, and gnashed upon him with their teeth.
55 Lakini yeye Stefano, akiwa amejaa Roho Mtakatifu, alikaza macho mbinguni, akaona utukufu wa Mungu, na Yesu akiwa amesimama mkono wa kuume wa Mungu.
But being full of the Holy Spirit, he looked earnestly up into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God;
56 Akasema, “Tazameni! Naona mbingu zimefunguka, na Mwana wa Adamu amesimama upande wa kuume wa Mungu.”
and he said: Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.
57 Lakini wao wakapiga kelele kwa sauti kubwa, wakaziba masikio yao, wakamrukia kwa nia moja.
And they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and, with one consent, rushed upon him,
58 Wakamtupa nje ya mji, wakampiga kwa mawe. Nao mashahidi wakaweka mavazi yao miguuni mwa kijana mmoja ambaye jina lake aliitwa Sauli.
and drove him out of the city, and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man called Saul.
59 Walipokuwa wakimpiga mawe, Stefano aliomba, “Bwana Yesu, pokea roho yangu.”
And they stoned Stephen while he was calling on the Lord, and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 Kisha akapiga magoti, akalia kwa sauti kubwa akasema, “Bwana usiwahesabie dhambi hii.” Baada ya kusema hayo, akalala.
And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice: Lord, let not this sin stand against them. And when he had said this, he fell asleep. And Saul was well pleased with his death.
