¹"Ndugu zangu na akina baba, nisikilizeni sasa nikijitetea mbele yenu!"

¹Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.

²Waliposikia akiongea nao kwa Kiebrania wakazidi kukaa kimya zaidi kuliko hapo awali. Naye Paulo akaendelea kusema,

²And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith,

³"Mimi ni Myahudi, mzaliwa wa Tarso katika Kilikia. Lakini nililelewa papa hapa mjini Yerusalemu chini ya mkufunzi Gamalieli. Nilifundishwa kufuata kwa uthabiti Sheria ya wazee wetu. Nilijitolea kwa moyo wote kwa Mungu kama ninyi wenyewe mlivyo hivi leo.

³I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day:

⁴Niliwatesa hata kuwaua wale watu waliofuata Njia hii. Niliwatia nguvuni wanaume kwa wanawake na kuwafunga gerezani.

⁴and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

⁵Kuhani Mkuu na baraza lote la wazee wanaweza kushuhudia jambo hilo. Kutoka kwao nilipokea barua walioandikiwa wale ndugu Wayahudi waliokuwa huko Damasko. Nilikwenda Damasko ili niwatie nguvuni watu hao na kuwaleta wamefungwa mpaka Yerusalemu ili waadhibiwe.

⁵As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

⁶"Basi, nilipokuwa njiani karibu kufika Damasko, yapata saa sita mchana, mwangu mkubwa kutoka mbinguni ulitokea ghafla ukaniangazia pande zote.

⁶And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

⁷Hapo nilianguka chini, nikasikia sauti ikiniambia: Saulo, Saulo! Kwa nini unanitesa?

⁷And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

⁸Nami nikauliza: Nani wewe, Bwana? Naye akaniambia: Mimi ni Yesu wa Nazareti ambaye wewe unamtesa.

⁸And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

⁹Wale wenzangu waliuona ule mwanga lakini hawakusikia sauti ya yule aliyeongea nami.

⁹And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

¹⁰Basi, mimi nikauliza: Nifanye nini Bwana? Naye Bwana akaniambia: Simama, nenda Damasko na huko utaambiwa yote ambayo umepangiwa kufanya.

¹⁰And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

¹¹Kutokana na ule mwanga mkali sikuweza kuona na hivyo iliwabidi wale wenzangu kuniongoza kwa kunishika mkono mpaka nikafika Damasko.

¹¹And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me I came into Damascus.

¹²"Huko kulikuwa na mtu mmoja aitwaye Anania, mtu mcha Mungu, mwenye kuitii Sheria yetu na aliyeheshimika sana mbele ya Wayahudi waliokuwa wanaishi Damasko.

¹²And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there,

¹³Yeye alikuja kuniona, akasimama karibu nami, akasema: Ndugu Saulo! Ona tena. Papo hapo nikaona tena, nikamwangalia.

¹³came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked up on him.

¹⁴Halafu Anania akasema: Mungu wa babu zetu amekuchagua upate kujua matakwa yake na kumwona yule mtumishi wake mwadilifu na kumsikia yeye mwenyewe akiongea.

¹⁴And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

¹⁵Kwa maana utamshuhudia kwa watu wote ukiwaambia yale uliyoyaona na kuyasikia.

¹⁵For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

¹⁶Sasa basi, ya nini kukawia zaidi? Simama ubatizwe na uondolewe dhambi zako kwa kuliungama jina lake.

¹⁶And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.

¹⁷"Basi, nilirudi Yerusalemu, na nilipokuwa nikisali Hekaluni, niliona maono.

¹⁷And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,

¹⁸Nilimwona Bwana akiniambia: Haraka! Ondoka Yerusalemu upesi kwa maana watu wa hapa binadamu hawataukubali ushuhuda wako juu yangu.

¹⁸and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning me.

¹⁹Nami nikamjibu: Bwana, wao wanajua wazi kwamba mimi ni yule aliyekuwa anapitapita katika masunagogi na kuwatia nguvuni na kuwapiga wale waliokuwa wanakuamini.

¹⁹And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

²⁰Na kwamba wakati shahidi wako Stefano alipouawa, mimi binafsi nilikuwako pale nikakubaliana na kitendo hicho na kuyalinda makoti ya wale waliokuwa wanamuua.

²⁰and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him.

²¹Naye Bwana akaniambia: Nenda; ninakutuma mbali kwa mataifa mengine."

²¹And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.

²²Mpaka hapa, wale watu walikuwa wanamsikiza, lakini aliposema maneno haya, walianza kusema kwa sauti kubwa, "Mwondoe duniani! Mtu wa namna hiyo hastahili kuishi."

²²And they gave him audience unto this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

²³Waliendelea kupayukapayuka huku wakitikisa makoti yao na kurusha vumbi angani.

²³And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air,

²⁴Mkuu wa jeshi aliwaamuru watu wake wampeleke Paulo ndani ya ngome, akawaambia wamchape viboko ili wapate kujua kisa cha Wayahudi kumpigia kelele.

²⁴the chief captain commanded him be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him.

²⁵Lakini walipokwisha mfunga ili wamchape viboko, Paulo alimwuliza jemadari mmoja aliyesimama hapo, "Je, ni halali kwenu kumpiga viboko raia wa Roma kabla hajahukumiwa?"

²⁵And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

²⁶Yule jemadari aliposikia hayo, alimpasha habari mkuu wa jeshi akisema, "Unataka kufanya nini? Mtu huyu ni raia wa Roma!"

²⁶And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman.

²⁷Basi, mkuu wa jeshi alimwendea Paulo, akamwambia, "Niambie; je, wewe ni raia wa Roma?" Paulo akamjibu, "Naam."

²⁷And the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea.

²⁸Mkuu wa jeshi akasema, "Mimi nami nimekuwa raia wa Roma kwa kulipa gharama kubwa." Paulo akasema, "Lakini mimi ni raia wa Roma kwa kuzaliwa."

²⁸And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am [a Roman] born.

²⁹Wale watu ambao walikuwa tayari kumchunguza Paulo walitoweka mara. Hata yule mkuu wa jeshi aliogopa alipojua kwamba Paulo ni raia wa Roma na kwamba alikuwa amekwisha mfunga minyororo.

²⁹They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

³⁰Kesho yake, mkuu wa jeshi alitaka kujua mashtaka kamili ambayo Wayahudi walikuwa wamemwekea Paulo. Hivyo, alimfungua Paulo minyororo, akaamuru makuhani wakuu na Baraza lote wafanye kikao. Kisha alimleta Paulo, akamsimamisha mbele ya Baraza.

³⁰But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.