Matendo 17
1 Na walipopita katika miji ya Amfipoli na Apolonia, walikuja mpaka mji wa Thesalonike ambao kulikuwa na sinagogi la Wayahudi.
And when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was the synagogue of the Jews.
2 Kama ilivyo kawaida ya Paulo, alienda kwao, na kwa muda wa siku tatu za Sabato alijadiliana nao juu ya maandiko.
And Paul, as his custom was, went in among them, and for three sabbaths discoursed to 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 them, and setting forth that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead, and that “this is the Christ, —Jesus whom I am making known to you.”
4 Baadhi ya Wayahudi walishawishika na kuungana na Paulo na Sila, pamoja na Wagiriki wachamungu, akinamama wengi waongofu na kundi kubwa la watu.
And some of them were convinced, and joined themselves to Paul and Silas, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the women of high rank not a few.
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 unbelieving Jews, taking with them certain bad men of the idlers in the market-place, and gathering a crowd, set the city in an uproar; and having come to the house of Jason, they endeavored 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,
but not finding them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren before the city magistrates, crying out, These men that have turned the world upside down have come hither also;
7 Wanaume hawa waliokaribishwa na Yasoni wanaihalifu sheria ya Kaisari, wanasema kuna mfalme mwingine anayeitwa Yesu”
whom Jason hath entertained; and they are all acting in opposition to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.
8 Umati na maofisa wa mji waliposikia mambo hayo, waliingiwa na wasiwasi.
And they alarmed the multitude and the city magistrates when they heard these things.
9 Baada ya kuwa wamekwisha kuchukua fedha ya thamani ya ulinzi kutoka kwa Yason na wengine, waliwaachia waende.
And having taken security of Jason and of the others, they let them go.
10 Usiku ule ndugu walimtuma Paulo na Sila Beroya. Na walipofika kule walikwenda katika sinagogi la Wayahudi.
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea; who, having come there, went into the synagogue of the Jews.
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.
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so.
12 Kwa hiyo wengi wao waliamini, wakiwemo wanawake wenye ushawishi mkubwa wa Kigiriki na wanaume wengi.
Many of them therefore believed; and of the Grecian women of rank and men, not a few.
13 Lakini Wayahudi wa Thesalonike walipogundua kwamba Paulo anatangaza neno la Mungu huko Beroya, walienda huko na kuchochea na kisha kuanzisha ghasia kwa watu.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica knew that at Beroea, too, the word of God was preached by Paul, they came hither also, and stirred up the multitudes.
14 Kwa haraka, ndugu wakampeleka Paulo kwa njia ya ziwa, lakini Sila na Timotheo wakabaki pale.
And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go to the sea; but Silas and Timothy remained there.
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.
And they who conducted Paul brought him to Athens; and having received a commandment to Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
16 Na wakati akiwasubiri huko Athene, roho yake ilikasirishwa ndani yake kwa jinsi alivyouona mji ulivyojaa sanamu nyingi.
Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred within him, when he saw the city full of idols.
17 Hivyo akajadiliana katika sinagogi na wayahudi wale waliomcha Mungu na kwa wale wote aliokutana nao kila siku sokoni.
Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout [[Greeks]], and in the market daily with those that met him.
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.
And some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, What doth this babbler mean to say? and others, He seemeth to be a setter forth of foreign gods; because he brought the glad tidings of Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Wakamchukua Paulo na kumleta Areopago, wakisema, “Twaweza kujua haya mafundisho mapya unayoyaongea?
And they took him and brought him to Mars' hill, saying, May we know what this new doctrine is, of which thou speakest?
20 Kwasababu unaleta mambo mapya katika masikio yetu. Kwahivyo tunataka kujua haya mambo yana maana gani?”
For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears. We would 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 residing among them, spent their leisure for nothing else but to tell or to hear something new.
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,
Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Men of Athens, in all things I perceive that ye are very devout.
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 while passing along and observing your objects of worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, “To an unknown God.” What therefore ye, without knowledge of it, worship, that do I make known 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 world and all things therein, he, being Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not 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.
nor doth he receive service at the hands of men, as though he needed anything, since it is he that giveth 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.
And he made of one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having fixed appointed times, 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.
that they should seek God, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he is not far from every one 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 also some of your own poets have said: “For we are also 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.
Being then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Deity is like to gold or silver or stone, graven by the 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 indeed of ignorance God overlooked; but now commandeth all men every where to 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 hath fixed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he hath appointed; having given assurance to all 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”
And when they heard of a resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but ethers said, We will hear thee again about this matter.
33 Baada ya hapo, Paulo akawaacha.
Thus Paul departed from among them.
34 Lakini baadhi ya watu waliungana naye wakaamini, akiwemo Dionisio Mwareopago, na Mwanamke anaitwa Damari na wengine pamoja nao.
But certain men joined themselves to him, and believed; among whom was Dionysius the Areopagite; and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
