Matendo 7
1 Basi, Kuhani Mkuu akamwuliza, “Je, mambo haya ni kweli?”
Then the high priest said, “Are these accusations true?”
2 Naye Stefano akasema, “Ndugu zangu na akina baba, nisikilizeni! Mungu alimtokea baba yetu Abrahamu alipokuwa kule Mesopotamia kabla hajaenda kukaa kule Harani.
Stephen said, “Brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,
3 Mungu alimwambia: Ondoka katika nchi yako; waache watu wa ukoo wako; nenda katika nchi nitakayokuonyesha!
and said to him, ‘Leave yoʋr land and yoʋr relatives, and go to a land I will show yoʋ.’
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 he left the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. After his father died, God relocated him to 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.
He gave him no inheritance in it, not even the length of a footstep, but promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him, even though 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.
God told him that his descendants would be sojourners in a foreign land, and that the people of that land would enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years.
7 Lakini mimi nitalihukumu taifa hilo litakalowafanya watumwa. Kisha nitawatoa katika nchi hiyo ili waje kuniabudu mahali hapa.
‘But I will judge the nation whom they serve as slaves,’ God said, ‘and afterward they will come out of that country 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.
Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
9 “Wale mababu walimwonea wivu Yosefu, wakamuuza utumwani Misri. Lakini Mungu alikuwa pamoja naye,
“The patriarchs became jealous of Joseph and sold him into Egypt. But 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 out of all his afflictions. He gave Joseph favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, so Pharaoh appointed him as ruler over Egypt and over all his household.
11 Kisha, kulizuka njaa kubwa katika nchi yote ya Misri na Kanaani, ikasababisha dhiki kubwa. Babu zetu hawakuweza kupata chakula chochote.
Then a famine came upon all the land of Egypt and Canaan, along with great suffering, and our fathers could find no food.
12 Basi, Yakobo alipopata habari kwamba huko Misri kulikuwa na nafaka, aliwatuma watoto wake, yaani babu zetu, waende huko Misri mara ya kwanza.
But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our fathers out the first time.
13 Katika safari yao ya pili, Yosefu alijitambulisha kwa ndugu zake, na Farao akaifahamu jamaa ya Yosefu.
On their second visit, Joseph made himself known to his brothers again, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.
14 Yosefu alituma ujumbe kwa baba yake na jamaa yote, jumla watu sabini na tano, waje Misri.
Then Joseph sent and called for his father Jacob and all his relatives, seventy-five people in all.
15 Hivyo, Yakobo alikwenda Misri ambako yeye na babu zetu wengine walikufa.
So Jacob went down to Egypt, and there he 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.
Later their bodies were moved to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem.
17 “Wakati ulipotimia Mungu aitimize ahadi aliyompa Abrahamu, idadi ya wale watu kule Misri ilikwisha ongezeka na kuwa kubwa zaidi.
“As the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had sworn to Abraham, our people increased and multiplied in Egypt
18 Mwishowe, mfalme mmoja ambaye hakumtambua Yosefu alianza kutawala huko Misri.
until there arose another king who did not know Joseph.
19 Alilifanyia taifa letu ukatili, akawatendea vibaya babu zetu kwa kuwalazimisha waweke nje watoto wao wachanga ili wafe.
This king dealt shrewdly with our people and mistreated our fathers, making them abandon their newborn babies so that they would not survive.
20 Mose alizaliwa wakati huo. Alikuwa mtoto mzuri sana. Alilelewa nyumbani kwa muda wa miezi mitatu,
At that time Moses was born, and he was beautiful in God's sight. For three months he was brought up in his father's house,
21 na alipotolewa nje, binti wa Farao alimchukua, akamlea kama mtoto wake.
and when he was abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter took him in and brought him up as her own son.
22 Mose alifundishwa mambo yote ya hekima ya Wamisri akawa mashuhuri kwa maneno na matendo.
So Moses was trained in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in words and deeds.
23 “Alipokuwa na umri wa miaka arobaini aliamua kwenda kuwaona ndugu zake Waisraeli.
“When Moses reached forty years of age, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the sons of Israel.
24 Huko alimwona mmoja wao akitendewa vibaya, akaenda kumwokoa, na kulipiza kisasi, akamuua yule Mmisri.
When he saw one of them being wronged, he came to the aid of the man who was being oppressed and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian who was oppressing him.
25 (Alidhani kwamba Waisraeli wenzake wangeelewa kwamba Mungu angemtumia yeye kuwakomboa, lakini hawakuelewa hivyo.)
Moses assumed that his brothers would understand that God was granting them deliverance 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?
The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting and urged them to make peace, saying, ‘Men, you are brothers; why are you hurting each other?’
27 Yule aliyekuwa anampiga mwenzake alimsukuma Mose kando akisema: Ni nani aliyekuweka wewe kuwa kiongozi na mwamuzi wa watu?
But the one who was hurting his neighbor thrust Moses aside and said, ‘Who appointed yoʋ to be a ruler and judge over us?
28 Je, unataka kuniua kama ulivyomuua yule Mmisri jana?
Do yoʋ want to kill me as yoʋ killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
29 Baada ya kusikia hayo Mose alikimbia, akaenda kukaa katika nchi ya Midiani na huko akapata watoto wawili.
At this remark Moses fled and became a sojourner in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
30 “Miaka arobaini ilipotimia, malaika wa Bwana alimtokea Mose katika kichaka kilichokuwa kinawaka moto kule jangwani karibu na mlima Sinai.
“After forty years had passed, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush.
31 Mose alistaajabu sana kuona jambo hilo hata akasogea karibu ili achungulie; lakini alisikia sauti ya Bwana:
When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. As he drew near to look at it, the voice of the Lord came to him:
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 yoʋr fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look.
33 Bwana akamwambia: Vua viatu vyako maana hapa unaposimama ni mahali patakatifu.
Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off the sandals from yoʋr feet, for the place where yoʋ are standing 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 mistreatment of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to deliver them. Now come, I will send yoʋ to 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 is the same Moses they had rejected, saying, ‘Who appointed yoʋ to be a ruler and judge?’ He is the one God sent as a ruler and redeemer 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 is the one who led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, at 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 the same Moses who said to the sons of Israel, ‘The Lord our God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers.’
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 the man who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received a living word to give to us.
39 “Lakini yeye ndiye babu zetu waliyemkataa kumsikiliza; walimsukuma kando, wakatamani kurudi Misri.
Our fathers were unwilling to obey him. Instead, they thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,
40 Walimwambia Aroni: Tutengenezee miungu itakayotuongoza njiani, maana hatujui yaliyompata Mose huyu aliyetuongoza kutoka Misri!
saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us, for we do not know what has happened to this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt.’
41 Hapo ndipo walipojitengenezea sanamu ya ndama, wakaitambikia na kukifanyia sherehe kitu ambacho ni kazi ya mikono yao wenyewe.
In those days they made an idol in the form of a calf, brought a sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced at the works of their 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!
But God turned away from them and gave them up to serve the host of heaven, just as it is written in the book of the prophets: ‘Was it to me that you offered slain beasts and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
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!
You took up the tabernacle of Molech and the star of your god Remphan, the images you made so that you could worship them, so I will send you into exile 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.
“Our fathers had the tabernacle of the testimony in the wilderness, just as God had directed when he spoke to Moses and told him to make it according to the pattern 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.
Receiving it in turn, our fathers brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations whom God drove out from their presence. It remained there 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 asked if he could provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.
47 Lakini Solomoni ndiye aliyemjengea Mungu nyumba.
But it was Solomon who built a house for him.
48 “Hata hivyo, Mungu Mkuu haishi katika nyumba zilizojengwa na binadamu; kama nabii asemavyo:
Yet the Most High does not dwell in temples made by hands, just as the prophet says,
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, or what place is there for my rest?
50 Ni nyumba ya namna gani basi mnayoweza kunijengea, na ni mahali gani nitakapopumzika? Vitu hivi vyote ni mimi nimevifanya, au sivyo?
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.
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit! As your fathers did, so you do also.
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 your fathers not persecute? They even killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become,
53 Ninyi mliipokea ile Sheria iliyoletwa kwenu na Malaika, lakini hamkuitii.”
you who received the law as ordained by angels yet have not kept it.”
54 Wale wazee wa Baraza waliposikia hayo, walighadhibika sana, wakamsagia meno kwa hasira.
When the members of the Sanhedrin heard these things, they were cut to the heart and began gnashing 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 Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and 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.”
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 they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and rushed at 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.
Then they drove him out of the city and began stoning him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 Waliendelea kumpiga mawe Stefano, huku akiwa anasali: “Bwana Yesu, ipokee roho yangu!”
They continued stoning Stephen while he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
60 Akapiga magoti, akalia kwa sauti kubwa: “Bwana, usiwalaumu kwa sababu ya dhambi hii.” Baada ya kusema hivyo, akafa.
Then he fell to his knees and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” After saying this, he fell asleep.
