Paul's Speech
1 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.
Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:
Agripa akamwambia Paulo, Una ruhusa kusema maneno yako. Ndipo Paulo akanyosha mkono wake, akajitetea,
2 I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee touching all the things whereof I am accused of the Jews:
Najiona nafsi yangu kuwa na heri, Ee mfalme Agripa, kwa kuwa nitajitetea mbele yako leo, katika mambo yale yote niliyoshitakiwa na Wayahudi.
3 especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: wherefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.
Hasa kwa sababu wewe unajua sana desturi na maswali yote waliyo nayo Wayahudi; kwa sababu hiyo nakuomba unisikilize kwa uvumilivu.
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
Kwa maana Wayahudi wote wanajua maisha yangu tangu ujana, yaliyokuwa tangu mwanzo katika taifa langu huko Yerusalemu,
5 which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.
wakinijua sana tangu mwanzo, kama wakipenda kushuhudia, ya kwamba nalikuwa Farisayo kwa kuifuata madhehebu ya dini yetu iliyo sahihi kabisa.
6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
Na sasa ninasimama hapa nihukumiwe kwa ajili ya tumaini la ahadi baba zetu waliyopewa na Mungu,
7 unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope's sake, king Agrippa, I am accused of the Jews.
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.
8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?
Kwa nini limedhaniwa kwenu kuwa ni neno lisilosadikika, kwamba Mungu awafufua wafu?
9 I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Kweli, mimi mwenyewe naliona ndani ya nafsi yangu kwamba yanipasa kutenda mambo mengi yaliyopingamana na jina lake Yesu Mnazareti;
10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them .
nami nikayafanya hayo Yerusalemu; niliwafunga wengi miongoni mwa watakatifu ndani ya magereza, nikiisha kupewa amri na wakuu wa makuhani; na walipouawa nalitoa idhini yangu.
11 And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.
Na mara nyingi katika masinagogi yote naliwaadhibu, nikawashurutisha kukufuru; nikawaonea hasira kama mwenye wazimu, nikawaudhi hata katika miji ya ugenini.
12 Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
Basi katika kazi hiyo nilipokuwa nikienda Dameski, mwenye mamlaka na maagizo ya wakuu wa makuhani;
13 at midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.
Ee Mfalme, ndipo wakati wa adhuhuri njiani naliona nuru inatoka mbinguni ipitayo mwangaza wa jua, ikinimulikia mimi, na wale waliofuatana nami pande zote.
14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Tukaanguka nchi sote, nikasikia sauti ikisema nami kwa lugha ya kiebrania, Sauli! Sauli! Mbona waniudhi? Ni vigumu kwako kuupiga mateke mchokoo.
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Nami nikasema, Wewe u nani, Bwana? Bwana akaniambia, Mimi ni Yesu, ambaye wewe unaniudhi.
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
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;
17 delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
nikikuokoa na watu wako, na watu wa Mataifa, ambao nakutuma kwao;
18 to open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
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.
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
Kwa hiyo, Ee Mfalme Agripa, sikuyaasi yale maono ya mbinguni,
20 but shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judæa, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
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.
21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me .
Kwa sababu ya hayo Wayahudi wakanikamata ndani ya hekalu wakajaribu kuniua.
22 Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:
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;
23 that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
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.
24 And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.
Alipokuwa akijitetea hivi, Festo akasema kwa sauti kuu, Paulo, una wazimu, kusoma kwako kwingi kumekugeuza akili.
25 But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.
Lakini Paulo akasema, Sina wazimu, Ee Festo mtukufu, bali nanena maneno ya kweli na ya akili kamili.
26 For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.
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.
27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.
Mfalme Agripa, je! Wawaamini manabii? Najua ya kuwa wawaamini.
28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.
Agripa akamwambia Paulo, Kwa maneno machache wadhani kunifanya mimi kuwa Mkristo.
29 And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.
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.
30 And when he had thus spoken, the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:
Mfalme na liwali na Bernike na wale walioketi pamoja nao wakasimama;
31 and when they were gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.
hata walipoondoka wakasemezana, wakisema, Mtu huyu hatendi neno linalostahili kifo wala kufungwa.
32 Then said Agrippa unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Cæsar.
Agripa akamwambia Festo, Mtu huyo angeweza kufunguliwa, kama asingalitaka rufani kwa Kaisari.
