1Varume hama, nemadzibaba, inzwai kuzvidavirira kwangu zvino kwamuri.
1“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”
2Ivo vakati vachinzwa kuti unotaura nerurimi rwechiHebheru kwavari, vakanyanya kunyarara, iye akati:
2When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
3Ini ndiri zvirokwazvo murume muJudha, wakaberekerwa muTaso muKirikia, asi ndakarerwa muguta rino pamakumbo aGamarieri, ndikadzidziswa netsika dzakazara dzemurairo wamadzibaba, ndichishingairira Mwari, sezvamuri mose nhasi;
3“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day.
4ndikatambudza nzira iyi kusvikira parufu, ndichisunga nekukumikidza mutirongo vose varume nevakadzi;
4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5nemupristi mukuru sezvaanopupura nezvangu nedare rose remakurukota evatariri; kwavari kwandakagamuchira tsamba kuhama, ndikaenda Dhamasiko kuti ndiuise kuJerusarema avo vaivapo vakasungwa, kuti varangwe.
5As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
6Zvino zvakaitika kuti ndichifamba, ndoswedera Dhamasiko anenge masikati, pakarepo kwakaonekwa kubva kudenga chiedza chikuru chakandipoteredza.
6It happened that, as I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me.
7Zvino ndakawira pasi, ndikanzwa inzwi richiti kwandiri: Sauro, Sauro, unondishushirei?
7I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8Ndikapindura, ndikati: Ndimwi ani Ishe? Akati kwandiri: Ndini Jesu weNazareta waunoshusha.
8I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’
9Zvino avo vaiva neni vakaona chiedza, vakatya, asi havana kunzwa inzwi rewakataura neni.
9“Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
10Zvino ndikati: Ndichaitei, Ishe? Ishe akati kwandiri: Simuka, uende Dhamasiko; apo uchaudzwa zvinhu zvose zvakatarirwa iwe kuti uite.
10I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.’
11Zvino zvandakange ndisingagoni kuona nekubwinya kwechiedza icho, ndakatungamirirwa neruoko rwevaiva neni, ndikasvika Dhamasiko.
11When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12Zvino umwe Ananiasi, murume wainamata sezvinoreva murairo, waipupurwa nezvake zvakanaka nevaJudha vose vakange vagerepo,
12One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
13akauya kwandiri akamira padivi pangu, akati kwandiri: Sauro hama, chionazve! Nenguva iyo ndikamuona.
13came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at him.
14Iye akati: Mwari wemadzibaba edu wakakusarudza, kare kuti uzive kuda kwake, nekuona iye wakarurama, nekunzwa inzwi remuromo wake.
14He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15Nekuti uchava chapupu chake kuvanhu vose chezvawakaona nekunzwa.
15For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16Ikozvino uchanonokerei? Simuka ubhabhatidzwe usukwe zvivi zvako, uchidana zita raIshe.
16Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
17Zvino zvakaitika kuti ndadzokera kuJerusarema, ndichinyengetera mutembere, ndikaita chiyeverwa chemweya,
17“It happened that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,
18ndikamuona achiti kwandiri: Kurumidza ubve kuJerusarema ikozvino-zvino, nekuti havagamuchiri kupupura kwako maererano neni.
18and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’
19Zvino ndikati: Ishe, vanoziva kuti ini ndaiisa mutirongo nekurova musinagoge roga-roga avo vaitenda kwamuri;
19I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.
20nepakadururwa ropa raSitefano chapupu chenyu, neni ndakange ndimirewo ndichibvumirana nekuurawa kwake, ndakachengeta nguvo dzevaimuponda.
20When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’
21Zvino akati kwandiri: Enda, nekuti ndichakutuma kure kuvahedheni.
21“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”
22Vakamuteerera kusvikira pashoko iro; ipapo vakasimudza manzwi avo vachiti: Wakadai ngaabviswe panyika; nekuti hazvina kufanira kuti ararame.
22They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”
23Zvino vachidanidzira, vachirasha nguvo, vachikushira guruva kudenga,
23As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,
24mukuru wechuru akaraira, kuti aiswe kuimba yemauto achiti abvunzurudzwe nekurohwa netyava, kuti azive kuti ingavai ravaidanidzira kudai pamusoro pake.
24the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.
25Zvino vakati vamusunga nemakashu, Pauro akati kumukuru wezana wakange amirepo: Zviri pamutemo here kwamuri kurova netyava munhu ari muRoma asina kutongwa?
25When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”
26Zvino mukuru wezana wakati achizvinzwa, akaenda akandoudza mukuru wechuru achiti: Chenjerai zvamunoita, nekuti munhu uyu muRoma.
26When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”
27Zvino mukuru wechuru akauya akati kwaari: Ndiudze, uri muRoma here? Iye akati: Hongu.
27The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”
28Mukuru wechuru akapindura akati: Nemutengo mukuru ini ndakawana uRoma uhwu. Pauro akati: Ini ndakaberekwa nahwo.
28The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”
29Naizvozvo pakarepo vakabva kwaari ivo vaiva vomubvunzurudza, nemukuru wechuru wakatyawo aziva kuti iye muRoma, uye nekuti wakange amusunga.
29Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.
30Zvino chifume, achida kuziva chokwadi chaaipomerwa nevaJudha, akamusunungura pazvisungo, akaraira kuti vapristi vakuru nedare remakurukota ose vaungane, akaburusira Pauro, ndokumugadzika pamberi pavo.
30But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.