Matendo 26
1 Basi, Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Unaruhusiwa kujitetea.” Hapo Paulo alinyosha mkono wake akajitetea hivi:
Agrippa said to Paul, "You may speak for yourself." Then Paul stretched out his hand, and made his defense.
2 “Mfalme Agripa, ninajiona mwenye bahati leo kujitetea mbele yako kuhusu yale mashtaka yote ambayo Wayahudi walikuwa wamesema juu yangu.
"I think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day concerning all the things that I am accused by the Jews,
3 Hasa kwa vile wewe mwenyewe ni mtaalamu wa desturi za Wayahudi na migogoro yao, ninakuomba basi unisikilize kwa uvumilivu.
especially because you are expert in all customs and questions which are among Jews. Therefore I beg you to hear me patiently.
4 “Wayahudi wanajua habari za maisha yangu tangu utoto, jinsi nilivyoishi tangu mwanzo kati ya taifa langu huko Yerusalemu.
"Indeed, all Jews know my way of life from my youth up, which was from the beginning among my own nation and at Jerusalem;
5 Wananifahamu kwa muda mrefu, na wanaweza kushuhudia, kama wakipenda, kwamba tangu mwanzo niliishi kama mmoja wa kikundi chenye siasa kali zaidi katika dini yetu, yaani kikundi cha Mafarisayo.
having known me from the first, if they are willing to testify, that after the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
6 Na sasa niko hapa nihukumiwe kwa sababu ninaitumainia ile ahadi ambayo Mungu aliwaahidia babu zetu.
Now I stand here to be judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers,
7 Ahadi hiyo ndiyo ileile inayotumainiwa na makabila kumi na mawili ya taifa letu, wakimtumikia Mungu kwa dhati mchana na usiku. Mheshimiwa mfalme, Wayahudi wananishtaki kwa sababu ya tumaini hilo!
which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving night and day, hope to attain. Concerning this hope I am accused by the Jews, O King.
8 Kwa nini ninyi mnaona shida sana kuamini kwamba Mungu huwafufua wafu?
Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?
9 Kwa kweli mimi mwenyewe niliamini kwamba ni wajibu wangu kufanya mambo mengi kulipinga jina la Yesu wa Nazareti.
"In fact, I thought to myself that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus the Nazorean.
10 Mambo hayo ndiyo niliyoyafanya huko Yerusalemu. Mimi binafsi, nikiwa nimepewa mamlaka kutoka kwa makuhani wakuu, nilipata kuwatia gerezani wengi wa watu wa Mungu. Nao walipohukumiwa kuuawa, nilipiga kura ya kukubali.
This I also did in Jerusalem. I both shut up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, and when they were put to death I gave my vote against them.
11 Mara nyingi niliwafanya waadhibiwe katika masunagogi yote nikiwashurutisha waikane imani yao. Hasira yangu kwao ilikuwa kubwa hata nikawasaka mpaka miji ya mbali.
Punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to make them blaspheme. Being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.
12 “Kwa mujibu huohuo, nilikwenda Damasko wakati mmoja, nikiwa na mamlaka na maagizo kutoka kwa makuhani wakuu.
"Whereupon as I traveled to Damascus with the authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 Mheshimiwa, wakati nilipokuwa njiani, saa sita mchana, niliona mwanga mkubwa kuliko wa jua ukiangaza kutoka mbinguni, ukanizunguka mimi na wale wasafiri wenzangu.
at noon, O King, I saw on the way a light from the sky, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who traveled with me.
14 Sisi sote tulianguka chini, nami nikasikia sauti ikiniambia kwa Kiebrania: Saulo, Saulo! Kwa nini unanitesa? Unajiumiza bure kama punda anayepiga teke fimbo ya bwana wake.
When we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
15 Mimi nikauliza: Ni nani wewe Bwana? Naye Bwana akajibu: Mimi ni Yesu ambaye wewe unamtesa.
"I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He said, 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 Haidhuru, inuka sasa; simama wima. Nimekutokea ili nikuweke rasmi kuwa mtumishi wangu. Utawathibitishia watu wengine mambo uliyoyaona leo na yale ambayo bado nitakuonyesha.
But arise, and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose: to appoint you a servant and a witness both of the things which you have seen me, and of the things which I will reveal to you;
17 Nitakuokoa na watu wa Israeli na watu wa mataifa mengine ambao mimi ninakutuma kwao.
delivering you from the people, and from the non-Jewish people, to whom I send you,
18 Utayafumbua macho yao na kuwawezesha watoke gizani na kuingia katika mwanga; watoke katika utawala wa Shetani, wamgeukie Mungu; ili kwa kuamini, wapate kusamehewa dhambi na kuchukua nafasi yao kati ya wale ambao wamepata kuwa watu wa Mungu.
to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
19 “Hivyo, mfalme Agripa, sikuweza kuwa mkaidi kwa maono hilo la mbinguni.
"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 Ila nilianza kuhubiri kwanza kwa watu wa Damasko, halafu kwa wale wa Yerusalemu na nchi yote ya Yudea, na pia kwa watu wa mataifa mengine. Niliwahimiza wamgeukie Mungu na kuonyesha kwa vitendo kwamba wamebadilisha mioyo yao.
but declared first to them of Damascus, at Jerusalem, and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the non-Jews, that they should repent and turn to God, doing works worthy of repentance.
21 Kwa sababu hiyo, Wayahudi walinikamata nikiwa Hekaluni, wakajaribu kuniua.
For this reason Jews seized me when I was in the temple, and tried to kill me.
22 Lakini Mungu alinisaidia; na hivyo mpaka siku ya leo nimesimama imara nikitoa ushuhuda kwa wote, wakubwa na wadogo. Ninayosema ni yale ambayo manabii na Mose walisema yatatukia;
Having therefore obtained the help that is from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said would happen,
23 yaani ilimpasa Kristo ateseke na kuwa wa kwanza kufufuka kutoka wafu, ili atangaze kwamba mwanga wa ukombozi unawaangazia sasa watu wote, Wayahudi na pia watu wa mataifa mengine.”
how the Christ would suffer, and how, by the resurrection of the dead, he would be first to proclaim light both to these people and to non-Jewish people."
24 Paulo alipofika hapa katika kujitetea kwake, Festo alisema kwa sauti kubwa, “Paulo! Una wazimu! Kusoma kwako kwingi kunakutia wazimu!”
As he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are crazy. Your great learning is driving you insane."
25 Lakini Paulo akasema, “Sina wazimu mheshimiwa Festo: Ninachosema ni ukweli mtupu.
But he said, "I am not crazy, most excellent Festus, but boldly declare words of truth and reasonableness.
26 Wewe Mfalme unayafahamu mambo haya, kwa hiyo ninaweza kuongea bila uoga mbele yako. Sina mashaka kwamba matukio hayo yanajulikana kwako maana jambo hili halikutendeka mafichoni.
For the king knows of these things, to whom also I speak freely. For I am persuaded that none of these things is hidden from him, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 Mfalme Agripa, je, una imani na manabii? Najua kwamba unaamini.”
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe."
28 Agripa akamjibu Paulo, “Kidogo tu utanifanya Mkristo!”
Agrippa said to Paul, "With a little persuasion are you trying to make me a Christian?"
29 Paulo akamjibu, “Namwomba Mungu kwamba, kwa muda mfupi au mrefu, si wewe tu bali wote wanaonisikia leo wapate kuwa kama nilivyo mimi, lakini bila hii minyororo.”
Paul said, "I pray to God, that whether with little or with much, not only you, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except for these bonds."
30 Hapo mfalme Agripa, mkuu wa mkoa, Bernike na wale wote waliokuwa pamoja nao, walisimama.
The king rose up with the governor, and Bernice, and those who sat with them.
31 Walipokwisha ondoka, waliambiana, “Mtu huyu hakufanya chochote kinachostahili adhabu ya kifo au kifungo.”
When they had withdrawn, they spoke one to another, saying, "This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds."
32 Naye Agripa akamwambia Festo, “Mtu huyu angeweza kufunguliwa kama asingalikuwa amekata rufani kwa Kaisari.”
Agrippa said to Festus, "This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar."
