Matendo 17
1 Kwa kupitia Amfipoli na Apolonia, walisafiri mpaka Thesalonika ambako kulikuwa na sunagogi la Wayahudi.
When Paul and his companions had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.
2 Paulo alijiunga nao kama ilivyokuwa desturi yake akajadiliana nao Sabato tatu mfululizo, akatumia Maandiko Matakatifu.
As was his custom, Paul went in to them, and for three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3 Aliyaeleza na kuonyesha kwamba ilimbidi Kristo kuteswa na kufufuka kutoka wafu. Akawaambia, “Yesu ambaye mimi namhubiri kwenu ndiye Kristo.”
explaining and presenting evidence that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.”
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.
Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of the devout Greeks and quite a few prominent 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.
But the Jews who refused to believe rounded up some evil men from the marketplace and formed a mob, setting the city in an uproar. They attacked Jason's house, seeking to bring Paul and Silas out to the public assembly.
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.
But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers to the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,
7 Yasoni amewakaribisha nyumbani kwake. Wote wanafanya kinyume cha amri ya Kaisari wakisema eti Kuna mfalme mwingine aitwaye Yesu.”
and Jason has welcomed them. They all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”
8 Kwa maneno hayo waliwatia wasiwasi wakuu wa mji na kundi la watu.
And they stirred up the crowd and the city officials who heard these things.
9 Wakawafanya Yasoni na wenzake watoe dhamana, kisha wakawaacha waende zao.
But when the city officials had received a security bond from Jason and the others, they released them.
10 Usiku, wale ndugu waliwahimiza Paulo na Sila waende Berea. Mara tu walipofika huko, walikwenda katika sunagogi la Wayahudi.
As soon as it was night the brothers sent Paul and Silas to Berea. When they arrived, they went to 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.
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica, and they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
12 Wengi wao waliamini na pia wanawake wa Kigiriki wa tabaka la juu na wanaume pia.
As a result, many of them believed, as did quite a few of the Greek women of high standing and the 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.
But when the Jews of Thessalonica found out that Paul was proclaiming the word of God in Berea also, they went there as well, agitating the crowds.
14 Wale ndugu wakamsindikiza haraka aende pwani lakini Sila na Timotheo walibaki Berea.
Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away, as though he were going by sea, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
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.
Those who escorted Paul brought him as far as Athens, and after they had received an order for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
16 Paulo alipokuwa anawasubiri Sila na Timotheo huko Athene, moyo wake ulighadhibika sana alipoona jinsi mji huo ulivyokuwa umejaa sanamu za miungu.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was full of idols.
17 Alijadiliana na Wayahudi na watu wengine waliomcha Mungu katika sunagogi; na kila siku alikuwa na majadiliano sokoni pamoja na wowote wale waliojitokeza.
So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout Greeks, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there.
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.”
Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. Some said, “What is this babbler trying to say?” But others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities.” (They said this because he was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.)
19 Hivyo walimchukua Paulo, wakampeleka Areopago, wakasema, “Tunataka kujua jambo hili jipya ulilokuwa unazungumzia.
So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that yoʋ are presenting?
20 Vitu vingine tulivyosikia kwa masikio yetu vinaonekana kuwa viroja kwetu. Tungependa kujua mambo haya yana maana gani.”
For yoʋ are bringing some strange things to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.”
21 Wananchi wa Athene na wakazi wengine wa huko walikuwa wanatumia wakati wao wote kuhadithiana na kusikiliza habari mpyampya.
(Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who dwelt there would spend their time in nothing else but talking about and listening to whatever the newest idea might be.)
22 Basi, Paulo alisimama mbele ya baraza la Areopago, akasema, “Wananchi wa Athene! Ninaona kwamba ninyi, kwa vyovyote, ni watu wa dini sana.
Paul then stood before the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see just how religious you are in every way.
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 as I was going around and closely observing yoʋr objects of worship, I even found an altar that had been inscribed: ‘To an unknown god.’ I proclaim to you therefore the one whom you worship in ignorance.
24 Mungu, aliyeumba ulimwengu na vyote vilivyomo, ni Bwana wa mbingu na nchi; yeye hakai katika hekalu zilizojengwa na watu.
The God who made the world and everything in it, who is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made by 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, as though he needed anything. Rather, he himself continually gives life and breath to all mankind.
26 Kutokana na mtu mmoja aliumba mataifa yote na kuyawezesha kuishi duniani kote. Aliamua na kupanga kabla kabisa lini na wapi mataifa hayo yangeishi.
From one bloodline he created every nation of mankind to dwell on the entire face of the earth. He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of where they would dwell,
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.
so that they might seek the Lord and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him, though he is not far from any 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 have our being, as even some of your own poets have said: ‘For we also are 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 then the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, an image formed by the skill and imagination of man.
30 Mungu alifanya kama kwamba haoni nyakati zile watu walipokuwa wajinga. Lakini sasa, anaamuru watu wote kila mahali watubu.
Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent,
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 has set a day on which he is going to judge the world in righteousness by a man he has appointed. He has provided assurance of this to everyone by raising this man from 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!”
Now when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff, but others said, “We wish to hear about this from yoʋ again.”
33 Hivyo, Paulo aliwaacha, akatoka barazani.
So Paul departed from them,
34 Lakini watu kadhaa waliandamana naye, wakawa waumini. Miongoni mwao walikuwa Dionisio wa Areopago, mwanamke mmoja aitwaye Damari na wengineo.
but some of the people joined him and believed, among whom were Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
