MDO 13

Barnaba na Sauli Wateuliwa

1  tNa huko Antiokia katika kanisa lililokuwako palikuwa na manabii na waalimu, nao ni Barnaba, na Simeoni aitwaye Nigeri, na Lukio Mkirene, na Manaeni aliyekuwa ndugu wa kunyonya wa mfalme Herode, na Sauli. 2 tBasi hawa walipokuwa wakimfanyia Bwana ibada na kufunga, Roho Mtakatifu akasema, Nitengeeni Barnaba na Sauli kwa kazi ile niliyowaitia.

3 tNdipo wakiisha kufunga na kuomba, wakaweka mikono yao juu yao, wakawaacha waende zao.

Mitume Wahubiri katika Kipro

5 tNa walipokuwa katika Salami wakalihubiri neno la Mungu katika masinagogi ya Wayahudi, nao walikuwa naye Yohana kuwa mtumishi wao.
6 Walipokwisha kupita katikati ya kisiwa chote mpaka Pafo, wakaona mtu mmoja, mchawi, nabii wa uongo, Myahudi jina lake Bar-Yesu; 7 mtu huyu alikuwa pamoja na liwali Sergio Paulo, mtu mwenye akili. Yeye liwali akawaita Barnaba na Sauli waje kwake, akataka kulisikia neno la Mungu. 8 tLakini Elima, yule mchawi (maana ndiyo tafsiri ya jina lake), akashindana nao, akitaka kumtia yule liwali moyo wa kuiacha ile imani. 9 Lakini Sauli, ambaye ndiye Paulo, akijaa Roho Mtakatifu, akamkazia macho, 10 takasema, Ewe mwenye kujaa hila na uovu wote, mwana wa Ibilisi, adui wa haki yote, huachi kuzipotoa njia za Bwana zilizonyoka? 11 tBasi, angalia, mkono wa Bwana u juu yako, nawe utakuwa kipofu, usilione jua kwa muda. Mara kiwi kikamwangukia na giza, akazunguka-zunguka na kumtafuta mtu wa kumshika mkono na kumwongoza.

12 Ndipo yule liwali, alipoyaona yaliyotendeka, akaamini, akiyastaajabia mafundisho ya Bwana.

Paulo na Barnaba wakiwa Antiokia ya Pisidia

15 tKisha, baada ya kusomwa torati na chuo cha manabii, wakuu wa sinagogi wakatuma mtu kwao, na kuwaambia, Ndugu, kama mkiwa na neno la kuwafaa watu hawa, lisemeni.
16 Paulo akasimama, akawapungia mkono, akasema, Enyi waume wa Israeli, nanyi mnaomcha Mungu, sikilizeni. 17 tMungu wa watu hawa Israeli aliwachagua baba zetu, akawatukuza watu hao, walipokuwa wakikaa kama wageni katika nchi ya Misri, na kwa mkono ulioinuliwa akawatoa, akawaongoza. 18 tNa kwa muda wa miaka kama arobaini akawavumilia katika jangwa. 19 tNa alipokwisha kuwaharibu mataifa saba katika nchi ya Kanaani akawapa nchi yao iwe urithi kwa muda wa miaka kama mia nne na hamsini; 20 tbaada ya hayo akawapa waamuzi hata zamani za nabii Samweli. 21 tHatimaye wakaomba kupewa mfalme; Mungu akawapa Sauli mwana wa Kishi, mtu wa kabila ya Benyamini, kwa muda wa miaka arobaini. 22 tNa alipokwisha kumwondoa huyo, akamwinua Daudi awe mfalme wao ambaye alimshuhudia, akisema, Nimemwona Daudi, mwana wa Yese, mtu anayeupendeza moyo wangu, atakayefanya mapenzi yangu yote. 23 tKatika uzao wake mtu huyo Mungu amewaletea Israeli Mwokozi, yaani, Yesu, kama alivyoahidi; 24 tYohana alipokuwa amekwisha kuwahubiri watu wote wa Israeli habari za ubatizo wa toba, kabla ya kuja kwake.

25 tNaye Yohana alipokuwa akimaliza mwendo wake alinena, Mwanidhani mimi kuwa nani? Mimi siye. Lakini, angalieni, anakuja mmoja nyuma yangu ambaye mimi sistahili kumlegezea viatu vya miguu yake.
26  tNdugu zangu, wana wa ukoo wa Ibrahimu, na hao miongoni mwenu wanaomcha Mungu, kwetu sisi neno la wokovu huu limepelekwa. 27 tKwa maana wakaao Yerusalemu, na wakuu wao, kwa kuwa hawakumjua yeye, wala maneno ya manabii yanayosomwa kila sabato, wameyatimiza kwa kumhukumu. 28 tNa ijapokuwa hawakuona sababu ya kumfisha wakamwomba Pilato auawe. 29 tHata walipokwisha kumaliza yote aliyoandikiwa, wakamtelemsha katika ule mti, wakamweka kaburini. 30 tLakini Mungu akamfufua katika wafu; 31 takaonekana siku nyingi na wale waliopanda naye kutoka Galilaya hata Yerusalemu, ambao sasa ndio walio mashahidi wake mbele ya watu. 32 tNa sisi tunawahubiri habari njema ya ahadi ile waliyopewa mababa,

33 tya kwamba Mungu amewatimizia watoto wetu ahadi hiyo, kwa kumfufua Yesu; kama ilivyoandikwa katika Zaburi ya pili,
Wewe ndiwe Mwanangu, mimi leo nimekuzaa.

34  tTena ya kuwa alimfufua katika wafu, asipate kurudia uharibifu, amenena hivi,
Nitawapa ninyi mambo matakatifu ya Daudi yaliyo amini.

35  tKwa hiyo anena na pengine,
Hutamwachia Mtakatifu wako kuona uharibifu.
36  tKwa maana Daudi, akiisha kulitumikia shauri la Mungu katika kizazi chake, alilala, akawekwa pamoja na baba zake, akaona uharibifu.

37 Bali huyu aliyefufuliwa na Mungu hakuona uharibifu.
38  tBasi, na ijulikane kwenu, ndugu zangu, ya kuwa kwa huyo mnahubiriwa msamaha wa dhambi; 39 tna kwa yeye kila amwaminiye huhesabiwa haki katika mambo yale yote asiyoweza kuhesabiwa haki kwa torati ya Musa.

40 tAngalieni, basi, isiwajilie habari ile iliyonenwa katika manabii.

41  tTazameni, enyi mnaodharau, kastaajabuni, mkatoweke; kwa kuwa natenda kazi mimi siku zenu, kazi ambayo msingeisadiki kabisa, ijapo mtu akiwasimulia sana.
42 Na walipokuwa wakitoka, wakawasihi waambiwe maneno haya sabato ya pili. 43 tSinagogi ilipofumukana, Wayahudi na waongofu watauwa wengi wakashikamana na Paulo na Barnaba; ambao, wakisema nao, wakawatia moyo kudumu katika neema ya Mungu. 44 Hata sabato ya pili, watu wengi, karibu mji wote, wakakusanyika walisikie neno la Mungu. 45 tBali Wayahudi, walipowaona makutano, wakajaa wivu, wakayakanusha maneno yaliyonenwa na Paulo, wakibisha na kutukana. 46 tPaulo na Barnaba wakanena kwa ushujaa wakasema, Ilikuwa lazima neno la Mungu linenwe kwenu kwanza; lakini kwa kuwa mnalisukumia mbali, na kujiona nafsi zenu kuwa hamkustahili uzima wa milele, angalieni, twawageukia Mataifa.

47 tKwa sababu ndivyo tulivyoamriwa na Bwana,
Nimekuweka uwe nuru ya Mataifa,
Upate kuwa wokovu hata mwisho wa dunia.

48  tMataifa waliposikia hayo wakafurahi, wakalitukuza neno la Bwana, nao waliokuwa wamekusudiwa uzima wa milele wakaamini.
49 Neno la Bwana likaenea katika nchi ile yote. 50 Lakini Wayahudi wakawafitinisha wanawake watauwa wenye cheo na wakuu wa mji, wakawataharakisha watu wawaudhi Paulo na Barnaba; wakawatoa katika mipaka yao. 51 tNao wakawakung’utia mavumbi ya miguu yao, wakaenda Ikonio. 52 Na wanafunzi walijaa furaha na Roho Mtakatifu.

ACTS 13

Barnabas and Saul //Are Chosen and Sent

1 The church at Antioch had several prophets and teachers. They were Barnabas, Simeon, also called Niger, Lucius from Cyrene, Manaen, who was Herod'st close friend, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and going without eating, t the Holy Spirit told them, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul to do the work for which I have chosen them.”

3 Everyone prayed and went without eating for a while longer. Next, they placed their hands on Barnabas and Saul to show that they had been appointed to do this work. Then everyone sent them on their way.

Barnabas and Saul in Cyprus

5 They arrived at Salamis and began to preach God's message in the synagogues. They also had Johnt as a helper.
6 Barnabas and Saul went all the way to the city of Paphos on the other end of the island, where they met a Jewish man named Bar-Jesus. He practiced witchcraft and was a false prophet. 7 He also worked for Sergius Paulus, who was very smart and was the governor of the island. Sergius Paulus wanted to hear God's message, and he sent for Barnabas and Saul.

8 But Bar-Jesus, whose other name was Elymas, was against them. He even tried to keep the governor from having faith in the Lord.
9 Then Saul, better known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He looked straight at Elymas 10 and said, “You son of the devil! You are a liar, a crook, and an enemy of everything that is right. When will you stop speaking against the true ways of the Lord?

11 The Lord is going to punish you by making you completely blind for a while.”
Suddenly the man's eyes were covered by a dark mist, and he went around trying to get someone to lead him by the hand.

12 When the governor saw what had happened, he was amazed at this teaching about the Lord. So he put his faith in the Lord.

Paul and Barnabas //in Antioch of Pisidia

14 The rest of them went on from Perga to Antioch in Pisidia. Then on the Sabbath they went to the synagogue and sat down.

15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, t the leaders sent someone over to tell Paul and Barnabas, “Friends, if you have anything to say that will help the people, please say it.”

16 Paul got up. He motioned with his hand and said:
People of Israel, and everyone else who worships God, listen! 17 t The God of Israel chose our ancestors, and he let our people prosper while they were living in Egypt. Then with his mighty power he led them out, 18 t and for about 40 years he took care oft them in the desert. 19 t He destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan and gave their land to our people.

20 t All this happened in about 450 years.
Then God gave our people judges until the time of the prophet Samuel, 21 t but the people demanded a king. So for 40 years God gave them King Saul, the son of Kish from the tribe of Benjamin.

22 t Later, God removed Saul and let David rule in his place. God said about him, “David the son of Jesse is the kind of person who pleases me most! He does everything I want him to do.”
23 God promised that someone from David's family would come to save the people of Israel, and this one is Jesus. 24 t But before Jesus came, John was telling everyone in Israel to turn back to God and be baptized.

25 t Then, when John's work was almost done, he said, “Who do you people think I am? Do you think I am the Promised One? He will come later, and I am not good enough to untie his sandals.”
26 Now listen, you descendants of Abraham! Pay attention, all of you Gentiles who are here to worship God! Listen to this message about how to be saved, because it is for everyone.

27 The people of Jerusalem and their leaders didn't realize who Jesus was. And they didn't understand the words of the prophets they read each Sabbath. So they condemned Jesus just as the prophets had said.

28-29  t t They did exactly what the Scriptures said they would. Even though they couldn't find any reason to put Jesus to death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.
After Jesus had been put to death, he was taken down from the crosst and placed in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from death!

31 t Then for many days Jesus appeared to his followers who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. Now they are telling our people about him.
32 God made a promise to our ancestors. And we are here to tell you the good news

33 t that he has kept this promise to us. It is just as the second Psalm says about Jesus,
“You are my son because today
I have become your Father.”

34  t God raised Jesus from death and will never let his body decay. It is just as God said,
“I will make to you
the same holy promises
that I made to David.”

35  t And in another psalm it says, “God will never let the body of his Holy One decay.”
36 When David was alive, he obeyed God. Then after he died, he was buried in the family grave, and his body decayed.

37 But God raised Jesus from death, and his body did not decay.
38 My friends, the message is that Jesus can forgive your sins! The Law of Moses could not set you free from all your sins. 39 But everyone who has faith in Jesus is set free.

40 Make sure what the prophets have said doesn't happen to you. They said,

41  t “Look, you people
who make fun of God!
Be amazed
and disappear.
I will do something today
that you won't believe,
even if someone
tells you about it!”
42 As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the synagogue, the people begged them to say more about these same things on the next Sabbath.

43 After the service, many Jews and a lot of Gentiles who worshiped God went with them. Paul and Barnabas begged them all to remain faithful to God, who had treated them with undeserved grace.
44 The next Sabbath almost everyone in town came to hear the message about the Lord.t

45 When the Jewish people saw the crowds, they were very jealous. They insulted Paul and spoke against everything he said.

46 But Paul and Barnabas bravely said:
We had to tell God's message to you before we told it to anyone else. But you rejected the message! This proves that you don't deserve eternal life. Now we are going to the Gentiles.

47 t The Lord has given us this command,
“I have placed you here
as a light
for the Gentiles.
You are to take
the saving power of God
to people everywhere on earth.”

48 This message made the Gentiles glad, and they praised what they had heard about the Lord.t Everyone who had been chosen for eternal life then put their faith in the Lord.
49 The message about the Lord spread all over this region.

50 But the Jewish leaders went to some of the important men in the town and to some respected women who were religious. They turned them against Paul and Barnabas and started making trouble for them. They even chased them out of this part of the country.

51  t Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from that place off their feett and went on to the city of Iconium.
52 But the Lord's followers in Antioch were very happy and were filled with the Holy Spirit.