Matendo 17
1 Na walipopita katika miji ya Amfipoli na Apolonia, walikuja mpaka mji wa Thesalonike ambao kulikuwa na sinagogi la Wayahudi.
Now when they had gone through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica. Here there was a Jewish synagogue,
2 Kama ilivyo kawaida ya Paulo, alienda kwao, na kwa muda wa siku tatu za Sabato alijadiliana nao juu ya maandiko.
and Paul, according to his usual custom, went in to them and, for three Sabbath Days, he reasoned with them out of the Scriptures,
3 Alikuwa akiwafungulia maandiko na kuwaeleza kuwa, ilimpasa Kristo ateseke na kisha kufufuka tena kutoka kwa wafu. Aliwaambia, “Huyu Yesu ninayewaambia habari zake ndiye Kristo”
explaining and quoting passages to prove that the Messiah had to suffer and to rise again from the dead and that "This Jesus whom I am proclaiming unto you is the Messiah."
4 Baadhi ya Wayahudi walishawishika na kuungana na Paulo na Sila, pamoja na Wagiriki wachamungu, akinamama wengi waongofu na kundi kubwa la watu.
Some were persuaded and attached themselves to Paul and Silas, including a number of devout Greeks, and a large number of the leading women.
5 Lakini baadhi ya Wayahudi wasioamini, waliojawa na wivu, walienda sokoni na kuwachukuwa baadhi ya watu waovu, wakakusanya umati wa watu pamoja, na kusababisha ghasia mjini, kisha wakaivamia nyumba ya Jason, wakitaka kuwakamata Paulo na Sila ilikuwaleta mbele za watu.
But the Jews, moved with jealousy, called to their aid certain ill- favored and idle fellows, formed a mob, and began to set the town in an uproar. Assaulting the house of Jason, they sought to bring them out to the people.
6 Lakini walipowakosa, walimkamata Yasoni na baadhi ya ndugu wengine na kuwapeleka mbele ya maofisa wa mji, wakipiga kelele, “Hawa wanaume walioupindua ulimwengu wamefika mpaka huku pia,
And when they had failed to find Paul and Silas, they began to drag Jason and some of the brethren before the politarchs, shouting. "These fellows who have upset the habitable earth are come hither also.
7 Wanaume hawa waliokaribishwa na Yasoni wanaihalifu sheria ya Kaisari, wanasema kuna mfalme mwingine anayeitwa Yesu”
"Jason has received them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus."
8 Umati na maofisa wa mji waliposikia mambo hayo, waliingiwa na wasiwasi.
Both the crowd and the politarchs were disturbed when they heard this,
9 Baada ya kuwa wamekwisha kuchukua fedha ya thamani ya ulinzi kutoka kwa Yason na wengine, waliwaachia waende.
but when they had taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 Usiku ule ndugu walimtuma Paulo na Sila Beroya. Na walipofika kule walikwenda katika sinagogi la Wayahudi.
Now the brothers sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they got there they betook themselves to the Jewish synagogue.
11 Watu wale walikuwa wenye werevu mkubwa kuliko wale watu wa Thesalonike, kwa sababu walikuwa na utayari wa kulipokea neno kwa akili zao, na kuchunguza maandiko kila siku ili kuona kama maneno yaliyonenwa ndivyo yalivyo.
The Jews of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they very readily received the message with all readiness of mind, and day after day searched the Scriptures to see whether these things were so.
12 Kwa hiyo wengi wao waliamini, wakiwemo wanawake wenye ushawishi mkubwa wa Kigiriki na wanaume wengi.
So many of them became believers, and so did not a few Greeks, women of honorable estate, and men.
13 Lakini Wayahudi wa Thesalonike walipogundua kwamba Paulo anatangaza neno la Mungu huko Beroya, walienda huko na kuchochea na kisha kuanzisha ghasia kwa watu.
As soon as the Jews in Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached by Paul in Berea also, they came there, and stirred up and troubled the crowds.
14 Kwa haraka, ndugu wakampeleka Paulo kwa njia ya ziwa, lakini Sila na Timotheo wakabaki pale.
Then the brothers at once sent Paul down to the sea, but Silas and Timothy remained behind.
15 Wale ndugu waliompeleka Paulo walienda naye hadi Athene, walipomwacha Paulo huko, walipokea maagizo kutoka kwake kuwa, Sila na Timotheo waje kwake kwa haraka iwezeanavyo.
Those who were caring for Paul brought him as far as Athens, and there left him, with instructions to Silas and Timothy to come to him with all speed.
16 Na wakati akiwasubiri huko Athene, roho yake ilikasirishwa ndani yake kwa jinsi alivyouona mji ulivyojaa sanamu nyingi.
While Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, when he noticed that the city was full of idols.
17 Hivyo akajadiliana katika sinagogi na wayahudi wale waliomcha Mungu na kwa wale wote aliokutana nao kila siku sokoni.
He argued in the synagogues with the Jews and the devout proselytes, and also daily in the market-place with those that met him there.
18 Lakini baathi ya Wanafalsafa wa Waepikureo na Wastoiko wakamkabili. Na wengine wakasema, “Ni nini anachokisema huyu mwongeaji mchanga? Wengine wakasema, “inaonekana anahubiri habari ya mungu mgeni,” kwasababu anahubiri habari ya Yesu na ufufuo.
A few of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also encountered him again and again. Some were saying, "What has this beggarly fellow to say?" Others said, "He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods," because he preached Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Wakamchukua Paulo na kumleta Areopago, wakisema, “Twaweza kujua haya mafundisho mapya unayoyaongea?
Then they laid hold of him and brought him up to Mars Hill, saying. "May we be told what this new teaching of yours is?
20 Kwasababu unaleta mambo mapya katika masikio yetu. Kwahivyo tunataka kujua haya mambo yana maana gani?”
"For you are bringing certain strange things to our ears. We want to know, therefore, what these things mean."
21 (Na watu wote wa Athene pamoja na wageni waliopo kwao, hutumia muda wao aidha katika kuongea na kusikiliza juu ya jambo jipya.)
(Now all the Athenians and the strangers sojourning there spent their time in nothing else, but to tell or to hear some new thing.)
22 Kwa hiyo Paulo akasimama katikati ya watu wa Areopago na kusema, “Enyi watu wa Athene, naona kuwa ninyi ni watu wa dini kwa kila namna,
So Paul stood up in the center of Mars Hill, and said. "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all respects you are remarkably religious.
23 Kwani katika kupita kwangu na kuangalia vitu vyenu vya kuabudu, nimeona maneno yalioandikwa kwenye moja ya madhabahu yenu, ikisema “KWA MUNGU ASIYEJULIKANA”. Hivyo basi, huyo mnayemwabudu pasipokujua, ndiye ninayewajulisha ninyi.
"For as I was passing along and observing your objects of worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ What you are worshiping in ignorance, this I am proclaiming to you.
24 Mungu aliyeumba dunia na kila kitu kilichoko ndani, kwa kuwa ni Bwana wa mbingu na nchi, hawezi kukaa katika mahekalu yaliyotengenezwa na mikono.
"The God who made the universe and all things in it, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,
25 Na pia hatumikiwi na mikono ya wanadamu kana kwamba anahitaji kitu kwao, kwani yeye mwenyewe huwapa watu uzima na pumzi na vitu vingine vyote.
"neither is he served by men’s hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all life and breath and all things.
26 Kupitia mtu mmoja, alifanya mataifa yote ya watu waishio juu ya uso wa dunia, na akawawekea nyakati na mipaka katika maeneo wanaoishi.
"He has made of one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons and the bounds of their habitation,
27 Kwa hiyo, wanatakiwa kumtafuta Mungu, na yamkini wamfikie na kumpata, na kwa uhakika hayupo mbali na kila mmoja wetu.
"so that they might seek God, if perhaps they might feel after him and find him, though he is not far from every on of us;
28 Kwake tunaishi, tunatembea na kuwa na uzima wetu, kama vile mtunzi wenu mmoja wa shairi aliposema 'tu wazaliwa wake.'
"for in him we live and move and have our being; as certain even of your own poets have said, "‘For we also are his offspring.’
29 Kwa hiyo, ikiwa sisi ni wazaliwa wa Mungu, hatupaswi kufikiri kuwa uungu ni kama dhahabu, au shaba, au mawe, sanamu iliyochongwa kwa ustadi na mawazo ya watu.
"Since then we are God’s offspring, we ought not to imagine that the Godhead is like to gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and device of man.
30 Kwa hiyo, Mungu alinyamazia nyakati zile za ujinga, lakini sasa anaamuru watu wote kila mahali wapate kutubu.
"The times of ignorance God overlooked, but he now commands all men that they should all, everywhere, repent;
31 Hii ni kwa sababu ameweka siku atakayo ihukumu dunia kwa haki kwa mtu ambaye alimchagua. Mungu alitoa uhakika wa mtu huyu kwa kila mtu pale alipomfufua katoka kwa wafu.
inasmuch as he has fixed a day in which he will judge the world justly, by the Man whom he has ordained, and he has given proof of all this by raising him from the dead."
32 Na watu wa Athene waliposikia habari ya kufufuliwa kwa wafu, baadhi yao wakamdhihaki Paulo, ila wengine wakasema “Tutakusikiliza tena kwa habari ya jambo hili”
But on hearing of the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock; but others said, "We will hear you again on that subject."
33 Baada ya hapo, Paulo akawaacha.
So Paul withdrew from them.
34 Lakini baadhi ya watu waliungana naye wakaamini, akiwemo Dionisio Mwareopago, na Mwanamke anaitwa Damari na wengine pamoja nao.
A few, however, attached themselves to him and believed, among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and some others.
