Matendo 11

1 Mitume na ndugu walioamini waliokuwa huko Uyahudi wakasikia kuwa watu wa Mataifa nao wamepokea neno la Mungu.

Now the Apostles, and the brethren in various parts of Judaea, heard that the Gentiles also had received God's Message;

2 Hivyo Petro alipopanda Yerusalemu, wale wa tohara waliokuwa wameamini wakamshutumu,

and, when Peter returned to Jerusalem, the champions of circumcision found fault with him.

3 wakisema, “Ulikwenda kwa watu wasiotahiriwa na kula pamoja nao.”

"You went into the houses of men who are not Jews," they said, "and you ate with them."

4 Ndipo Petro akaanza kuwaeleza kuhusu mambo yote yalivyotokea hatua kwa hatua akisema,

Peter, however, explained the whole matter to them from the beginning.

5 “Nilikuwa katika mji wa Yafa nikiomba, nami nikapitiwa na usingizi wa ghafula, nikaona maono. Kulikuwa na kitu kama nguo kubwa ikishuka kutoka mbinguni, ikishushwa kwa ncha zake nne, nayo ikanikaribia.

"While I was in the town of Jaffa, offering prayer," he said, "in a trance I saw a vision. There descended what seemed to be an enormous sail, being let down from the sky by ropes at the four corners, and it came close to me.

6 Nilipoangalia ndani yake kwa karibu niliona wanyama wenye miguu minne wa nchini, wanyama wa mwitu, watambaao na ndege wa angani.

Fixing my eyes on it, I examined it closely, and saw various kinds of quadrupeds, wild beasts, reptiles and birds.

7 Ndipo nikasikia sauti ikiniambia, ‘Petro, ondoka uchinje na ule.’

I also heard a voice saying to me, "'Rise, Peter, kill and eat.'

8 “Nikajibu, ‘La hasha Bwana! Kitu chochote kilicho najisi hakijaingia kinywani mwangu.’

"'On no account, Lord,' I replied, 'for nothing unholy or impure has ever gone into my mouth.'

9 “Sauti ikasema kutoka mbinguni mara ya pili, ‘Usikiite najisi kitu chochote Mungu alichokitakasa.’

"But a voice answered, speaking a second time from the sky, "'What God has purified, you must not regard as unholy.'

10 Jambo hili lilitokea mara tatu, ndipo kile kitu kikavutwa tena mbinguni.

"This was said three times, and then everything was drawn up again out of sight.

11 “Wakati ule ule watu watatu, waliokuwa wametumwa kutoka Kaisaria waliwasili katika nyumba niliyokuwa nikikaa.

"Now at that very moment three men came to the house where we were, having been sent from Caesarea to find me.

12 Roho Mtakatifu akaniambia niende nao bila kuwa na ubaguzi kati yao na sisi. Hawa ndugu sita pia walifuatana nami, nasi tukaingia nyumbani mwa huyo Kornelio.

And the Spirit told me to accompany them without any misgivings. There also went with me these six brethren who are now present, and we reached the Centurion's house.

13 Akatuambia jinsi alivyoona malaika aliyekuwa amesimama katika nyumba yake na kusema, ‘Tuma watu waende Yafa wakamlete Simoni aitwaye Petro.

Then he described to us how he had seen the angel come and enter his house and say, "'Send to Jaffa and fetch Simon, surnamed Peter.

14 Yeye atakupa ujumbe ambao kwa huo wewe na wa nyumbani mwako wote mtaokoka.’

He will teach you truths by which you and all your family will be saved.'"

15 “Nami nilipoanza kusema, Roho Mtakatifu akashuka juu yao kama vile alivyotushukia sisi hapo mwanzo.

"And," said Peter, "no sooner had I begun to speak than the Holy Spirit fell upon them, just as He fell upon us at the first.

16 Nami nikakumbuka neno la Bwana alivyosema, ‘Yohana alibatiza kwa maji, lakini ninyi mtabatizwa katika Roho Mtakatifu.’

Then I remembered the Lord's words, how He used to say, "'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit.'

17 Basi ikiwa Mungu aliwapa hawa watu kipawa kile kile alichotupa sisi tuliomwamini Bwana Yesu Kristo, mimi ni nani hata nifikirie kuwa ningeweza kumpinga Mungu?”

"If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we first believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, why, who was I to be able to thwart God?"

18 Waliposikia haya hawakuwa na la kupinga zaidi. Nao wakamwadhimisha Mungu wakisema, “Basi, Mungu amewapa hata watu wa Mataifa toba iletayo uzima wa milele.”

This statement of Peter's silenced his opponents. They extolled the goodness of God, and said, "So, then, to the Gentiles also God has given the repentance which leads to Life."

19 Basi wale waliotawanyika kwa ajili ya mateso yaliyotokana na kifo cha Stefano, wakasafiri hadi Foinike na Kipro na Antiokia. Nao hawakuhubiri lile Neno kwa mtu yeyote isipokuwa Wayahudi.

Those, however, who had been driven in various directions by the persecution which broke out on account of Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, delivering the Message to none but Jews.

20 Lakini baadhi yao walikuwepo watu wa Kipro na Kirene, ambao walipokuja Antiokia walinena na Wayunani pia wakiwahubiria habari njema za Bwana Yesu.

But some of them were Cyprians and Cyrenaeans, who, on coming to Antioch, spoke to the Greeks also and told them the Good News concerning the Lord Jesus.

21 Mkono wa Bwana ulikuwa pamoja nao, nayo idadi kubwa ya watu wakaamini na kumgeukia Bwana.

The power of the Lord was with them, and there were a vast number who believed and turned to the Lord.

22 Habari hizi zilipofika masikioni mwa kanisa huko Yerusalemu, wakamtuma Barnaba aende Antiokia.

When tidings of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

23 Alipofika na kuona madhihirisho ya neema ya Mungu, akafurahi na kuwatia moyo waendelee kuwa waaminifu kwa Bwana kwa mioyo yao yote.

On getting there he was delighted to see the grace which God had bestowed; and he encouraged them all to remain, with fixed resolve, faithful to the Lord.

24 Barnaba alikuwa mtu mwema, aliyejaa Roho Mtakatifu, mwenye imani, nayo idadi kubwa ya watu wakaongezeka kwa Bwana.

For he was a good man, and was full of the Holy Spirit and of faith; and the number of believers in the Lord greatly increased.

25 Kisha Barnaba akaenda Tarso kumtafuta Sauli,

Then Barnabas paid a visit to Tarsus to try to find Saul.

26 naye alipompata akamleta Antiokia. Hivyo kwa mwaka mzima Barnaba na Sauli wakakutana na kanisa na kufundisha idadi kubwa ya watu. Ilikuwa ni katika kanisa la Antiokia kwa mara ya kwanza wanafunzi waliitwa Wakristo.

He succeeded, and brought him to Antioch; and for a whole year they attended the meetings of the Church, and taught a large number of people. And it was in Antioch that the disciples first received the name of 'Christians.'

27 Wakati huo manabii walishuka toka Yerusalemu hadi Antiokia.

At that time certain Prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch,

28 Mmoja wao, jina lake Agabo, akasimama akatabiri kwa uweza wa Roho Mtakatifu kwamba njaa kubwa itaenea ulimwengu mzima. Njaa hiyo ilitokea wakati wa utawala wa Klaudio.

one of whom, named Agabus, being instructed by the Spirit, publicly predicted the speedy coming of a great famine throughout the world. (It came in the reign of Claudius.)

29 Mitume wakaamua kwamba kila mtu, kulingana na uwezo alio nao, atoe msaada kwa ajili ya ndugu wanaoishi Uyahudi.

So the disciples decided to send relief, every one in proportion to his means, to the brethren living in Judaea.

30 Wakafanya hivyo, misaada yao ikapelekwa kwa wazee kwa mikono ya Barnaba na Sauli.

This they did, forwarding their contributions to the Elders by Barnabas and Saul.