Mabasa 24

1 Zvino mushure memazuva mashanu Ananiasi mupristi mukuru wakaburuka nevakuru neumwe mumiririri wainzi Teturo; vakamhan'arira Pauro kumutungamiriri.

Five days later Ananias the high priest, [having heard that Paul was now in Caesarea], went down [there from Jerusalem], along with some [other Jewish] elders and a lawyer [whose name was] Tertullus. There they formally told the governor what Paul had done [that they considered] wrong.

2 Zvino wakati adanwa, Teturo akatanga kumupa mhosva achiti: Rugare rukuru tinorwuwana nemwi, nemabasa akanaka akaitika murudzi rwuno neurongwa hwenyu,

[The governor commanded] Paul to be brought {[a soldier] to bring Paul} in. [When Paul arrived], Tertullus began to accuse him. He said [to the governor], “Honorable Governor Felix, during the many years that you [(sg)] have ruled us, we [(exc)] have lived well/peacefully. By planning wisely, you have improved many things in this province.

3 tinozvigamuchira nemitoo yese nepanzvimbo dzese, changamire Ferikisi, nekuvonga kwese.

[Therefore], sir, we [(exc)] always gratefully acknowledge everything that [you have done] for all [of us], wherever [you have done those things].

4 Asi kuti ndisaramba ndichikubatirirai, ndinokukumbirai zvikuru kuti netsitsi dzenyu mutinzwe muchidimbu.

But, so that I will not take up too much of your time, I earnestly request that you kindly listen to me very briefly.

5 Nokuti takawana murume uyu ari hosha huru, anomutsa bongozozo pakati peVaJudha vese panyika yese, ari mutungamiriri weboka reVaNazareta.

We [(exc)] have observed that this man, [wherever he goes], causes trouble. [Specifically], he causes all the Jews everywhere [HYP] to riot. [Also], he leads the entire group [whom people call] ‘the followers of the Nazarene’, a [false] sect.

6 Iye wakaidzawo kushatisa tembere; watakabatawo tichida kumutonga maererano nemurairo wedu,

He even tried to do things in the Temple [in Jerusalem] that would (defile it/make it unholy). So we [(exc)] seized him.

7 zvino mukuru wehondo Risiasi wakauya ndokumutora nechisimba chikuru mumaoko edu,

But Lysias, the commander at the Roman fort, came with his soldiers and forcefully took him away from us [SYN].

8 akaraira vaimupa mhosva kuti vauye kwamuri; wamunogona kuti mukumubvunzisisa momene muchawana ruzivo rwezvinhu izvi zvese isu zvatinomupira mhosva.

Lysias also commanded Paul’s accusers to come here and accuse Paul before you. If you question him yourself, you will be able to learn that all these things about which we are accusing him are true.”

9 NeVaJudha vakabvumawo, vachiti zvinhu izvi zvakadaro.

When the Jewish [leaders who were listening heard that, they] told [the governor that] what Tertullus had said was true.

10 Zvino Pauro wakapindura, mutungamiriri amuninira kuti ataure, akati: Nokuti ndinoziva kuti mava wemakore mazhinji muri mutongi kurudzi urwu, ndinozvidavirira nemufaro mukuru zviri maererano neni,

Then the governor motioned with [his hand to Paul that] he should speak. So Paul replied. He said, “[Governor Felix, I know that you(sg) have judged this Jewish] province for many years. Therefore I gladly defend myself, confident [that you will listen to me and will judge me fairly].

11 sezvo mungagona kuziva kuti mazuva achigere kupfuura gumi nemaviri kwandiri, kubvira pandakakwira kuJerusarema kunonamata;

You [(sg)] can [easily] ascertain that (it has not been more than twelve days since/only twelve days ago) I went up went up to Jerusalem to worship [God. That is not enough time to cause a lot of trouble].

12 uye havana kundiwana mutembere ndichiita nharo nemunhu, kana kumutsira chaunga bongozozo, kunyange mumasinagoge kana muguta rese;

No one [can claim legitimately that they] saw me arguing with anyone at the Temple courts [because I did not do that. No one can claim legitimately that they saw me] causing people to riot in [any Jewish meeting place], or causing trouble anywhere [else] in [Jerusalem] city, [because I did not do that].

13 uye havagoni kupa uchapupu pamusoro pezvinhu zvavanondimhan'arira ikozvino.

So they cannot prove to you the things about which they are now accusing me.

14 Asi ndinobvuma izvi kwamuri, kuti nenzira yavanoti kutsauka, saizvozvo ndinoshumira Mwari wemadzibaba, ndichitenda zvinhu zvese zvakanyorwa pamurairo wese nepavaporofita;

But I admit to you [(sg) that this is true]: I do worship the God that our ancestors [worshipped. It is true that] I follow the way that [Jesus taught us]. The Jewish leaders call that a false religion/teaching. I also believe everything that was written [by Moses] {that [Moses wrote]} in the laws that [God gave him], and everything that was written by the [other] prophets {that the [other] prophets wrote} [in their books] [MTY].

15 ndine tariro kuna Mwari, iyo yavanomirirawo vamene, kuti kuchava nekumuka kwevakafa, kwevakarurama pamwe nevasakarurama.

I confidently expect, just like [some of] these men also expect, that [some day God] will cause everyone who has died to become alive again. He will (cause to become alive again/raise from the dead) both those who were righteous and those who were wicked.

16 Uye pachinhu ichi ini ndinoidza, kuti nguva dzese ndive nehana isina mhosva kuna Mwari nekuvanhu.

[Because I am confidently waiting for that day], I always try to do what pleases God and what other people think is right.

17 Zvino shure kwemakore mazhinji ndakasvika kuzopa zvipo zvenyasha kurudzi rwangu nezvibairo;

After I [had been in other places for] several years, I returned to Jerusalem. I went there to deliver some money to my fellow Jews [who are] poor, and to offer sacrifices [to God].

18 ndiri pane izvozvi vamwe VaJudha vakabva Asia vakandiwana ndakanatswa mutembere, pasina chaunga, pasina bongozozo;

Some [Jews] saw me in the temple [courts] after I had completed the ritual by which a person is made {that makes a person} pure. There was no crowd with me, and I was not causing [people] to riot.

19 vanofanira kuva pano pamberi penyu vandipe mhosva kana vane chekupokana neni;

But it was some [other] Jews [who had come] from Asia [province who really caused people to riot. They] should be here in front of you [(sg)] to accuse me, if they thought that I [did] something [wrong].

20 kana ivo pachavo ngavareve vamene, kuti vakawana chii chisakarurama mandiri, pandakamira pamberi pedare remakurukota,

[But if they] do not [want to do that] (OR, [But because they] are [not] here), these [Jewish] men who are here should tell you [(sg)] what [they think] I did that was wrong, when I [defended myself] before their Council.

21 kunze kweshoko iri rimwe, randakadanidzira ndimire pakati pavo rekuti: Maererano nekumuka kwevakafa ini ndinotongwa nemwi nhasi.

[They might say that] one thing that I shouted as I stood before them [was wrong. What I said] was, ‘You are judging me today because I believe that [God] will (cause [all people] who have died to become alive again/raise [all people] from the dead).’”

22 Asi Ferikisi wakati anzwa zvinhu izvi achiziva zvakanyanya zvenzira iyo akambovamisa, achiti: Kana Risiasi mutungamiri wechuru aburukira pano, ndichanyatsoongorora zviri maererano nemwi;

Felix already knew quite a lot about [what people called] ‘the way [of Jesus’]. But he did not let Paul or his accusers continue to speak. [Instead], he said [to them], “[Later], when Commander Lysias comes down here, I will decide these matters that concern you all.”

23 ndokuraira mukuru wezana kuti achengete Pauro, uye ave nerusununguko, uye kuti varege kudzivisa umwe wevekwake kushumira kana kumushanyira.

Then he told the officer [who was guarding Paul] to [take Paul back to the prison and] make sure that he was guarded all the time. But he said that Paul was not to be chained {that the officer was not to fasten chains on him}, and if his friends came to visit him, [the officer] should allow them to help Paul [in any way that they wished].

24 Zvino shure kwemamwe mazuva, Ferikisi wakasvika nemukadzi wake Drusira muJudhakadzi, akatuma kunodana Pauro, akamunzwa pamusoro perutendo kuna Kristu.

Several days later Felix and his wife Drusilla, who was a Jew, came [back to Caesarea after having been away for a few days]. Felix [commanded] Paul to be brought in {[a soldier to] bring Paul in}. Then Felix listened to what Paul [said to him]. Paul spoke about what [Christians] believe about the Messiah Jesus.

25 Zvino wakati achataura zvekururama nezvekuzvidzora uye zvekutonga kunouya, Ferikisi akatya akapindura akati: Enda zvaikozvino; kana ndikazova nenguva yakafanira, ndichakudana;

Paul explained [to them about what God requires people] to do in order to please him. [He also explained about God requiring people to] control how they act. [Paul also told him that there will be a time when God] will judge [people]. Felix became alarmed [after hearing those things. So] he said to Paul, “That is all I [want to hear] now. When there is a time that is convenient I will ask you [(sg)] to come [to me again].”

26 panguva iyoyo waitarisirawo kuti mari ichapiwa kwaari naPauro, kuti amusunungure; naizvozvo wakamudanawo kazhinji achitaura naye.

[Felix said that because] he hoped that Paul would give him some money [to allow Paul to get out of prison]. So he repeatedly sent for Paul to come, and Paul [repeatedly went and] talked with him. [But he] did not [give Felix any money, and Felix did not command his soldiers to release Paul from prison].

27 Asi makore maviri akati azadziswa, Ferikisi akagamuchira waimutevera Pokio Fesitasi; Ferikisi akada kufadza VaJudha akasiya Pauro akasungwa.

Felix let Paul remain in prison, because he wanted to please the Jewish [leaders and he knew that they did not want him to release Paul]. But when two years had passed, Porcius Festus became governor in place of Felix.