Matendo 24
1 Baada ya siku tano, Kuhani Mkuu Anania aliwasili Kaisarea pamoja na wazee kadhaa na wakili mmoja wa sheria aitwaye Tertulo. Walimwendea yule mkuu wa mkoa wakamweleza mashtaka yao juu ya Paulo.
Five days later, Ananias the high priest came down to Caesarea with some of the elders, and with an orator, named Tertullus. They laid information before the governor against Paul.
2 Paulo aliitwa na Tertulo akafungua mashtaka hivi: “Mheshimiwa Felisi, uongozi wako bora umeleta amani kubwa na marekebisho ya lazima yanafanywa kwa manufaa ya taifa letu.
So Paul was sent for, and then Tertullus began to accuse him, saying. "As it is owing to your excellency that we enjoy profound peace, and that the state of this nation,
3 Tunalipokea jambo hili kwa furaha daima na kutoa shukrani nyingi kwako kila mahali.
"owing to your wise care, has been improved in every respect and in every place, we accept it with profound thankfulness.
4 Lakini, bila kupoteza wakati wako zaidi, tunakusihi kwa wema wako, usikilize taarifa yetu fupi.
"But not to weary you too much, I beg of your Excellency to listen to a few words from us.
5 Tumegundua kwamba mtu huyu ni wa hatari mno. Yeye huanzisha ghasia kati ya Wayahudi kila mahali duniani na pia ni kiongozi wa kile chama cha Wanazareti.
"For we have found this fellow a pest, an inciter of insurrection among all the Jews of the empire, and a ringleader in the heresy of the Nazarenes.
6 Tena alijaribu kulikufuru Hekalu nasi tukamtia nguvuni. Kama ukimhoji wewe mwenyewe, utaweza kubainisha mambo haya yote tunayomshtaki kwayo.” Tulitaka kumhukumu kufuatana na Sheria yetu.
"He even tried to profane the Temple, but we arrested him.
7 Lakini Lusia, mkuu wa jeshi, aliingilia kati, akamchukua kwa nguvu kutoka mikononi mwetu.
"Then the chief captain, Lysias came and violently took him from us.
8 Kisha akaamuru washtaki wake waje mbele yako.
From him you will be able, by examining Paul yourself, to learn the truth of all these charges we are bringing against him."
9 Nao Wayahudi waliunga mkono mashtaka hayo wakisema kwamba hayo yote yalikuwa kweli.
The Jews also joined in the charge, maintaining that these were the facts.
10 Basi, mkuu wa mkoa alimwashiria Paulo aseme. Naye Paulo akasema, “Nafurahi kujitetea mbele yako nikijua kwamba umekuwa hakimu wa taifa hili kwa miaka mingi.
Then at a nod from the governor, Paul spoke. "Because I know that for many years you have been a judge in this nation, I feel encouraged to make my defense.
11 Unaweza kujihakikishia kwamba si zaidi ya siku kumi na mbili tu zimepita tangu nilipokwenda kuabudu Yerusalemu.
"For you have it in your power to know that it is not more than twelve days ago that I went up to Jerusalem to worship;
12 Wayahudi hawakunikuta nikijadiliana na mtu yeyote. Hawakunikuta nikichochea watu Hekaluni wala katika masunagogi yao, wala mahali pengine popote katika mji huo.
"and that neither in the Temple, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city, did they find me disputing with any man or stirring up a crowd.
13 Wala hawawezi kuthibitisha mashtaka waliyotoa juu yangu.
"Nor can they prove the charges which they are now bringing against me.
14 Ninachokubali mbele yako ni hiki: Mimi ninamwabudu Mungu na wazee wetu nikiishi kufuatana na Njia ile ambayo wao wanaiita chama cha uzushi. Ninaamini mambo yote yaliyoandikwa katika vitabu vya Sheria na manabii.
"But this I confess to you, that I worship the God of our ancestors, according to the Way which they call a heresy, believing everything that is according to the Law, or is written in the Prophets,
15 Mimi namtumainia Mungu, na wao wanalo tumaini hilo, kwamba watu, wema na wabaya, watafufuka.
"and having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for, that there is to be a resurrection both of the just and the unjust.
16 Kwa hiyo ninajitahidi daima kuwa na dhamiri njema mbele ya Mungu na mbele ya watu.
"Hence I too endeavor to have a conscience void of offense toward God and men alway.
17 “Baada ya kukaa mbali kwa miaka kadhaa, nilirudi Yerusalemu ili kuwapelekea wananchi wenzangu msaada na kutoa dhabihu.
"Now after many years I came to bring alms to my nation, and to offer sacrifices.
18 Wakati nilipokuwa nikifanya hayo ndipo waliponikuta Hekaluni, nilipokuwa nimekwisha fanya ile ibada ya kujitakasa. Hakukuwako kundi la watu wala ghasia.
"While I was thus engaged, they found me in the temple, purified, with no crowd and no uproar. But there were certain Asiatic Jews
19 Lakini kulikuwa na Wayahudi wengine kutoka mkoa wa Asia; hao ndio wangepaswa kuwa hapa mbele yako na kutoa mashtaka yao kama wana chochote cha kusema dhidi yangu.
"who ought to have been here before you, and to have made accusations if they had anything against me.
20 Au, waache hawa walio hapa waseme kosa waliloliona kwangu wakati niliposimama mbele ya Baraza lao kuu,
"Or let these men themselves say what fault they found, when I appeared before the Sanhedrin!
21 isipokuwa tu maneno haya niliyosema niliposimama mbele yao: Mnanihukumu leo hii kwa sababu ya kushikilia kwamba wafu watafufuliwa!”
"Unless it was for this one sentence which I uttered when I stood and cried, ‘It is for the resurrection of the dead that I am on my trial today before you.’"
22 Hapo, Felisi, ambaye mwenyewe alikuwa anaifahamu hiyo Njia vizuri, aliahirisha kesi hiyo. Akawaambia, “Nitatoa hukumu juu ya kesi hiyo wakati Luisa, mkuu wa jeshi, atakapokuja hapa.”
At this point Felix, who had a pretty accurate knowledge of the Way, adjourned the case, saying to the Jews, "When Lysias the tribune comes down, I will go carefully into the matter."
23 Kisha akamwamuru yule jemadari amweke Paulo kizuizini, lakini awe na uhuru kiasi, na rafiki zake wasizuiwe kumpatia mahitaji yake.
And he gave orders to the centurion that Paul should be kept in custody, but treated with indulgence, and that his personal friends were not to be forbidden to minister to him.
24 Baada ya siku chache, Felisi alifika pamoja na mkewe Drusila ambaye alikuwa Myahudi. Aliamuru Paulo aletwe, akamsikiliza akiongea juu ya kumwamini Yesu Kristo.
Some days later Felix came, with his wife Drusilla, a Jewess; he sent for Paul, and listened to him concerning the faith in Christ Jesus.
25 Lakini wakati Paulo alipoanza kuongea juu ya uadilifu, juu ya kuwa na kiasi na juu ya siku ya hukumu inayokuja, Felisi aliogopa, akasema, “Kwa sasa unaweza kwenda; nitakuita tena nitakapopata nafasi.”
And as he reasoned about morality, self-control, and the future judgment, Felix was terrified, and said, "For the present go on your way, and when I find a convenient season, I will send for you."
26 Wakati huohuo alikuwa anatumaini kwamba Paulo angempa fedha. Kwa sababu hii alimwita Paulo mara kwa mara na kuzungumza naye.
He was hoping that Paul would give him money, and for this reason he used to send for him often to converse with him.
27 Baada ya miaka miwili, Porkio Festo alichukua nafasi ya Felisi, akawa mkuu wa Mkoa. Kwa kuwa alitaka kujipendekeza kwa Wayahudi, Felisi alimwacha Paulo kizuizini.
But after two full years Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and because he wished to curry favor with the Jews, Felix left Paul still in prison.
