Matendo 7
1 Kuhani mkuu akasema,”mambo haya ni ya kweli”?
The high priest said, “Are these things so?”
2 Stephano akasema, “Ndugu na mababa zangu, nisikilizeni mimi: Mungu wa utukufu alimtokea baba yetu Abrahamu wakati alipokuwa Mesopotamia, kabla hajaishi Harani,'
He said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran,
3 akamwambia,' Ondoka katika nchi yako na jamaa zako na uende katika nchi nitakayokuonyesha'.
and said to him, ‘Get out of your land and away from your relatives, and come into a land which I will show you.’
4 Kisha akaondoka katika nchi ya Ukaldayo akaishi Harani, kutoka hapo, baada ya baba yake kufa, Mungu akamleta kwenye nchi hii, wanayoishi sasa.
Then he came out of the land of the Chaldaeans and lived in Haran. From there, when his father was dead, God moved him into this land where you are now living.
5 Hakumpa chochote kama urithi wake, hapakuwa na sehemu hata ya kuweka mguu. Lakini Abrahamu aliahidiwa hata kabla hajapata mtoto kuwa atapewa nchi kama miliki yake na uzao wake.
He gave him no inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on. He promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his offspring after him, when he still had no child.
6 Mungu alinena naye hivi, ya kwamba wazao wake wangeishi katika nchi ya ugeni, na kwamba wenyeji wa huko watawafanya kuwa watumwa wao na kuwatenda vibaya kwa muda wa miaka mia nne.
God spoke in this way: that his offspring would live as aliens in a strange land, and that they would be enslaved and mistreated for four hundred years.
7 Na Mungu akasema, nitalihukumu taifa ambalo litawafanya mateka, na baada ya hapo watatoka na kuniabudu katika sehemu hii.'
‘I will judge the nation to which they will be in bondage,’ said God, ‘and after that they will come out and serve me in this place.’
8 Na akampa Abrahamu agano la tohara, hivyo Abrahamu akawa baba wa Isaka akamtahiri siku ya nane; Isaka akawa baba wa Yakobo, na Yakobo akawa baba wa mababu zetu kumi na wawili.
He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9 Mababu zetu wakamwonea wivu Yusufu wakamuuza katika nchi ya Misri, na Mungu alikuwa pamoja naye,
“The patriarchs, moved with jealousy against Joseph, sold him into Egypt. God was with him
10 na akamwokoa katika mateso yake, na akampa fadhili na hekima mbele ya Farao mfalme wa Misri. Farao akamfanya awe mtawala juu ya Misri na juu ya nyumba yake yote.
and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house.
11 Basi kukawa na njaa kuu na mateso mengi katika nchi ya Misri na Kanani, na baba zetu hawakupata chakula.
Now a famine came over all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction. Our fathers found no food.
12 Lakini Yakobo aliposikia kuna nafaka Misri, aliwatuma baba zetu kwa mara ya kwanza.
But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers the first time.
13 Katika safari ya pili Yusufu akajionyesha kwa ndugu zake, familia ya Yusufu ikajulikana kwa Farao.
On the second time Joseph was made known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family was revealed to Pharaoh.
14 Yusufu akawatuma ndugu zake kwenda kumwambia Yakobo baba yao aje Misri, pamoja na jamaa yake, jumla ya watu wote ni sabini na tano.
Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his relatives, seventy-five souls.
15 Hivyo Yakobo akashuka Misri; kisha akafa yeye pamoja na baba zetu.
Jacob went down into Egypt and he died, himself and our fathers;
16 Wakachukuliwa hata Shekemu wakazikwa katika kaburi ambalo Abrahamu alilinunua kwa vipande vya fedha kutoka kwa wana wa Hamori huko Shekemu.
and they were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham bought for a price in silver from the children of Hamor of Shechem.
17 Wakati wa ile ahadi ambayo Mungu alimwahidi Abrahamu ulipokaribia, watu wakiwa wameongezeka huko Misri,
“But as the time of the promise came close which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt,
18 wakati huo aliinuka mfalme mwingine juu ya Misri, mfalme asiyejua kuhusu Yusufu.
until there arose a different king who didn’t know Joseph.
19 Huyo mfalme mwingine akawadanganya watu wetu na kuwatenda mabaya baba zetu, na kuwatupa watoto wao wachanga ili wasiishi.
The same took advantage of our race and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to abandon their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.
20 Katika kipindi kile Musa alizaliwa; alikuwa mzuri mbele za Mungu, akalelewa miezi mitatu katika nyumba ya baba yake.
At that time Moses was born, and was exceedingly handsome to God. He was nourished three months in his father’s house.
21 Wakati alipotupwa, binti wa Farao alimchukua akamlea kama mwanaye.
When he was abandoned, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up and reared him as her own son.
22 Musa alifundishwa mafundisho yote ya Kimisri; alikuwa na nguvu katika maneno na matendo.
Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works.
23 Lakini baada ya kutimiza miaka arobaini, ikamjia katika moyo wake kuwatembelea ndugu zake, wana wa Israeli.
But when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel.
24 Alipomwona Mwisraeli akitendewa mabaya, Musa alimtetea na kulipiza kisasi aliyekuwa akimwonea kwa kumpiga Mmisiri:
Seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him and avenged him who was oppressed, striking the Egyptian.
25 akifikiri kuwa ndugu zake watafahamu kwamba Mungu anawaokoa kwa mkono wake, lakini hawakufahamu.
He supposed that his brothers understood that God, by his hand, was giving them deliverance; but they didn’t understand.
26 Siku iliyofuata akaenda kwa baadhi ya Waisraeli waliokuwa wanagombana; akajaribu kuwapatanisha; akisema,' Mabwana, Ninyi ni ndugu; mbona mnakoseana ninyi kwa ninyi?
“The day following, he appeared to them as they fought, and urged them to be at peace again, saying, ‘Sirs, you are brothers. Why do you wrong one another?’
27 Lakini aliyemkosea jirani yake akamsukumia mbali, na kusema, 'Nani kakufanya mtawala na muhukumu wetu?
But he who did his neighbour wrong pushed him away, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge over us?
28 Wewe unataka kuniua, kama ulivyomuua Mmisri jana?”
Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 Musa akakimbia baada ya kusikia hivyo; akawa mgeni katika nchi ya Midiani, ambapo akawa baba wa wana wawili.
Moses fled at this saying, and became a stranger in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
30 Baada ya miaka arobaini kupita, malaika akamtokea katika jangwa la mlima Sinai, katika mwali wa moto ndani ya kichaka.
“When forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 Wakati Musa alipoona moto, alishangaa na kustaajabia kile alichokiona, na alipojaribu kukisogelea ili kukitazama, sauti ya Bwana ikamjia Ikisema,
When Moses saw it, he wondered at the sight. As he came close to see, the voice of the Lord came to him,
32 'Mimi ni Mungu wa baba zako, Mungu wa Abrahamu, na wa Isaka, na wa Yakobo'. Musa alitetemeka na hakuthubutu kuangalia.
‘I am the God of your fathers: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses trembled and dared not look.
33 Bwana akamwambia, 'Vua viatu vyako, sehemu uliposimama ni mahali patakatifu.
The Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you stand is holy ground.
34 Nimeona mateso ya watu wangu waliopo Misri; Nimesikia kuugua kwao, nami nimeshuka ili niwaokoe; sasa njoo, nitakutuma wewe Misri.'
I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning. I have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send you into Egypt.’
35 Huyu Musa ambaye waliyemkataa, wakati waliposema, 'nani kakufanya kuwa mtawala na mwamuzi wetu?' alikuwa ndiye ambaye Mungu alimtuma awe mtawala na mkombozi. Mungu alimtuma kwa mkono wa malaika ambaye alimtokea Musa kichakani.
“This Moses whom they refused, saying, ‘Who made you a ruler and a judge?’—God has sent him as both a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 Musa aliwaongoza kutoka Misri baada ya kufanya miujiza na ishara katika Misri na katika bahari ya Shamu, na katika jangwa kwa kipindi cha miaka arobaini.
This man led them out, having worked wonders and signs in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.
37 Ni Musa huyu ndiye aliyewambia watu wa Isiraeli kuwa, 'Mungu atawainulieni nabii kutoka miongoni mwa ndugu zenu, nabii kama mimi'.
This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you from amongst your brothers, like me.’
38 Huyu ni mtu ambaye alikuwa katika mkutano jangwani na malaika ambaye aliongea naye katika mlima Sinai. Huyu ndiye mtu ambaye alikuwa na baba zetu, huyu ni mtu ambaye alipokea neno lililo hai na kutupatia sisi.
This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, who received living revelations to give to us,
39 Huyu ni mtu ambaye baba zetu walikataa kumtii; walimsukumia mbali, na katika mioyo yao waligeukia Misri.
to whom our fathers wouldn’t be obedient, but rejected him and turned back in their hearts to Egypt,
40 Katika kipindi hicho walimwambia Haruni.'tutengenezee miungu itakayotuongoza. Huyo Musa, aliyekuwa akituongoza kutoka katika nchi ya Misri, hatujui kilichompata.'
saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’
41 Hivyo wakatengeneza ndama kwa siku hizo na wakatoa sadaka kwa hiyo sananmu na wakafurahi kwa sababu ya kazi ya mikono yao.
They made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their hands.
42 Lakini Mungu aliwageuza na kuwapa waabudu nyota wa angani, kama ilivyoandikwa kwenye kitabu cha manabii, 'Je Mmenitolea mimi sadaka za wanyama mliowachinja jangwani kwa muda wa miaka arobaini, nyumba ya Israeli?
But God turned away and gave them up to serve the army of the sky, as it is written in the book of the prophets, ‘Did you offer to me slain animals and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
43 Mmekubali hema ya kukutania ya Moleki na nyota ya mungu refani, na picha mliyoitengeneza na kuwaabudu wao: na nitawapeleka mbali zaidi ya Babeli.'
You took up the tabernacle of Moloch, the star of your god Rephan, the figures which you made to worship, so I will carry you away beyond Babylon.’
44 Baba zetu walikuwa na hema ya kukutania ya ushuhuda jangwani, kama Mungu alivyoamuru alipoongea na Musa, kwamba angeitengeneza kwa mfano wa ule aliouona.
“Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, even as he who spoke to Moses commanded him to make it according to the pattern that he had seen;
45 Hili ni hema ambalo baba zetu, kwa wakati wao, waliletwa katika nchi na Joshua. Hii ilitokea wakati walipoingia kumiliki taifa ambalo Mungu aliwafukuza kabla ya uwepo wa baba zetu. Hii ilikuwa hivi hadi siku za Daudi,
which also our fathers, in their turn, brought in with Joshua when they entered into the possession of the nations whom God drove out before the face of our fathers to the days of David,
46 ambaye alipata kibali machoni pa Mungu,' na akaomba kutafuta makao kwa Mungu wa Yakobo.
who found favour in the sight of God, and asked to find a habitation for the God of Jacob.
47 Lakini Selemani alimjengea nyumba ya Mungu.
But Solomon built him a house.
48 Hata hivyo Aliye Juu haishi kwenye nyumba zilizojengwa kwa mikono; hii ni kama nabii alivyosema,
However, the Most High doesn’t dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says,
49 Mbingu ni kiti changu cha enzi, na dunia ni sehemu ya kuwekea miguu yangu. Nyumba ya aina gani mtanijengea?, asema Bwana: au ni wapi sehemu yangu ya kupumzikia?
‘heaven is my throne, and the earth a footstool for my feet. What kind of house will you build me?’ says the Lord. ‘Or what is the place of my rest?
50 Siyo mkono wangu uliofanya hivi vitu vyote?'
Didn’t my hand make all these things?’
51 Enyi watu wenye shingo ngumu msiotahiriwa mioyo na masikio, kila mara mnampinga Roho Mtakatifu,' mnatenda kama baba zenu walivyotenda.
“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do.
52 Ni nabii gani katika manabii ambaye baba zenu hawakumtesa? Waliwaua manabii wote waliotokea kabla ya ujio wa Mmoja mwenye Haki,'na sasa mmekuwa wasaliti na wauaji wake pia,
Which of the prophets didn’t your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become betrayers and murderers.
53 enyi watu mliopokea sheria ile iliyoagizwa na malaika lakini hamkuishika.”
You received the law as it was ordained by angels, and didn’t keep it!”
54 Kisha wajumbe wa baraza waliposikia mambo haya, walichomwa mioyo yao, wakamsagia meno Stefano.
Now when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.
55 Lakini yeye, akiwa amejaa Roho Mtakatifu, alitazama mbinguni kwa makini na akauona utukufu wa Mungu,' na kumwona Yesu amesimama mkono wa kuume wa Mungu.
But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 Stefano akasema, “Angalia nimeona mbingu zimefunguka, na Mwana wa Adam amesimama mkono wa kuume wa Mungu.”
and said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”
57 Lakini wajumbe wa baraza wakapiga kelele kwa sauti za juu, wakaziba masikio yao, wakamkimbilia kwa pamoja,
But they cried out with a loud voice and stopped their ears, then rushed at him with one accord.
58 wakamtupa nje ya mji na wakampiga mawe: na mashahidi wakavua nguo zao za nje na kuweka chini karibu na miguu ya kijana aliyeitwa Sauli.
They threw him out of the city and stoned him. The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 Walipokuwa wakimpiga mawe Stefano, aliendelea kumwita Bwana na kusema, “Bwana Yesu, pokea roho yangu,”.
They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Akapiga magoti na kuita kwa sauti kubwa, “Bwana, usiwahesabie dhambi hii. “Aliposema haya, akakata roho.
He knelt down and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
