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

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

²Then the high priest and the principal men of the Jews informed him against Paul, and they begged him,

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

³asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; plotting to kill him on the way.

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

⁴However Festus answered that Paul should be kept in custody at Caesarea, and that he himself was about to depart shortly.

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

⁵“Let them therefore,” said he, “that are in power among you go down with me, and if there is anything wrong in the man, let them accuse him.”

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

⁶When he had stayed among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea, and on the next day he sat on the judgment seat, and commanded Paul to be brought.

⁶Festo alikaa nao kwa muda wa siku nane au kumi hivi, kisha akarudi Kaisarea. Kesho yake alikwenda barazani, akaamuru Paulo aletwe ndani.

⁷When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many and grievous charges which they could not prove,

⁷Wakati Paulo alipofika, Wayahudi waliokuwa wametoka Yerusalemu walimzunguka wakaanza kutoa mashtaka mengi mazitomazito ambayo hawakuweza kuthibitisha.

⁸while he said in his defense, “Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar, have I sinned at all.”

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

⁹But Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews, answered Paul and said, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be judged by me there concerning these things?”

⁹Festo alitaka kujipendekeza kwa Wayahudi na hivyo akamwuliza Paulo, "Je, ungependa kwenda Yerusalemu na huko ukahukumiwe mbele yangu kuhusu mashtaka haya?"

¹⁰But Paul said, “I am standing before Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be tried. I have done no wrong to the Jews, as you also know very well.

¹⁰Paulo akajibu, "Nasimama mbele ya mahakama ya Kaisari na papa hapa ndipo ninapopaswa kupewa hukumu. Kama unavyojua vizuri, sikuwatendea Wayahudi ubaya wowote.

¹¹For if I have done wrong, and have committed anything worthy of death, I don’t refuse to die; but if none of those things is true that they accuse me of, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar!”

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!"

¹²Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, “You have appealed to Caesar. To Caesar you shall go.”

¹²Basi, baada ya Festo kuzungumza na washauri wake, akamwambia Paulo, "Umekata rufani kwa Kaisari, basi, utakwenda kwa Kaisari."

¹³Now when some days had passed, King Agrippa and Bernice arrived at Caesarea, and greeted Festus.

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

¹⁴As he stayed there many days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king, saying, “There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix;

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

¹⁵about whom, when I was at Jerusalem, the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, asking for a sentence against him.

¹⁵Nilipokwenda Yerusalemu makuhani wakuu na wazee wa Wayahudi walimshtaki na kuniomba nimhukumu.

¹⁶To whom I answered that it is not the custom of the Romans to give up any man to destruction, before the accused has met the accusers face to face, and has had opportunity to make his defense concerning the matter laid 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.

¹⁷When therefore they had come together here, I didn’t delay, but on the next day sat on the judgment seat, and commanded the man to be brought.

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

¹⁸Concerning whom, when the accusers stood up, they brought no charge of such things as I supposed;

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

¹⁹but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.

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.

²⁰Being perplexed how to inquire concerning these things, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.

²⁰Sikujua la kufanya kuhusu shauri hilo. Basi, nilimwuliza Paulo kama angependa kwenda mahakamani kule Yerusalemu kwa ajili ya mashtaka hayo.

²¹But when Paul had appealed to be kept for the decision of the emperor, I commanded him to be kept until I could send him to Caesar.”

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."

²²Agrippa said to Festus, “I also would like to hear the man myself.” “Tomorrow,” he said, “you shall hear him.”

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

²³So on the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and they had entered into the place of hearing with the commanding officers and principal men of the city, at the command of Festus, Paul was brought in.

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,

²⁴Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all men who are here present with us, you see this man, about whom all the multitude of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying that he ought not to live any longer.

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.

²⁵But when I found that he had committed nothing worthy of death, and as he himself appealed to the emperor I determined to send him.

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.

²⁶Of whom I have no certain thing to write to my lord. Therefore I have brought him forth before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examination, I may have something to write.

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.

²⁷For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to also specify the charges against him.”

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