Kushalugwa kwe bali kutendeka
1 Mu mazhuba iyawo badiyiwa ba Jesu bakabe bewanda, Bajuta banoleba Tjigiriki bakanenela ibabo banoleba Tjihebheru, ngobe tjilikadzi idzedzo dzakabe dzishayigwa hanya mu makobe e zhuba ne zhuba. 2 Ndizo batumwa ba Jesu bali gumi lina babili bakakubunganya badiyiwa bose pathu pang'ompela bakati, “Akuzolulwama kuti tiletje kusumikila dama le Ndzimu kuti ndizo tishinge nshingo wekukoba zwinoshetiwa nge tjilikadzi. 3 Zwikamu, shalulani pakati kwenyu balume bali kutendeka banozibgwa bakatambunuka bali zhele Meya yakayengemala ne butjenjedu, batingapa nshingo iwoyu. 4 Koga iswi towozwimisila nshingo we kutembezela ne kuyendisa dama.”
5 Tjabakaleba tjakashathisa mbunga wose. Bakashalula Sitifani, nlume wakabe ali zhele kugalamoyo ne Meya yakayengemala. Bakashalula na Filipo na Purokoro na Nikanori na Timoni na Pamenasi na Nikolasi unodwa ku Antiyoki wakabe ashandukila mu bugalimoyo gwe Tjijuta. 6 Bakayisa balume ibabo ku batumwa ba Jesu, bakatembezela bakababiga maboko.
7 Ndizo dama le Ndzimu likaandama. Badiyiwa bakawanda kwazo mu Jerusalema ngono bapirisiti banjinji bakashanduka bakagalamoyo muna Jesu.
Kubhakhwa kwa Sitifani
8 Sitifani, nlume wakabe ali zhele ngoni dze Ndzimu ne masimba, kashinga makaabadzo makulu ne zwilakidzo zwinotjenamisa pakati kwe bathu. 9 Ipapo bamwe be bathu be Ng'umba ye mitembezelo ye Balume bakasununguka (sekwa yakabe idang'wa) ne Bajuta be Sirene ne be Alekizanda, bose ne Bajuta be mituthu ye Silisiya ne Ezhiya bakatangisa kukakabadzana na Sitifani. 10 Koga bakabe basingatubule kumidzana ne butjenjedu kene Meya yaakabe elebeleka ndiyo. 11 Ipapo nge kwakasumbikala bakakulumbidza bamwe bathu kuti bati, “Tahwa eleba matama anotuka Mushe ne anotuka Ndzimu.” 12 Ndizo bakadzonga bathu ne batungamili babo kose ne badiyi be nlayo. Bakabhata Sitifani bakanzhisa mbeli kwe lubazhe. 13 Bakazhisa batendeki be manyepkhwa bakapa butendeki beti, “Nlume iwoyu aatotongo misa kuleba kusakalulwama ngekwe pathu ipapa pakayengemala nenge nlayo. 14 Takahwa eti Jesu iwoyu we Nazareta unowokolomodza bugalo igogu kakale kashandula mipanga Mushe yaakatipa.” 15 Bose bakabe bali gele mu lubazhe bakalingisisa Sitifani, ngono bakabona buso gugwe gunga buso gwe ntumwa we kudzimu.
Seven Leaders for the Church
1 A lot of people were now becoming followers of the Lord. But some of the ones who spoke Greek started complaining about the ones who spoke Aramaic. They complained that the Greek-speaking widows were not given their share when the food supplies were handed out each day.
2 The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, “We should not give up preaching God's message in order to serve at tables. 3 My friends, choose seven men who are respected and wise and filled with God's Spirit. We will put them in charge of these things. 4 We can spend our time praying and serving God by preaching.”
5 This suggestion pleased everyone, and they began by choosing Stephen. He had great faith and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and also Nicolaus, who worshiped with the Jewish people in Antioch. 6 These men were brought to the apostles. Then the apostles prayed and placed their hands on the men to show they had been chosen to do this work. 7 God's message spread, and many more people in Jerusalem became followers. Even a large number of priests put their faith in the Lord.
Stephen Is Arrested
8 God gave Stephen the power to work great miracles and wonders among the people. 9 But some men from Cyrene and Alexandria were members of a group who called themselves “Free Men.” They started arguing with Stephen. Some others from Cilicia and Asia also argued with him. 10 But they were no match for Stephen, who spoke with the great wisdom that the Spirit gave him. 11 So they talked some men into saying, “We heard Stephen say terrible things against Moses and God!”
12 They turned the people and their leaders and the teachers of the Law of Moses against Stephen. Then they all grabbed him and dragged him in front of the council.
13 Some men agreed to tell lies about Stephen, and they said, “This man keeps on saying terrible things about this holy temple and the Law of Moses. 14 We have heard him claim that Jesus from Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses gave us.” 15 Then all the council members stared at Stephen. They saw that his face looked like the face of an angel.