Matendo 23
1 Paulo akawaangalia moja kwa moja watu wa baraza na kusema, “Ndugu zangu, nimeishi mbele za Mungu kwa dhamira nzuri hadi hivi leo.”
Paul, looking sraight at the council, said, “Brothers, right up to now I have always conducted myself before God with a clear conscience.”
2 Kuhani mkuu Anania akawaamuru wale waliosimama karibu naye wampige kinywa chake.
Ananias the high priest ordered the officers standing beside Paul to hit him on the mouth.
3 Ndipo Paulo akamwambia, “Mungu atakupiga wewe, ukuta uliopakwa chokaa. Umekaa ukinihukumu kwa sheria, nawe unaamuru nipigwe kinyume cha sheria?”
Paul said to him, “God will hit you, you whitewashed wall! You're sitting there to judge me according to the law, and you order me to be hit in contravention of the law!”
4 Wale waliokuwa wamesimama karibu naye wakasema, “Hivi ndivyo unavyomtukana kuhani mkuu wa Mungu?”
The officers standing beside Paul said, “How dare you insult the high priest!”
5 Paulo akasema, “ndugu zangu, mimi sikujua kwamba huyu ni kuhani mkuu. Kwa kuwa imeandikwa, hutazungumza vibaya juu ya mtawala wa watu wako.”
“Brothers, I didn't know that he was the high priest,” Paul replied. “As Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak evil of any ruler of your people.’”
6 Paulo alipoona ya kwamba upande mmoja wa baraza ni Masadukayo na wengine Mafarisayo, akapaza sauti na kusema, “ndugu zangu, mimi ni Mfarisayo, mwana wa Mfarisayo. Ni kwa sababu hii nategemea kwa ujasiri ufufuo wa wafu ninao hukumiwa nao.”
When Paul realized that some of the council were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I'm on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!”
7 Alipoyasema haya, malumbano makubwa yakatokea baina ya Mafarisayo na Masadukayo, na mkutano ukagawanyika.
When he said this, a tremendous argument broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees that split the council.
8 Kwani Masadukayo husema hakuna ufufuo, malaika wala hakuna roho, ila Mafarisayo husema haya yote yapo.
(The Sadducees say there is no resurrection from the dead, no angels, and no spirits, but Pharisees believe in all of these.)
9 Ghasia kubwa ikatokea na baadhi ya waandishi waliokuwa upande wa Mafarisayo wakasimama na kujadili, wakisema, “hatujaona chochote kibaya dhidi ya mtu huyu. Vipi kama roho au malaika ameongea na yeye?”
A great commotion erupted and some of the Pharisee teachers of the law stood up and argued fiercely, saying, “We find this man not guilty! Maybe a spirit spoke to him, or an angel!”
10 Wakati kulitokea hoja kubwa, mkuu wa majeshi aliogopa kwamba Paulo angeraruliwa vipande vipande na wao, hivyo akaamuru wanajeshi washuke chini na kumchukua kwa nguvu kutoka kwa wajumbe wa baraza, na kumleta katika ngome.
The argument was getting out of hand, so the commander, concerned that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go and rescue him from them by force, and take him back into the fortress.
11 Usiku uliofuata Bwana alisimama karibu naye na kusema, “Usiogope, kwa kuwa umenishuhudia katika Yerusalemu, hivyo utatoa ushahidi pia katika Roma.”
Afterwards, during the night, the Lord stood by Paul, and told him, “Keep up your courage! Just as you have given your testimony about me in Jerusalem, so you must be my witness in Rome as well.”
12 Kulipokucha, baadhi ya Wayahudi walifanya agano na kuita laana juu yao wenyewe: walisema ya kwamba hawatakula wala kunywa chochote mpaka watakapomuua Paulo.
Next day some Jews plotted together, and they took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Kulikuwa na watu zaidi ya arobaini ambao walifanya njama hii.
Over forty were part of this conspiracy.
14 wakaenda kwa wakuu wa makuhani na wazee na kusema, “Tumejiweka wenyewe kwenye laana kuu, tusile chochote hadi tutakapomwua Paulo.
They went to the chief priests and leaders and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
15 Hivyo sasa, baraza limwambie jemadari mkuu amlete kwenu, kana kwamba mnaamua kesi yake kwa usahihi. Kwetu sisi tuko tayari kumwua kabla hajaja hapa.”
So you and the council should send word to the commander that he should bring Paul down to meet with you, as if you wanted to examine his case in more detail. We're ready to kill him along the way.”
16 Lakini mtoto wa dada yake na Paulo akasikia kwamba kulikuwa na njama, akaenda akaingia ndani ya ngome na kumwambia Paulo.
But Paul's nephew (his sister's son) heard about their planned ambush, and he went into the fortress and told Paul about it.
17 Paulo akamwita akida mmoja akasema, “Mchukue kijana huyu kwa jemadari; maana ana neno la kumwambia.”
Paul called over one of the centurions, and told him, “Take this young man to the commander, because he has some information to share with him.”
18 Basi akida akamchukua yule kijana akampeleka kwa jemedari mkuu akamwambia, “Paulo yule mfungwa aliniita akataka nikuletee kijana huyu kwako. Ana neno la kukuambia.”
So the centurion took Paul's nephew and brought him to the commander and told him, “The prisoner Paul called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
19 Yule jemadari mkuu akamshika kwa mkono akajitenga naye kando, na akamwuliza, “Ni kitu gani unachotaka kuniambia?”
The commander took the young man by the hand and drew him aside. “What do you have to tell me?” he asked quietly.
20 Kijana yule akasema, “Wayahudi wamepatana kukuomba umlete Paulo kesho kwenye baraza kana kwamba wanataka kupata habari zake kwa usahili zaidi.
“The Jews have arranged to ask you to bring Paul to the council tomorrow, as if they wanted to ask more detailed questions about his case,” he explained.
21 Basi wewe usikubali kwa maana watu zaidi ya arobaini wanamvizia. Wamejifunga kwa laana, wasile wala wasinywe hata watakapomwua. Hata sasa wako tayari, wakisubiria kibali toka kwako.”
“Please don't listen to them, because they have planned to ambush him with more than forty men who have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They're ready right now, waiting for you to agree to the request.”
22 Basi yule jemadari mkuu akamwacha kijana aende zake, baada ya kumwagiza “usimwambie mtu yeyote ya kwamba umeniarifu haya.”
The commander sent the young man on his way, warning him, “Don't tell anyone that you've told me about this.”
23 Akawaita maakida wawili akasema watayarisheni askari mia mbili kwenda Kaisaria na askari wapanda farasi sabini, na wenye mikuki mia mbili, mtaondoka zamu ya tatu ya usiku.
He summoned two centurions and told them, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, together with seventy cavalry-men and two hundred spearmen. Be ready to leave at nine p.m. tonight.
24 Akawaambia kuweka wanyama tayari ambaye Paulo atamtumia na kumchukua salama kwa Feliki Gavana.
Provide horses for Paul to ride to make sure he gets to Governor Felix safely.”
25 Akaandika barua kwa namna hii,
He also wrote a letter that went like this:
26 Klaudio Lisia kwa Liwali mtukufu Feliki, salamu.
“From Claudius Lysias to His Excellency Governor Felix, greetings!
27 Mtu huyu alikamatwa na wayahudi wakawa karibu kumwua, ndipo nikaenda pamoja na kikosi cha askari nikamwokoa, nilipopata habari ya kuwa yeye ni raia wa kirumi.
This man was seized by the Jews and they were about to kill him, when I arrived on the scene with soldiers and rescued him, because I had found out he was a Roman citizen.
28 Nilitaka kujua kwa nini wamemshtaki, hivyo nikampeleka kwenye baraza.
I wanted to know the reason for their accusations, so I took him before their council.
29 Nikaona kwamba alikuwa ameshitakiwa kwa ajili ya maswali ya sheria yao, wala hakushitakiwa neno lolote la kustahili kuuawa wala kufungwa.
I found out the charges against him had to do with issues regarding their law, but he was not guilty of anything that merited death or imprisonment.
30 Kisha ikajulikana kwangu kwamba kuna njama dhidi yake, hivyo kwa haraka nikamtuma kwako, na kuwaagiza wanaomshitaki pia walete mashitaka dhidi yake mbele yako. Wakaagana.”
When I discovered a plot against this man I sent him to you right away, ordering his accusers to make their complaints before you.”
31 Basi wale askari wakatii amri: wakamchukua Paulo wakampeleka hata Antipatri usiku.
So the soldiers followed their orders and took Paul overnight to Antipatris.
32 Siku iliyofuata, maaskari wengi wakawaacha wale wapanda farasi waende pamoja naye, nao wakarudi zao ngomeni.
The next morning they sent him on with the cavalry, and went back to the fortress.
33 Na wapanda farasi walipofika Kaisaria, na kumpa liwali ile barua, wakamweka Paulo mbele yake.
When the cavalry arrived at Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and brought Paul before him.
34 Naye liwali alipoisoma barua, alimuuliza Paulo alitokea jimbo gani; alipojua ya kwamba ni mtu wa Kilikia,
After reading the letter, the governor asked Paul what province he came from. When he learned he was from Cilicia he told Paul,
35 akasema, “Nitakusikia wewe watakapo kuja wale waliokushitaki,” akaamuru awekwe katika ikulu ya Herode.
“I will investigate your case when your accusers arrive.” He ordered Paul detained in Herod's palace.
