Matendo 9
1 Wakati ule ule, Sauli alikuwa bado anazidisha vitisho vya kuua wanafunzi wa Bwana, akamwendea kuhani mkuu,
Meanwhile Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
2 naye akamwomba kuhani mkuu ampe barua za kwenda kwenye masinagogi huko Dameski, ili akimkuta mtu yeyote wa Njia Ile, akiwa mwanaume au mwanamke, aweze kuwafunga na kuwaleta Yerusalemu.
and asked him to give him letters to the Jewish congregations at Damascus, authorizing him, if he found there any supporters of the Way, whether men or women, to have them put in chains and brought to Jerusalem.
3 Basi akiwa katika safari yake, alipokaribia Dameski, ghafula nuru kutoka mbinguni ikamwangaza kotekote.
While on his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, suddenly a light from the heavens flashed around him.
4 Akaanguka chini, akasikia sauti ikimwambia, “Sauli, Sauli, mbona unanitesa?”
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him – “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
5 Sauli akajibu, “U nani wewe, Bwana?” Ile sauti ikajibu, “Mimi ni Yesu unayemtesa.
“Who are you, Lord?” he asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” the voice answered;
6 Sasa inuka uingie mjini, nawe utaambiwa yakupasayo kutenda.”
“Yet stand up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 Watu waliokuwa wakisafiri pamoja na Sauli wakasimama bila kuwa na la kusema, kwa sababu walisikia sauti lakini hawakumwona aliyekuwa akizungumza.
The men traveling with Saul were meanwhile standing speechless; they heard the sound of the voice, but saw no one.
8 Sauli akainuka kutoka pale chini na alipojaribu kufungua macho yake hakuweza kuona kitu chochote. Basi wakamshika mkono wakamwongoza mpaka Dameski.
When Saul got up from the ground, though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So his men led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus;
9 Naye kwa muda wa siku tatu alikuwa kipofu naye hakula wala kunywa chochote.
and for three days he was unable to see, and took nothing either to eat or to drink.
10 Huko Dameski alikuwepo mwanafunzi mmoja jina lake Anania. Bwana alimwita katika maono, “Anania!” Akajibu, “Mimi hapa Bwana.”
Now there was at Damascus a disciple named Ananias, to whom, in a vision, the Lord said, “Ananias.” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 Bwana akamwambia, “Ondoka uende katika barabara iitwayo Nyofu ukaulize katika nyumba ya Yuda mtu kutoka Tarso, jina lake Sauli, kwa maana wakati huu anaomba,
“Go at once,” said the Lord, “to the Straight Street, and ask at Judas’s house for a man named Saul, from Tarsus. He is at this moment praying,
12 katika maono amemwona mtu aitwaye Anania akija na kuweka mikono juu yake ili apate kuona tena.”
and he has seen, in a vision, a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him, so that he may recover his sight.”
13 Anania akajibu, “Bwana, nimesikia kutoka kwa watu wengi habari nyingi kuhusu mtu huyu na madhara yote aliyowatendea watakatifu wako huko Yerusalemu.
“Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I have heard from many people about this man – how much harm he has done at Jerusalem to your people there.
14 Naye amekuja hapa Dameski akiwa na mamlaka kutoka kwa viongozi wa makuhani ili awakamate wote wanaotaja jina lako.”
And, here, too, he holds authority from the chief priests to put in chains all those who invoke your name.”
15 Lakini Bwana akamwambia Anania, “Nenda! Mtu huyu ni chombo changu kiteule nilichokichagua, apate kulichukua Jina langu kwa watu wa Mataifa na wafalme wao na mbele ya watu wa Israeli.
But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to uphold my name before the Gentiles and their kings, and the people of Israel.
16 Nami nitamwonyesha jinsi impasavyo kuteseka kwa ajili ya Jina langu.”
I will myself show him all that he has to suffer for my name.”
17 Kisha Anania akaenda kwenye ile nyumba, akaingia ndani. Akaweka mikono yake juu ya Sauli akasema, “Ndugu Sauli, Bwana Yesu aliyekutokea njiani amenituma kwako ili upate kuona tena na ujazwe Roho Mtakatifu.”
So Ananias went, entered the house, and, placing his hands on Saul, said, “Saul, my brother, I have been sent by the Lord – by Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here – so that you may recover your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
18 Ghafula vitu kama magamba vikaanguka chini, kutoka machoni mwa Sauli, akapata kuona tena. Akasimama, akabatizwa.
Instantly it seemed as if a film fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized,
19 Baada ya kula chakula, akapata nguvu tena. Sauli akakaa siku kadhaa pamoja na wanafunzi huko Dameski.
and, after he had taken food, he felt his strength return. Saul stayed for some days with the disciples who were at Damascus,
20 Papo hapo akaanza kuhubiri kwenye masinagogi kwamba “Yesu Kristo ni Mwana wa Mungu”
and at once began in the synagogues to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God.
21 Watu wote waliomsikia Sauli walishangaa na kuuliza, “Huyu si yule mtu aliyesababisha maangamizi makuu huko Yerusalemu miongoni mwa watu waliolitaja jina hili? Naye si amekuja hapa kwa kusudi la kuwakamata na kuwapeleka wakiwa wafungwa mbele ya viongozi wa makuhani?”
All who heard him were amazed. “Is not this,” they asked, “the man who worked havoc in Jerusalem among those that invoke this name, and who had also come here for the express purpose of having such persons put in chains and taken before the chief priests?”
22 Sauli akazidi kuwa hodari na kuwashangaza Wayahudi walioishi Dameski kwa kuthibitisha kuwa Yesu ndiye Kristo.
Saul’s influence, however, kept steadily increasing, and he confounded the Jewish people who lived in Damascus by the proofs that he gave that Jesus was the Christ.
23 Baada ya siku nyingi kupita, Wayahudi wakafanya shauri kumuua Sauli.
After some time some of them laid a plot to kill Saul,
24 Lakini shauri lao likajulikana kwa Sauli. Wayahudi wakawa wanalinda malango yote ya mji, usiku na mchana ili wapate kumuua.
but it became known to him. They even watched the gates day and night, to kill him;
25 Lakini wafuasi wake wakamchukua usiku wakamshusha akiwa ndani ya kapu kupitia mahali penye nafasi ukutani.
but his disciples let him down by night through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.
26 Sauli alipofika Yerusalemu akajaribu kujiunga na wanafunzi lakini wote walimwogopa, kwa maana hawakuamini kwamba kweli naye alikuwa mwanafunzi.
On his arrival in Jerusalem, Saul attempted to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, as they did not believe that he was really a disciple.
27 Lakini Barnaba akamchukua, akampeleka kwa wale mitume. Akawaeleza jinsi Sauli akiwa njiani alivyomwona Bwana, jinsi Bwana alivyosema naye na jinsi alivyohubiri kwa ujasiri kwa jina la Yesu huko Dameski.
Barnabas, however, taking him by the hand, brought him to the apostles, and told them the whole story of how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord, and how the Lord had talked to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken out fearlessly in the name of Jesus.
28 Kwa hiyo Sauli akakaa nao akitembea kwa uhuru kila mahali huko Yerusalemu, akihubiri kwa ujasiri katika jina la Bwana.
After that, Saul remained in Jerusalem, in close contact with the apostles; and he spoke fearlessly in the name of the Lord,
29 Alinena na kuhojiana na Wayahudi wenye asili ya Kiyunani lakini wao walijaribu kumuua.
talking and arguing with the Jews of foreign birth, who, however, made attempts to kill him.
30 Wale ndugu walipopata habari wakampeleka hadi Kaisaria, wakamsafirisha kwenda Tarso.
But, when the followers found this out, they took him down to Caesarea, and sent him on his way to Tarsus.
31 Ndipo kanisa katika Uyahudi wote, Galilaya na Samaria likafurahia wakati wa amani. Likatiwa nguvu, na kwa faraja ya Roho Mtakatifu, idadi yake ikazidi kuongezeka, na likaendelea kudumu katika kumcha Bwana.
And so it came about that the church, throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, enjoyed peace and became firmly established; and, ordering its life by respect for the Lord and the help of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
32 Petro alipokuwa akisafiri sehemu mbalimbali, alikwenda kuwatembelea watakatifu walioishi huko Lida.
Peter, while traveling from place to place throughout the country, went down to visit the people of Christ living at Lydda.
33 Huko alimkuta mtu mmoja aitwaye Ainea, ambaye alikuwa amepooza na kwa muda wa miaka minane alikuwa hajaondoka kitandani.
There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden for eight years with paralysis.
34 Petro akamwambia, “Ainea, Yesu Kristo anakuponya, inuka utandike kitanda chako.” Mara Ainea akainuka.
“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ cures you. Get up, and make your bed.” Aeneas got up at once;
35 Watu wote wa Lida na Sharoni walipomwona Ainea akitembea wakamgeukia Bwana.
and all the inhabitants of Lydda and of the Plain of Sharon saw him, and came over to the Lord’s side.
36 Huko Yafa palikuwa na mwanafunzi jina lake Tabitha (ambalo kwa Kiyunani ni Dorkasi). Huyu alikuwa mkarimu sana, akitenda mema na kuwasaidia maskini.
At Joppa there lived a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which is in Greek ‘Dorcas’ – a Gazelle. Her life was spent in doing kind and charitable actions.
37 Wakati huo akaugua, akafa na wakiisha kuuosha mwili wake wakauweka katika chumba cha ghorofani.
Just at that time she was taken ill, and died; and they had washed her body and laid it out in an upstairs room.
38 Kwa kuwa Yafa hapakuwa mbali sana na Lida, wanafunzi waliposikia kwamba Petro yuko huko waliwatuma watu wawili kwake ili kumwomba, “Tafadhali njoo huku pasipo kukawia.”
Joppa was near Lydda, and the disciples, having heard that Peter was at Lydda, sent two men with the request that he come to them without delay.
39 Kwa hiyo Petro akainuka akaenda nao, naye alipowasili, wakampeleka hadi kwenye chumba cha ghorofani alipokuwa amelazwa. Wajane wengi walisimama karibu naye wakilia na kuonyesha majoho na nguo nyingine ambazo Dorkasi alikuwa amewashonea alipokuwa pamoja nao.
Peter returned with them at once. On his arrival, he was taken upstairs, and all the widows came around him in tears, showing the coats and other clothing which Dorcas had made while she was among them.
40 Petro akawatoa wote nje ya kile chumba, kisha akapiga magoti akaomba, akaugeukia ule mwili akasema, “Tabitha, inuka.” Akafumbua macho yake na alipomwona Petro, akaketi.
But Peter sent everybody out of the room, and knelt down and prayed. Then, turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha! Stand up.” She opened her eyes, and, seeing Peter, sat up.
41 Petro akamshika mkono akamwinua, ndipo akawaita wale watakatifu na wajane akamkabidhi kwao akiwa hai.
Giving her his hand, Peter raised her up, and, calling in the widows and others of Christ’s people, presented her to them alive.
42 Habari hizi zikajulikana sehemu zote za Yafa na watu wengi wakamwamini Bwana.
This became known all through Joppa, and numbers of people came to believe in the Lord.
43 Petro akakaa Yafa kwa siku nyingi akiishi na Simoni mtengenezaji ngozi.
And Peter stayed some days at Joppa with a tanner named Simon.
