1
Agripa akamwambia Paulo, Una ruhusa kusema maneno yako. Ndipo Paulo akanyosha mkono wake, akajitetea,
Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and began his defense:
2
Najiona nafsi yangu kuwa na heri, Ee mfalme Agripa, kwa kuwa nitajitetea mbele yako leo, katika mambo yale yote niliyoshitakiwa na Wayahudi.
“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today to defend myself against all the accusations of the Jews,
3
Hasa kwa sababu wewe unajua sana desturi na maswali yote waliyo nayo Wayahudi; kwa sababu hiyo nakuomba unisikilize kwa uvumilivu.
especially since you are acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. I beg you, therefore, to listen to me patiently.
4
Kwa maana Wayahudi wote wanajua maisha yangu tangu ujana, yaliyokuwa tangu mwanzo katika taifa langu huko Yerusalemu,
Surely all the Jews know how I have lived from my earliest childhood among my own people, and also in Jerusalem.
5
wakinijua sana tangu mwanzo, kama wakipenda kushuhudia, ya kwamba nalikuwa Farisayo kwa kuifuata madhehebu ya dini yetu iliyo sahihi kabisa.
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.
6
Na sasa ninasimama hapa nihukumiwe kwa ajili ya tumaini la ahadi baba zetu waliyopewa na Mungu,
And now I stand on trial because of my hope in the promise that God made to our fathers,
7
ambayo kabila zetu kumi na mbili wanataraji kuifikia, wakimwabudu Mungu kwa bidii mchana na usiku. Nami ninashitakiwa na Wayahudi kwa ajili ya tumaini hilo, Ee Mfalme.
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.
8
Kwa nini limedhaniwa kwenu kuwa ni neno lisilosadikika, kwamba Mungu awafufua wafu?
Why would any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
9
Kweli, mimi mwenyewe naliona ndani ya nafsi yangu kwamba yanipasa kutenda mambo mengi yaliyopingamana na jina lake Yesu Mnazareti;
So then, I too was convinced that I ought to do all I could to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10
nami nikayafanya hayo Yerusalemu; niliwafunga wengi miongoni mwa watakatifu ndani ya magereza, nikiisha kupewa amri na wakuu wa makuhani; na walipouawa nalitoa idhini yangu.
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.
11
Na mara nyingi katika masinagogi yote naliwaadhibu, nikawashurutisha kukufuru; nikawaonea hasira kama mwenye wazimu, nikawaudhi hata katika miji ya ugenini.
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.
12
Basi katika kazi hiyo nilipokuwa nikienda Dameski, mwenye mamlaka na maagizo ya wakuu wa makuhani;
In this pursuit I was on my way to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.
13
Ee Mfalme, ndipo wakati wa adhuhuri njiani naliona nuru inatoka mbinguni ipitayo mwangaza wa jua, ikinimulikia mimi, na wale waliofuatana nami pande zote.
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.
14
Tukaanguka nchi sote, nikasikia sauti ikisema nami kwa lugha ya kiebrania, Sauli! Sauli! Mbona waniudhi? Ni vigumu kwako kuupiga mateke mchokoo.
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.’
15
Nami nikasema, Wewe u nani, Bwana? Bwana akaniambia, Mimi ni Yesu, ambaye wewe unaniudhi.
‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.
16
Lakini inuka, usimame kwa miguu yako, maana nimekutokea kwa sababu hii, nikuweke wewe uwe mtumishi na shahidi wa mambo haya uliyoyaona, na wa mambo ambayo katika hayo nitajidhihirisha kwako;
‘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.
17
nikikuokoa na watu wako, na watu wa Mataifa, ambao nakutuma kwao;
I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them
18
uwafumbue macho yao, na kuwageuza waiache giza na kuielekea nuru, waziache na nguvu za Shetani na kumwelekea Mungu; kisha wapate msamaha wa dhambi zao, na urithi miongoni mwao waliotakaswa kwa imani iliyo kwangu mimi.
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.’
19
Kwa hiyo, Ee Mfalme Agripa, sikuyaasi yale maono ya mbinguni,
So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.
20
bali kwanza niliwahubiri wale wa Dameski na Yerusalemu, na katika nchi yote ya Uyahudi, na watu wa Mataifa, kwamba watubu na kumwelekea Mungu, wakiyatenda matendo yanayopatana na kutubu kwao.
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.
21
Kwa sababu ya hayo Wayahudi wakanikamata ndani ya hekalu wakajaribu kuniua.
For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts and tried to kill me.
22
Basi kwa kuwa nimeupata msaada utokao kwa Mungu nimesimama hata leo hivi nikiwashuhudia wadogo kwa wakubwa, wala sisemi neno ila yale ambayo manabii na Musa waliyasema, kwamba yatakuwa;
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:
23
ya kwamba Kristo hana budi kuteswa na ya kwamba yeye kwanza kwa kufufuliwa katika wafu atatangaza habari za nuru kwa watu wake na kwa watu wa Mataifa.
that the Christ would suffer, and as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
24
Alipokuwa akijitetea hivi, Festo akasema kwa sauti kuu, Paulo, una wazimu, kusoma kwako kwingi kumekugeuza akili.
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!”
25
Lakini Paulo akasema, Sina wazimu, Ee Festo mtukufu, bali nanena maneno ya kweli na ya akili kamili.
But Paul answered, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus; I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.
26
Kwa maana mfalme anajua habari za mambo haya, nami naweza kusema naye kwa ujasiri, kwa sababu najua sana ya kuwa hapana neno moja katika hayo asilolijua; kwa maana jambo hilo halikutendeka pembeni.
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.
27
Mfalme Agripa, je! Wawaamini manabii? Najua ya kuwa wawaamini.
King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28
Agripa akamwambia Paulo, Kwa maneno machache wadhani kunifanya mimi kuwa Mkristo.
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Can you persuade me in such a short time to become a Christian?”
29
Paulo akamjibu, Namwomba Mungu kwamba, ikiwa kwa machache au ikiwa kwa mengi, si wewe tu ila na hao wote wanaonisikia leo wawe kama mimi, isipokuwa vifungo hivi.
“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.”
30
Mfalme na liwali na Bernike na wale walioketi pamoja nao wakasimama;
Then the king and the governor rose, along with Bernice and those seated with them.
31
hata walipoondoka wakasemezana, wakisema, Mtu huyu hatendi neno linalostahili kifo wala kufungwa.
On their way out, they said to one another, “This man has done nothing worthy of death or imprisonment.”
32
Agripa akamwambia Festo, Mtu huyo angeweza kufunguliwa, kama asingalitaka rufani kwa Kaisari.
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”