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 looked directly at the council members and said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.”
2 Kuhani mkuu Anania akawaamuru wale waliosimama karibu naye wampige kinywa chake.
The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
3 Ndipo Paulo akamwambia, “Mungu atakupiga wewe, ukuta uliopakwa chokaa. Umekaa ukinihukumu kwa sheria, nawe unaamuru nipigwe kinyume cha sheria?”
Then said Paul to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Are you sitting to judge me by the law, yet order me to be struck, against the law?”
4 Wale waliokuwa wamesimama karibu naye wakasema, “Hivi ndivyo unavyomtukana kuhani mkuu wa Mungu?”
Those who stood by said, “Is this how you insult God's 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.”
Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, You shall not speak evil of a 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 saw that the one part of the council were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he spoke loudly in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is because I have the certain hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am being judged.”
7 Alipoyasema haya, malumbano makubwa yakatokea baina ya Mafarisayo na Masadukayo, na mkutano ukagawanyika.
When he said this, an argument began between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.
8 Kwani Masadukayo husema hakuna ufufuo, malaika wala hakuna roho, ila Mafarisayo husema haya yote yapo.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, no angels, and no spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge all of them.
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?”
So a large uproar occurred, and some of the scribes belonging to the Pharisees stood up and argued, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
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.
When there arose a great argument, the chief captain feared that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, so he commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among the council members, and bring him into the fortress.
11 Usiku uliofuata Bwana alisimama karibu naye na kusema, “Usiogope, kwa kuwa umenishuhudia katika Yerusalemu, hivyo utatoa ushahidi pia katika Roma.”
The following night the Lord stood beside him and said, “Do not be afraid, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”
12 Kulipokucha, baadhi ya Wayahudi walifanya agano na kuita laana juu yao wenyewe: walisema ya kwamba hawatakula wala kunywa chochote mpaka watakapomuua Paulo.
When it became day, some Jews formed a conspiracy and called a curse down upon themselves with an oath not to eat nor drink anything until they had killed Paul.
13 Kulikuwa na watu zaidi ya arobaini ambao walifanya njama hii.
There were more than forty men who formed 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 the elders and said, “We have put ourselves under a great curse, to eat nothing 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.”
Now, therefore, let the council tell the chief captain to bring him down to you, as if you would decide his case more precisely. As for us, we are ready to kill him before he comes here.”
16 Lakini mtoto wa dada yake na Paulo akasikia kwamba kulikuwa na njama, akaenda akaingia ndani ya ngome na kumwambia Paulo.
But Paul's sister's son heard that they were lying in wait, so he went and entered the fortress and told Paul.
17 Paulo akamwita akida mmoja akasema, “Mchukue kijana huyu kwa jemadari; maana ana neno la kumwambia.”
Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the chief captain, for he has something to tell 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 the young man and brought him to the chief captain and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him, and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.”
19 Yule jemadari mkuu akamshika kwa mkono akajitenga naye kando, na akamwuliza, “Ni kitu gani unachotaka kuniambia?”
The chief captain took him by the hand to a private place and asked him, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
20 Kijana yule akasema, “Wayahudi wamepatana kukuomba umlete Paulo kesho kwenye baraza kana kwamba wanataka kupata habari zake kwa usahili zaidi.
The young man said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring down Paul tomorrow to the council, as if they were going to ask more precisely about his case.
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.”
But do not give in to them, because there are more than forty men who are lying in wait for him. They have called a curse down on themselves, neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Even now they are ready, waiting for consent from you.”
22 Basi yule jemadari mkuu akamwacha kijana aende zake, baada ya kumwagiza “usimwambie mtu yeyote ya kwamba umeniarifu haya.”
So the chief captain let the young man go, after instructing him, “Tell no one that you have said these things to me.”
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.
Then he called to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen also, and two hundred spearmen. You will leave at the third hour of the night.”
24 Akawaambia kuweka wanyama tayari ambaye Paulo atamtumia na kumchukua salama kwa Feliki Gavana.
He also ordered them to provide animals which Paul could ride, and to take him safely to Felix the governor.
25 Akaandika barua kwa namna hii,
Then he wrote a letter like this:
26 Klaudio Lisia kwa Liwali mtukufu Feliki, salamu.
“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent 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 arrested by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with soldiers and rescued him, since I learned that he was a Roman citizen.
28 Nilitaka kujua kwa nini wamemshtaki, hivyo nikampeleka kwenye baraza.
I wanted to know why they accused him, so I took him down to their council.
29 Nikaona kwamba alikuwa ameshitakiwa kwa ajili ya maswali ya sheria yao, wala hakushitakiwa neno lolote la kustahili kuuawa wala kufungwa.
I learned that he was being accused about questions concerning their own law, but that there was no accusation against him that deserved 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.”
Then it was made known to me that there was a plot against the man, so I immediately sent him to you, and instructed his accusers also to bring their charges against him in your presence. Farewell.”
31 Basi wale askari wakatii amri: wakamchukua Paulo wakampeleka hata Antipatri usiku.
So the soldiers obeyed their orders. They took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 Siku iliyofuata, maaskari wengi wakawaacha wale wapanda farasi waende pamoja naye, nao wakarudi zao ngomeni.
On the next day, most of the soldiers left the horsemen to go with him and they themselves returned to the fortress.
33 Na wapanda farasi walipofika Kaisaria, na kumpa liwali ile barua, wakamweka Paulo mbele yake.
When the horsemen reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34 Naye liwali alipoisoma barua, alimuuliza Paulo alitokea jimbo gani; alipojua ya kwamba ni mtu wa Kilikia,
When the governor read the letter, he asked what province Paul was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia,
35 akasema, “Nitakusikia wewe watakapo kuja wale waliokushitaki,” akaamuru awekwe katika ikulu ya Herode.
he said, “I will hear you fully when your accusers come here.” Then he commanded him to be kept in Herod's government headquarters.
