Acts 26

1 Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:

1 Ndipo Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Unayo ruhusa kujitetea.” Hivyo Paulo akawaashiria kwa mkono wake, akaanza kujitetea, akasema:

2 “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,

2 “Mfalme Agripa, najiona kuwa na heri kusimama mbele yako leo ninapojitetea kuhusu mashtaka yote ya Wayahudi,

3 especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.

3 hasa kwa sababu unajua vyema desturi zote za Kiyahudi na ya kuwa wewe unajua kwa undani mila na masuala ya mabishano. Kwa hiyo, nakusihi unisikilize kwa uvumilivu.

4 Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from my earliest childhood among my own people, and also in Jerusalem.

4 “Wayahudi wote wanajua jinsi nilivyoishi tangu nilipokuwa mtoto, kuanzia mwanzo wa maisha yangu katika nchi yangu na pia huko Yerusalemu.

5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I lived as a Pharisee, adhering to the strictest sect of our religion.

5 Wao wamefahamu kwa muda mrefu na wanaweza kushuhudia kama wakipenda, ya kwamba kutokana na misimamo mikali sana ya dhehebu letu kwenye dini yetu, niliishi nikiwa Farisayo.

6 And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,

6 Nami sasa ni kwa sababu ya tumaini langu katika kile ambacho Mungu aliwaahidi baba zetu, ninashtakiwa leo.

7 the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. It is because of this hope, O king, that I am accused by the Jews.

7 Hii ndiyo ahadi ambayo makabila yetu kumi na mawili yanatarajia kuiona ikitimizwa wanapomtumikia Mungu kwa bidii usiku na mchana. Ee mfalme, ninashtakiwa na Wayahudi kwa ajili ya tumaini hili.

8 Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

8 Kwa nini yeyote miongoni mwenu afikiri kwamba ni jambo lisilosadikika Mungu kufufua wafu?

9 So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

9 “Mimi pia nilikuwa nimeshawishika kwamba imenipasa kufanya yote yale yaliyowezekana kupinga Jina la Yesu wa Nazareti.

10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem. With authority from the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death, I cast my vote against them.

10 Nami hayo ndiyo niliyoyafanya huko Yerusalemu. Kwa mamlaka ya viongozi wa makuhani, niliwatia wengi wa watakatifu gerezani na walipokuwa wakiuawa, nilipiga kura yangu kuunga mkono.

11 I frequently had them punished in the synagogues, and I tried to make them blaspheme. In my raging fury against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.

11 Mara nyingi nilikwenda kutoka sinagogi moja hadi ingine nikiamuru waadhibiwe, nami nilijaribu kuwalazimisha wakufuru. Katika shauku yangu dhidi yao, hata nilikwenda miji ya kigeni ili kuwatesa.

12 In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.

12 “Siku moja nilipokuwa katika mojawapo ya safari hizi nikiwa ninakwenda Dameski, nilikuwa na mamlaka na agizo kutoka kwa kiongozi wa makuhani.

13 About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and my companions.

13 Ilikuwa yapata adhuhuri, ee mfalme, nilipokuwa njiani, niliona nuru kutoka mbinguni kali kuliko jua, ikingʼaa kunizunguka pande zote mimi na wale niliokuwa pamoja nao.

14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice say to me in Hebrew, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’

14 Wote tulipokuwa tumeanguka chini, nikasikia sauti ikisema nami kwa lugha ya Kiebrania, ‘Sauli, Sauli, mbona unanitesa? Ni vigumu kwako kuupiga teke mchokoo.’

15 ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.

15 “Nikauliza, ‘Ni nani wewe, Bwana?’ “Naye Bwana akajibu, ‘Ni Mimi Yesu unayemtesa.

16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen from Me and what I will show you.

16 Sasa inuka usimame kwa miguu yako. Nimekutokea ili nikuteue uwe mtumishi na shahidi wa mambo ambayo umeyaona, na yale nitakayokuonyesha.

17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them

17 Nitakuokoa kutoka kwa watu wako na watu wa Mataifa ambao ninakutuma kwao,

18 to open their eyes, so 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 sanctified by faith in Me.’

18 uyafumbue macho yao ili wageuke kutoka gizani waingie nuruni, na kutoka kwenye nguvu za Shetani wamgeukie Mungu, ili wapate msamaha wa dhambi na sehemu miongoni mwa wale waliotakaswa kwa kuniamini mimi.’

19 So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

19 “Hivyo basi, Mfalme Agripa, sikuacha kuyatii yale maono yaliyotoka mbinguni,

20 First to those in Damascus and Jerusalem, then to everyone in the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, I declared that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds worthy of their repentance.

20 bali niliyatangaza kwanza kwa wale wa Dameski, kisha Yerusalemu na katika vijiji vyote vya Uyahudi na pia kwa watu wa Mataifa, kwamba inawapasa kutubu na kumgeukia Mungu na kuthibitisha toba yao kwa matendo yao.

21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.

21 Ni kwa sababu hii Wayahudi walinikamata nilipokuwa Hekaluni, wakataka kuniua.

22 But I have had God’s help to this day, and I stand here to testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen:

22 Hadi leo nimepata msaada kutoka kwa Mungu, na hivyo nasimama hapa nikishuhudia kwa wakubwa na wadogo. Sisemi chochote zaidi ya yale ambayo manabii na Mose walisema yatatukia:

23 that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”

23 kwamba Kristo atateswa, na kwamba yeye atakuwa wa kwanza kufufuka kutoka kwa wafu, na atatangaza nuru kwa watu wake na kwa watu wa Mataifa.”

24 At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”

24 Paulo alipokuwa akifanya utetezi huu, Festo akasema kwa sauti kubwa, “Paulo, wewe umerukwa na akili! Kusoma kwingi kunakufanya uwe kichaa!”

25 But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.

25 Lakini Paulo akajibu, “Mimi sijarukwa na akili, mtukufu sana Festo, bali nanena kweli nikiwa na akili zangu timamu.

26 For the king knows about these matters, and I can speak freely to him. I am confident that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.

26 Naam, Mfalme anajua kuhusu mambo haya yote, nami nasema naye kwa uhuru. Kwa sababu nina hakika kwamba hakuna hata mojawapo ya mambo haya asilolijua, kwa kuwa hayakufanyika mafichoni.

27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

27 Mfalme Agripa, je, unaamini manabii? Najua kuwa unaamini.”

28 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”

28 Agripa akamwambia Paulo, “Je, unanishawishi kwa haraka namna hii niwe Mkristo?”

29 “Short time or long,” Paul replied, “I wish to God that not only you but all who hear me this day may become what I am, except for these chains.”

29 Paulo akasema, “Ikiwa ni kwa haraka au la, namwomba Mungu, si wewe peke yako bali pia wale wote wanaonisikiliza leo, wawe kama mimi nilivyo, kasoro minyororo hii.”

30 Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.

30 Baada ya kusema hayo, mfalme akainuka pamoja na mtawala na Bernike na wale waliokuwa wameketi pamoja nao.

31 On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”

31 Walipokuwa wakiondoka, wakaambiana, “Mtu huyu hafanyi jambo lolote linalostahili kufa au kufungwa.”

32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

32 Agripa akamwambia Festo, “Mtu huyu angeachwa huru kama hangekuwa amekata rufaa kwa Kaisari.”