¹Wakati Apolo alipokuwa Korintho, Paulo alisafiri sehemu za bara, akafika Efeso ambako aliwakuta wanafunzi kadhaa.

¹And it came to pass, in Apollos` being in Corinth, Paul having gone through the upper parts, came to Ephesus, and having found certain disciples,

²Akauliza, "Je, mlipopata kuwa waumini mlipokea Roho Mtakatifu?" Nao wakamjibu, "La! Hata kusikia kwamba kuna Roho Mtakatifu hatujasikia."

²he said unto them, `The Holy Spirit did ye receive — having believed?` and they said unto him, `But we did not even hear whether there is any Holy Spirit;`

³Naye akasema, "Sasa mlipata ubatizo wa namna gani?" Wakamjibu, "Ubatizo wa Yohane."

³and he said unto them, `To what, then, were ye baptized?` and they said, `To John`s baptism.`

⁴Naye Paulo akasema, "Ubatizo wa Yohane ulikuwa wa kuonyesha kwamba watu wametubu. Yohane aliwaambia watu wamwamini yule ambaye alikuwa anakuja baada yake, yaani Yesu."

⁴And Paul said, `John, indeed, did baptize with a baptism of reformation, saying to the people that in him who is coming after him they should believe — that is, in the Christ — Jesus;`

⁵Baada ya kusikia hayo, walibatizwa kwa jina la Bwana Yesu.

⁵and they, having heard, were baptized — to the name of the Lord Jesus,

⁶Basi, Paulo akawawekea mikono, na Roho Mtakatifu akawashukia, wakaanza kusema lugha mbalimbali na kutangaza ujumbe wa Mungu.

⁶and Paul having laid on them [his] hands, the Holy Spirit came upon them, they were speaking also with tongues, and prophesying,

⁷Wote jumla, walikuwa watu wapatao kumi na wawili.

⁷and all the men were, as it were, twelve.

⁸Kwa muda wa miezi mitatu Paulo alikuwa akienda katika sunagogi, akawa na majadiliano ya kuvutia sana juu ya Ufalme wa Mungu.

⁸And having gone into the synagogue, he was speaking boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the reign of God,

⁹Lakini wengine walikuwa wakaidi, wakakataa kuamini, wakaanza kuongea vibaya hadharani juu ya Njia ya Bwana. Hapo Paulo alivunja uhusiano nao, akawachukua pembeni wale wanafunzi wake, akawa anazungumza nao kila siku katika jumba la masomo la Turano.

⁹and when certain were hardened and were disbelieving, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, having departed from them, he did separate the disciples, every day reasoning in the school of a certain Tyrannus.

¹⁰Aliendelea kufanya hivyo kwa muda wa miaka miwili hata wakazi wote wa Asia, Wayahudi na watu wa mataifa mengine, wakaweza kusikia neno la Bwana.

¹⁰And this happened for two years so that all those dwelling in Asia did hear the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks,

¹¹Mungu alifanya miujiza ya ajabu kwa mikono ya Paulo.

¹¹mighty works also — not common — was God working through the hands of Paul,

¹²Watu walikuwa wakichukua leso na nguo nyingine za kazi ambazo Paulo alikuwa amezitumia, wakazipeleka kwa wagonjwa, nao wakaponywa magonjwa yao; na wale waliokuwa na pepo wabaya wakatokwa na pepo hao.

¹²so that even unto the ailing were brought from his body handkerchiefs or aprons, and the sicknesses departed from them; the evil spirits also went forth from them.

¹³Wayahudi kadhaa wenye kupunga pepo wabaya, walisafiri huko na huko, wakijaribu kulitumia jina la Bwana Yesu kwa wale waliokuwa wamepagawa na pepo wabaya. Walikuwa wakisema: "Ninawaamuru kwa jina la Yesu ambaye Paulo anamhubiri."

¹³And certain of the wandering exorcist Jews, took upon [them] to name over those having the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, `We adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul doth preach;`

¹⁴Watoto saba wa Skewa, Kuhani Mkuu wa Kiyahudi, walikuwa miongoni mwa hao waliokuwa wanafanya hivyo.

¹⁴and there were certain — seven sons of Sceva, a Jew, a chief priest — who are doing this thing;

¹⁵Lakini pepo mbaya aliwajibu, "Ninamfahamu Yesu, ninamjua pia Paulo, lakini ninyi ni nani?"

¹⁵and the evil spirit, answering, said, `Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; and ye — who are ye?`

¹⁶Kisha yule mtu aliyepagawa aliwarukia wote kwa kishindo, akawashinda nguvu. Na hao watoto wa Skewa wakakimbia kutoka ile nyumba wakiwa uchi na wamejaa majeraha.

¹⁶And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, and having overcome them, prevailed against them, so that naked and wounded they did flee out of that house,

¹⁷Kila mtu huko Efeso, Myahudi na asiye Myahudi, alisikia juu ya tukio hilo. Wote waliingiwa na hofu, wakalitukuza jina la Bwana Yesu.

¹⁷and this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who are dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was being magnified,

¹⁸Waumini wengi walijitokeza wakakiri hadharani mambo waliyokuwa wametenda.

¹⁸many also of those who did believe were coming, confessing and declaring their acts,

¹⁹Wengine waliokuwa wameshughulikia mambo ya uchawi hapo awali, walikusanya vitabu vyao, wakavichoma mbele ya wote. Walikisia gharama ya vitabu hivyo, wakaona yafikia vipande vya fedha elfu hamsini.

¹⁹and many of those who had practised the curious arts, having brought the books together, were burning [them] before all; and they reckoned together the prices of them, and found [it] five myriads of silverlings;

²⁰Kwa namna hiyo, neno la Bwana lilizidi kuenea na kuwa na nguvu zaidi.

²⁰so powerfully was the word of God increasing and prevailing.

²¹Baada ya mambo hayo, Paulo aliamua kwenda Yerusalemu kwa kupitia Makedonia na Akaya. Alisema, "Baada ya kufika huko, itanilazimu kuona Roma pia."

²¹And when these things were fulfilled, Paul purposed in the Spirit, having gone through Macedonia and Achaia, to go on to Jerusalem, saying — `After my being there, it behoveth me also to see Rome;`

²²Hivyo, aliwatuma wawili wa wasaidizi wake, Timotheo na Erasto, wamtangulie kwenda Makedonia, naye akabaki kwa muda huko Asia.

²²and having sent to Macedonia two of those ministering to him — Timotheus and Erastus — he himself stayed a time in Asia.

²³Wakati huo ndipo kulipotokea ghasia kubwa huko Efeso kwa sababu ya hiyo Njia ya Bwana.

²³And there came, at that time, not a little stir about the way,

²⁴Kulikuwa na mfua fedha mmoja aitwaye Demetrio, ambaye alikuwa na kazi ya kutengeneza sanamu za nyumba ya mungu wa kike aitwaye Artemi. Shughuli hiyo iliwapatia mafundi faida kubwa.

²⁴for a certain one, Demetrius by name, a worker in silver, making silver sanctuaries of Artemis, was bringing to the artificers gain not a little,

²⁵Demetrio aliwakusanya hao wafanyakazi pamoja na wengine waliokuwa na kazi kama hiyo, akawaambia, "Wananchi, mnafahamu kwamba kipato chetu kinatokana na biashara hii.

²⁵whom, having brought in a crowd together, and those who did work about such things, he said, `Men, ye know that by this work we have our wealth;

²⁶Sasa, mnaweza kusikia na kujionea wenyewe mambo Paulo anayofanya, si tu hapa Efeso, ila pia kote katika Asia. Yeye amewashawishi na kuwageuza watu wakakubali kwamba miungu ile iliyotengenezwa na watu si miungu hata kidogo.

²⁶and ye see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost in all Asia, this Paul, having persuaded, did turn away a great multitude, saying, that they are not gods who are made by hands;

²⁷Hivyo iko hatari kwamba biashara yetu itakuwa na jina baya. Si hivyo tu, bali pia jambo hilo linaweza kuifanya nyumba ya mungu Artemi kuwa si kitu cha maana. Hatimaye sifa zake huyo ambaye Asia na dunia yote inamwabudu, zitakwisha."

²⁷and not only is this department in danger for us of coming into disregard, but also, that of the great goddess Artemis the temple is to be reckoned for nothing, and also her greatness is about to be brought down, whom all Asia and the world doth worship.`

²⁸Waliposikia hayo, waliwaka hasira, wakaanza kupiga kelele: "Mkuu ni Artemi, wa Efeso!"

²⁸And they having heard, and having become full of wrath, were crying out, saying, `Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!`

²⁹Mji wote ukajaa ghasia. Wakawavamia Gayo na Aristarko, wenyeji wa Makedonia, ambao walikuwa wasafiri wenzake Paulo, wakakimbia nao mpaka kwenye ukumbi wa michezo.

²⁹and the whole city was filled with confusion, they rushed also with one accord into the theatre, having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul`s fellow-travellers.

³⁰Paulo mwenyewe alitaka kuukabili huo umati wa watu, lakini wale waumini walimzuia.

³⁰And on Paul`s purposing to enter in unto the populace, the disciples were not suffering him,

³¹Maofisa wengine wa huo mkoa wa Asia, waliokuwa rafiki zake, walimtumia Paulo ujumbe wakimsihi asijihatarishe kwa kwenda kwenye ukumbi wa michezo.

³¹and certain also of the chief men of Asia, being his friends, having sent unto him, were entreating him not to venture himself into the theatre.

³²Wakati huo, kila mtu alikuwa anapayuka; wengine hili na wengine lile, mpaka hata ule mkutano ukavurugika. Wengi hawakujua hata sababu ya kukutana kwao.

³²Some indeed, therefore, were calling out one thing, and some another, for the assembly was confused, and the greater part did not know for what they were come together;

³³Kwa vile Wayahudi walimfanya Aleksanda ajitokeze mbele, baadhi ya watu katika ule umati walidhani kuwa ndiye. Basi, Aleksanda aliwaashiria watu kwa mkono akitaka kujitetea mbele ya ule umati wa watu.

³³and out of the multitude they put forward Alexander — the Jews thrusting him forward — and Alexander having beckoned with the hand, wished to make defence to the populace,

³⁴Lakini walipotambua kuwa yeye ni Myahudi, wote kwa sauti moja walipiga kelele: "Mkuu ni Artemi wa Efeso!" Wakaendelea kupayukapayuka hivyo kwa muda wa saa mbili.

³⁴and having known that he is a Jew, one voice came out of all, for about two hours, crying, `Great [is] the Artemis of the Ephesians!`

³⁵Hatimaye karani wa mji alifaulu kuwanyamazisha, akawaambia, "Wananchi wa Efeso, kila mtu anajua kwamba mji huu wa Efeso ni mlinzi wa nyumba ya mungu Artemi na mlinzi wa ile sanamu iliyoanguka kutoka mbinguni.

³⁵And the public clerk having quieted the multitude, saith, `Men, Ephesians, why, who is the man that doth not know that the city of the Ephesians is a devotee of the great goddess Artemis, and of that which fell down from Zeus?

³⁶Hakuna anayeweza kukana mambo haya. Hivyo basi, tulieni; msifanye chochote bila hadhari.

³⁶these things, then, not being to be gainsaid, it is necessary for you to be quiet, and to do nothing rashly.

³⁷Mmewaita watu hawa hapa ingawaje hawakuikufuru nyumba ya mungu wala kumtukana mungu wetu wa kike.

³⁷`For ye brought these men, who are neither temple-robbers nor speaking evil of your goddess;

³⁸Kama, basi Demetrio na wafanyakazi wake wana mashtaka yao kuhusu watu hawa, yapo mahakama na wakuu wa mikoa; wanaweza kushtakiana huko.

³⁸if indeed, therefore, Demetrius and the artificers with him with any one have a matter, court [days] are held, and there are proconsuls; let them accuse one another.

³⁹Kama mna matatizo mengine, yapelekeni katika kikao halali.

³⁹`And if ye seek after anything concerning other matters, in the legal assembly it shall be determined;

⁴⁰Kwa maana tungaliweza kushtakiwa kwa kusababisha ghasia kutokana na vituko vya leo. Ghasia hii haina msingi halali na hatungeweza kutoa sababu za kuridhisha za ghasia hiyo."

⁴⁰for we are also in peril of being accused of insurrection in regard to this day, there being no occasion by which we shall be able to give an account of this concourse;`

⁴¹Baada ya kusema hayo aliuvunja mkutano.

⁴¹and these things having said, he dismissed the assembly.