¹Siku tatu baada ya kufika mkoani, Festo alitoka Kaisarea, akaenda Yerusalemu.

¹Now when Festus was come into the province, after three days he ascended from Caesarea to Jerusalem.

²Makuhani wakuu pamoja na viongozi wa Wayahudi walimpa habari kuhusu mashtaka yaliyokuwa yanamkabili Paulo. Walimsihi Festo

²Then the high priest and the chief of the Jews informed him against Paul, and besought him,

³awafanyie fadhili kwa kumleta Paulo Yerusalemu; walikuwa wamekula njama wamuue akiwa njiani.

³And desired favour against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.

⁴Lakini Festo alijibu, "Paulo atabaki kizuizini kule Kaisarea na mimi nitakwenda huko karibuni.

⁴But Festus answered, that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself would depart shortly thither.

⁵Waacheni viongozi wenu waende huko pamoja nami wakatoe mashtaka yao juu yake kama amefanya chochote kiovu."

⁵Let them therefore, said he, which among you are able, go down with me, and accuse this man, if there be any wickedness in him.

⁶Festo alikaa nao kwa muda wa siku nane au kumi hivi, kisha akarudi Kaisarea. Kesho yake alikwenda barazani, akaamuru Paulo aletwe ndani.

⁶And when he had tarried among them more than ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and the next day sitting on the judgment seat commanded Paul to be brought.

⁷Wakati Paulo alipofika, Wayahudi waliokuwa wametoka Yerusalemu walimzunguka wakaanza kutoa mashtaka mengi mazitomazito ambayo hawakuweza kuthibitisha.

⁷And when he was come, the Jews which came down from Jerusalem stood round about, and laid many and grievous complaints against Paul, which they could not prove.

⁸Kwa kujitetea, Paulo alisema, "Mimi sikufanya kosa lolote kuhusu Sheria ya Wayahudi, wala kuhusu Hekalu, wala kumhusu Kaisari."

⁸While he answered for himself, Neither against the law of the Jews, neither against the temple, nor yet against Caesar, have I offended any thing at all.

⁹Festo alitaka kujipendekeza kwa Wayahudi na hivyo akamwuliza Paulo, "Je, ungependa kwenda Yerusalemu na huko ukahukumiwe mbele yangu kuhusu mashtaka haya?"

⁹But Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul, and said, Wilt thou go up to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these things before me?

¹⁰Paulo akajibu, "Nasimama mbele ya mahakama ya Kaisari na papa hapa ndipo ninapopaswa kupewa hukumu. Kama unavyojua vizuri, sikuwatendea Wayahudi ubaya wowote.

¹⁰Then said Paul, I stand at Caesar's judgment seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou very well knowest.

¹¹Basi, ikiwa nimepatikana na kosa linalostahili adhabu ya kifo, siombi kusamehewa adhabu hiyo. Lakini kama hakuna ukweli katika mashtaka waliyotoa watu hawa, hakuna awezaye kunikabidhi kwao. Nakata rufani kwa Kaisari!"

¹¹For if I be an offender, or have committed any thing worthy of death, I refuse not to die: but if there be none of these things whereof these accuse me, no man may deliver me unto them. I appeal unto Caesar.

¹²Basi, baada ya Festo kuzungumza na washauri wake, akamwambia Paulo, "Umekata rufani kwa Kaisari, basi, utakwenda kwa Kaisari."

¹²Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, Hast thou appealed unto Caesar? unto Caesar shalt thou go.

¹³Siku chache baadaye, mfalme Agripa na Bernike walifika Kaisarea ili kutoa heshima zao kwa Festo.

¹³And after certain days king Agrippa and Bernice came unto Caesarea to salute Festus.

¹⁴Walikuwa huko siku kadhaa naye Festo akamweleza mfalme kesi ya Paulo: "Kuna mtu mmoja hapa ambaye Felisi alimwacha kizuizini.

¹⁴And when they had been there many days, Festus declared Paul's cause unto the king, saying, There is a certain man left in bonds by Felix:

¹⁵Nilipokwenda Yerusalemu makuhani wakuu na wazee wa Wayahudi walimshtaki na kuniomba nimhukumu.

¹⁵About whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, desiring to have judgment against him.

¹⁶Lakini mimi niliwajibu kwamba si desturi ya Waroma kumtoa mtu aadhibiwe kabla mshtakiwa hajakutana na washtaki wake ana kwa ana na kupewa fursa ya kujitetea kuhusu hayo mashtaka.

¹⁶To whom I answered, It is not the manner of the Romans to deliver any man to die, before that he which is accused have the accusers face to face, and have licence to answer for himself concerning the crime laid against him.

¹⁷Basi, walipofika hapa sikukawia, ila nilifanya kikao mahakamani kesho yake, nikaamuru mtu huyo aletwe.

¹⁷Therefore, when they were come hither, without any delay on the morrow I sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought forth.

¹⁸Washtaki wake walisimama lakini hawakutoa mashtaka maovu kama nilivyokuwa ninatazamia.

¹⁸Against whom when the accusers stood up, they brought none accusation of such things as I supposed:

¹⁹Ila tu walikuwa na mabishano kadhaa pamoja naye kuhusu dini yao na kuhusu mtu mmoja aitwaye Yesu ambaye alikufa, lakini Paulo anashikilia kwamba yu hai.

¹⁹But had certain questions against him of their own superstition, and of one Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

²⁰Sikujua la kufanya kuhusu shauri hilo. Basi, nilimwuliza Paulo kama angependa kwenda mahakamani kule Yerusalemu kwa ajili ya mashtaka hayo.

²⁰And because I doubted of such manner of questions, I asked him whether he would go to Jerusalem, and there be judged of these matters.

²¹Lakini Paulo alikata rufani, akaomba aachwe kizuizini mpaka uamuzi wa shauri hilo ufanywe na Kaisari. Kwa hiyo niliamua akae kizuizini mpaka nitakapoweza kumpeleka kwa Kaisari."

²¹But when Paul had appealed to be reserved unto the hearing of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I might send him to Caesar.

²²Basi Agripa akamwambia Festo, "Ningependa kumsikia mtu huyu mimi mwenyewe." Festo akamwambia, "Utamsikia kesho."

²²Then Agrippa said unto Festus, I would also hear the man myself. To morrow, said he, thou shalt hear him.

²³Hivyo, kesho yake, Agripa na Bernike walifika kwa shangwe katika ukumbi wa mkutano wakiwa wameandamana na wakuu wa majeshi na viongozi wa mji. Festo aliamuru Paulo aletwe ndani,

²³And on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and was entered into the place of hearing, with the chief captains, and principal men of the city, at Festus' commandment Paul was brought forth.

²⁴Kisha akasema, "Mfalme Agripa na wote mlioko hapa pamoja nasi! Hapa mbele yenu yuko mtu ambaye jumuiya yote ya Wayahudi hapa na kule Yerusalemu walinilalamikia wakipiga kelele kwamba hastahili kuishi tena.

²⁴And Festus said, King Agrippa, and all men which are here present with us, ye see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews have dealt with me, both at Jerusalem, and also here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

²⁵Lakini mimi sikuona kuwa alikuwa ametenda chochote kibaya hata astahili kupewa adhabu ya kifo. Lakini, kwa vile Paulo mwenyewe alikata rufani kwa Kaisari, niliamua kumpeleka.

²⁵But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and that he himself hath appealed to Augustus, I have determined to send him.

²⁶Kwa upande wangu sina habari kamili ambayo naweza kumwandikia Kaisari juu yake. Ndiyo maana nimemleta hapa mbele yenu na mbele yako mfalme Agripa, ili baada ya kumchunguza, niweze kuwa na la kuandika.

²⁶Of whom I have no certain thing to write unto my lord. Wherefore I have brought him forth before you, and specially before thee, O king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I might have somewhat to write.

²⁷Kwa maana nadhani itakuwa kichekesho kumpeleka mfungwa bila kutaja wazi mashtaka yanayomkabili."

²⁷For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify the crimes laid against him.