Ndebeleko ya Sitifani
1 Ntungamili we bapirisiti kabhuzwa Sitifani kati, “Apa zwithu izwezwi malebeswa kene?”
2 Sitifani kadabila kati, “Zwikamu na botate, mundihwilile! Ndzimu we gudzo wakaboneka kuna bobatategulu bedu Abhurahama batjiku Mesopotamiya, basathu bakanogala ku Harani, 3 ngono Ndzimu ukabadwa ukati, ‘Bhuda mu shango ya kanyi kwenyu ne muna bakanyi kwenyu, ngono uyende ku shango yandinowokulakidza imi.’
4 “Ndizo bakabhuda mu shango ya kanyi kwabo ye ba Kalideya bakanogala ku Harani. Shule kwe lufu gwa tate ba Abhurahama Ndzimu wakabadusa ikoko ukabazhisa mu shango iyeyi yamugele muili. 5 Ndzimu ipapo auzopa Abhurahama pamwe payo se pape ndodwa ne paangabiga gumbopo, koga Ndzimu wakagadzabgwe kumpa iyo ne kuti inowobe iye ne bana babe. Nenguba Abhurahama akabe asina mwana. 6 Ndzimu tjawakaleba kunli etji, ‘Ludzi gugo gowogala mu shango ye bamwe, kwabanowobe balanda, ngono banowobhakhwa zwakabipa makole ali mazana manna. 7 Koga ndowosumikilisa itjaba itjetjo tjabanowoshingila, ngono shule banowobhuda mu shango iyeyo, ngono banowondinamata mu bugalo igogu.’ 8 Ipapo Ndzimu ukapa Abhurahama tjidumano tje kuthumbigwa. Abhurahama kazwala Isaki, ngono kanthumbila nge zhuba le buzhanakadzi shule kwe azwagwa. Isaki kazwala Jakubo, Jakubo kazwala bobatategulu bedu bali gumi lina babili.
9 “Bobatategulu bakathamila fupa nnung'una wabo Josefa ngono bakantengesa kube nlanda mu Egipiti. Koga Ndzimu wakabe unaye. 10 Wakansunungula mu tshiyilo dzidze dzose. Ndzimu wakathama kuti adiwe ndi Faro, ukampa butjenjedu mu mesho awe. Ndizo Faro Mambo we Egipiti kanthama nlauli we Egipiti newe nsha uwe wose. 11 Ipapo kukabe ne bhamba mu Egipiti yose ne mu Kanana lakazhisa kudziyila kukulu. Bobatategulu bedu bakasheta zojiwa. 12 Jakubo kati ehwa kuti kuna mathunde ku Egipiti, katuma bobatategulu bedu kutanga. 13 Ngono gwe bubili Josefa kazwizibisa bakulu babe, ndizo Faro kaziba ngekwe nsha wa kanyi kwa Josefa. 14 Ipapo Josefa kadana tate babe Jakubo, kose ne nsha wose, bathu bali makumi ali kutendeka ana bashanu, kuti bazhe ku Egipiti. 15 Ipapo Jakubo kayenda ku Egipiti, iko kwaakafila na bobatategulu bedu. 16 Mibili yabo yakasengegwa ku Shekemu, kwayakabiganyiwa mu ikumbu tjakatengwa ndi Abhurahama nge themba ye mari e siliva mu bana ba Hamori mu Shekemu.
17 “Kukati tjibaka tjakagadziwabgwe Abhurahama nge Ndzimu tjabe pejo, palo ye bathu bedu ikakula bakawanda mu Egipiti. 18 Ngono kukabepo mambo mu Egipiti usingazibe tjimwe ngekwa Josefa. 19 Katjebela bobatategulu bedu, ngono kabadziyidza, ebakombeledza kuti balashe shabana dzabo, kuti ndizo dzife. 20 Nditjo tjibaka tjakazwagwa Mushe ali mwana wakanaka mbeli kwe Ndzimu. Wakalelegwa mu nzi wa tate babe mimwedzi ili mitatu, 21 ngono kati adusiwa mu nzi uwe, nkololokadzi wa Faro kantola kanlela se mwana uwe. 22 Ngono Mushe kadiyiwa butjenjedu gose gwe Baegipiti, ngono kabe akasima mu ndebeleko ne mu mishingo.
23 “Kati ana makole ali makumi manna, kakumbula kukumba bakanyi kukwe, bakololo Baiziraela. 24 Wakati ebona mmwe wa kanyi kukwe edziyidziwa kamila nlume iwoyo unotshambilidziwa ngono kambuzuludzila nge kubulaya N'egipiti. 25 Wakabe ekumbula kuti bathu ba kanyi kukwe banowohwisisa kuti Ndzimu wakabe uwonshingisa kubasunungula, koga ibo bakasihwisise. 26 Tjimuka kawana Baiziraela babili begwa, ngono kagwisa kubagadzanya. Kati ku bali, ‘Balume mu bana be nthu ini muthamilana bubi?’ 27 Koga nlume iwoyu wakabe edziyidza mmwe katshindikila Mushe ntome. Kabhuzwa eti, ‘Ndiani wakakuthama nlauli ne nsumikilisi mutili kene?’ 28 ‘Unoshaka kundibulaya sekwa wakabulaya N'egipiti madekwe?’ 29 Mushe kati ehwa ikoku, katizha mu Egipiti kayenda kanogala mu shango ye Midiya. Kabe ne bakololo babili ikoko.
30 “Shule kwe makole ali makumi manna, ntumwa we kudzimu kaboneka kuna Mushe mu tjilambanyika tje Dombo le Sinai mu nthuto we moto mu denjana. 31 Mushe katjenamisiwa nge tjaakabona, ngono kasedzela pejo ne denjana kuti abone zubuyanana. Koga kahwa hwi la She liti, 32 ‘Ndimi Ndzimu wa bobatategulu babo, Ndzimu wa Abhurahama, na Isaki na Jakubo.’ Mushe katetema ngotja, ngono kasilinge. 33 She bakati kunli, ‘Ambula khwebana dzidzo, ngobe pathu paumile pathu pakayengemala. 34 Ndabona kudziyidziwa kwe bathu bangu mu Egipiti. Ndahwa kulila kwabo, ndizo ndadeluka kuwobasunungula. Izha ngwenu; ndowokutuma ku Egipiti.’
35 “Mushe iwoyu ndiye zwe wabakalamba beti, ‘Ndiani wakakuthama nlauli ne nsumikilisi mutili kene?’ Ndzimu wakantuma kunolaula bathu ne kubasunungula nge bhatsho ye ntumwa we kudzimu iwoyu wakaboneka kunli mu denjana lakabe lithuta moto. 36 Wakatungamilila bathu kubhuda mu Egipiti athama matjenamiso ne zwilakidzo mu Egipiti ne ku Gungwa Shaba ne mu tjilambanyika makole ali makumi manna. 37 Mushe ndiye wakati ku bathu be Iziraela, ‘Ndzimu wenyu unowomuzhisila nlebesambeli, koga sekwa wakandizhisa, ngono unowodwa mu ludzi gwenyu.’ 38 Ndiye wakabe ana gubungano mu tjilambanyika, ndiye wakabe ali mile pakati kwa bobatategulu bedu ne ntumwa we kudzimu, iwoyu wakalebeleka naye ali pezhugwi kwe Dombo le Sinai ngono Mushe kaamutjila matama e Ndzimu anotjila kutipa iwo.
39 “Koga bobatategulu bedu bakalamba kunhwa, bakansundila ntome, ngono bakayemula kubgwilila ku Egipiti. 40 Ndizo bakati kuna Aroni, ‘Utithamile midzimu inowotitungamila. Atitoziba kuti kwashingikalani kuna Mushe, iye wakatidusa mu Egipiti.’ 41 Nditjo tjibaka tjabakathama ndzimu we ifano tje phulu, bakatjipa zwipo ngono bakabe ne nzano unokudza itjo tjabathama ibo. 42 Ndizo Ndzimu ukabafupatila, ngono ukabayisa mu kunamata nyenyedzi dze kudzimu, sekwa kwakakwagwa mu hwalo dze balebesambeli kuyi,
“ ‘Ng'umba ye Iziraela.
Apa makandipa zwibhayilo zwe phuka dzakabulawa
nenge zwipo makole ali makumi manna mu tjilambanyika kene?
43 Makasenga tente ya Moleki,
ne nyenyedzi ye ndzimu wenyu Refani,
zwifano zwamakathama kuzwinamata.
Ndizo wali ndowomudusa amuyisa mbeli kwe Bhabhiloni.’
44 “Bobatategulu bedu bakabe bana tente ye butendeki mu tjilambanyika. Yakabe yakathamiwa sekwakabe kwalebgwa nge wakabudza Mushe kuti ithamiwe tjini. 45 Bobatategulu bedu bakati bakazha nayo bana Joshuwa pabakatolela tjaba shango, idzo Ndzimu dzawakatata mbeli kwa botate bedu. Ngono kwakagala kwakajalo kuswikila misi ya Dafite, 46 iye wakaamutjigwa nge Ndzimu, ngono kakumbila Ndzimu kun'dumila kubakila Ndzimu wa Jakubo bugalo. 47 Koga Solomoni ndiye wakabakila Ndzimu ng'umba.
48 “Ndzimu upezhugwi zhugwi autogala mu ng'umba dzakabakwa nge bathu, se kunoleba nlebesambeli eti,
49 “ ‘She bakati, kudzimu tjigalo tjangu tje bushe,
shango tjigalo tje makumbo angu.
I ng'umba yakatini yaungandibakila kene?
Ndiapi magalo andinganyaluluka muali kene?
50 Apa andizothama zwithu izwezwi zose nge luboko gwangu kene?’
51 “Bathu ndimwi bana mitshibha yakawomelela, bana mimoyo mikukutu ne zebe dzisingashako hwa lebeswa. Molamba Meya yakayengemala misi yose, tjakathamwa ndi bobatategulu benyu namwibo motjithama. 52 Apa wakatongo bepo nlebesambeli bobatategulu benyu wabasakadziyidza kene? Bakabulaya na ibabo bakalebelambeli nge kuzha kwa iye Wakalulwama, iye wamakati ngwenu mukawonga mukambulaya. 53 Imwi makaamutjila nlayo wakazhisiwa nge batumwa be kudzimu, koga mukasiulondolodze!”
Kukikithidziwa kwa Sitifani
54 Bakati behwa ikoku bakan'gwadzilamoyo kwazo. 55 Koga Sitifani ali zhele Meya yakayengemala, kalinga kudzimu kabona tjedza tje Ndzimu na Jesu ali mile ku luboko gwe luji gwe Ndzimu. 56 Kati, “Bonani! Ndobona kudzimu kwakazhuka ne Nkololo we Nthu ali mile ku luboko luji gwe Ndzimu!” 57 Ngono bakamimila bakazwina zebe dzabo ngono bakalabukila kunli bakan'wila bose. 58 Bakankwebela kuzhe kwe nzi, ngono bakankikithidza nge mabgwe. Batendeki bakabiga zwiambalo zwabo pa makumbo e nzhuzha wakabe eyi Saulo. 59 Bakatibekikithidza Sitifani ngono iye katembezela kati, “She Jesu, amutjilani meya yangu!” 60 Kathigama pasi kamilidza hwi kati “She! Musibabone nlandu we jinyo ileli!” Wakati aleba ikoku kafa.
1 Then said the high priest, Are these things so? 2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, 3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee. 4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldæans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell. 5 And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when as yet he had no child. 6 And God spake on this wise, That his seed should sojourn in a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage, and entreat them evil four hundred years. 7 And the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this place. 8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs. 9 And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him, 10 And delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favour and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house. 11 Now there came a dearth over all the land of Egypt and Chanaan, and great affliction: and our fathers found no sustenance. 12 But when Jacob heard that there was corn in Egypt, he sent out our fathers first. 13 And at the second time Joseph was made known to his brethren; and Joseph’s kindred was made known unto Pharaoh. 14 Then sent Joseph, and called his father Jacob to him , and all his kindred, threescore and fifteen souls. 15 So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, 16 And were carried over into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem. 17 But when the time of the promise drew nigh, which God had sworn to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, 18 Till another king arose, which knew not Joseph. 19 The same dealt subtilly with our kindred, and evil entreated our fathers, so that they cast out their young children, to the end they might not live. 20 In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father’s house three months: 21 And when he was cast out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son. 22 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds. 23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him , and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian: 25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not. 26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another? 27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us? 28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday? 29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons. 30 And when forty years were expired, there appeared to him in the wilderness of mount Sina an angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in a bush. 31 When Moses saw it , he wondered at the sight: and as he drew near to behold it , the voice of the Lord came unto him, 32 Saying , I am the God of thy fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses trembled, and durst not behold. 33 Then said the Lord to him, Put off thy shoes from thy feet: for the place where thou standest is holy ground. 34 I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt. 35 This Moses whom they refused, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge? the same did God send to be a ruler and a deliverer by the hand of the angel which appeared to him in the bush. 36 He brought them out, after that he had shewed wonders and signs in the land of Egypt, and in the Red sea, and in the wilderness forty years.
37 ¶ This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear. 38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: 39 To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt, 40 Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. 42 Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness? 43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. 44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen. 45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David; 46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built him an house. 48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, 49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
51 ¶ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did , so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54 ¶ When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him : and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God , and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.