Matendo 22
1 “Ndugu zangu na akina baba, nisikilizeni sasa nikijitetea mbele yenu!”
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
2 Waliposikia akiongea nao kwa Kiebrania wakazidi kukaa kimya zaidi kuliko hapo awali. Naye Paulo akaendelea kusema,
(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith, )
3 “Mimi ni Myahudi, mzaliwa wa Tarso katika Kilikia. Lakini nililelewa papa hapa mjini Yerusalemu chini ya mkufunzi Gamalieli. Nilifundishwa kufuata kwa uthabiti Sheria ya wazee wetu. Nilijitolea kwa moyo wote kwa Mungu kama ninyi wenyewe mlivyo hivi leo.
I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward Elohim, as ye all are this day.
4 Niliwatesa hata kuwaua wale watu waliofuata Njia hii. Niliwatia nguvuni wanaume kwa wanawake na kuwafunga gerezani.
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5 Kuhani Mkuu na baraza lote la wazee wanaweza kushuhudia jambo hilo. Kutoka kwao nilipokea barua walioandikiwa wale ndugu Wayahudi waliokuwa huko Damasko. Nilikwenda Damasko ili niwatie nguvuni watu hao na kuwaleta wamefungwa mpaka Yerusalemu ili waadhibiwe.
As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
6 “Basi, nilipokuwa njiani karibu kufika Damasko, yapata saa sita mchana, mwangu mkubwa kutoka mbinguni ulitokea ghafla ukaniangazia pande zote.
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 Hapo nilianguka chini, nikasikia sauti ikiniambia: Saulo, Saulo! Kwa nini unanitesa?
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 Nami nikauliza: Nani wewe, Bwana? Naye akaniambia: Mimi ni Yesu wa Nazareti ambaye wewe unamtesa.
And I answered, Who art thou, Master? And he said unto me, I am Yahushua of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 Wale wenzangu waliuona ule mwanga lakini hawakusikia sauti ya yule aliyeongea nami.
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10 Basi, mimi nikauliza: Nifanye nini Bwana? Naye Bwana akaniambia: Simama, nenda Damasko na huko utaambiwa yote ambayo umepangiwa kufanya.
And I said, What shall I do, master? And Yahushua said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 Kutokana na ule mwanga mkali sikuweza kuona na hivyo iliwabidi wale wenzangu kuniongoza kwa kunishika mkono mpaka nikafika Damasko.
And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 “Huko kulikuwa na mtu mmoja aitwaye Anania, mtu mcha Mungu, mwenye kuitii Sheria yetu na aliyeheshimika sana mbele ya Wayahudi waliokuwa wanaishi Damasko.
And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
13 Yeye alikuja kuniona, akasimama karibu nami, akasema: Ndugu Saulo! Ona tena. Papo hapo nikaona tena, nikamwangalia.
Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 Halafu Anania akasema: Mungu wa babu zetu amekuchagua upate kujua matakwa yake na kumwona yule mtumishi wake mwadilifu na kumsikia yeye mwenyewe akiongea.
And he said, The Elohim of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 Kwa maana utamshuhudia kwa watu wote ukiwaambia yale uliyoyaona na kuyasikia.
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16 Sasa basi, ya nini kukawia zaidi? Simama ubatizwe na uondolewe dhambi zako kwa kuliungama jina lake.
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of YHWH.
17 “Basi, nilirudi Yerusalemu, na nilipokuwa nikisali Hekaluni, niliona maono.
And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18 Nilimwona Bwana akiniambia: Haraka! Ondoka Yerusalemu upesi kwa maana watu wa hapa binadamu hawataukubali ushuhuda wako juu yangu.
And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19 Nami nikamjibu: Bwana, wao wanajua wazi kwamba mimi ni yule aliyekuwa anapitapita katika masunagogi na kuwatia nguvuni na kuwapiga wale waliokuwa wanakuamini.
And I said, Yahushua, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20 Na kwamba wakati shahidi wako Stefano alipouawa, mimi binafsi nilikuwako pale nikakubaliana na kitendo hicho na kuyalinda makoti ya wale waliokuwa wanamuua.
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21 Naye Bwana akaniambia: Nenda; ninakutuma mbali kwa mataifa mengine.”
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
22 Mpaka hapa, wale watu walikuwa wanamsikiza, lakini aliposema maneno haya, walianza kusema kwa sauti kubwa, “Mwondoe duniani! Mtu wa namna hiyo hastahili kuishi.”
And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23 Waliendelea kupayukapayuka huku wakitikisa makoti yao na kurusha vumbi angani.
And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24 Mkuu wa jeshi aliwaamuru watu wake wampeleke Paulo ndani ya ngome, akawaambia wamchape viboko ili wapate kujua kisa cha Wayahudi kumpigia kelele.
The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
25 Lakini walipokwisha mfunga ili wamchape viboko, Paulo alimwuliza jemadari mmoja aliyesimama hapo, “Je, ni halali kwenu kumpiga viboko raia wa Roma kabla hajahukumiwa?”
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 Yule jemadari aliposikia hayo, alimpasha habari mkuu wa jeshi akisema, “Unataka kufanya nini? Mtu huyu ni raia wa Roma!”
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27 Basi, mkuu wa jeshi alimwendea Paulo, akamwambia, “Niambie; je, wewe ni raia wa Roma?” Paulo akamjibu, “Naam.”
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28 Mkuu wa jeshi akasema, “Mimi nami nimekuwa raia wa Roma kwa kulipa gharama kubwa.” Paulo akasema, “Lakini mimi ni raia wa Roma kwa kuzaliwa.”
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29 Wale watu ambao walikuwa tayari kumchunguza Paulo walitoweka mara. Hata yule mkuu wa jeshi aliogopa alipojua kwamba Paulo ni raia wa Roma na kwamba alikuwa amekwisha mfunga minyororo.
Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30 Kesho yake, mkuu wa jeshi alitaka kujua mashtaka kamili ambayo Wayahudi walikuwa wamemwekea Paulo. Hivyo, alimfungua Paulo minyororo, akaamuru makuhani wakuu na Baraza lote wafanye kikao. Kisha alimleta Paulo, akamsimamisha mbele ya Baraza.
On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
