Matendo 25
1 Ndipo Festo alipoingia katika jimbo hilo na baada ya siku tatu alienda toka Kaisaria hadi Yerusalemu.
Festus therefore having come into the province, after three days went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.
2 Kuhani mkuu na Wayahudi mashuhuri walileta shutuma dhidi ya Paulo kwa Festo, na walizungumza kwa nguvu kwa Festo.
And the chief priests and the leaders of the Jews brought a complaint before him against Paul, and besought him,
3 Na walimwomba Festo fadhili juu ya habari za Paulo apate kumwita Yerusalemu ili waweze kumwua njiani.
asking for themselves a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, intending to place men in wait to kill him on the road.
4 Lakini Festo alijibu kwamba Paulo alikuwa mfungwa katika Kaisaria, na kwamba yeye mwenyewe atarudi huko haraka.
But Festus answered that Paul was in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was going thither shortly.
5 Alisema “Kwa hiyo, wale ambao wanaweza, wanaweza kwenda huko na sisi. Kama kuna kitu kibaya kwa mtu huyu, mnapaswa kumshtaki.”
Let those therefore, said he, who have authority among you, go down with me and accuse this man, if he is guilty of anything.
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 having tarried among them not more than eight or ten days, he went down to Caesarea; and on the morrow, sitting on the judgment-seat, ordered Paul to be brought.
7 Alipofika, Wayahudi kutoka Yerusalemu wakasimama karibu, Wakatoa mashtaka mengi mazito ambayo hawakuweza kuyathibitisha.
And when he had come, the Jews who came down from Jerusalem stood around, bringing many and heavy charges 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 Paul said in his defence, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I committed any offence.
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, wishing to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, Art thou willing to go up to Jerusalem, and there be tried on these charges 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 stand at the judgment-seat of Caesar, where I ought to be tried. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as thou also very well knowest.
11 Ikiwa nimekosa na kama nimefanya kinachostahili kifo, sikatai kufa. Lakini kama shutuma zao si kitu, hakuna mtu anaweza kunikabidhi kwao. Ninamwomba Kaisari. '
If indeed I am an offender, and have done anything deserving death, I refuse not to die; but if there be nothing in the charges which they bring against me, no man can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.
12 Baada ya Festo kuongea na baraza akajibu, “unamwomba Kaisari; utaenda kwa Kaisari.”
Then Festus having conferred with the council, answered, Thou hast appealed to Caesar; to Caesar shalt thou go.
13 Baada ya siku kadhaa, mfalme Agripa na Bernike walifika Kaisaria kufanya ziara rasmi kwa Festo.
And after some days Agrippa the king and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet 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 while they were making a stay of some days there, Festus laid the case of Paul before the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds 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.
against whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought a complaint, asking for 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, It is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man on a charge, before the accused hath the accusers face to face, and hath opportunity to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.
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 had come together here, without any delay I sat on the judgment-seat on the day after, and ordered the man to be brought forward.
18 Wakati washitaki waliposimama na kumshtaki, nilifikiri kwamba hakuna mashtaka makubwa yaliyoletwa dhidi yake.
And his accusers standing around him brought no accusation of such things as I had conjectured,
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 against him certain questions of their own religion, and of one Jesus that was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
20 Nilikuwa nimefumbwa jinsi ya kuchunguza suala hili, na nikamwuliza kama angeenda Yerusalemu kuhukumiwa kuhusu mambo haya.
And I being at a loss about such questions, asked him if he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be put on trial for these matters.
21 Lakini Paulo alipoitwa awekwe chini ya ulinzi kwa ajili ya uamuzi wa Mfalme, niliamuru awekwe hata nitakapompeleka kwa Kaisari. '
But Paul having appealed to be kept in custody for the judgment of Augustus, I ordered him to be kept till I should send him up to Caesar.
22 Agripa alizungumza na Festo, “ningependa pia kumsikiliza mtu huyu.” “Festo, akasema, “kesho utamsikiliza.”
Then Agrippa said to Festus, I should like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, said he, thou shalt 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.
Accordingly on the morrow Agrippa and Bernice came with great pomp, and entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains and principal men of the city, and at the order of Festus Paul was brought forward.
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 said: King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us! Ye see this man about whom the whole multitude of the Jews applied to me both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he ought no longer to live.
25 Naliona kwamba hakufanya lolote linalostahili kifo; lakini kwa sababu amemwita Mfalme, niliamua kumpeleka kwake.
But having found that he had done nothing deserving death, and he himself having appealed to Augustus, I determined 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.
and as I have nothing certain to write about him to the emperor, I have brought him forward before you, and specially before thee, king Agrippa, that when the examination hath been made, I may have something to write.
27 kwa kuwa naona haina maana kumpeleka mfungwa na bila kuonyesha mashitaka yanayomkabili.
For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner and not signify the charges against him;
