¹Baada ya siku tano, Kuhani Mkuu Anania aliwasili Kaisarea pamoja na wazee kadhaa na wakili mmoja wa sheria aitwaye Tertulo. Walimwendea yule mkuu wa mkoa wakamweleza mashtaka yao juu ya Paulo.

¹And after five days came down the chief priest Ananias, with the elders, and a certain orator — Tertullus, and they made manifest to the governor [the things] against Paul;

²Paulo aliitwa na Tertulo akafungua mashtaka hivi: "Mheshimiwa Felisi, uongozi wako bora umeleta amani kubwa na marekebisho ya lazima yanafanywa kwa manufaa ya taifa letu.

²and he having been called, Tertullus began to accuse [him], saying, `Much peace enjoying through thee, and worthy deeds being done to this nation through thy forethought,

³Tunalipokea jambo hili kwa furaha daima na kutoa shukrani nyingi kwako kila mahali.

³always, also, and everywhere we receive it, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness;

⁴Lakini, bila kupoteza wakati wako zaidi, tunakusihi kwa wema wako, usikilize taarifa yetu fupi.

⁴and that I may not be further tedious to thee, I pray thee to hear us concisely in thy gentleness;

⁵Tumegundua kwamba mtu huyu ni wa hatari mno. Yeye huanzisha ghasia kati ya Wayahudi kila mahali duniani na pia ni kiongozi wa kile chama cha Wanazareti.

⁵for having found this man a pestilence, and moving a dissension to all the Jews through the world — a ringleader also of the sect of the Nazarenes —

⁶Tena alijaribu kulikufuru Hekalu nasi tukamtia nguvuni. Kama ukimhoji wewe mwenyewe, utaweza kubainisha mambo haya yote tunayomshtaki kwayo." Tulitaka kumhukumu kufuatana na Sheria yetu.

⁶who also the temple did try to profane, whom also we took, and according to our law did wish to judge,

⁷Lakini Lusia, mkuu wa jeshi, aliingilia kati, akamchukua kwa nguvu kutoka mikononi mwetu.

⁷and Lysias the chief captain having come near, with much violence, out of our hands did take away,

⁸Kisha akaamuru washtaki wake waje mbele yako.

⁸having commanded his accusers to come to thee, from whom thou mayest be able, thyself having examined, to know concerning all these things of which we accuse him;`

⁹Nao Wayahudi waliunga mkono mashtaka hayo wakisema kwamba hayo yote yalikuwa kweli.

⁹and the Jews also agreed, professing these things to be so.

¹⁰Basi, mkuu wa mkoa alimwashiria Paulo aseme. Naye Paulo akasema, "Nafurahi kujitetea mbele yako nikijua kwamba umekuwa hakimu wa taifa hili kwa miaka mingi.

¹⁰And Paul answered — the governor having beckoned to him to speak — `Knowing [that] for many years thou hast been a judge to this nation, the more cheerfully the things concerning myself I do answer;

¹¹Unaweza kujihakikishia kwamba si zaidi ya siku kumi na mbili tu zimepita tangu nilipokwenda kuabudu Yerusalemu.

¹¹thou being able to know that it is not more than twelve days to me since I went up to worship in Jerusalem,

¹²Wayahudi hawakunikuta nikijadiliana na mtu yeyote. Hawakunikuta nikichochea watu Hekaluni wala katika masunagogi yao, wala mahali pengine popote katika mji huo.

¹²and neither in the temple did they find me reasoning with any one, or making a dissension of the multitude, nor in the synagogues, nor in the city;

¹³Wala hawawezi kuthibitisha mashtaka waliyotoa juu yangu.

¹³nor are they able to prove against me the things concerning which they now accuse me.

¹⁴Ninachokubali mbele yako ni hiki: Mimi ninamwabudu Mungu na wazee wetu nikiishi kufuatana na Njia ile ambayo wao wanaiita chama cha uzushi. Ninaamini mambo yote yaliyoandikwa katika vitabu vya Sheria na manabii.

¹⁴`And I confess this to thee, that, according to the way that they call a sect, so serve I the God of the fathers, believing all things that in the law and the prophets have been written,

¹⁵Mimi namtumainia Mungu, na wao wanalo tumaini hilo, kwamba watu, wema na wabaya, watafufuka.

¹⁵having hope toward God, which they themselves also wait for, [that] there is about to be a rising again of the dead, both of righteous and unrighteous;

¹⁶Kwa hiyo ninajitahidi daima kuwa na dhamiri njema mbele ya Mungu na mbele ya watu.

¹⁶and in this I do exercise myself, to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always.

¹⁷"Baada ya kukaa mbali kwa miaka kadhaa, nilirudi Yerusalemu ili kuwapelekea wananchi wenzangu msaada na kutoa dhabihu.

¹⁷`And after many years I came, about to do kind acts to my nation, and offerings,

¹⁸Wakati nilipokuwa nikifanya hayo ndipo waliponikuta Hekaluni, nilipokuwa nimekwisha fanya ile ibada ya kujitakasa. Hakukuwako kundi la watu wala ghasia.

¹⁸in which certain Jews from Asia did find me purified in the temple, not with multitude, nor with tumult,

¹⁹Lakini kulikuwa na Wayahudi wengine kutoka mkoa wa Asia; hao ndio wangepaswa kuwa hapa mbele yako na kutoa mashtaka yao kama wana chochote cha kusema dhidi yangu.

¹⁹whom it behoveth to be present before thee, and to accuse, if they had anything against me,

²⁰Au, waache hawa walio hapa waseme kosa waliloliona kwangu wakati niliposimama mbele ya Baraza lao kuu,

²⁰or let these same say if they found any unrighteousness in me in my standing before the sanhedrim,

²¹isipokuwa tu maneno haya niliyosema niliposimama mbele yao: Mnanihukumu leo hii kwa sababu ya kushikilia kwamba wafu watafufuliwa!"

²¹except concerning this one voice, in which I cried, standing among them — Concerning a rising again of the dead I am judged to-day by you.`

²²Hapo, Felisi, ambaye mwenyewe alikuwa anaifahamu hiyo Njia vizuri, aliahirisha kesi hiyo. Akawaambia, "Nitatoa hukumu juu ya kesi hiyo wakati Luisa, mkuu wa jeshi, atakapokuja hapa."

²²And having heard these things, Felix delayed them — having known more exactly of the things concerning the way — saying, `When Lysias the chief captain may come down, I will know fully the things concerning you;`

²³Kisha akamwamuru yule jemadari amweke Paulo kizuizini, lakini awe na uhuru kiasi, na rafiki zake wasizuiwe kumpatia mahitaji yake.

²³having given also a direction to the centurion to keep Paul, to let [him] also have liberty, and to forbid none of his own friends to minister or to come near to him.

²⁴Baada ya siku chache, Felisi alifika pamoja na mkewe Drusila ambaye alikuwa Myahudi. Aliamuru Paulo aletwe, akamsikiliza akiongea juu ya kumwamini Yesu Kristo.

²⁴And after certain days, Felix having come with Drusilla his wife, being a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith toward Christ,

²⁵Lakini wakati Paulo alipoanza kuongea juu ya uadilifu, juu ya kuwa na kiasi na juu ya siku ya hukumu inayokuja, Felisi aliogopa, akasema, "Kwa sasa unaweza kwenda; nitakuita tena nitakapopata nafasi."

²⁵and he reasoning concerning righteousness, and temperance, and the judgment that is about to be, Felix, having become afraid, answered, `For the present be going, and having got time, I will call for thee;`

²⁶Wakati huohuo alikuwa anatumaini kwamba Paulo angempa fedha. Kwa sababu hii alimwita Paulo mara kwa mara na kuzungumza naye.

²⁶and at the same time also hoping that money shall be given to him by Paul, that he may release him, therefore, also sending for him the oftener, he was conversing with him;

²⁷Baada ya miaka miwili, Porkio Festo alichukua nafasi ya Felisi, akawa mkuu wa Mkoa. Kwa kuwa alitaka kujipendekeza kwa Wayahudi, Felisi alimwacha Paulo kizuizini.

²⁷and two years having been fulfilled, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus; Felix also willing to lay a favour on the Jews, left Paul bound.