Acts 22

1“Bazalwane labobaba, manje lalelani lizwe ukuzivikela kwami.” 2Bathi bemuzwa ekhuluma kubo ngesiHebheru bathula zwi.

UPhawuli wasesithi, 3“Mina ngingumJuda owazalelwa eThasasi eseSilisiya, kodwa ngakhulela kulonaleli idolobho. Ngafunda ngaphansi kukaGamaliyeli, ngafundiswa okugcweleyo ngomlayo wabokhokho, lami ngakhuthalela uNkulunkulu njengani lamuhla. 4Ngabahlukuluza abalandeli bale iNdlela baze bafa, ngibopha abesilisa labesifazane ngibaphosela entolongweni, 5into engafakazwa ngumphristi omkhulu kanye lenkundla. Ngaze ngathola izincwadi kubo zisiya kubazalwane babo eDamaseko, ngaya khona ngifuna ukubaletha labobantu beyizibotshwa eJerusalema ukuthi bazojeziswa.

6Kwathi sekungaba yimini enkulu sengisondela eDamaseko, masinyane kwaphazima ukukhanya kuvela ezulwini kwangizingelezela. 7Ngawela phansi, ngezwa ilizwi lisithi kimi, ‘Sawuli! Sawuli! Ungihlukuluzelani na?’

8Ngabuza ngathi, ‘Ungubani, Nkosi?’

Waphendula wathi, ‘NginguJesu waseNazaretha omhlukuluzayo.’ 9Ababengiphelekezela bakubona ukukhanya, kodwa kabalizwanga ilizwi lalowo owayekhuluma lami.

10Ngabuza ngathi, ‘Kumele ngenzeni Nkosi?’

INkosi yathi, ‘Phakama uye eDamaseko. Khonale uzatshelwa konke osumiselwe ukuthi ukwenze.’ 11Abaphelekezeli bami bangihola ngesandla bangisa eDamaseko ngoba inkazimulo yokukhanya yayingenze ngaba yisiphofu.

12Indoda eyayithiwa ngu-Ananiya yeza yazangibona. Yayingumlandeli omkhulu womlayo njalo ihlonitshwa kakhulu yiwo wonke amaJuda ayehlala khona. 13Wema eceleni kwami wathi, ‘Mzalwane Sawuli, bona njalo!’ Ngalesosikhathi ngahle ngazuza amandla okumbona.

14Wasesithi, ‘UNkulunkulu wabokhokho bethu usekukhethile ukuthi uyazi intando yakhe lokuthi umbone oLungileyo lokuba uzwe amazwi aphuma emlonyeni wakhe. 15Uzakuba ngufakazi wakhe ebantwini bonke ngalokho okubonileyo lokuzwileyo. 16Pho usalindeni? Sukuma ubhaphathizwe, ugeze izono zakho, ubiza ibizo lakhe.’

17Ngithe sengibuyile eJerusalema ngikhuleka ethempelini, ngafikelwa yisiyeziphupho, 18ngabona iNkosi ikhuluma isithi kimi, ‘Phangisa! Suka masinyane eJerusalema ngoba kabayikubamukela ubufakazi bakho ngami.’

19Ngaphendula ngathi, ‘Nkosi, lababantu bayakwazi ukuthi nganginquma lamasinagogu ngibabopha njalo ngibatshaya labo abakholwa kuwe. 20Lalapho kuchithwa igazi lomfakazi wakho uStefane ngangimi khonapho ngivumelana labo njalo ngilinde izigqoko zalabo ababembulala.’

21INkosi yasisithi kimi, ‘Hamba; ngizakuthumela kude kwabeZizwe.’ ”

UPhawuli UngumRoma

22Abantu bamlalela uPhawuli sonke isikhathi, kodwa esetsho lokhu bavungama bamemeza bathi, “Kasuswe emhlabeni lo umuntu! Kamelanga aphile!”

23Bathi sebeklabalala, behlubula amajazi abo, njalo bephosa uthuli emoyeni, 24umlawuli wamabutho walaya ukuthi uPhawuli kangeniswe enkambeni yamabutho. Wayala ukuthi atshaywe njalo abuzisiswe ukuthi kungani abantu bemvukela kanje. 25Bathi sebemlalisa phansi ukuthi bambhaxabule bembophile, uPhawuli wathi kumphathi wekhulu owayemi khonapho, “Kusemthethweni yini ukuthi utshaye umuntu ongumRoma ongetheswanga cala na?”

26Umphathi wekhulu esekuzwile lokho wayabikela umlawuli wamabutho wathi, “Usuzathini manje? Indoda le ingumRoma.”

27Umlawuli wamabutho waya kuPhawuli wambuza wathi, “Ake ungitshele, kanti ungumRoma na?”

Wathi, “Yebo, nginguye.”

28Umlawuli wamabutho wasesithi, “Mina ngahlawula imali ukuthi ngithole ilungelo lokuba ngumRoma.”

UPhawuli waphendula wathi, “Kodwa mina nginguye ngokuzalwa.”

29Labo abasebelungele ukumbuzisisa bahle batshedela emuva masinyane. Umlawuli webutho ngokwakhe wethuka esenanzelela ukuthi wayebophe uPhawuli, umRoma, ngamaketane.

Phambi KweSanihedrini

30Ngosuku olulandelayo, njengoba umlawuli wamabutho wayefuna ukwazi isibili ukuthi kungani uPhawuli wayebekwa icala ngamaJuda, wamkhulula walaya abaphristi abakhulu leSanihedrini yonke ukuthi bahlangane. Wasemletha uPhawuli wamisa phambi kwabo.