1“Bafowethu nabobaba, kwanjesi akhese nilalele ukuzivikela kwami kini!” 2Kwathi bona bamuzwe bonyana ukhuluma nabo ngesiHebheru, bathulisisa. Nje-ke wathi:3“Kokwakho mina ngimJuda, ngabelethelwa eTarsusi yeSilisiya, kodwana ngakhulela khona edorobhenelo eenyaweni zakaGamaliyeli, ngafundiswa ngokutjhubileko ngokuya ngomthetho wabokhokho, ngitjhisakalela uZimu njengombana nani noke ninjalo namhlanje. 4Abanengi egade bakhamba ngeNdlela le ngabazuma bekwaba sekufeni. Bengibopha amadoda nabafazi ngibaphosa ngesikhungweni, 5njengombana nomphristi omkhulu nomkhandlu woke wabaphathi bangaba nobufakazi ngami. Ngamukela incwadi evela kibo itlolelwe abafowethu okumaJuda weDamaseku; ngaya lapho kobana ngiyokubopha, ngibalethe eJerusalema bona bazokuhlunguphazwa.
6“Ngisatjhitjhinga njalo ngitjhidele eDamaseku, pheze emini ekulu, kwehla ezulwini umkhanyo omkhulu wamanyaza kimi mazombe. 7Ngawela phasi ngezwa ilizwi lisithi kimi, ‘Sawula, Sawula! Ungizumelani na?’ 8Ngabuza ngathi, ‘Ungubani wena, Kosi, na?’ Yathi kimi, ‘NginguJesu weNazaretha lo ozumana naye.’
9“Abantu ebenginabo bakubona ukukhanya, kodwana akhange balizwe ilizwi laloyo ogade akhuluma nami. 10Ngabuza ngathi, ‘Alo-ke ngingenzani, Kosi, na?’ IKosi yathi kimi, ‘Vuka ukhambe uye ngeDamaseku, lapho-ke uzafese uzwe koke obekelwe bona ukwenze.’ 11Njengombana bengingasaboni ngebanga lomkhanyo, labo ebebanami bangibamba ngesandla bangisa ngeDamaseku.
12“Umuntu ekuthiwa ngu-Ananiyasi, indoda egade ilandela umthetho ngokupheleleko nekhulunywa kuhle maJuda ahlala lapho, 13yeza kimi yajama hlanu kwami yathi, ‘Mfowethu Sawula, buya ubone godu!’ Khonokho ngabona godu bengayiqala. 14Yathi kimi, ‘UZimu wabokhokho ukhethe wena bona wazi intando yakhe, ubone oLungileko wakhe bewuzwe iphimbo lomlomakhe; 15ngalokho uzakuba ngufakazakhe kibo boke abantu ngokubonileko nokuzwileko. 16Alo, usalindeleni? Sikima ubhajadiswe, kuhlanjwe izono zakho ngokubiza ibizo lakhe!’
UPowula ulathisa ngokuthunyelwa kwakhe kabatjhili
17“Kwathi sele ngibuyele eJerusalema, ngisathandaza ngethempelini, ngaba nesiyezi, 18ngabona iKosi ikhuluma nami isithi, ‘Rhaba uphume msinyana eJerusalema ngombana abazubamukela ubufakazi bakho ngami.’ 19Nje-ke ngathi, ‘Kosi, bayazi ngokwabo bona kelinye nelinye isinagogi bengibopha, ngibethe boke ebebagade bakholwa kuwe. 20Godu lokha iingazi zakaStefani ufakazakho nazithulukako, gade ngijame mina ngokwami lapho, ngivumelana begodu ngiqale nezambatho zalabo abambulalako.’ 21Yathi kimi, ‘Khamba ngombana ngizokuthumela kude kabatjhili.’ ”
22Abantu bebalokhu balalele uPowula bekwaba semagameni lawo; emva kwalokho, bathoma ukurhuwelela bathi: “Msuseni onje ephasini ngombana akakafaneli ukuphila!” 23Kwathi basarhuwelela njalo, badabula izambatho zabo, bavusa nethuli, 24induna yebutho yayala bona alethwe ngekampeni yamajoni; yahlongoza bona akahlolisiswe ngokurithwa khona kuzakwazeka bona itjhada elingakeli libangwe yini ngaye. 25Kuthe basambhambalalisa bona bamrithe, uPowula wathi kumphathimabutho ebekajame lapho: “Kumthetho yini bona nirithe isakhamuzi sombuso weRoma singakabi ukulahlwa licala na?”
26Kuthe bona umphathimabutho ezwe lokho, walunga enduneni yebutho wathi kiyo: “Uzokwenzani ngomuntu lo? Usisakhamuzi sombuso weRoma!” 27Yeke induna yeza kuPowula yambuza yathi: “Akhese ungitjele, kanti wena usisakhamuzi sombuso weRoma na?” Yena wathi: “Iye.” 28Induna yathi: “Kwangibiza imali enengi mina ukufunyana ilungelwelo.” UPowula waphendula wathi: “Mina-ke ngisisakhamuzi ngokubelethwa.”
29Khonokho labo egade kumele bamhlole bamkghaduka, induna nayo yangenwa livalo ngombana yalemuka bona uPowula sisakhamuzi sombuso weRoma nokobana beyimbophile.
UPowula ujame esigungwini sabarholi bamaJuda
30Ngebanga lokobana induna beyifuna ukwazi bona yini into amaJuda amsola ngayo uPowula, ngelanga elilandelako yamthukulula beyayala abaphristi abakhulu nesigungu sabarholi bamaJuda soke bona khebahlangane. Yeke yathatha uPowula yamjamisa phambi kwabo.
