Acts 24
1 And, after five days, came down the High-priest Ananias, with certain Elders and a certain orator Tertullus, and they informed the governor against Paul.
Ngemva kwensuku ezinhlanu umphristi omkhulu u-Ananiya wehlela eKhesariya labadala abathile kanye lomeli owayethiwa nguThethula, bafika beneka ukumangalela kwabo uPhawuli kumbusi.
2 And, when he was called, Tertullus began to make accusation, saying—Seeing that, great peace, we are obtaining through thee, and that, reforms, are being brought about for this nation through thy forethought,
UPhawuli esebiziwe, uThethula walethula icala kuFelikhe wathi: “Mhlekazi! Ngaphansi kombuso wakho sesikholise isikhathi sokuthula eside, ikanti lombono wakho usulethe intuthuko kulesisizwe.
3 both in all ways and in all places, are we accepting it, most excellent Felix, with all thankfulness.
Yonke indawo, ngazozonke izindlela, mhlekazi omuhle Felikhe, siyakwamukela konke lokhu ngokubonga okukhulu.
4 But, lest I too long detain thee, I beseech thee to hear us concisely in thy considerateness.
Kodwa ukuthi ngingakuchitheli isikhathi, ngiyakucela ukuthi uke usizwe kancinyane esikutshoyo.
5 For, finding this man a pest, and moving sedition with all the Jews that are throughout the inhabited earth, a leader also of the sect of the Nazarenes, —
Indoda le siyifumane ukuthi iluhlupho, ivusa isiphithiphithi phakathi kwamaJuda kuwo wonke umhlaba. Ingumholi wequla lamaNazarini
6 who also attempted to desecrate even, the temple, whom we also seized,
futhi yazama njalo ukungcolisa ithempeli; yikho sayibamba. Sasifuna ukumahlulela ngokomlayo wethu. [
Kodwa umlawuli uLisiya weza wazamthatha ngodlakela ezandleni zethu, wathi obamangalelayo kabeze phambi kwakhe].
8 from whom thou shall be able, thyself, by making examination concerning all these things, to ascertain the things of which, we, are accusing him.
Ngokumhlola wena ngokwakho uzalibona iqiniso ngazozonke lezizinto esimangalela ngazo.”
9 Moreover, the Jews also were joining in the attack, saying that, these things, were, so.
AmaJuda lawo ayingenela indaba eqinisa ukuthi lezizinto zaziliqiniso.
10 And Paul answered, when the governor had motioned him to be speaking, —Well knowing thee to have been, for many years, judge unto his nation, cheerfully, as to the things concerning myself, do I make defence;
Kwathi umbusi esemphile ithuba lokuthi akhulume uPhawuli waphendula wathi: “Ngiyazi ukuthi usube ngumahluli walesisizwe okweminyaka eminengi; ngakho ngizivikela ngesibindi langentokozo.
11 seeing thou art able to ascertain, that there are, not more, than twelve days, since I went up to worship in Jerusalem, —
Ungalithola iqiniso lokuthi kakudluli insuku ezilitshumi lambili ngiyile eJerusalema ukuyakhonza.
12 and neither, in the temple, found they me, with any one, disputing, or causing, a halt, of the multitude, either in the synagogues or throughout the city, —
Abangimangalelayo kabazange bangifumane ngiphikisana lomuntu ethempelini, loba ngitshotshozela amaxuku emasinagogweni kumbe ngaphi edolobheni.
13 neither can they make good the things concerning which they are, now, accusing me.
Bangezake balethe ubufakazi kuwe balezizinto abangimangalela ngazo.
14 But I confess, this, unto thee, —That, according to the Way which they call a Sect, so, I am rendering divine service unto my father’s God, believing in all the things which, throughout the law, and those which, in the prophets, are written:
Kodwa ngiyavuma ukuthi ngikhonza uNkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu, njengomlandeli weNdlela abayibiza ngokuthi ngumvukela. Ngiyakukholwa konke okuvumelana loMlayo lokubhaliweyo kubaphrofethi,
15 Having, hope, towards God, which, even these themselves, do entertain—that, a resurrection, there shall certainly be, both of righteous and of unrighteous:
njalo ngilethemba elifana lelamadoda la kuNkulunkulu, ukuthi kuzakuba lokuvuka kwabafileyo, abalungileyo lababi.
16 herein, even I, myself, am studying to have, an unoffending conscience, towards God and men, continually.
Ngakho ngiyazama kokuphela ukuba isazela sami sihlale sihlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu laphambi kwabantu.
17 Now, after many years, intending to do, alms, unto my nation, I arrived, —also [to present] offerings; among which they found me, purified in the temple, not with a multitude, nor with tumult;
Ngemva kweminyaka eminengi ngingekho, ngeza eJerusalema ukuletha izipho zabaswelayo ebantwini bakithi lokwethula iminikelo.
18 but certain Jews from Asia [caused it], —
Ngangihlanzekile ngokomkhuba baze bangifumane ethempelini ngisenza lokhu. Kwakungelaxuku labantu elalilami, kumbe ukuthi ngangiphazamisa ngokuthile.
19 who ought, before thee, to have presented themselves, and to have been laying accusation, if, anything, they might have had against me: —
Kodwa kukhona amaJuda athile avela esifundeni sase-Ezhiya, okufanele ukuthi ngabe akhona lapha phambi kwakho, angethese icala nxa kukhona akusolayo ngami.
20 Or, let, these themselves, say what wrong they found, when I stood before the High-council, —
Kumbe wonala akhona kawachaze ukuthi licala bani alifumanayo kimi mhlazana ngimi eSanihedrini,
21 unless concerning this one voice, wherewith I cried aloud among them, as I stood—Concerning the raising of the dead, am, I, to be judged, this day, by you.
ngaphandle kwalokhu kodwa engakumemezayo ngimi phambi kwawo ukuthi: ‘Kungenxa yokuvuka kwabafileyo okwenza ngithonisiswe phambi kwenu lamuhla.’”
22 And Felix deferred them, having more exact knowledge concerning the Way, —saying—As soon as, Lysias the captain, hath come down, I will give judgment as to your affairs, —
Ngakho uFelikhe, owayesazi kakhulu ngeNdlela walimisa icala. Wathi, “Kuzakuthi nxa uLisiya umlawuli angafika ngizaliquma icala lenu.”
23 giving orders unto the centurion, that he should be kept, and have a measure of liberty, and to be hindering, none, of his own from waiting upon him.
Walaya umphathi wekhulu ukuthi agcine uPhawuli elindiwe kodwa amvumele ukukhululeka okuthile kanye labangane bakhe ukuthi bamuphe lokho akuswelayo.
24 And, after certain days, Felix having arrived, with Drusilla his own wife, who was, a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith, respecting Christ Jesus.
Ngemva kwensuku ezinengi uFelikhe wafika lomkakhe uDrusila owaye ngumJudakazi. Wathi kakubizwe uPhawuli, wamlalela echaza ngokukholwa kuJesu Khristu.
25 And, as he was reasoning of righteousness, and self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix, becoming greatly afraid, answered—For the present, be going thy way, and, when I find an opportunity, I will send for thee, —
UPhawuli wathi esebalisa ngokulunga, langokuzithiba langokwahlulelwa okuzayo uFelikhe wesaba wathi, “Sekwanele okwamanje! Usungahamba. Kungaze kulunge njalo ngizakubiza.”
26 at the same time, also hoping that, money, would be given him by Paul; wherefore also, the more frequently sending for him, he used to converse with him.
Yena wayecabanga ukuthi uPhawuli uzamupha imali yokumfumbathisa, yikho wayembiza futhifuthi ekhuluma laye.
27 When, however, two years, were completed, Felix, was succeeded, by Porcius Festus, and Felix, wishing to gain favour with the Jews, left Paul bound.
Isidlule iminyaka emibili, uFelikhe walandelwa esikhundleni nguPhokhiyu Festasi, kodwa ngoba uFelikhe wayefuna ukuthabisa amaJuda, watshiya uPhawuli elokhu esentolongweni.
