Matendo 17
1 Kwa kupitia Amfipoli na Apolonia, walisafiri mpaka Thesalonika ambako kulikuwa na sunagogi la Wayahudi.
And having passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where the synagogue of the Jews was,
2 Paulo alijiunga nao kama ilivyokuwa desturi yake akajadiliana nao Sabato tatu mfululizo, akatumia Maandiko Matakatifu.
and according to the custom of Paul, he went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he was reasoning with them from the Writings,
3 Aliyaeleza na kuonyesha kwamba ilimbidi Kristo kuteswa na kufufuka kutoka wafu. Akawaambia, “Yesu ambaye mimi namhubiri kwenu ndiye Kristo.”
opening and alleging that it was necessary [for] the Christ to suffer, and to rise again out of the dead, and that “this is the Christ—Jesus whom I proclaim to you.”
4 Baadhi yao walikubali wakajiunga na Paulo na Sila. Kadhalika, idadi kubwa ya Wagiriki waliomcha Mungu pamoja na wanawake wengi wa tabaka la juu, walijiunga nao.
And certain of them believed, and attached themselves to Paul and to Silas, also a great multitude of the worshiping Greeks, also not a few of the principal women.
5 Lakini Wayahudi wakaona wivu; wakawakodi wafidhuli sokoni, wakafanya kikundi na kuzusha fujo mjini kote. Wakaivamia nyumba ya Yasoni wakitumaini kuwapata humo Paulo na Sila ili wawalete hadharani.
And the Jews, having been moved with envy, and having taken to themselves certain evil men of the agitators, and having made a crowd, were setting the city in an uproar; having also assailed the house of Jason, they were seeking them to bring [them] to the populace,
6 Lakini hawakuwapata na hivyo walimburuta Yasoni pamoja na ndugu wengine mpaka kwa wakuu wa mji, wakapiga kelele: “Watu hawa wamekuwa wakivuruga dunia yote na sasa wako hapa mjini.
and having not found them, they drew Jason and certain brothers to the city rulers, calling aloud, “These, having put the world in commotion, are also present here,
7 Yasoni amewakaribisha nyumbani kwake. Wote wanafanya kinyume cha amri ya Kaisari wakisema eti Kuna mfalme mwingine aitwaye Yesu.”
whom Jason has received; and all these do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying another to be king—Jesus.”
8 Kwa maneno hayo waliwatia wasiwasi wakuu wa mji na kundi la watu.
And they troubled the multitude and the city rulers, hearing these things,
9 Wakawafanya Yasoni na wenzake watoe dhamana, kisha wakawaacha waende zao.
and having taken security from Jason and the rest, they let them go.
10 Usiku, wale ndugu waliwahimiza Paulo na Sila waende Berea. Mara tu walipofika huko, walikwenda katika sunagogi la Wayahudi.
And the brothers immediately, through the night, sent forth both Paul and Silas to Berea, who having come, went into the synagogue of the Jews;
11 Watu wa huko walikuwa wasikivu zaidi kuliko wale wa Thesalonika. Waliupokea ule ujumbe kwa hamu kubwa, wakawa wanayachunguza Maandiko Matakatifu kila siku, ili kuona kama yale waliyosema Paulo na Sila yalikuwa kweli.
and these were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the Writings every day [to see] whether those things were so;
12 Wengi wao waliamini na pia wanawake wa Kigiriki wa tabaka la juu na wanaume pia.
therefore, many of them, indeed, believed, and not a few of the honorable Greek women and men.
13 Lakini, Wayahudi wa Thesalonika walipogundua kwamba Paulo alikuwa anahubiri neno la Mungu huko Berea, walikwenda huko, wakaanza kufanya fujo na kuchochea makundi ya watu.
And when the Jews from Thessalonica knew that also in Berea was the word of God declared by Paul, they came there also, agitating the multitudes;
14 Wale ndugu wakamsindikiza haraka aende pwani lakini Sila na Timotheo walibaki Berea.
and then immediately the brothers sent forth Paul, to go on as it were to the sea, but both Silas and Timotheus were remaining there.
15 Wale ndugu waliomsindikiza Paulo walikwenda pamoja naye mpaka Athene. Kisha, wakarudi pamoja na maagizo kutoka kwa Paulo kwamba Sila na Timotheo wamfuate upesi iwezekanavyo.
And those conducting Paul, brought him to Athens, and having received a command to Silas and Timotheus that with all speed they may come to him, they departed;
16 Paulo alipokuwa anawasubiri Sila na Timotheo huko Athene, moyo wake ulighadhibika sana alipoona jinsi mji huo ulivyokuwa umejaa sanamu za miungu.
and Paul waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, beholding the city wholly given to idolatry,
17 Alijadiliana na Wayahudi na watu wengine waliomcha Mungu katika sunagogi; na kila siku alikuwa na majadiliano sokoni pamoja na wowote wale waliojitokeza.
therefore, indeed, he was reasoning in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the worshiping persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who met with him.
18 Wengine waliofuata falsafa ya Epikuro na Stoiki walibishana naye. Wengine walisema, “Anataka kusema nini huyu bwanamaneno?” Kwa kuwa Paulo alikuwa anahubiri juu ya Yesu na juu ya ufufuo, wengine walisema, “Inaonekana kama anahubiri juu ya miungu ya kigeni.”
And certain of the Epicurean and of the Stoic philosophers, were meeting together to see him, and some were saying, “What would this seed picker wish to say?” And others, “He seems to be an announcer of strange demons”; because he proclaimed to them Jesus and the resurrection as good news,
19 Hivyo walimchukua Paulo, wakampeleka Areopago, wakasema, “Tunataka kujua jambo hili jipya ulilokuwa unazungumzia.
having also taken him, they brought [him] to the Areopagus, saying, “Are we able to know what this new teaching [is] that is spoken by you,
20 Vitu vingine tulivyosikia kwa masikio yetu vinaonekana kuwa viroja kwetu. Tungependa kujua mambo haya yana maana gani.”
for you bring certain strange things to our ears? We resolve, then, to know what these things would wish to be”;
21 Wananchi wa Athene na wakazi wengine wa huko walikuwa wanatumia wakati wao wote kuhadithiana na kusikiliza habari mpyampya.
and all Athenians, and the strangers sojourning, for nothing else were at leisure but to say something, and to hear some newer thing.
22 Basi, Paulo alisimama mbele ya baraza la Areopago, akasema, “Wananchi wa Athene! Ninaona kwamba ninyi, kwa vyovyote, ni watu wa dini sana.
And Paul, having stood in the midst of the Areopagus, said, “Men, Athenians, in all things I perceive you as over-religious;
23 Sababu yenyewe ni kwamba katika pitapita yangu niliangalia sanamu zenu za ibada nikakuta madhabahu moja ambayo imeandikwa: Kwa ajili ya Mungu yule Asiyejulikana. Basi, huyo mnayemwabudu bila kujua, ndiye ninayemhubiri kwenu.
for passing through and contemplating your objects of worship, I also found an altar on which had been inscribed: To God—unknown; whom, therefore—not knowing—you worship, this One I announce to you.
24 Mungu, aliyeumba ulimwengu na vyote vilivyomo, ni Bwana wa mbingu na nchi; yeye hakai katika hekalu zilizojengwa na watu.
God, who made the world, and all things in it, this One, being Lord of Heaven and of earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands,
25 Wala hatumikiwi kwa mikono ya watu kana kwamba anahitaji chochote kile, kwa maana yeye mwenyewe ndiye anayewapa watu uhai, anawawezesha kupumua na anawapa kila kitu.
neither is He served by the hands of men—needing anything, He giving life to all, and breath, and all things;
26 Kutokana na mtu mmoja aliumba mataifa yote na kuyawezesha kuishi duniani kote. Aliamua na kupanga kabla kabisa lini na wapi mataifa hayo yangeishi.
He also made every nation of man of one blood, to dwell on all the face of the earth—having ordained times before appointed, and the bounds of their dwellings—
27 Alifanya hivyo, ili mataifa hayo yapate kumfuata, na kama vile kwa kupapasapapasa, yapate kumfikia. Hata hivyo lakini, Mungu hayuko mbali na kila mmoja wetu.
to seek the LORD, if perhaps they felt after Him and found, though, indeed, He is not far from each one of us,
28 Kama alivyosema mtu mmoja: Ndani yake yeye sisi tunaishi, tunajimudu, na tuko! Ni kama washairi wenu wengine walivyosema: Sisi ni watoto wake.
for in Him we live, and move, and are; as certain of your poets have also said: For we are also His offspring.
29 Ikiwa basi, sisi ni watoto wa Mungu, haifai kumfikiria Mungu kuwa kama dhahabu, fedha au hata jiwe lililochongwa na kutiwa nakshi na binadamu.
Being, therefore, offspring of God, we ought not to think the Godhead to be like to gold, or silver, or stone, [an] engraving of art and imagination of man;
30 Mungu alifanya kama kwamba haoni nyakati zile watu walipokuwa wajinga. Lakini sasa, anaamuru watu wote kila mahali watubu.
therefore indeed God, having overlooked the times of ignorance, now commands all men everywhere to convert,
31 Kwa maana amekwisha weka siku ambayo atauhukumu ulimwengu kwa haki kwa njia ya mtu mmoja aliyemteua. Mungu amewathibitishia wote jambo hili kwa kumfufua mtu huyo kutoka wafu!”
because He set a day in which He is about to judge the world in righteousness, by a Man whom He ordained, having given assurance to all, having raised Him out of the dead.”
32 Walipomsikia Paulo anasema juu ya jambo la kufufuka kwa wafu, wengine wao waliangua kicheko; lakini wengine walisema, “Tunataka kukusikia tena juu ya jambo hili!”
And having heard of a resurrection of the dead, some, indeed, were mocking, but others said, “We will hear you again concerning this”;
33 Hivyo, Paulo aliwaacha, akatoka barazani.
and so Paul went forth from the midst of them,
34 Lakini watu kadhaa waliandamana naye, wakawa waumini. Miongoni mwao walikuwa Dionisio wa Areopago, mwanamke mmoja aitwaye Damari na wengineo.
and certain men having cleaved to him, believed, among whom [is] also Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman, by name Damaris, and others with them.
