Matendo Ya Mitume 23
Neno: Bibilia Takatifu
23 Paulo akawakazia macho wajumbe wa baraza, akasema, “Ndugu zangu, mimi nimeishi nikiwa na dhamiri safi kabisa siku zote mbele za Mungu, mpaka leo.” 2 Kuhani mkuu Anania akaamuru wale waliokuwa karibu na Paulo wampige kofi mdomoni. 3 Ndipo Paulo akasema, “Mungu atakupiga, wewe ukuta uliopakwa chokaa! Unawe zaje kusikiliza kesi hii kwa mujibu wa sheria, na hapo hapo, kinyume cha sheria, unaamuru nipigwe?” 4 Wale watu waliokuwa wamesimama karibu wakamwambia Paulo, “Mbona unamtukana kuhani mkuu wa Mungu?” 5 Paulo akajibu, “Ndugu zangu, sikujua kwamba yeye ni kuhani mkuu. Kwa maana Maandiko yanasema, ‘Usimseme vibaya kiongozi wa watu wako.’ ” 6 Paulo alipotambua ya kuwa baadhi ya wajumbe wa baraza walikuwa Masadukayo na wengine ni Mafarisayo alisema nao kwa sauti kubwa, “Ndugu zangu! Mimi ni Mfarisayo, mtoto wa Mafarisayo; na hapa nimeshitakiwa kuhusu tumaini juu ya ufufuo wa wafu.” 7 Aliposema haya, Mafarisayo na Masadukayo wakafarakana na baraza zima likagawanyika. 8 Kwa maana Masadukayo wanaamini kwamba hakuna ufufuo, wala hakuna malaika au roho; lakini Mafarisayo wanaamini haya yote. 9 Kelele zikazidi sana; na baadhi ya waandishi wa sheria wa upande wa Mafarisayo, wakasimama wakiwapinga wengine wakasema, “Hatuoni kosa lo lote alilofanya mtu huyu! Huenda ikawa malaika au roho amezungumza naye kweli!” 10 Mabishano yalipozidi kuwa makali, yule jemadari aliogopa kuwa wangeweza kumrarua Paulo vipande vipande. Kwa hiyo akaamuru askari wakamtoe Paulo alipokuwa, arudishwe kwenye ngome ya jeshi. 11 Usiku uliofuata, Bwana akamtokea Paulo akasimama karibu naye akamwambia, “Jipe moyo! Kama ulivyonishuhudia hapa Yerusalemu, itakubidi unishuhudie na huko Rumi pia.”
Njama Za Wayahudi Kumwua Paulo
12 Kulipopambazuka Wayahudi wakala njama ya kumwua Paulo. Wakaweka nadhiri kwamba hawatakula wala kunywa mpaka wamemwua Paulo. 13 Waliofanya mpango huu walikuwa zaidi ya watu arobaini. 14 Wakaenda kwa kuhani mkuu na wazee wakasema, “Tumeweka nad hiri ya pamoja kwamba hatutakula wala kunywa mpaka tumwue Paulo. 15 Kwa hiyo ninyi pamoja na baraza, pelekeni ombi kwa jemadari ili Paulo aletwe barazani, mtoe udhuru kwamba mnataka kuchunguza kesi yake kwa usahihi zaidi. Sisi tutakuwa tayari kumwua hata kabla hajakaribia kufika hapa.” 16 Basi kumbe binamu yake Paulo alisikia kuhusu mpango huu. Akaenda katika ngome ya jeshi akamweleza Paulo mambo haya. 17 Paulo akamwita mmoja wa wale maaskari akamwambia, “Mchukue kijana huyu kwa jemadari, ana neno la kumwambia.” 18 Yule askari akamchukua yule kijana mpaka kwa jemadari akamwambia, “Yule mfungwa Paulo aliniita akaniambia nimlete huyu kijana kwako, kwa sababu ana neno la kukuambia.” 19 Yule jemadari akamchukua yule kijana kando akamwuliza, “Unataka kuniambia nini?” 20 Naye akasema, “Wayahudi wameku baliana wakuombe kesho umpeleke Paulo kwenye Baraza lao kwa kisingizio kwamba wanataka kuchunguza kesi yake kwa uangalifu zaidi. 21 Lakini usikubali ombi lao kwa maana zaidi ya watu aro baini wamekula njama kwamba hawatakula wala kunywa mpaka wamwue Paulo nao wamejiweka tayari kumvizia ukishakubali ombi lao.” 22 Yule jemadari akamruhusu yule kijana aende, akamwonya akisema, “Usimwambie mtu ye yote kwamba umenieleza habari hizi.”
Paulo Apelekwa Kaisaria Kwa Gavana Feliksi
23 Yule jemadari akawaita maaskari wawili akawaambia, “Tay arisheni askari mia mbili watakaokwenda Kaisaria pamoja na askari wa farasi sabini, na askari wa mikuki mia mbili; nanyi muwe tay ari kuondoka leo saa tatu za usiku. 24 Pia tayarisheni na farasi watakaotumiwa na Paulo, mumpeleke salama mpaka kwa gavana Feliksi.” 25 Kisha akaandika barua kwa Feliksi kama ifuatavyo: 26 “Mimi Klaudio Lisia, nakuandikia wewe gavana mtukufu Feliksi. Salamu. 27 Mtu huyu alikamatwa na Wayahudi wakawa kar ibu kumwua, ndipo mimi nilipofika na askari wangu nikamwokoa kwa kuwa nilipata habari kwamba yeye ni raia wa Kirumi. 28 Nami nikampeleka mbele ya baraza lao ili nipate kujua kosa alilofanya. 29 Ndipo nikagundua ya kuwa alikuwa anashtakiwa kuhusu sheria yao, lakini hakuwa na kosa la kustahili kifo au kifungo. 30 Lakini nilipata habari kwamba kuna mpango wa kumwua nikaamua nimpeleke kwako mara moja, nikawaamuru washitaki wake walete mashtaka yao kwako.” 31 Basi wale askari wakamchukua Paulo usiku wakampeleka mpaka Antipatri kama walivyoamriwa. 32 Kesho yake wakarudi kituoni wakawaacha wale askari wa mikuki waendelee na safari pamoja na Paulo. 33 Walipofika Kaisaria walimpa Liwali ile barua na pia wakamkabidhi Paulo kwake. 34 Alipokwisha soma ile barua, alimwuliza Paulo ametoka jimbo gani. Alipofahamishwa kuwa anatoka Kilikia 35 alisema, “Nitasikiliza kesi yako mara tu washtaki wako watakapofika.” Akaamuru Paulo awekwe chini ya ulinzi katika ikulu ya Herode.
Acts 23
King James Version
23 And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth.
3 Then said Paul unto him, God shall smite thee, thou whited wall: for sittest thou to judge me after the law, and commandest me to be smitten contrary to the law?
4 And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God's high priest?
5 Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.
6 But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.
7 And when he had so said, there arose a dissension between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: and the multitude was divided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.
9 And there arose a great cry: and the scribes that were of the Pharisees' part arose, and strove, saying, We find no evil in this man: but if a spirit or an angel hath spoken to him, let us not fight against God.
10 And when there arose a great dissension, the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to take him by force from among them, and to bring him into the castle.
11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome.
12 And when it was day, certain of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.
13 And they were more than forty which had made this conspiracy.
14 And they came to the chief priests and elders, and said, We have bound ourselves under a great curse, that we will eat nothing until we have slain Paul.
15 Now therefore ye with the council signify to the chief captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though ye would enquire something more perfectly concerning him: and we, or ever he come near, are ready to kill him.
16 And when Paul's sister's son heard of their lying in wait, he went and entered into the castle, and told Paul.
17 Then Paul called one of the centurions unto him, and said, Bring this young man unto the chief captain: for he hath a certain thing to tell him.
18 So he took him, and brought him to the chief captain, and said, Paul the prisoner called me unto him, and prayed me to bring this young man unto thee, who hath something to say unto thee.
19 Then the chief captain took him by the hand, and went with him aside privately, and asked him, What is that thou hast to tell me?
20 And he said, The Jews have agreed to desire thee that thou wouldest bring down Paul to morrow into the council, as though they would enquire somewhat of him more perfectly.
21 But do not thou yield unto them: for there lie in wait for him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselves with an oath, that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now are they ready, looking for a promise from thee.
22 So the chief captain then let the young man depart, and charged him, See thou tell no man that thou hast shewed these things to me.
23 And he called unto him two centurions, saying, Make ready two hundred soldiers to go to Caesarea, and horsemen threescore and ten, and spearmen two hundred, at the third hour of the night;
24 And provide them beasts, that they may set Paul on, and bring him safe unto Felix the governor.
25 And he wrote a letter after this manner:
26 Claudius Lysias unto the most excellent governor Felix sendeth greeting.
27 This man was taken of the Jews, and should have been killed of them: then came I with an army, and rescued him, having understood that he was a Roman.
28 And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:
29 Whom I perceived to be accused of questions of their law, but to have nothing laid to his charge worthy of death or of bonds.
30 And when it was told me how that the Jews laid wait for the man, I sent straightway to thee, and gave commandment to his accusers also to say before thee what they had against him. Farewell.
31 Then the soldiers, as it was commanded them, took Paul, and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 On the morrow they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the castle:
33 Who, when they came to Caesarea and delivered the epistle to the governor, presented Paul also before him.
34 And when the governor had read the letter, he asked of what province he was. And when he understood that he was of Cilicia;
35 I will hear thee, said he, when thine accusers are also come. And he commanded him to be kept in Herod's judgment hall.
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