Imisebenzi 26
1 U-Agripha wasesithi kuPhawuli, “Ulemvumo yokuzikhulumela.” Ngakho uPhawuli wasephakamisa isandla sakhe waqalisa ukuzivikela, wathi,
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Yoʋ have permission to speak for yoʋrself.” So Paul stretched out his hand and began to make his defense:
2 “Nkosi Agripha, ngizibona ngilenhlanhla ukuma phambi kwakho lamuhla ngisethula ukuzivikela kwami kuwo wonke amacala engiwetheswa ngamaJuda,
“I consider myself fortunate that it is before yoʋ, King Agrippa, that I am about to make my defense today concerning all the things of which I am being accused by the Jews,
3 ikakhulu njengoba wena uwazi amasiko amaJuda kanye lokuphikisana kwawo. Ngakho ngiyakucela ukuthi ungilalele ngokubekezela.
especially since yoʋ are acquainted with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore I beg yoʋ to listen to me patiently.
4 AmaJuda wonke ayayazi impilo engiyiphilileyo kusukela ebuntwaneni bami, ekuqaleni kokuphila kwami elizweni lakithi njalo laseJerusalema.
“All the Jews know about my manner of life from my youth up, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem.
5 Sebengazi okwesikhathi eside njalo bangafakaza nxa bethanda, ukuthi ngenhlelo zenkolo yethu eqinileyo, ngangiphila ngingumFarisi.
They have known about me for a long time, if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived as a Pharisee.
6 Manje sekungenxa yethemba lami kulokho uNkulunkulu akuthembisa okhokho bethu okwenza ngithonisiswe lamuhla.
And now I am standing trial because of my hope in the promise God made to our fathers,
7 Lesi yiso isithembiso esilindelwe yizizwana zakithi ezilitshumi lambili ukuthi zizasibona sigcwaliseka zilokhu zimkhonza uNkulunkulu ngokutshiseka emini lebusuku. Mhlekazi, kungenxa yalo lelithemba engimangalelwa lona ngamaJuda.
a promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve him night and day. Regarding this hope, King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews.
8 Kungenzakala kanjani ukuthi phakathi kwenu kube yinto engakholekiyo ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyabavusa abafileyo na?
Why is it deemed unbelievable by you that God raises the dead?
9 Lami ngokwami ngangizimisele ukuthi ngenze yonke imizamo yokuphikisana lebizo likaJesu waseNazaretha.
“Indeed, I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 Lakanye yikho lokho engakwenzayo eJerusalema. Ngaphiwa amandla ngabaphristi abakhulu ngaphosela abanengi abangcwele entolongweni, kwathi ekubulaweni kwabo lami ngasekela ukubalahla.
And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. I locked up many of the saints in prison by the authority I received from the chief priests, and when they were being put to death, I cast my vote against them.
11 Izikhathi ezinengi ngangihamba nginquma lamasinagogu ngisithi kabajeziswe, ngazama njalo ukubabamba ngamandla ukuthi bahlambaze uJesu. Ngathi ngihlanyiswa yikubazonda ngaya lakwamanye amadolobho asezizweni ukuyabahlukuluza khona.
I also punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to force them to blaspheme. And being furiously enraged against them, I pursued them even to foreign cities.
12 Kolunye uhambo lwami ngalubangisa eDamaseko ngilamandla lomlayo engawuphiwa ngabaphristi abakhulu.
“While engaged in such things, I was on my way to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,
13 Kwathi sekungaba yimini enkulu ngisendleleni Mhlekazi Agripha, ngabona ukukhanya kuvela ezulwini, kukhazimula ukwedlula ilanga, kungizingelezele kanye labakhula bami.
when at midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who were traveling with me.
14 Sonke sawela phansi, ngezwa ilizwi lisithi kimi, ngesiHebheru, ‘Sawuli, Sawuli ungihlukuluzelani na? Kubuhlungu kuwe ukukhahlela izinciji.’
When we had all fallen down to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are yoʋ persecuting me? It is hard for yoʋ to kick against the goads.’
15 Ngasengibuza ngathi, ‘Ungubani, Nkosi?’ INkosi yaphendula yathi, ‘NginguJesu omhlukuluzayo.
I said, ‘Who are yoʋ, Lord?’ He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom yoʋ are persecuting.
16 Phakama khathesi ume ngezinyawo zakho. Ngizibonise kuwe ukuthi ngikukhethe ukuba yinceku njalo ube ngufakazi walokho osukubonile ngami, lalokho engisazakutshengisa khona.
But rise and stand on yoʋr feet, for I have appeared to yoʋ for this purpose, to appoint yoʋ as a servant and witness to the things yoʋ have seen and to the things in which I will appear to yoʋ.
17 Ngizakuphephisa ebantwini bakini lakwabeZizwe. Ngikuthuma
I will rescue yoʋ from yoʋr own people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending yoʋ
18 ukuthi uvule amehlo abo, ubaphendule basuke ebumnyameni baye ekukhanyeni, njalo basuke emandleni kaSathane baye kuNkulunkulu ukuze bemukele ukuthethelelwa kwezono lendawo phakathi kwalabo abangcweliswe ngokukholwa kimi.’
to open their eyes so that they may turn away from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and an allotment among those who have been sanctified by faith in me.’
19 Ngakho-ke, Nkosi Agripha, kangiqholozelanga umbono ovela ezulwini.
“Consequently, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision,
20 Ngaqala ngaba seDamaseko, kwalandela abaseJerusalema laseJudiya lonke, kwalandela labeZizwe labo, ngatshumayela ukuthi kumele baphenduke babuyele kuNkulunkulu njalo babonise ukuphenduka kwabo ngezenzo zabo.
but first to those in Damascus and then to those in Jerusalem, to all the region of Judea and to the Gentiles, I proclaimed that they should repent and turn to God, doing works consistent with repentance.
21 Kungaleso isizatho okwenza amaJuda angibamba ngisemagumeni ethempeli azama ukungibulala.
That is why the Jews seized me in the temple courts and were trying to kill me.
22 Kodwa uNkulunkulu ungiphephisile kuze kube namuhla, yikho ngimi lapha ngifakaza kwabancinyane labakhulu ngokufananayo. Kakulalutho engilutshoyo ngaphezu kwalokho abaphrofethi loMosi abathi kuzakwenzakala,
But having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses said would take place:
23 ukuthi uKhristu wayezahlupheka, njalo njengowokuqala ukuvuka kwabafileyo, atshumayele ukukhanya ebantwini bakibo lakwabeZizwe.”
that the Christ would suffer and that, as the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light to our people and to the Gentiles.”
24 Khonapho uFestasi wasemphazamisa esazivikela wathi, “Phawuli, usangene ingqondo! Ukufunda kwakho okukhulu sekukuphambanise ingqondo.”
As Paul was saying these things in his own defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Yoʋ are out of yoʋr mind, Paul. Too much learning is driving yoʋ insane!”
25 Waphendula uPhawuli wathi, “Kangihlanyi, Mhlekazi omkhulu Festasi. Engikutshoyo kuliqiniso njalo kulengqondo.
But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking words of truth and good sense.
26 Inkosi izijayele lezizinto yikho ngikhuluma kuyo ngikhululekile. Ngiyakholwa ukuthi kakukho lokukodwa kukho okuyeqileyo inkosi, ngoba kakwenziwanga ejikweni ngokucatshelana.
For the king knows about these things, to whom I am speaking boldly. I am convinced that none of these things has escaped his notice at all, for this has not been done in a corner.
27 Nkosi Agripha, uyabakholwa na abaphrofethi? Ngiyazi ukuthi uyabakholwa.”
Do yoʋ believe the Prophets, King Agrippa? I know that yoʋ believe.”
28 U-Agripha wasesithi kuPhawuli, “Kambe ucabanga ukuthi ngesikhatshana esifitshane kangaka ungangiphendula ngibe ngumKhristu?”
Agrippa said to Paul, “Do yoʋ think yoʋ can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”
29 UPhawuli waphendula wathi, “Singaba sisifitshane loba sibeside, ngiyakhuleka kuNkulunkulu ukuthi kakungabi nguwe kuphela kodwa bonke abangizwayo lamuhla bangaba yilokho engiyikho khona, ngaphandle kwala amaketane.”
Paul said, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that not only yoʋ but also all who are listening to me today would become as I am, except for these chains.”
30 Inkosi yaphakama kanye lombusi loBhenikhe lalabo ababehlezi labo.
After Paul said these things, the king stood up, along with the governor, Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.
31 Baphuma endlini, bathi sebekhuluma bodwa, bathi, “Indoda le kakulalutho elwenzayo olufanele ukufa loba ukuvalelwa entolongweni.”
After leaving the room, they began saying to one another, “This man is doing nothing that deserves death or imprisonment.”
32 U-Agripha wathi kuFestasi, “Indoda le ibizakhululwa kube ibingedluliselanga icala layo kuKhesari.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
