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

¹Festus therefore, having come into the province, after three days went up to Jerusalem from Caesarea.

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

²And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul; and they besought him,

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

³asking a favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem; laying a plot to kill him on the way.

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

⁴Howbeit Festus answered, that Paul was kept in charge at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart [thither] shortly.

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

⁵Let them therefore, saith he, that are of power among you go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, let them accuse 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 not more than eight or ten days, he went down unto Caesarea; and on the morrow he sat on the judgment-seat, and 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 that had come down from Jerusalem stood round about him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove;

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

⁸while Paul said in his defense, Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned 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, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, 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.

¹⁰But Paul said, I am standing before Caesar's judgment-seat, where I ought to be judged: to the Jews have I done no wrong, as thou also 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!"

¹¹If then I am a wrong-doer, and have committed anything worthy of death, I refuse not to die; but if none of those things is [true] whereof these accuse me, no man can give me up 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, Thou hast appealed unto Caesar: unto Caesar shalt thou go.

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

¹³Now when certain days were passed, Agrippa the King and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and saluted Festus.

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

¹⁴And as they tarried there many days, Festus laid Paul's case before the King, saying, There is a certain man left a prisoner 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], asking for sentence 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, that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man, before that the accused have the accusers face to face, and have had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid against him.

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

¹⁷When therefore they were come together here, I made no delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment-seat, and commanded the man to be brought.

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

¹⁸Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such evil 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 religion, and of one Jesus, who 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 I, being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, asked 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 kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept till I should send him to Caesar.

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

²²And Agrippa [said] unto Festus, I also could wish to hear the man myself. To-morrow, saith 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,

²³So on the morrow, when Agrippa was come, and Bernice, with great pomp, and they were entered into the place of hearing with the chief captains and principal men of the city, at the command of Festus Paul was brought in.

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 saith, King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, ye behold this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews made suit to me, both at Jerusalem and 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 I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death: and as he himself appealed to the emperor I 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, king Agrippa, that, after examination had, I may have somewhat to write.

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

²⁷For it seemeth to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not withal to signify the charges against him.