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

¹It happened that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples.

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

²He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

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

³He said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into 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."

⁴Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

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

⁵When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

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

⁶When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.

⁷Wote jumla, walikuwa watu wapatao kumi na wawili.

⁷They were about twelve men in all.

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

⁸He entered into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for a period of three months, reasoning and persuading about the things concerning the Kingdom 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.

⁹But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of 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.

¹⁰This continued for two years, so that all those who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

¹¹Mungu alifanya miujiza ya ajabu kwa mikono ya Paulo.

¹¹God worked special miracles by 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 handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and the evil spirits went out.

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."

¹³But some of the itinerant Jews, exorcists, took on themselves to invoke over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, “We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

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

¹⁴There were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did this.

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

¹⁵The evil spirit answered, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?”

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

¹⁶The man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

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

¹⁷This became known to all, both Jews and Greeks, who lived at Ephesus. Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

¹⁸Waumini wengi walijitokeza wakakiri hadharani mambo waliyokuwa wametenda.

¹⁸Many also of those who had believed came, confessing, and declaring their deeds.

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.

¹⁹Many of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. They counted their price, and found it to be fifty thousand pieces of silver. The 50,000 pieces of silver here probably referred to 50,000 drachmas. If so, the value of the burned books was equivalent to about 160 man-years of wages for agricultural laborers

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

²⁰So the word of the Lord was growing and becoming mighty.

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

²¹Now after these things had ended, Paul determined in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, “After I have been there, I must also see Rome.”

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

²²Having sent into Macedonia two of those who served him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.

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

²³About that time there arose no small stir concerning 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 man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought no little business to the craftsmen,

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

²⁵whom he gathered together, with the workmen of like occupation, and said, “Sirs, you know that by this business 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.

²⁶You see and hear, that not at Ephesus alone, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods, that are made with 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."

²⁷Not only is there danger that this our trade come into disrepute, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be counted as nothing, and her majesty destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships.”

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

²⁸When they heard this they were filled with anger, and cried out, saying, “Great is 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.

²⁹The whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one accord into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul’s companions in travel.

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

³⁰When Paul wanted to enter in to the people, the disciples didn’t allow him.

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

³¹Certain also of the Asiarchs, being his friends, sent to him and begged him not to venture into the theater.

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

³²Some therefore cried one thing, and some another, for the assembly was in confusion. Most of them didn’t know why they had 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.

³³They brought Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. Alexander beckoned with his hand, and would have made a defense to the people.

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.

³⁴But when they perceived that he was a Jew, all with one voice for a time of about two hours cried out, “Great is 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.

³⁵When the town clerk had quieted the multitude, he said, “You men of Ephesus, what man is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is temple keeper of the great goddess Artemis, and of the image which fell down from Zeus?

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

³⁶Seeing then that these things can’t be denied, you ought to be quiet, and to do nothing rash.

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

³⁷For you have brought these men here, who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers 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 therefore Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a matter against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls. Let them press charges against one another.

³⁹Kama mna matatizo mengine, yapelekeni katika kikao halali.

³⁹But if you seek anything about other matters, it will be settled in the regular assembly.

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 indeed we are in danger of being accused concerning this day’s riot, there being no cause. Concerning it, we wouldn’t be able to give an account of this commotion.”

⁴¹Baada ya kusema hayo aliuvunja mkutano.

⁴¹When he had thus spoken, he dismissed the assembly.