Matendo 25
1 Ndipo Festo alipoingia katika jimbo hilo na baada ya siku tatu alienda toka Kaisaria hadi Yerusalemu.
Festus therefore having entered into the province, after three days he went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.
2 Kuhani mkuu na Wayahudi mashuhuri walileta shutuma dhidi ya Paulo kwa Festo, na walizungumza kwa nguvu kwa Festo.
And the high priest and the principal men of the Jews appeared to him against Paul, and urged him,
3 Na walimwomba Festo fadhili juu ya habari za Paulo apate kumwita Yerusalemu ili waweze kumwua njiani.
asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem, making an ambush to kill him on the way.
4 Lakini Festo alijibu kwamba Paulo alikuwa mfungwa katika Kaisaria, na kwamba yeye mwenyewe atarudi huko haraka.
Indeed therefore Festus answered to keep Paul in Caesarea, and he himself was going to go out quickly.
5 Alisema “Kwa hiyo, wale ambao wanaweza, wanaweza kwenda huko na sisi. Kama kuna kitu kibaya kwa mtu huyu, mnapaswa kumshtaki.”
Therefore he says, Let the able men among you, after coming down together, accuse him if there is anything in this man.
6 Baada ya kukaa siku nane au kumi zaidi, akarudi Kaisaria. Na siku iliyofuata akakaa katika kiti cha hukumu na kuamuru Paulo aletwe kwake.
And after remaining among them more than ten days, having gone down to Caesarea, on the morrow having sat on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.
7 Alipofika, Wayahudi kutoka Yerusalemu wakasimama karibu, Wakatoa mashtaka mengi mazito ambayo hawakuweza kuyathibitisha.
And when he arrived, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood around, bringing many and serious accusations against Paul, which they could not prove,
8 Paulo alijitetea na kusema, 'Si dhidi ya jina la Wayahudi, si juu ya hekalu, na si juu ya Kaisari, nimefanya mabaya.'
while he was defending, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I transgressed anything.
9 Lakini Festo alitaka kujipendekeza kwa Wayahudi, na hivyo akamjibu Paulo kwa kusema, 'Je, unataka kwenda Yerusalemu na kuhukumiwa na mimi kuhusu mambo haya huko?'
But Festus, wanting to lay down a favor to the Jews, having answered Paul, said, Are thou willing, after going up to Jerusalem, to be judged there about these things before me?
10 Paulo alisema, 'ninasimama mbele ya kiti cha hukumu cha Kaisari ambapo napaswa kuhukumiwa. Sijawakosea Wayahudi, kama wewe ujuavyo vema.
But Paul said, I am standing at the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. I did nothing wrong Jewish, as thou also very well know.
11 Ikiwa nimekosa na kama nimefanya kinachostahili kifo, sikatai kufa. Lakini kama shutuma zao si kitu, hakuna mtu anaweza kunikabidhi kwao. Ninamwomba Kaisari. '
For if I am indeed wrong, and have done anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die, but if there is nothing of what these men accuse me, no man can give me to them freely. I appeal Caesar.
12 Baada ya Festo kuongea na baraza akajibu, “unamwomba Kaisari; utaenda kwa Kaisari.”
Then Festus, when he conferred with the council, answered, Thou have appealed Caesar, to Caesar thou will go.
13 Baada ya siku kadhaa, mfalme Agripa na Bernike walifika Kaisaria kufanya ziara rasmi kwa Festo.
Now some days having passed, Agrippa the king and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, greeting Festus.
14 Baada ya kukaa hapo kwa siku nyingi, Festo aliwasilisha kesi ya Paulo kwa mfalme; Akasema, 'Mtu mmoja aliachwa hapa na Feliki kama mfungwa.
And as he was remaining there more days, Festus declared to the king the things concerning Paul, saying, There is a certain man who was left behind a prisoner by Felix,
15 Nilipokuwa Yerusalemu makuhani wakuu na wazee wa Wayahudi walileta mashtaka juu ya mtu huyu kwangu, nao waliuliza juu ya hukumu dhidi yake.
about whom, when I became in Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews revealed, asking judgment against him.
16 Kwa hili mimi niliwajibu kwamba si desturi ya Waroma kumtoa mtu kwa upendeleo badala yake, mtuhumiwa anapaswa kuwa na nafasi ya kuwakabili washitaki wake na kujitetea dhidi ya tuhuma hizo.
To whom I answered, that it is not a custom by Romans to give any man freely for destruction, before the man being accused has the accusers in person, and receives an occasion of defense about the accusation.
17 Kwa hiyo, walipokuja pamoja hapa, sikuweza kusubiri, lakini siku iliyofuata niliketi katika kiti cha hukumu na kuamuru mtu huyo aletwe ndani.
When therefore they assembled here, not having made one delay, next in order, having sat on the judgment seat, I commanded the man to be brought.
18 Wakati washitaki waliposimama na kumshtaki, nilifikiri kwamba hakuna mashtaka makubwa yaliyoletwa dhidi yake.
About whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought not one cause of what I supposed,
19 Badala yake, walikuwa na mabishano fulani pamoja naye kuhusu dini yao na kuhusu Yesu ambaye alikuwa amekufa, lakini Paulo anadai kuwa yu hai.
but had certain issues against him about his own religion, and about a certain Jesus, who has died, whom Paul was claiming to be alive.
20 Nilikuwa nimefumbwa jinsi ya kuchunguza suala hili, na nikamwuliza kama angeenda Yerusalemu kuhukumiwa kuhusu mambo haya.
And I, being uncertain of the controversy about this man, asked whether he wants to go to Jerusalem and be judged there about these things.
21 Lakini Paulo alipoitwa awekwe chini ya ulinzi kwa ajili ya uamuzi wa Mfalme, niliamuru awekwe hata nitakapompeleka kwa Kaisari. '
But when Paul appealed to be kept for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept until I might send him to Caesar.
22 Agripa alizungumza na Festo, “ningependa pia kumsikiliza mtu huyu.” “Festo, akasema, “kesho utamsikiliza.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, I also want to hear the man myself. And tomorrow, he says, thou will hear him.
23 Hivyo kesho yake, Agripa na Bernike walifika na sherehe nyingi; walifika katika ukumbi na maafisa wa kijeshi, na watu mashuhuri wa mji. Na Festo alipotoa amri, Paulo aliletwa kwao.
Therefore on the morrow, Agrippa and Bernice having come with great pomp, and having entered into the courtroom, and with the chief captains and the men of prominence who were of the city, and Festus who commanded, Paul was brought in.
24 Festo akasema, “Mfalme Agripa, na watu wote ambao wapo hapa pamoja nasi, mnamwona mtu huyu; jumuiya yote ya Wayahudi huko Yerusalemu na hapa pia wametaka niwashauri, na wao wakapiga kelele kwangu kwamba asiishi.
And Festus says, King Agrippa, and all who are present with us, ye see this man about whom all the multitude of the Jews appealed to me, both at Jerusalem and here, shouting he ought not to live any longer.
25 Naliona kwamba hakufanya lolote linalostahili kifo; lakini kwa sababu amemwita Mfalme, niliamua kumpeleka kwake.
But I, having understood him to have done nothing worthy of death, and also him, this man, having appealed Augustus I decided to send him.
26 Lakini sina kitu dhahiri cha kuandika kwa Mfalme. Kwa sababu hii, nimemleta kwako, hasa kwako wewe, Mfalme Agripa, ili nipate kuwa na kitu cha kuandika kuhusu kesi.
About whom I do not have anything certain to write to the lord. Therefore I brought him before you, and especially before thee, King Agrippa, so that, an examination having occurred, I may have something to write.
27 kwa kuwa naona haina maana kumpeleka mfungwa na bila kuonyesha mashitaka yanayomkabili.
For it seems to me unreasonable, sending a prisoner, and not to specify the causes against him.
