Acts 7
1 Then the high priest asked Stephen, “Are the things that [these people are saying about you(sg)] true?”
Nipele, Jwambopesi Jwankulu ŵambusisye che Stefano, “Ana yelei ni iyoyo?”
2 Stephen replied, “Fellow Jews and respected leaders, [please] listen to me! The glorious God [whom we(inc) worship] appeared to our ancestor Abraham while he was still [living] in Mesopotamia [region], before he moved to Haran [town].
Che Stefano nombe ŵaajanjile, “Achalongo achinjangu ni achatati, mumbilikanile! Akunnungu Ŵakulu ŵaakopochele atati ŵetu che Iblahimu paŵaliji ku Mesopotamia akanaŵe kwaula kukutama ku Halani.
3 God said to him, ‘Leave this land where you [(sg)] and your relatives [are living], and go into the land to which I will lead you.’
Akunnungu ŵansalile che Iblahimu, ‘Ntyoche mchilambo chenu, mwaleche ŵandu ŵa lukosyo lwenu, njaule kuchilambo chatinganlanjile cho.’
4 So Abraham left that land, [which was also called] Chaldea, and he arrived in Haran and lived there. After his father died, God told him to move to this land in which you [and I] are now living.”
Nipele, che Iblahimu ŵasamile chilambo cha Ŵakalidayo, ŵajawile kukutama ku Halani. Paŵawile atatigwe, Akunnungu ŵansamisye sooni ku Halani ni kwika kukutama ku chilambo chino munkutamanga ŵanyamwe sambano jino.
5 “[At that time] God did not give Abraham any [land here], not even a small plot of [this] land that would belong to him. God promised that he would [later] give this land to him and his descendants, and that it would [always] belong [to them. However], at that time Abraham did not have any children [who would] ([inherit it/receive it after he died]).”
Akunnungu nganiŵapa che Iblahimu namose chipande cha chilambo chi kuti chiŵe chao, nambo ŵannanjile kwapa chilambo chi chiŵe chakwe nsyene ni cha uŵelesi wakwe, namuno katema ko ŵaliji akanaŵe kola mwanache.
6 “[Later] God told Abraham, ‘Your descendants will go and live in a foreign country. They [will live there] for 400 years, and [during that time their leaders] will mistreat your descendants and force them to work as slaves.’
Akunnungu ŵansalile yeleyi, ‘Uŵelesi wenu chiutame mu chilambo cha chilendo, ni kweleko chachatenda achikapolo ni kwasausya yaka mia nne.
7 But God [also] said, ‘I will punish the people who make them work as slaves. Then, after that, your descendants will leave [that land] and they will [come and] worship me in this land.’”
Nambo Akunnungu akuti, uneji chinjalamula ŵandu ŵa chilambo uchachatenda achikapolo. Nipele chinjakoposya mchilambo cho ni kwaikanawo apano kuti ambopele.’
8 “Then God commanded Abraham that [every male in his household and all of his male descendants] should be circumcised [to show that they all belonged to God] and that they would obey what he had told Abraham to do. Later Abraham’s son, Isaac, was born, and when Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him. [Later] Isaac’s son, Jacob, was born, and Isaac [similarly circumcised] him. And Jacob [similarly circumcised] his twelve sons. They are the twelve men [from whom we(inc) Jews have all descended].”
Ni Akunnungu ŵatesile malangano ni che Iblahimu ga kuumbala gaŵe chimanyisyo cha kugakunda malangano gao. Nipele che Iblahimu ŵambumbesye che Isaka mwanagwe pa lyuŵa lya ncheche ni ncheche pakumala kupagwa. Ni che Isaka nombe ŵambumbesye che Yakobo mwanagwe, ni che Yakobo nombe ŵaatesile iyoyo peyo achambuje ŵetu likumi ni ŵaŵili ŵala.
9 “[You know that] Jacob’s [older] sons became jealous [because their father favored their younger brother] Joseph. So they sold him [to merchants/traders who took him] [MTY] to Egypt. There he became a slave [of an official who lived there]. But God [helped] Joseph.
“Aŵala achambuje ŵetu ŵankolele wiu che Yusufu, ni ŵansyumisye aŵe kapolo ku chilambo cha Misili. Nambo Akunnungu ŵaliji pamo nawo,
10 He protected him whenever people caused him to suffer. He enabled Joseph to be wise; and he caused Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to think well of Joseph. So Pharaoh appointed him to rule [over] Egypt and to look after all of Pharaoh’s property [MTY].”
ni kunkulupusya mmasausyo gakwe gose. Akunnungu ŵampele che Yusufu upile ni lunda paujo pa Falao, mwenye jwa ku Misili, ni mwenye Falao ŵammisile che Yusufu kuŵa jwankulu jwa chilambo ni jwa wose ŵaali mu nyuumba jao ja chimwenye.
11 “[While Joseph was doing that work], there was a time (when there was very little food/of famine) throughout Egypt and also throughout Canaan. People did not have enough food to eat. People were suffering. [At that time] Jacob and his sons [in Canaan] also could not find [enough] food.
Nipele kwatyochele sala jajikulungwa pa chilambo cha ku Misili ni ku Kanaani, ni ŵandu ŵalasile kwannope ligongo lya sala. Achambuje ŵetu nganakombola kuchipata chakulya chachilichose.
12 When Jacob heard [people report that] there was grain/food [that people could buy] in Egypt, he sent Joseph’s older brothers [to go there to buy grain. They went and bought grain from Joseph, but they did not recognize him. Then they returned home].
Nipele, che Yakobo paŵapilikene kuti kwana yakulya ku Misili ko, ŵaalajisye achiŵanagwe, yaani achatati ŵetu, ajaulangane kaandanda ku Misili ko.
13 When Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt the second time, [they again bought grain from Joseph]. But this time [he] told them who he was. [And] people told Pharaoh that Joseph’s people were Hebrews [and that those men who had come from Canaan were his brothers].
Ni pa ulendo wao waŵili, che Yusufu ŵalikolasile kwa achapwakwe, ni mwenye jwa ku Misili ŵalumanyilile lukosyo lu che Yusufu.
14 Then after Joseph sent [his brothers back home, they] told their father Jacob [that Joseph wanted] him and his entire family to come [to Egypt. At that time] ([Jacob’s family consisted of] 75 people/there were 75 people in Jacob’s family) [SYN].
Ni che Yusufu ŵaalajisye ŵandu kukwaŵilanga che Yakobo atatigwe ni achalongo achinjakwe wose, ŵandu sabini na mbili aichanje ku Misili.
15 [So when] Jacob [heard that, he and all his family] went to [live in] Egypt.” Acts 7:15b-16 “[Later on], Jacob died [there], and our [other] ancestors, [his sons, also died there].
Che Yakobo ŵajawile ku Misili, kweleko ni kuŵawilile pamo ni achambuje ŵetu.
16 [But] the bodies [of Jacob and Joseph] were brought {[they] brought the bodies [of Jacob and Joseph]} [back to our land], and [Jacob’s body] was buried {they buried [Jacob’s body]} [in the tomb that Abraham had bought, and they buried Joseph’s body] in Shechem in the ground that [Jacob] had bought from Hamor’s sons.”
Ni malilo gao gajigalikwe mpaka ku Shekemu, ni kusikwa mwilembe liŵasumile che Iblahimu kutyochela ku lukosyo lwa Hamoli kwa mbiya simpepe.”
17 “Our ancestors had become very numerous when it was almost time for [God to rescue them] from Egypt, [as] he had promised Abraham that he would do.
“Nambo pikaiche katema ka chilanga chiŵalumbile Akunnungu ku che Iblahimu, ŵandu ŵala ŵatupile ni konjecheka kwa nnope ku Misili kula.
18 Another king had begun to rule in Egypt. He did not know that Joseph, [long before that time, had greatly helped the people of Egypt] [MTY].
Nipele ŵajimwiche mwenye jwine ku Misili jwanganammanyilila che Yusufu.
19 That king cruelly tried to get rid of our ancestors. He oppressed them and caused them to suffer greatly. He [even commanded] them to leave their baby [boys] outside [their homes] so that they would die.”
Mwenye jo ŵaatesile yangalumbana ni kwaonela achambuje ŵetu kwa kwakanganichisya akaajase achiŵana ŵao achanandi kuti nganasaka akole umi.
20 “During that time Moses was born, and he was a very beautiful [LIT] [child]. So his parents [secretly] cared for him in their house for three months.
Katema ko che Musa ŵapagwile, nombejo ŵaliji jwambone paujo pa Akunnungu. Ŵalelitwe pa musi pa atatigwe kwa miesi jitatu,
21 Then they had to put him outside [the house, but] Pharaoh’s daughter [found him and] adopted him and cared for him as [though he were] her own son.
ni paŵalepele kungosa mwakupunda mu nyuumba ŵankopwesye paasa, mwali jwa mwenye jwa ku Misili ŵanjigele ni kunlela mpela mwanagwe nsyene.
22 Moses was taught {[The Egyptian teachers] taught Moses} many kinds of wise things [HYP] that the people in Egypt knew, and [when he grew up], he spoke powerfully and did things powerfully.”
Che Musa ŵajigenywe indu ya lunda lwa Ŵamisili nombejo ŵaliji jwakulimbangana kwa maloŵe ni masengo.
23 “[One day] when Moses was about 40 years old, he decided that he would [go and] see his fellow Israelis. [So he went to the place where they worked].
“Paŵaliji ni yaka alobaini, ntima wakwe wasachile kwajimajimila achinjakwe Ŵaisilaeli kukulola indu iŵapanganyichiswaga.
24 He saw an Egyptian beating one of the Israelis. So he went over to help [MTY] the Israeli man who was being hurt/beat {whom [the Egyptian] was hurting/beating}, and he (got revenge on/paid back) the Israeli man by killing the Egyptian [who was hurting/beating him].
Kweleko ŵambweni Mmisili jumo achimpanganyichisyaga yangalumbana jumo jwa achalongo achinjakwe, ŵapokasisye, ni che Musa kwakwauchisya ŵambuleje Mmisili jula.
25 Moses was thinking that his fellow Israelis would understand that God had sent him to free them [from being slaves]. But they did not understand that.
Ŵaganisisye kuti achalongo achinjakwe Ŵaisilaeli akaimanyilile kuti Akunnungu akuntuma jwelejo kwakulupusya, nambo nganaimanyilila.
26 The next day, Moses saw two Israeli men fighting [each other]. He tried to make them stop fighting by saying to them, ‘Men, you two are fellow [Israelis! So] (stop hurting each other!/why are you hurting each other?) [RHQ]’
Malaŵi jakwe, ŵaweni Ŵaisilaeli ŵaŵili ali nkuputana achinsyene pe, ni ŵalinjile kwajilanya achitiji; ‘Ŵanyamwe ndi ŵa lukosyo lumo, ligongo chi nkusaka kuulasyana achinsyene pe?’
27 But the man who was injuring the other man pushed Moses away and said to him, ‘(No one appointed you [(sg)] to rule and judge us [(exc)]!/Do you [(sg)] think someone appointed you [(sg)] to rule and judge us [(exc)]?) [RHQ]
Nambo jwejula juŵamputaga njakwe jula ŵantutile pambali che Musa ni kunsalila, ‘Ana ŵaani ŵambisile mmwejo kuŵa chilongola ni jwakulamula pa uweji?
28 Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?’
Ana nkusaka kumulaga mpela imwatite pakummulaga Mmisili jula liiso?’
29 When Moses heard that, [he thought to himself, ‘Obviously, people know what I have done, and someone will kill me.’ He was afraid, so] he fled [from Egypt] to Midian land. He lived there [for some years]. He [got married, and he and his wife] had two sons.”
Che Musa paŵagapilikene maloŵe go ŵatisile, ŵatemi ku chilambo cha ku Midiani nti jwannendo, ni kweleko ŵaŵelechele ŵanache ŵaŵili ŵachilume.
30 “[One day] 40 years later, [the Lord God appeared as] an angel to Moses. He appeared in a bush that was burning in the desert near Sinai Mountain.
“Payaichile yaka alobaini, katumetume jwa kwinani jwa Ambuje jwankopochele che Musa pa chisukutu chichakolelaga mooto kwipululu kula pachiŵandi ni Litumbi lya Sinai.
31 When Moses saw that, he was greatly surprised, [because the bush was not burning up]. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord [God] say [to him],
Che Musa ŵachisimonjile nnope chichaoneche cho, ŵasejelele pachiŵandi kukulolechesya uchenene, nambo ŵapilikene liloŵe lya Ambuje lilinkuti,
32 ‘I [am] the God [whom] your ancestors [worshipped]. I [am] the God that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob [worship].’ Moses [was so afraid that he] began to shake. He was afraid to look [at the bush any longer].
‘Uneji ndili Akunnungu ŵa achambuje ŵenu, Akunnungu ŵa che Iblahimu ni ŵa che Isaka ni ŵa che Yakobo!’ Che Musa ŵatetemele kwa lipamba ni nganapunda kulolechesya sooni.
33 Then the Lord [God] said to him, ‘Take your sandals off [to show that you(sg) revere me]. Because I [am here], the place where you are standing is holy/sacred.
Ambuje ŵansalile, ‘Mmuule italawanda yenu pakuŵa pelepo panjimi pali papaswela.
34 I have surely seen how the people of Egypt are continually causing my people to suffer. I have heard my people when they groan [because those people continually oppress them]. So I have come down to rescue them [from Egypt]. Now get ready, because I am going to send you [back] to Egypt [to do that].’”
Naiweni yangalumbana yakwapanganyichisya ŵandu ŵangu ŵakutama ku Misili. Mbilikene kulilasika kwao none ndulwiche kukwakulupusya, ni sambano chinantume ku Misili.’
35 “This Moses [is the one who had tried to help our Israeli people, but] whom they rejected [by saying], ‘No one [RHQ] appointed you to rule and judge [us!’] Moses [is the one whom] God [himself] sent to rule them and to free them [from being slaves. He is the one whom] an angel in the bush [commanded to do that].
“Che Musa aju ni jwejula juŵankanile Ŵaisilaeli paŵansalile, ‘Ana ŵaani ŵambisile mmwejo kuŵa chilongola ni jwakulamula pa uweji?’ Kwa litala lya julajula katumetume jwa kwinani juŵankopochele che Musa mu chisukutu chichakolelaga mooto, Akunnungu ŵantumile che Musa wo aŵe chilongola ni nkulupusyo.
36 Moses [is the one who] led our ancestors out [from Egypt]. He did many kinds of miracles in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and during the 40 years [that the Israelite people lived] in the desert.
Jwelejo ni juŵaalongwesye ŵandu akopoche ku Misili kwa kupanganya imanyisyo ni yakusimonjeka mu chilambo cha ku Misili ni mu bahali ja Shamu ni mwipululu, kwa yaka alobaini.
37 This Moses is the one who said to the Israelite people, ‘God will appoint a prophet for you from among your own people. [He will speak words from God], just like I [speak his words to you].’
Che Musa ni juŵaasalile Ŵaisilaeli, ‘Akunnungu chanjimuchisye jwakulondola mpela uneji kutyochela mwa achalongo achinjenu mwachinsyene.’
38 This man [Moses] was [our people’s leader] when they gathered together in the desert. It is Moses to whom [God sent] the angel on Sinai Mountain to [give him our laws], and [he was the one who told] our [other] ancestors [what the angel had said]. He was the one who received [from God] words that tell us how to live [eternally, and Moses] passed [them] on to us.”
Ŵaisilaeli paŵasongangene mwipululu mula, che Musa ŵaliji kweleko pamo ni achambuje ŵetu ni katumetume jwa kwinani juŵaŵechete najo mu Litumbi lya Sinai. Jweleju ni juŵagapochele maloŵe gagakwikanawo umi kutupa uweji.
39 “[However], our ancestors did not want to obey [Moses]. Instead, [while he was still on the mountain], they rejected him [as their leader] and decided that they wanted to return to Egypt.
“Nambo achambuje ŵetu nganasakanga kumpilikanila che Musa, ŵantutile pambali ni ŵasachile mmitima jao kuujila ku Misili.
40 So they told [his older brother] Aaron, ‘Make idols for us who will be our gods to lead us [back to Egypt]! As for that fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt we [(exc)] do not know what has happened to him!’
Ŵansalile che Haluni, ‘Ntupanganyichisye achiminungu jati tujipopelele ni jitulongosye mwitala, pakuŵa che Musa juŵatulongwesye kopoka ku Misili ngatukuchimanyilila chichasimene!’
41 So, they made [out of gold] an image [that looked like] a calf. Then they sacrificed [animals and offered other things] to [honor] that idol, and they sang and danced to honor the idol that they themselves had made.
Katema ko ŵapanganyisye chinyago cha ng'ombe ja mwana, ni ŵatasile mbopesi kwa chinyago ni kuchijangalila chindu chichaliji masengo ga makono gao achinsyene.
42 So God rejected them. He abandoned them to worship the sun, moon and stars in the sky. This agrees with the words that one of the prophets wrote that God said, You Israelite [people] [MTY], when you [repeatedly] killed animals and offered them as sacrifices during those 40 years [that you were] in the desert, (you [most certainly] were not offering them to me!/what makes you think that you were offering them to me?) [RHQ]
Nambo Akunnungu ŵatyosile pa ŵanyawo, ŵaalesile asipopele ndondwa sya kwiunde, mpela yaitite pakulembekwa mchitabu cha ŵakulondola ŵa Akunnungu, ‘Ŵanyamwe ŵandu ŵa chilambo cha ku Isilaeli! Ana ŵanyamwe mwambelechele inyama yesinje ni sadaka kwa yaka alobaini mwipululu mula?
43 [On the contrary], you carried [with you from place to place] the tent [that contained the idol] representing [the god] Molech [that you worshipped]. You also [carried with you] the image of the star [called] Rephan. [Those] were idols that you had made, [and you] worshipped [them instead of me]. So I will [cause you to] be taken away {[people to] take you} [from your own country. You will be taken] {[They will take you]} [far from your homes to regions] even farther than Babylon [Country].”
Ŵanyamwe mwalijigele lisakasa lya nnungu jwenu Moleki, ni chinyago cha ndondwa ja nnungu jwenu Lefani. Inyago imwaipanganyisye ni iyoyo imwaipopele. Kwa ligongo lyo chinansamichisye ku ukapolo kwakutalika kupita ku Babeli!’
44 “While our ancestors were in the desert, they worshipped God at the tent that showed [that he was there with them]. They had made the tent exactly like God had commanded Moses [to make it. It was] exactly like the model that Moses had seen [when he was up on the mountain].
Achambuje ŵenu ŵakwete lisakasa lya umboni lyalikulosya kuti Akunnungu ali mwele mwipululu. Lisakasa lila lyakolochekwe mpela Akunnungu iŵatite pakwasalila che Musa akolosye, chisau ni achila chiŵachiweni.
45 [Later on], other ancestors of ours carried that tent with them when Joshua led them [into this land]. That was during the time that they took this land for themselves, when God forced the people [who previously lived here] to leave. So the Israelis were able to possess this land. [The tent remained in this land and was still here] when [King] David ruled.
Nipele achambuje ŵetu ŵapochelangene achinsyene pe mpaka katema ka che Yoshua, paŵachipatile chilambo chi kutyochela kwa ŵandu ŵaŵaŵinjikwe ni Akunnungu paujo pao. Lyatemi pelepo mpaka katema ka che Daudi.
46 David pleased God, and he asked God to let him build a house where [he and] all of our Israeli people could worship God.
Che Daudi ŵanonyelwe ni Akunnungu nombe che Daudi ŵaŵendile Akunnungu ŵaataŵile nyuumba ŵele ŵaali Akunnungu ŵa che Yakobo.
47 But [instead, God let David’s son] Solomon build a house [where people could worship] God.”
Nambo che Selemani ni juŵantaŵile Akunnungu nyuumba.”
48 “However, [we(inc) know that] God is greater than everything, and he does not live in [houses that] people [SYN] have made. It is like the prophet [Isaiah] wrote. He wrote [these words that God had spoken: ]
“Natamuno yeleyo, Akumanani ngakutama mmajumba gagataŵikwe ni ŵandu, mpela yakuti jwakulondola jwa Akunnungu,
49 Heaven is (my throne/the place from which I rule the entire universe), and the earth is (my footstool/[merely like] a stool on which I may rest my feet). I myself [SYN] have made everything [both in heaven and on the earth]. So you [human beings], ([you] really cannot build a house that would be [adequate] for me!/do you think you can build a house that would be [appropriate] for me?) [RHQ] You cannot [RHQ] make a place good enough for me [to live in]!”
Ambuje akuti, ‘Kwinani kuli chitengu changu cha umwenye ni chilambo chili pakuŵichila makongolo gangu. Nyuumba jati uli jichimundaŵile une, ni liuto chi pachimbumulile?
Ana ngaŵa uneji jumbanganyisye yelei yose?’”
51 “You people are extremely stubborn [MET], not wanting to obey God or listen [MTY] [to him!] You are exactly like your ancestors! You always resist the Holy Spirit [as they did]!
Che Stefano ŵapundile kuŵecheta, “Ŵakukanila achakulungwa ŵanyamwe! Mitima ni mawiwi genu gali mpela ga ŵandu ŵangakwamanyilila Akunnungu. Ŵanyamwe nli mpela achambuje ŵenu, moŵa gose nkukanilana ni Mbumu jwa Akunnungu.
52 Your ancestors caused [RHQ] every prophet to suffer, [including Moses]. They even killed those who long ago announced [that the Messiah] would come, the one who always did what pleased God. [And the Messiah has come! He is the one whom] you [recently] turned over [to his enemies] and [insisted that] they kill him!
Ana jwapi mwa ŵakulondola jwangananlagasya achambuje ŵenu? Ŵaauleje ŵelewo ŵaŵalajiswe kalakala ni Akunnungu asale kwika kwa ajula jwakupanganya yaili yambone. Ni sambano ŵanyamwe mungalawiche ni kumbulaga.
53 You [are the people] who have received God’s laws. [Those were laws] that God caused angels to give [to our ancestors]. However, [incredibly], you have not obeyed them!”
Ŵanyamwe mwagapochele Malajisyo ga Akunnungu gagaiche kukwenu ni achikatumetume ŵa kwinani, nambo nganingakamulichisya.”
54 When the Jewish Council members [and others there] heard all that [Stephen said], they became very angry. They were grinding their teeth [together because they were so angry] at him!
Achakulu ŵa Nkungulu paŵagapilikene maloŵe go, yachimile nnope ni kuchilimya meeno.
55 But the Holy Spirit completely controlled Stephen. He looked up into heaven and saw a dazzling light from God, and [he saw] Jesus standing at God’s right side.
Nambo che Stefano ali aguumbele Mbumu jwa Akunnungu, ŵalolite kwinani, ŵauweni ukulu wa Akunnungu ni Che Yesu ali ajimi kundyo kwa Akunnungu.
56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open, and I [see] the one who came from heaven standing at God’s right side!”
Ni ŵatite, “Nnole! Ngukuwona kwinani kwakuugule ni Mwana jwa Mundu ajimi kundyo kwa Akunnungu.”
57 [When the Jewish Council members and others heard that], they shouted loudly. They put their hands over their ears [so that they could not hear Stephen, and immediately] they all rushed at him.
Pelepo ŵandu wose ŵaŵaliji pa Nkungulu ula ŵagumisile kwa liloŵe lyekulungwa ni kusiŵila mawiwi ni makono gao. Nipele ŵanguluchile ŵanawose kwana kamo,
58 They dragged him outside the city [of Jerusalem] and started to throw stones at him. The people who were accusing him [took off] their outer garments [in order to throw stones more easily, and] they put their clothes [on the ground] next to a young man whose name was Saul, [so that he could guard them].
Ni ŵankopwesye mmusi ni kumponya maganga. Ŵaumboni ŵala ŵaŵisile yakuwala yao kwa jwanchanda jumo liina lyakwe che Sauli kuti aigose.
59 While they continued to throw stones at Stephen, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
Paŵapundile kwaponya maganga, che Stefano ŵapopele achitiji, “Alakwe Ambuje Che Yesu, mpochele mbumu jangu!”
60 Then Stephen fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not punish them (OR, forgive them) [LIT] for this sin!” After he had said that, he died.
Ŵatindiŵele ni ŵanyanyisye achitiji, “Ambuje nkaaŵalanjila sambi si.” Paŵaŵechete yeleyo ŵajasiche. Ni che Sauli ŵakundile kuti che Stefano akuŵajilwa kuulajikwa.
