Matendo 7
1 Basi, Kuhani Mkuu akamwuliza, “Je, mambo haya ni kweli?”
Then the high priest said, Are these things indeed thus?
2 Naye Stefano akasema, “Ndugu zangu na akina baba, nisikilizeni! Mungu alimtokea baba yetu Abrahamu alipokuwa kule Mesopotamia kabla hajaenda kukaa kule Harani.
And he said, Brethren, and fathers, hearken: the God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, while he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran;
3 Mungu alimwambia: Ondoka katika nchi yako; waache watu wa ukoo wako; nenda katika nchi nitakayokuonyesha!
and said to him, "Depart from your country and from your kindred, and come into a land which I will show you."
4 Kwa hivyo, Abrahamu alihama nchi ya Kaldayo, akaenda kukaa Harani. Baada ya kifo cha baba yake, Mungu alimtoa tena Harani akaja kukaa katika nchi hii mnayokaa sasa.
Then departing from the land of the Chaldeans, he dwelt in Charran: and from thence, after his father died, he caused him to remove his habitation into this land, in which you now dwell.
5 Mungu hakumpa hata sehemu moja ya nchi hii iwe mali yake; hata hivyo, alimwahidia kumpa nchi hii iwe yake na ya wazawa wake, ingawaje wakati huu hakuwa na mtoto.
And he gave him no inheritance in it, not so much as the breadth of his foot: nevertheless he promised to give it for a possession to him, even to his seed after him, when he had no child.
6 Mungu alimwambia hivi: Wazao wako watapelekwa katika nchi inayotawaliwa na watu wengine, na huko watafanywa watumwa na kutendewa vibaya kwa muda wa miaka mia nne.
And God spoke thus--that his seed should "sojourn in a foreign land, and that they should enslave and abuse them four hundred years.
7 Lakini mimi nitalihukumu taifa hilo litakalowafanya watumwa. Kisha nitawatoa katika nchi hiyo ili waje kuniabudu mahali hapa.
And the nation to which they are enslaved (said God) I will judge; and afterward they shall come out, and serve me in this place."
8 Halafu Mungu aliifanya tohara iwe ishara ya agano. Hivyo, Abrahamu alimtahiri mtoto wake Isaka, siku ya nane baada ya kuzaliwa. Na Isaka, vivyo hivyo, alimtahiri Yakobo. Naye Yakobo aliwatendea wale mababu kumi na wawili vivyo hivyo.
And he gave him the institution of circumcision; and so he begot Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day: and Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot the twelve patriarchs.
9 “Wale mababu walimwonea wivu Yosefu, wakamuuza utumwani Misri. Lakini Mungu alikuwa pamoja naye,
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: nevertheless, God was with him,
10 akamwokoa katika taabu zake zote. Mungu alimjalia fadhili na hekima mbele ya Farao, mfalme wa Misri, hata Farao akamweka awe mkuu wa ile nchi na nyumba ya kifalme.
and delivered him but of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he constituted him ruler over Egypt and all his house.
11 Kisha, kulizuka njaa kubwa katika nchi yote ya Misri na Kanaani, ikasababisha dhiki kubwa. Babu zetu hawakuweza kupata chakula chochote.
And a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction; and our fathers did not find sustenance.
12 Basi, Yakobo alipopata habari kwamba huko Misri kulikuwa na nafaka, aliwatuma watoto wake, yaani babu zetu, waende huko Misri mara ya kwanza.
But Jacob, hearing that there was corn in Egypt, sent our fathers first;
13 Katika safari yao ya pili, Yosefu alijitambulisha kwa ndugu zake, na Farao akaifahamu jamaa ya Yosefu.
and the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and the family of Joseph was made known to Pharaoh.
14 Yosefu alituma ujumbe kwa baba yake na jamaa yote, jumla watu sabini na tano, waje Misri.
And Joseph sent, and invited his father Jacob, and all his kindred, amounting to seventy-five souls.
15 Hivyo, Yakobo alikwenda Misri ambako yeye na babu zetu wengine walikufa.
So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he and our fathers:
16 Miili yao ililetwa mpaka Shekemu, ikazikwa katika kaburi Abrahamu alilonunua kutoka kwa kabila la Hamori kwa kiasi fulani cha fedha.
and they were carried over to Sychem, and were laid in the sepulcher which Abraham purchased, for a sum of money, of the sons of Emmor, the father of Sychem.
17 “Wakati ulipotimia Mungu aitimize ahadi aliyompa Abrahamu, idadi ya wale watu kule Misri ilikwisha ongezeka na kuwa kubwa zaidi.
And as the time of the promise drew near, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt;
18 Mwishowe, mfalme mmoja ambaye hakumtambua Yosefu alianza kutawala huko Misri.
till another king arose, who knew not Joseph.
19 Alilifanyia taifa letu ukatili, akawatendea vibaya babu zetu kwa kuwalazimisha waweke nje watoto wao wachanga ili wafe.
He, forming craft designs against our kindred, treated our fathers injuriously, by causing their infants to be exposed, that their race might perish.
20 Mose alizaliwa wakati huo. Alikuwa mtoto mzuri sana. Alilelewa nyumbani kwa muda wa miezi mitatu,
In which time Moses was born, and was exceedingly beautiful; and he was bred up for three months in his father's house:
21 na alipotolewa nje, binti wa Farao alimchukua, akamlea kama mtoto wake.
and being exposed, the daughter of Pharaoh took him up, and nourished him for her own son:
22 Mose alifundishwa mambo yote ya hekima ya Wamisri akawa mashuhuri kwa maneno na matendo.
and Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians: and he was mighty in his speeches and actions.
23 “Alipokuwa na umri wa miaka arobaini aliamua kwenda kuwaona ndugu zake Waisraeli.
But when he was arrived at the full age of forty years, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel.
24 Huko alimwona mmoja wao akitendewa vibaya, akaenda kumwokoa, na kulipiza kisasi, akamuua yule Mmisri.
And beholding one of them injured, he defended him; and smiting the Egyptian, he avenged him that was oppressed.
25 (Alidhani kwamba Waisraeli wenzake wangeelewa kwamba Mungu angemtumia yeye kuwakomboa, lakini hawakuelewa hivyo.)
And he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would give them salvation by his hand: but they did not understand.
26 Kesho yake, aliwaona Waisraeli wawili wakipigana, akajaribu kuwapatanisha, akisema: Ninyi ni ndugu; kwa nini basi, kutendeana vibaya ninyi kwa ninyi?
And the next day he showed himself to them, as they were quarreling, and would have persuaded them to peace, saying, Men, you are brethren; why do you injure one another?
27 Yule aliyekuwa anampiga mwenzake alimsukuma Mose kando akisema: Ni nani aliyekuweka wewe kuwa kiongozi na mwamuzi wa watu?
But he that injured his neighbor, thrust him away, saying, Who has made you a ruler and a judge or us?
28 Je, unataka kuniua kama ulivyomuua yule Mmisri jana?
Will you kill me, as you did the Egyptian, yesterday?
29 Baada ya kusikia hayo Mose alikimbia, akaenda kukaa katika nchi ya Midiani na huko akapata watoto wawili.
Then Moses fled at this saying, and became a sojourner in the land of Midian; where he begot two sons.
30 “Miaka arobaini ilipotimia, malaika wa Bwana alimtokea Mose katika kichaka kilichokuwa kinawaka moto kule jangwani karibu na mlima Sinai.
And when forty years were fulfilled, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire, in a bush, in the wilderness of Mount Sinai.
31 Mose alistaajabu sana kuona jambo hilo hata akasogea karibu ili achungulie; lakini alisikia sauti ya Bwana:
And Moses seeing it, admired the vision: and as he drew near to behold it, the voice of the Lord came to him, saying,
32 Mimi ni Mungu wa baba zako, Mungu wa Abrahamu, Isaka na Yakobo! Mose akatetemeka kwa hofu na wala hakuthubutu kutazama zaidi.
"I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses trembled, and did not dare to behold it.
33 Bwana akamwambia: Vua viatu vyako maana hapa unaposimama ni mahali patakatifu.
And the Lord said to him, "Loose your shoes from your feet; for the place in which you stand is holy ground.
34 Nimeyaona mabaya wanayotendewa watu wangu kule Misri. Nimesikia kilio chao, nami nimekuja kuwaokoa. Basi sasa, nitakutuma Misri.
I have surely seen the evil treatment of my people, which are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and I am come down to deliver them; and now, come, I send you into Egypt."
35 “Huyu Mose ndiye yule watu wa Israeli waliyemkataa waliposema: Ni nani aliyekuweka wewe kuwa kiongozi na mwamuzi wetu? Kwa njia ya yule malaika aliyemtokea katika kichaka kilichokuwa kinawaka moto, Mungu alimtuma Mose huyo awe kiongozi na mkombozi.
This very Moses, whom they refused, saying, Who constituted you a ruler and a judge, God sent to be a ruler and a deliverer, by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush.
36 Ndiye aliyewaongoza wale watu watoke Misri kwa kufanya miujiza na maajabu katika nchi ya Misri, katika bahari ya Shamu na jangwani kwa muda wa miaka arobaini.
He led them forth, doing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red Sea, and in the wilderness, for forty years.
37 Mose ndiye aliyewaambia watu wa Israeli: Mungu atawateulieni nabii kama mimi kutoka katika ndugu zenu ninyi wenyewe.
This is that Moses who said to the children of Israel, "A prophet like me shall the Lord God raise up to you from among your brethren; him shall you hear."
38 Wakati watu wa Israeli walipokutana pamoja kule jangwani, Mose ndiye aliyekuwako huko pamoja nao. Alikuwa huko pamoja na babu zetu na yule malaika aliyeongea naye mlimani Sinai; ndiye aliyekabidhiwa yale maneno yaletayo uzima atupe sisi.
This is he who was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel that spoke to him on Mount Sinai; and with our fathers, who received the lively oracles, to give to us.
39 “Lakini yeye ndiye babu zetu waliyemkataa kumsikiliza; walimsukuma kando, wakatamani kurudi Misri.
To whom our fathers would not be obedient; but thrust him from them, and in their hearts returned back again to Egypt;
40 Walimwambia Aroni: Tutengenezee miungu itakayotuongoza njiani, maana hatujui yaliyompata Mose huyu aliyetuongoza kutoka Misri!
saying to Aaron, Make us gods who may march before us; for, as for this Moses, who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
41 Hapo ndipo walipojitengenezea sanamu ya ndama, wakaitambikia na kukifanyia sherehe kitu ambacho ni kazi ya mikono yao wenyewe.
And they made a calf in those days, and brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.
42 Lakini Mungu aliondoka kati yao, akawaacha waabudu nyota za anga, kama ilivyoandikwa katika kitabu cha manabii: Enyi watu wa Israeli! Si mimi mliyenitolea dhabihu na sadaka kwa muda wa miaka arobaini kule jangwani!
So God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, "O house of Israel, did you offer victims and sacrifices to me for forty years in the wilderness?
43 Ninyi mlikibeba kibanda cha mungu Moloki, na sanamu ya nyota ya mungu wenu Refani. Sanamu mlizozifanya ndizo mlizoabudu. Kwa sababu hiyo nitakupeleka mateka mbali kupita Babuloni!
And you have since taken up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your God, Remphan; figures which you have made to worship: and therefore, I will carry you away beyond Babylon."
44 Kule jangwani babu zetu walikuwa na lile hema lililoshuhudia kuweko kwa Mungu. Lilitengenezwa kama Mungu alivyomwambia Mose alifanye; nakala kamili ya kile alichoonyeshwa.
The tabernacle of the testimony was with our fathers in the wilderness, as he had appointed, who spoke to Moses to make it according to the model which he had seen:
45 Kisha babu zetu walilipokezana wao kwa wao mpaka wakati wa Yoshua, walipoinyakua ile nchi kutoka kwa mataifa ambayo Mungu aliyafukuza mbele yao. Hapo lilikaa mpaka nyakati za Daudi.
which, also, our fathers receiving, brought in with Joshua into the possession of the heathen; whom God drove out from before the face of our fathers, until the days of David;
46 Daudi alipata upendeleo kwa Mungu, akamwomba Mungu ruhusa ya kumjengea makao yeye aliye Mungu wa Yakobo.
who found favor before God, and made it his petition to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob.
47 Lakini Solomoni ndiye aliyemjengea Mungu nyumba.
But Solomon built him a house.
48 “Hata hivyo, Mungu Mkuu haishi katika nyumba zilizojengwa na binadamu; kama nabii asemavyo:
Yet the Most High dwells not in temples made with hands: as says the prophet:
49 Bwana asema: Mbingu ni kiti changu cha enzi na dunia ni kiti changu cha kuwekea miguu.
"Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: what house will you build for me, says the Lord;
50 Ni nyumba ya namna gani basi mnayoweza kunijengea, na ni mahali gani nitakapopumzika? Vitu hivi vyote ni mimi nimevifanya, au sivyo?
or, what is the place of my rest? Has not my hand made all these things?
51 “Enyi wakaidi wakuu! Mioyo na masikio yenu ni kama ya watu wa mataifa. Ninyi ni kama baba zenu. Siku zote mnampinga Roho Mtakatifu.
Oh! stiff necked, and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you.
52 Je, yuko nabii yeyote ambaye baba zenu hawakumtesa? Waliwaua hao Mungu aliowatuma watangaze kuja kwake yule Mwenye Haki. Na sasa, ninyi mmemsaliti, mkamuua.
Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? yes, they slew those who spoke before, of the coming of that Righteous One, of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers.
53 Ninyi mliipokea ile Sheria iliyoletwa kwenu na Malaika, lakini hamkuitii.”
Who have received the law through ranks of messengers, and have not kept it.
54 Wale wazee wa Baraza waliposikia hayo, walighadhibika sana, wakamsagia meno kwa hasira.
And hearing these things, they were cut to the heart; and they gnashed their teeth at him.
55 Lakini Stefano akiwa amejawa na Roho Mtakatifu, akatazama juu mbinguni, akauona utukufu wa Mungu na Yesu amekaa upande wa kulia wa Mungu.
But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, looking up steadfastly toward heaven, saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
56 Akasema, “Tazameni! Ninaona mbingu zimefunuliwa na Mwana wa Mtu amesimama upande wa kulia wa Mungu.”
And he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.
57 Hapo, watu wote katika kile kikao cha Baraza, wakapiga kelele na kuziba masikio yao kwa mikono yao. Kisha wakamrukia wote kwa pamoja,
But crying out with a loud voice, they stopped their ears, and rushed upon him with one accord.
58 wakamtoa nje ya mji, wakampiga mawe. Wale mashahidi wakayaweka makoti yao chini ya ulinzi wa kijana mmoja jina lake Saulo.
And casting him out of the city, they stoned him; and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man, whose name was Saul.
59 Waliendelea kumpiga mawe Stefano, huku akiwa anasali: “Bwana Yesu, ipokee roho yangu!”
And they stoned Stephen, invoking, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 Akapiga magoti, akalia kwa sauti kubwa: “Bwana, usiwalaumu kwa sababu ya dhambi hii.” Baada ya kusema hivyo, akafa.
And bending his knees, he cried with a loud voice, O Lord, charge not this sin to their account. And when he had said this he fell asleep.
