1
Wakiisha kupita kati ya Amfipoli na Apolonia wakafika Thesalonike, ambapo palikuwa na sinagogi la Wayahudi.
When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2
Na Paulo, kama ilivyokuwa desturi yake, akaingia mle walimo, akahojiana nao kwa maneno ya maandiko sabato tatu,
As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,
3
akiyafunua na kuwaeleza ya kwamba ilimpasa Kristo kuteswa, na kufufuka katika wafu; na ya kwamba, Yesu huyu ninayewapasha ninyi habari zake ndiye Kristo.
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.
4
Wengine miongoni mwao wakaamini, wakashikamana na Paulo na Sila; na Wayunani waliomcha Mungu, wengi sana, na wanawake wenye cheo si wachache.
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.
5
Na Wayahudi wakaona wivu, wakajitwalia watu kadha wa kadha katika watu ovyo wasio na sifa njema, nao wakakutanisha mkutano, wakafanya ghasia mjini, wakawaendea watu wa nyumba ya Yasoni, wakataka kuwapeleka mbele ya watu wa mji;
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.
6
na walipowakosa, wakamkokota Yasoni na baadhi ya ndugu mbele ya wakubwa wa mji, wakipiga kelele, wakisema, Watu hawa walioupindua ulimwengu wamefika huku nako,
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,
7
na Yasoni amewakaribisha; na hawa wote wanatenda mambo yaliyo kinyume cha amri za Kaisari, wakisema na kwamba yupo mfalme mwingine, aitwaye Yesu.
and Jason has welcomed them into his home. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, named Jesus!”
8
Wakafadhaisha ule mkutano na wakubwa wa mji walipoyasikia hayo.
On hearing this, the crowd and city officials were greatly disturbed.
9
Nao walipokwisha kumtoza dhamana Yasoni na wenziwe wakawaacha waende zao.
And they collected bond from Jason and the others and then released them.
10
Mara hao ndugu wakawapeleka Paulo na Sila usiku hata Beroya. Nao walipofika huko wakaingia katika sinagogi la Wayahudi.
As soon as night had fallen, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went into the Jewish synagogue.
11
Watu hawa walikuwa waungwana kuliko wale wa Thesalonike, kwa kuwa walilipokea lile neno kwa uelekevu wa moyo, wakayachunguza maandiko kila siku, waone kwamba mambo hayo ndivyo yalivyo.
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.
12
Basi watu wengi miongoni mwao wakaamini, na wanawake wa Kiyunani wenye cheo, na wanaume si wachache.
As a result, many of them believed, along with quite a few prominent Greek women and men.
13
Lakini Wayahudi wa Thesalonike walipopata habari ya kwamba neno la Mungu linahubiriwa na Paulo hata katika Beroya, wakaenda huko nako wakawachafua na kuwafadhaisha makutano.
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.
14
Mara hiyo wale ndugu wakampeleka Paulo aende zake mpaka pwani; bali Sila na Timotheo wakasalia huko.
The brothers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy remained in Berea.
15
Lakini wale waliomsindikiza Paulo wakampeleka mpaka Athene; nao wakiisha kupokea maagizo kuwapelekea Sila na Timotheo, ya kwamba wasikawie kumfuata, wakaenda zao.
Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then returned with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.
16
Paulo alipokuwa akiwangojea huko Athene na kuona jinsi mji ule ulivyojaa sanamu, roho yake ilichukizwa sana ndani yake.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply disturbed in his spirit to see that the city was full of idols.
17
Basi katika sinagogi akahojiana na Wayahudi na waliomcha Mungu, na wale waliokutana naye sokoni kila siku.
So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles, and in the marketplace with those he met each day.
18
Na baadhi ya Waepikureo na Wastoiko, wenye ujuzi, wakakutana naye. Wengine wakasema, Mpuzi huyu anataka kusema nini? Wengine walisema, Anaonekana kuwa mtangaza habari za miungu migeni, kwa maana alikuwa akihubiri habari za Yesu na ufufuo.
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.
19
Wakamshika, wakamchukua Areopago, wakisema, Je! Twaweza kujua maana ya elimu hii mpya unayoinena?
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?
20
Kwa maana unaleta mambo mageni masikioni mwetu, tutapenda kujua, basi, maana ya mambo haya.
For you are bringing some strange notions to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”
21
Kwa maana Waathene na wageni waliokaa huko walikuwa hawana nafasi kwa neno lo lote ila kutoa habari na kusikiliza habari za jambo jipya.
Now all the Athenians and foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing more than hearing and articulating new ideas.
22
Paulo akasimama katikati ya Areopago, akasema, Enyi watu wa Athene, katika mambo yote naona ya kuwa ninyi ni watu wa kutafakari sana mambo ya dini.
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.
23
Kwa sababu nilipokuwa nikipita huko na huko na kuyaona mambo ya ibada yenu, naliona madhabahu iliyoandikwa maneno haya, KWA MUNGU ASIYEJULIKANA. Basi mimi nawahubirini habari zake yeye ambaye ninyi mnamwabudu bila kumjua.
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.
24
Mungu aliyeufanya ulimwengu na vitu vyote vilivyomo, yeye, kwa kuwa ni Bwana wa mbingu na nchi, hakai katika hekalu zilizojengwa kwa mikono;
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.
25
wala hatumikiwi kwa mikono ya wanadamu kana kwamba anahitaji kitu cho chote; kwa maana ndiye anayewapa wote uzima na pumzi na vitu vyote.
Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
26
Naye alifanya kila taifa la wanadamu kutoka katika mmoja, wakae juu ya uso wa nchi yote, akiisha kuwawekea nyakati alizoziamuru tangu zamani, na mipaka ya makazi yao;
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.
27
ili wamtafute Mungu, ingawa ni kwa kupapasa-papasa, wakamwone, ijapokuwa hawi mbali na kila mmoja wetu.
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.
28
Kwa maana ndani yake yeye tunaishi, tunakwenda, na kuwa na uhai wetu. Kama vile mmoja wenu, mtunga mashairi alivyosema, Maana sisi sote tu wazao wake.
‘For in Him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are His offspring.’
29
Basi, kwa kuwa sisi tu wazao wa Mungu, haitupasi kudhani ya kuwa Uungu ni mfano wa dhahabu au fedha au jiwe, vitu vilivyochongwa kwa ustadi na akili za wanadamu.
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.
30
Basi, zamani zile za ujinga Mungu alijifanya kama hazioni; bali sasa anawaagiza watu wote wa kila mahali watubu.
Although God overlooked the ignorance of earlier times, He now commands all people everywhere to repent.
31
Kwa maana ameweka siku atakayowahukumu walimwengu kwa haki, kwa mtu yule aliyemchagua; naye amewapa watu wote uthabiti wa mambo haya kwa kumfufua katika wafu.
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.”
32
Basi waliposikia habari za ufufuo wa wafu wengine walifanya dhihaka; wengine wakasema, Tutakusikiliza tena katika habari hiyo.
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.”
33
Basi hivi Paulo akaondoka akawaacha.
At that, Paul left the Areopagus.
34
Baadhi ya watu wakashikamana naye, wakaamini; katika hao alikuwamo Dionisio, Mwareopago, na mwanamke mmoja jina lake Damari, na watu wengine pamoja na hao.
But some joined him and believed, including Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others who were with them.