Acts 15
1 [Then] some [Jewish] believers went down from Judea [province] to Antioch. They started teaching the [non-Jewish] believers [there, and said], “[You] ([must] be circumcised/must have God’s mark put on you) [to indicate you belong to God], as Moses [commanded] in the laws that [he received from God]. If you do not do that, you will not be saved {[God] will not save you}.”
Amadoda athile eza e-Antiyokhi evela eJudiya, afika afundisa abazalwane esithi: “Ngaphandle kokuthi lisokwe ngendlela yomkhuba eyafundiswa nguMosi lingeke lisindiswe.”
2 Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed with those Jews and started arguing [with them. So the believers at Antioch] appointed Paul and Barnabas and some of the other believers to go to Jerusalem, in order that they would/could discuss this matter with the apostles and [other spiritual] leaders.
Lokhu kwenza uPhawuli loBhanabhasi baphikisana labo kakhulu. Ngakho uPhawuli loBhanabhasi bakhethwa kanye lamanye amakholwa ukuthi baye eJerusalema ukuyabona abapostoli labadala ngaloludaba.
3 After Paul, Barnabas, and the others were given things for their trip by the congregation [at Antioch] {After the congregation [at Antioch] gave Paul, Barnabas, and the others things for their trip}, they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria [provinces. When they stopped at different places in those provinces], they reported [to the believers] that [many] non-Jews [in Antioch] had become believers. As a result, all the believers [in those places] rejoiced greatly.
Ibandla labavalelisa. Bathi bedabula eFenikhiya leSamariya balandisa ngokuthi abeZizwe basebephendukile. Indaba le yathokozisa bonke abazalwane.
4 And when Paul, Barnabas, and the others arrived in Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the apostles, the [other] elders, and the [other members of the] congregation [there] {the apostles, the [other] elders, and the [other members of the] congregation [there] welcomed them}. Then Paul and Barnabas reported the things that God had enabled them to do [among non-Jewish people].
Bafika eJerusalema bemukelwa kuhle libandla langabapostoli labadala, bababikela konke uNkulunkulu ayekwenzile ngabo.
5 But some of the [Jewish] believers who belonged to the Pharisee sect stood up [among the other believers and] said to them, “The non-Jews [who have believed in Jesus] must be circumcised, and they must be told to obey the laws [that God gave to] Moses.”
Kwasekusithi amanye amakholwa ayengawoluhlu lwabaFarisi asukuma athi, “AbeZizwe kumele basokwe njalo batshelwe ukuthi balandele umthetho kaMosi.”
6 Then the apostles and [the other] elders met together in order to talk about this matter.
Abapostoli labadala bahlangana bakhuluma ngalindaba.
7 After they had discussed it for a long time, Peter stood up and spoke to them. He said, “Fellow believers, you [all] know that a long time ago God chose me from among you [other apostles, in order that] the non-Jewish people might [also] hear me [SYN] tell [them] the good message [about the Lord Jesus], so that they could hear [it] and believe [in him. So Paul and Barnabas are not the first ones to tell non-Jews about Jesus].
Ngemva kokuphikisana okukhulu uPhethro wasukuma wakhuluma kubo wathi: “Bazalwane, liyakwazi ukuthi esikhathini esedluleyo uNkulunkulu wangikhetha phakathi kwenu ukuthi abeZizwe bezwe kwezami izindebe ilizwi levangeli bakholwe.
8 God knows [and judges] people according to what they think, [not according to who their ancestors were]. By sending the Holy Spirit to [the non-Jews], just like [he had] also done for us [(inc)] Jews, he showed [me and others] that he had accepted them [also to be his people].
UNkulunkulu owazi inhliziyo watshengisa ukuthi uyabemukela ngokubapha uMoya oNgcwele, njengalokhu akwenzayo kithi.
9 [God] saved us [Jews] and those [non-Jews] similarly, making them clean spiritually simply as a result of their believing [in the Lord Jesus. That was exactly how he has forgiven us].
Kenzanga umahluko phakathi kwethu labo, ngoba wahlanza inhliziyo zabo ngokukholwa.
10 [You are wanting to force the non-Jewish believers to obey our Jewish rituals and laws]—laws that God has shown that he does not require them to obey [MET]. [Your doing that is like] putting a heavy burden on them! So then, (stop making God angry by doing that!/why are you making God angry by doing that?) [RHQ] Our ancestors and we [(inc) Jews] have never been able to bear [the burden of obeying those laws]!
Pho-ke lizamelani ukulinga uNkulunkulu ngokwethesa abafundi beZizweni ijogwe thina labokhokho bethu esehluleka ukulithwala?
11 But we [(inc) know that it is not because] we [(inc) try to obey those laws that God saves us(inc) Jews. On the contrary], we [(inc)] know that it is because of what the Lord Jesus did for us [(inc)] that we did not deserve that we [(inc)] are saved {that [God] saves us} [from the guilt of our sins. God saves non-Jews who believe in the Lord Jesus] exactly like [he saves] us Jews.”
Hatshi! Sikholwa ukuthi sisindiswa ngomusa weNkosi uJesu, njengabo labo.”
12 All the people [there] became silent [after Peter had spoken]. Then they [all] listened to Barnabas and Paul, [as the two of] them told about the many great miracles that God had enabled them to do among the non-Jewish people, [miracles that showed that God had accepted the non-Jews].
Wonke umhlangano wathula zwi balalela uBhanabhasi loPhawuli belandisa ngemimangaliso lezimanga uNkulunkulu ayezenzile kwabeZizwe ngabo.
13 When Barnabas and Paul had finished speaking, James, [the leader of the group of believers there in Jerusalem], spoke to all of them. [He said], “Fellow believers, listen to me.
Bathi sebeqedile uJakhobe wakhuluma wathi: “Bazalwane, ake lingilalele.
14 Simon [Peter] has told you how God previously blessed the non-Jews. God did that by choosing from among them a people who would belong to him [MTY].
USimoni usesilandisele ngokuthi ekuqaleni uNkulunkulu watshengisa njani ukunakekela kwakhe abeZizwe ngokukhetha phakathi kwabo abantu ukuba babe ngabakhe.
15 [These] words that [God spoke], words that were written by [one of] the prophets {that one of the prophets wrote} [long ago], agree with that:
Amazwi abaphrofethi ayavumelana lalokhu, njengalokhu kulotshiwe ukuthi:
16 Later on I will return and I will re-establish the kingdom [MET] that David [ruled] and that has been {that [people] have} destroyed. My [doing that will be like] rebuilding [a house] that has been {that [people] have} torn down.
‘Ngemva kwalokhu ngizabuya ngakhe kutsha indlu kaDavida ewileyo. Amanxiwa ayo ngizawavuselela, njalo ngizayimisa kutsha,
17 I will do that in order that all other people might seek [me], the Lord [God. I will do that in order that] all the non-Jews whom I have called [to belong] to me [MTY] might seek me. [You can be certain that this will happen because I] the Lord [God], who will do those things, have spoken [these words].
ukwenzela ukuthi lonke uluntu luyidinge iNkosi, kanye labeZizwe abaziwa ngebizo lami, kutsho iNkosi eyenza lezizinto’:
ezivele zisaziwa kusukela endulo. (aiōn g165)
19 [James continued by saying], “Therefore I have decided [that we(inc)] should stop bothering the non-Jewish people who are turning [away from their sins and turning] to God. [That is, we should stop demanding that they obey] all [our laws] and rituals.
Ngokubona kwami, kakumelanga sikwenze kube lukhuni kwabeZizwe abaphendukela kuNkulunkulu.
20 Instead, we should write [a letter] to them [requiring only four things: They should] not eat [meat/food that people] have offered to idols, they should not have sex with someone to whom they are not married, they should not [eat meat from animals that have been killed by] being strangled {[people have strangled]}, and [they should not eat] the blood [of animals].
Esikhundleni salokho, kasibalobeleni sibatshele ukuthi baxwaye ukudla okungcoliswe yizithombe, lokuhlobonga, lenyama yenyamazana ekhanyiweyo lobubende.
21 In many cities, for a very long time people have been proclaiming [the laws that] Moses [wrote] [MTY], [laws prohibiting those things]. And every (Sabbath/Jewish day of rest) [those laws] are read {someone reads [those laws]} in the Jewish meeting places. [So if the non-Jews want to know more about those laws, they can find out in our meeting houses].”
Phela uMosi sekwatshunyayelwa ngaye kuwo wonke amadolobho kusukela ekuqaleni njalo kufundwa ngaye emasinagogweni amaSabatha wonke.”
22 The apostles and the [other] elders, along with all the [other] members of the congregation, accepted [what James had said]. Then they decided that they should choose men from among themselves and that they should send them, along with Paul and Barnabas, to Antioch, to [let the believers there know what the leaders] at Jerusalem had decided. So they chose Judas, who was also called Barsabbas, and Silas, who were leaders among the believers [at Jerusalem].
Abapostoli labadala kanye lebandla lonke bamisa ukukhetha abanye babo ukuthi babathume e-Antiyokhi loPhawuli loBhanabhasi. Bakhetha uJudasi owayethiwa nguBhasabhasi, loSayilasi, la engamadoda amabili ayengabakhokheli kubazalwane.
23 Then they wrote the following letter [that they asked Judas and Silas to take to the believers at Antioch]: “[We(exc)] apostles and [other] leaders who are your fellow believers [send our greetings to you as we write this to you] non-Jewish believers [who live] in Antioch and [other places in] Syria and Cilicia [provinces].
Babaphathisa incwadi le: Abapostoli labadala, abazalwane benu, KwabeZizwe abakholwayo e-Antiyokhi, lase-Asiriya laseSilisiya: Siyalibingelela.
24 People have told us that some men from among us went [to you], although we had not told [them to do that]. They troubled/distressed you [SYN] [by telling you things] that confused your thinking.
Sesizwile ukuthi bakhona abasuka kithi bengelamvumo yethu bafika balidunga, bedida ingqondo zenu ngalokho ababekutsho.
25 So [while we(exc) met together here], we decided to choose some men and ask them to go to you, along with Barnabas and Paul, whom we [(exc)] love very much.
Ngakho sivumelene sonke ukukhetha amadoda athile ukuthi siwathumele kini labangane bethu abathandekayo, uBhanabhasi loPhawuli,
26 Those two have put their lives in danger because of their [serving] our Lord [MTY] Jesus Christ.
amadoda adele impilo zawo ngenxa yebizo leNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu.
27 We [(exc) have also chosen] Judas and Silas to go to you. They will tell you the same things [that we are writing].
Ngakho sithumela uJudasi loSayilasi ukugcwalisa ngomlomo lokhu esikulobayo.
28 The Holy Spirit and [also] we decided that you should not be required {that we should not require you} to obey a lot of burdensome [Jewish] laws. Instead, [we] only [require you to obey] the following instructions,
Kubonakale kufanele kuMoya oNgcwele lakithi ukuthi singalethesi omthwalo omkhulu ngaphandle kwezimiso lezi:
29 You should not eat food that people have sacrificed to idols. You should not eat blood from animals, and you should not eat meat from animals that people have killed by strangling them. Also, you should not have sex with someone to whom you are not married. Those things [especially offend Jewish believers. So if] you avoid doing them, you will be doing what is right. That is all.”
Xwayani ukudla okunikelwe ezithombeni, ububende, inyama yenyamazana ekhanyiweyo kanye lokuhlobonga. Lizabe lenze kuhle nxa lizixwaya lezizinto. Salani kuhle.
30 The [four] men whom [they] had chosen went [from Jerusalem] to Antioch [city. When] all the believers [there] had assembled together, [Judas and Silas] gave the letter to them.
Bawavalelisa amadoda ahamba aya e-Antiyokhi, lapho afika ahlanganisa ibandla ndawonye ethula incwadi.
31 When the believers there read the letter, they rejoiced, [because its message] encouraged them.
Abantu bayibala bathokoza ngenxa yamazwi ayo akhuthazayo.
32 [Just like Paul and Barnabas were] ([prophets/men who spoke messages from God]), Judas and Silas were also prophets. They spoke for a long time and encouraged the believers [there], and helped them to trust more strongly [in the Lord Jesus].
UJudasi loSayilasi, bona ngokwabo ababengabaphrofethi, bakhuluma okunengi ukukhuthaza lokuqinisa abazalwane.
33 After [Judas and Silas] had stayed in Antioch for some time [and were ready to return to Jerusalem], the believers [there] wished them well, and the believers [prayed that God] would protect [them as they traveled. So the two men] started to go back to the leaders [in Jerusalem] who had asked them to go [to Antioch].
Sebehlale isikhathi esithile khonapho, abazalwane babavalelisa ngesibusiso sokuthula sebebuyela kulabo ababathumayo. [
Kodwa uSayilasi wakhetha ukusala khona.]
35 However, Paul and Barnabas continued to stay in Antioch. [While they were there], they, along with many others, were teaching [people] and preaching to them the message about the Lord [Jesus].
Kodwa uPhawuli loBhanabhasi basala e-Antiyokhi, lapho bona kanye labanye abanengi bafundisa njalo batshumayela ilizwi leNkosi.
36 After some time Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s go back and visit the fellow believers in every city where we [previously] proclaimed the message about the Lord [Jesus. In that way, we will know] how [well] they are continuing [to believe in the Lord Jesus].”
Emva kwesikhatshanyana uPhawuli wathi kuBhanabhasi, “Kasibuyele emuva siyebona abazalwane emadolobheni wonke esitshumayele khona ilizwi leNkosi ukuthi baqhuba njani.”
37 Barnabas [agreed with Paul, and said that he] wanted to take John, whose other name was Mark, along with them [again].
UBhanabhasi wayefuna ukuthi bahambe loJohane, owayethiwa nguMakho,
38 However, Paul [told Barnabas that he] thought that it would not be good to take Mark [with them, because] Mark had deserted them when they were previously in Pamphylia [region], and had not continued to work with them.
kodwa uPhawuli wakubona kungafanele ukuhamba laye ngoba wayeke wabafulathela besePhamfiliya kaze aqhubeka labo emsebenzini.
39 Paul and Barnabas strongly disagreed [with each other about that], so they separated. Barnabas took Mark [along with him and they got] on a ship and went to Cyprus.
Baphikisana kakubi baze bacina betshiyana. UBhanabhasi wamthatha uMakho bawelela eSiphrasi,
40 Paul chose Silas, [who had returned to Antioch, to work with him]. The believers [there] asked the Lord [God] to graciously help [Paul and Silas. Then] the two of them departed [from Antioch].
kodwa uPhawuli wakhetha ukuhamba loSayilasi, basuka bebekwe ngabazalwane emuseni weNkosi.
41 Paul continued traveling [with Silas] through Syria and Cilicia [provinces]. In those places he was helping the congregations to trust strongly [in the Lord Jesus].
Wahamba phakathi kwe-Asiriya leSilisiya eqinisa amabandla.
