1
Ikawa, Apolo alipokuwa Korintho, Paulo, akiisha kupita kati ya nchi za juu, akafika Efeso; akakutana na wanafunzi kadha wa kadha huko;
While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the interior and came to Ephesus. There he found some disciples
2
akawauliza, Je! Mlipokea Roho Mtakatifu mlipoamini? Wakamjibu, La, hata kusikia kwamba kuna Roho Mtakatifu hatukusikia.
and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” “No,” they answered, “we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
3
Akawauliza, Basi mlibatizwa kwa ubatizo gani? Wakasema, Kwa ubatizo wa Yohana.
“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.
4
Paulo akasema, Yohana alibatiza kwa ubatizo wa toba, akiwaambia watu wamwamini yeye atakayekuja nyuma yake, yaani, Yesu.
Paul explained: “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the One coming after him, that is, in Jesus.”
5
Waliposikia haya wakabatizwa kwa jina la Bwana Yesu.
On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.
6
Na Paulo, alipokwisha kuweka mikono yake juu yao, Roho Mtakatifu akaja juu yao; wakaanza kunena kwa lugha, na kutabiri.
And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
7
Na jumla yao walipata wanaume kumi na wawili.
There were about twelve men in all.
8
Akaingia ndani ya sinagogi, akanena kwa ushujaa kwa muda wa miezi mitatu, akihojiana na watu, na kuwavuta katika mambo ya ufalme wa Mungu.
Then Paul went into the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God.
9
Lakini wengine walikaidi, wakakataa kuamini, wakiitukana ile Njia mbele ya mkutano; basi, akaondoka akawaacha, akawatenga wanafunzi, akahojiana na watu kila siku katika darasa ya mtu mmoja, jina lake Tirano.
But when some of them stubbornly refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way, Paul took his disciples and left the synagogue to conduct daily discussions in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
10
Mambo haya yakaendelea kwa muda wa miaka miwili, hata wote waliokaa Asia wakalisikia neno la Bwana, Wayahudi kwa Wayunani.
This continued for two years, so that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, Jews and Greeks alike, heard the word of the Lord.
11
Mungu akafanya kwa mikono ya Paulo miujiza ya kupita kawaida;
God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul,
12
hata wagonjwa wakaletewa leso na nguo zilizotoka mwilini mwake, magonjwa yao yakawaondokea, pepo wachafu wakawatoka.
so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them.
13
Baadhi ya Wayahudi wenye kutanga-tanga, nao ni wapunga pepo, wakajaribu kutaja jina la Bwana Yesu juu yao waliopagawa na pepo wachafu, wakisema, Nawaapisha kwa Yesu, yule anayehubiriwa na Paulo.
Now there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits. They would say, “I command you by Jesus, whom Paul proclaims.”
14
Walikuwako wana saba wa mtu mmoja Skewa, Myahudi, kuhani mkuu, waliofanya hivyo.
Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this.
15
Yule pepo mchafu akawajibu, akawaambia, Yesu namjua na Paulo namfahamu, lakini ninyi ni nani?
But one day the evil spirit responded, “Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?”
16
Na yule mtu aliyepagawa na pepo mchafu akawarukia wawili, akawaweza, akawashinda, hata wakatoka mbio katika nyumba ile hali wa uchi na kujeruhiwa.
Then the man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. The attack was so violent that they ran out of the house naked and wounded.
17
Habari hii ikajulikana na Wayahudi wote na Wayunani waliokaa Efeso, hofu ikawaingia wote, na jina la Bwana Yesu likatukuzwa.
This became known to all the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, and fear came over all of them. So the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor.
18
Na wengi wa wale walioamini wakaja wakaungama, wakidhihirisha matendo yao.
Many who had believed now came forward, confessing and disclosing their deeds.
19
Na watu wengi katika wale waliotumia mambo ya uganga wakakusanya vitabu vyao, wakavichoma moto mbele ya watu wote; wakafanya hesabu ya thamani yake, wakaona ya kwamba yapata fedha hamsini elfu.
And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books and burned them in front of everyone. When the value of the books was calculated, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.
20
Hivyo ndivyo neno la Bwana lilivyozidi na kushinda kwa nguvu.
So the word of the Lord powerfully continued to spread and prevail.
21
Mambo hayo yalipokwisha kumalizika, Paulo akaazimu rohoni mwake, akiisha kupita katika Makedonia na Akaya, aende Yerusalemu, akisema, Baada ya kuwako huko, yanipasa kuuona na Rumi pia.
After these things had happened, Paul resolved in the Spirit to go to Jerusalem, passing through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I have been there,” he said, “I must see Rome as well.”
22
Akatuma watu wawili miongoni mwa wale waliomtumikia kwenda Makedonia, nao ni Timotheo na Erasto, yeye mwenyewe akakaa katika Asia kitambo.
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed for a time in the province of Asia.
23
Wakati huo kukatukia ghasia si haba katika habari ya Njia ile.
About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way.
24
Kwa maana mtu mmoja, jina lake Demetrio, mfua fedha, aliyekuwa akifanya vihekalu vya fedha vya Artemi, alikuwa akiwapatia mafundi faida nyingi.
It began with a silversmith named Demetrius who made silver shrines of Artemis, bringing much business to the craftsmen.
25
Akawakusanya hao, pamoja na wengine wenye kazi ile ile, akasema, Enyi wanaume, mnajua ya kuwa utajiri wetu hutoka katika kazi hii.
Demetrius assembled the craftsmen, along with the workmen in related trades. “Men,” he said, “you know that this business is our source of prosperity.
26
Tena mnaona na kusikia ya kwamba si katika Efeso tu, bali katika Asia yote pia Paulo huyo ameshawishi watu wengi na kuwageuza nia zao, akisema ya kwamba hiyo inayofanywa kwa mikono siyo miungu.
And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.
27
Si kwamba kazi hii yetu ina hatari ya kudharauliwa tu; bali na hekalu la mungu mke aliye mkuu, Artemi, kuhesabiwa si kitu, na kuondolewa utukufu wake, ambaye Asia yote pia na walimwengu wote humwabudu.
There is danger not only that our business will fall into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited and her majesty deposed—she who is worshiped by all the province of Asia and the whole world.”
28
Waliposikia haya wakajaa ghadhabu, wakapiga kelele, wakisema, Artemi wa Waefeso ni mkuu.
When the men heard this, they were enraged and began shouting, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29
Mji wote ukajaa ghasia, wakaenda mbio wakaingia mahali pa michezo kwa nia moja, wakiisha kuwakamata Gayo na Aristarko, watu wa Makedonia waliosafiri pamoja na Paulo.
Soon the whole city was in disarray. They rushed together into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia.
30
Na Paulo alipotaka kuingia kati ya watu, wanafunzi hawakumwacha aingie.
Paul wanted to go before the assembly, but the disciples would not allow him.
31
Na baadhi ya wakuu wa Asia, walio rafiki zake, wakatuma watu kwake, wakimsihi asijihudhurishe nafsi yake ndani ya mahali pa michezo.
Even some of Paul’s friends who were officials of the province of Asia sent word to him, begging him not to venture into the theatre.
32
Basi wengine walikuwa wakilia hivi na wengine hivi; kwa maana ule mkutano ulikuwa umechafuka-chafuka, na wengi wao hawakuijua sababu ya kukusanyika kwao pamoja.
Meanwhile the assembly was in turmoil. Some were shouting one thing and some another, and most of them did not even know why they were there.
33
Wakamtoa Iskanda katika mkutano, Wayahudi wakimweka mbele ya watu. Iskanda akawapungia mkono, akitaka kujitetea mbele ya wale watu.
The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander forward to explain himself, and he motioned for silence so he could make his defense to the people.
34
Lakini walipotambua ya kuwa yeye ni Myahudi, wakapiga kelele wote pia kwa sauti moja kwa muda wa kama saa mbili, wakisema, Artemi wa Waefeso ni mkuu.
But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35
Na karani wa mji alipokwisha kuwatuliza watu, akasema, Enyi wanaume wa Efeso, ni mtu gani asiyejua ya kuwa mji wa Efeso ni mtunzaji wa hekalu la Artemi, aliye mkuu, na wa kitu kile kilichoanguka kutoka mbinguni?
Finally the city clerk quieted the crowd and declared, “Men of Ephesus, doesn’t everyone know that the city of Ephesus is guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven?
36
Basi kwa kuwa mambo haya hayawezi kukanushwa, imewapasa kutulia; msifanye neno la haraka haraka.
Since these things are undeniable, you ought to be calm and not do anything rash.
37
Kwa maana mmewaleta watu hawa, wasioiba vitu vya hekalu wala kumtukana mungu mke wetu.
For you have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed our temple nor blasphemed our goddess.
38
Basi ikiwa Demetrio na mafundi walio pamoja naye wana neno juu ya mtu, baraza ziko, na maliwali wako; na washitakiane.
So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and proconsuls are available. Let them bring charges against one another there.
39
Bali mkitafuta neno lo lote katika mambo mengine, yatatengenezwa katika kusanyiko lililo halali.
But if you are seeking anything beyond this, it must be settled in a legal assembly.
40
Kwa maana tuna hatari ya kushitakiwa kwa ajili ya matata haya ya leo, ambayo hayana sababu; na katika neno hilo, hatutaweza kujiudhuru kwa mkutano huu.
For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, and we have no justification to account for this commotion.”
41
Alipokwisha kusema haya akauvunja mkutano.
After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.