Acts 17

1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.

1 Wakasafiri kupitia Amfipoli na Apolonia wakafika Thesalonike, ambako kulikuwa na sinagogi la Wayahudi.

2 As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

2 Kama desturi yake, Paulo aliingia ndani ya sinagogi, na kwa muda wa Sabato tatu akawa anahojiana nao kutoka kwenye Maandiko,

3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he declared.

3 akidhihirisha wazi na kuthibitisha kwamba ilikuwa lazima Kristo ateswe na afufuke kutoka kwa wafu. Akasema, “Huyu Yesu ninayewaambia habari zake, ndiye Kristo.”

4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few leading women.

4 Baadhi ya Wayahudi wakasadiki, wakaungana na Paulo na Sila, wakiwepo idadi kubwa ya Wayunani waliomcha Mungu na wanawake wengi mashuhuri.

5 The Jews, however, became jealous. So they brought in some troublemakers from the marketplace, formed a mob, and sent the city into an uproar. They raided Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas, hoping to bring them out to the people.

5 Lakini Wayahudi ambao hawakuwa wameamini wakawa na wivu, wakawakodi watu waovu kutoka sokoni, wakakutanisha umati wa watu, wakaanzisha ghasia mjini. Wakaenda mbio nyumbani kwa Yasoni wakiwatafuta Paulo na Sila ili kuwaleta nje penye ule umati wa watu.

6 But when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here,

6 Lakini walipowakosa wakamburuta Yasoni na ndugu wengine mbele ya maafisa wa mji, wakipiga kelele: “Watu hawa ni wale walioupindua ulimwengu wamekuja huku,

7 and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!”

7 naye Yasoni amewakaribisha nyumbani mwake. Hawa wote wanaasi amri za Kaisari wakisema yuko mfalme mwingine aitwaye Yesu.”

8 On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.

8 Waliposikia haya, ule umati wa watu na maafisa wa mji wakaongeza ghasia.

9 And they collected bond from Jason and the others and then released them.

9 Nao baada ya kuchukua dhamana kwa ajili ya Yasoni na wenzake wakawaacha waende zao.

10 As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

10 Usiku ule ule, wale ndugu walioamini wakawapeleka Paulo na Sila waende zao Beroya. Walipowasili huko wakaenda kwenye sinagogi la Wayahudi.

11 Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.

11 Hawa Waberoya walikuwa waungwana zaidi kuliko wale wa Thesalonike, kwa kuwa waliupokea ule ujumbe kwa shauku kubwa na kuyachunguza Maandiko kila siku ili kuona kama yale Paulo aliyosema yalikuwa kweli.

12 As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.

12 Wayahudi wengi wakaamini pamoja na wanawake na wanaume wa Kiyunani wa tabaka la juu.

13 But when the Jews from Thessalonica learned that Paul was also proclaiming the word of God in Berea, they went there themselves to incite and agitate the crowds.

13 Lakini wale Wayahudi wa Thesalonike waliposikia kuwa Paulo anahubiri neno la Mungu huko Beroya, wakaenda huko ili kuwashawishi watu na kuwachochea.

14 The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.

14 Mara hiyo, wale ndugu wakamsafirisha Paulo hadi pwani, lakini Sila na Timotheo wakabaki Beroya.

15 Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

15 Wale waliomsindikiza Paulo wakaenda naye mpaka Athene, kisha wakarudi Beroya wakiwa na maagizo kutoka kwa Paulo kuhusu Sila na Timotheo kwamba wamfuate upesi iwezekanavyo.

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.

16 Paulo alipokuwa akiwasubiri huko Athene, alisumbuka sana moyoni mwake kuona vile mji huo ulivyojaa sanamu.

17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.

17 Hivyo akahojiana kwenye sinagogi na Wayahudi pamoja na Wayunani waliomcha Mungu, na pia sokoni kila siku na watu aliopatana nao huko.

18 Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others said, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was proclaiming the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.

18 Kisha baadhi ya Waepikureo na Wastoiko wenye falsafa wakakutana naye. Baadhi yao wakasema, “Je, huyu mpayukaji anajaribu kusema nini?” Wengine wakasema, “Inaonekana anasema habari za miungu ya kigeni.” Walisema haya kwa sababu Paulo alikuwa anahubiri habari njema kuhusu Yesu na ufufuo wa wafu.

19 So they took Paul and brought him to the Areopagus, where they asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?

19 Hivyo wakamchukua na kumleta kwenye mkutano wa Areopago, walikomwambia, “Je, tunaweza kujua mafundisho haya mapya unayofundisha ni nini?

20 For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”

20 Wewe unaleta mambo mapya masikioni mwetu, hivyo tungetaka kujua maana yake ni nini.”

21 Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.

21 (Waathene na wageni wote walioishi humo hawakutumia muda wao kufanya chochote kingine isipokuwa kueleza au kusikia mambo mapya).

22 Then Paul stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I see that in every way you are very religious.

22 Ndipo Paulo akasimama katikati ya Areopago akasema, “Enyi watu wa Athene! Ninaona kwamba katika kila jambo ninyi ni watu wa dini sana.

23 For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you.

23 Kwa kuwa nilipokuwa nikitembea mjini na kuangalia kwa bidii vitu vyenu vya kuabudiwa, niliona huko madhabahu moja iliyoandikwa: Kwa Mungu Asiyejulikana. Basi sasa kile ambacho mmekuwa mkikiabudu kama kisichojulikana, ndicho ninachowahubiria.

24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands.

24 “Mungu aliyeumba dunia na vyote vilivyomo ndani yake, yeye ndiye Bwana wa mbingu na nchi, hakai katika mahekalu yaliyojengwa kwa mikono ya wanadamu.

25 Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

25 Wala hatumikiwi na mikono ya wanadamu kana kwamba anahitaji chochote, kwa sababu yeye mwenyewe ndiye awapaye watu wote uhai na pumzi na vitu vyote.

26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.

26 Kutoka kwa mtu mmoja, yeye aliumba mataifa yote ya wanadamu ili waikalie dunia yote, naye akaweka nyakati za kuishi.

27 God intended that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.

27 Mungu alifanya hivyo ili wanadamu wamtafute na huenda wakamfikia ingawa kwa kupapasapapasa ijapokuwa kwa kweli hakai mbali na kila mmoja wetu.

28 ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’

28 ‘Kwa kuwa katika yeye tunaishi, tunatembea na kuwa na uzima wetu.’ Kama baadhi ya watunga mashairi wenu walivyosema, ‘Sisi ni watoto wake.’

29 Therefore, being offspring of God, we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by man’s skill and imagination.

29 “Kwa kuwa sisi ni watoto wa Mungu, haitupasi kudhani kuwa uungu ni kama sanamu ya dhahabu au ya fedha au ya jiwe, mfano uliotengenezwa kwa ubunifu na ustadi wa mwanadamu.

30 Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.

30 Zamani wakati wa ujinga, Mungu alijifanya kama haoni, lakini sasa anawaamuru watu wote kila mahali watubu.

31 For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

31 Kwa kuwa ameweka siku ambayo atauhukumu ulimwengu kwa haki akimtumia mtu aliyemchagua. Amewahakikishia watu wote mambo haya kwa kumfufua Kristo kutoka kwa wafu.”

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some began to mock him, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this topic.”

32 Waliposikia habari za ufufuo wa wafu, baadhi yao wakadhihaki, lakini wengine wakasema, “Tunataka kukusikia tena ukizungumza juu ya jambo hili.”

33 At that, Paul left the Areopagus.

33 Kwa hiyo Paulo akaondoka katikati yao.

34 But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them.

34 Lakini baadhi yao wakaungana naye wakaamini. Kati yao alikuwepo Dionisio, Mwareopago na mwanamke mmoja aliyeitwa Damari na wengine wengi.