Matendo 26
1 Hivyo, Agripa akamwambia Paulo, `Unaruhusiwa kujitetea. ' Ndipo Paulo akanyoosha mkono wake akajitetea hivi.
Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched forth his hand and began to make his defense.
2 “Najiona mwenye furaha, Mfalme Agripa, ili kufanya kesi yangu mbele yako leo dhidi ya mashtaka yote ya Wayahudi.
"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day, in regard to all the accusations brought against me by the Jews;
3 Hasa, kwa sababu wewe ni mtaalamu wa desturi za Wayahudi na maswali. Hivyo naomba unisikilize kwa uvumilivu.
"especially since you are an export in all Jewish customs and questions. I pray you, expert in all Jewish customs and questions. I pray you, hear me with patience.
4 Kweli, Wayahudi wote wanajua jinsi nilivyoishi tangu ujana wangu katika taifa langu huko Yerusalemu.
"The kind of life I have lived from my youth upward among my own nation and at Jerusalem, all that early life of mine, is well known to all the Jews.
5 Wananijua tangu mwanzo na wanapaswa kukubali kwamba niliishi kama Mfarisayo, dhehebu lenye msimamo mkali kwenye dini yetu.
"They know me of old, if they are willing to testify, how that according to the strict sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee.
6 Sasa nimesimama hapa nihukumiwe kwa sababu mimi naliangalia ahadi ambayo Mungu aliifanya na baba zetu.
"Today I am standing trial because of the hope of the promise made by God to our ancestors,
7 Hii ni ahadi ambayo makabila yetu kumi na mbili yanatumaini kupokea kama wakimwabudu Mungu kwa bidii usiku na mchana. Ni kwa ajili ya tumaini hili, mfalme Agripa, kwamba Wayahudi wananishitaki.
"a promise which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. It is concerning this hope, King Agrippa, that I am accused by the Jews.
8 Kwa nini yeyote kati yenu anafikiri ni ajabu kwamba Mungu hufufua wafu?
"Why is it deemed incredible by you all, if God raises the dead?
9 Wakati mmoja nilifikiria mwenyewe kwamba ningefanya mambo mengi dhidi ya jina la Yesu wa Nazareti.
"I indeed once thought with myself that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.
10 Nilifanya haya katika Yerusalemu; Niliwafunga waamini wengi gerezani, na nilikuwa na mamlaka kutoka kwa wakuu wa makuhani kufanya hivyo; na wakati wanauawa, nilipiga kura dhidi yao.
"And this also I did in Jerusalem. Armed with authority from the chief priests, I shut up many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death I gave my vote against them.
11 Mara nyingi niliwaadhibu katika masinagogi yote na nilijaribu kuwafanya waikane imani yao. Nilikuwa na hasira sana juu yao na niliwafukuza hata katika miji ya ugenini.
"In all the synagogues also I punished them oftentimes, and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my mad fury I was pursuing them even to foreign cities.
12 Wakati nilipokuwa nikifanya haya, nilienda Dameski, nikiwa na mamlaka na maagizo kutoka kwa makuhani wakuu;
"On this errand I was traveling to Damascus one day, armed with authority and commission of the chief priests,
13 nilipokuwa njiani wakati wa mchana, Mfalme, niliona mwanga kutoka mbinguni uliokuwa mkali kuliko jua na uling'aa kutuzunguka mimi na watu waliokuwa wakisafiri pamoja nami.
"when at noon, as I journeyed, O King, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and around those who journeyed with me.
14 Sisi sote tulipoanguka chini, nalisikia sauti ikizungumza na mimi ikisema katika lugha ya Kiebrania: `Sauli, Sauli! Kwa nini unanitesa? Ni vigumu kwako kuupiga teke mchokoo.
"We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew. "‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’
15 Ndipo nikasema, 'Wewe ni nani, Bwana?' Bwana akajibu, 'Mimi ni Yesu ambaye unanitesa.
"‘Who are you, Lord?’ I said. "And the Lord said. ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
16 Sasa inuka usimame kwa miguu yako; sababu kwa kusudi hili mimi nimeonekana kwako, nimekuteua kuwa mtumishi na shahidi juu ya mambo ambayo unajua kuhusu mimi sasa na mambo nitakayokuonyesha baadaye;
"‘But rise and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you in order to appoint you my minister and my witness both of what you have already seen and of those things in which I will appear to you.
17 na Nitakuokoa kutoka kwa watu na watu wa Mataifa ambapo ninakutuma,
"‘I will deliver you from the Jewish people, and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you to open their eyes
18 kufungua macho yao na kuwatoa gizani kwenda kwenye mwanga na kutoka kwenye nguvu za shetani wamgeukie Mungu; ili wapate kupokea kutoka kwa Mungu msamaha wa dhambi na urithi ambao nimewapa wale niliowatenga kwa imani iliyo kwangu.
"‘so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, in order to receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 Hivyo, mfalme Agripa, sikuweza kuasi maono ya mbinguni,
"So then, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision;
20 lakini, kwa wale walio katika Dameski kwanza, na kisha Yerusalemu na nchi yote ya Yudea, na pia kwa watu wa mataifa mengine, nilihubiri kwamba watubu na kumgeukia Mungu, wafanye matendo yanayostahili toba.
"but I proceeded to preach, first to those in Damascus, and then in Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God and do deeds worthy of repentance.
21 Kwa sababu hiyo Wayahudi walinikamata hekaluni, wakajaribu kuniua.
"For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried to kill me.
22 Mungu amenisaidia mpaka sasa, hivyo nasimama na kushuhudia kwa watu wa kawaida na kwa wale wakubwa juu ya yale ambayo manabii na Musa walisema yatatokea na si vingine;
"But having obtained the help that comes from God, I stand even to this day witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said should come;
23 kwamba Kristo lazima atateseka na atakuwa wa kwanza kufufuka kutoka kwa wafu na kutangaza mwanga kwa Wayahudi na watu wa mataifa.
"how that the Christ must suffer, and how he should be the first to rise from the dead, and should bring a message of light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."
24 Paulo alipomaliza kujitetea, Festo alisema kwa sauti kubwa, 'Paulo, wewe ni mwendawazimu! masomo yako yamekufanya uwe mwendawazimu.
As Paul thus made his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice. "Paul, you are raving mad; your great learning is driving you mad."
25 Lakini Paulo akasema, Mimi si mwendawazimu, mheshimiwa Festo; lakini kwa ujasiri nasema maneno ya ukweli mtupu.
"I am not mad, most noble Festus," said Paul,
26 Kwa kuwa mfalme anajua kuhusu mambo haya; na hivyo, ninaongea kwa uhuru kwake, kwa maana nina hakika kwamba hakuna lolote lililofichwa kwake; kwa kuwa hili halijafanywa pembeni.
"I am speaking words of sober truth. For the King, to whom I am speaking freely, knows of these matters. I am persuaded that not one of these things has escaped his notice; for these things were not done in a corner.
27 Je, unaamini manabii, Mfalme Agripa? Najua kwamba unaamini. '
"King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."
28 Agripa akamwambia Paulo, 'Kwa muda mfupi unaweza kunishawishi mimi na kunifanya Mkristo?
Agrippa answered, "In short, you are doing your best to persuade me to become a Christian."
29 Paulo akasema, '“Namwomba Mungu kwamba, kwa muda mfupi au mrefu, si wewe tu, bali pia wote wanaonisikia leo, wawe kama mimi, lakini bila hii minyororo ya gerezani.”
"Long or short," answered Paul, "my prayer to God is that not only you but all who are my hearers this day might become such as I am, save for these chains."
30 Ndipo mfalme alisimama, na liwali, na Bernike pia, na wale waliokuwa wamekaa pamoja nao,
Then the king rose, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with him.
31 walipoondoka ukumbini, walizungumzia wao kwa wao na kusema, 'Mtu huyu hastahili kifo wala kifungo.'
When they had withdrawn they continued talking to one another. "This man is doing nothing," they said, "for which he deserves death or imprisonment."
32 Agripa akamwambia Festo, “Mtu huyu angeweza kuwekwa huru kama asingekata rufani kwa Kaisari.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, "If he had not appealed to Caesar, he might have been set free."
