Mabasa ya Apostolo
19 Pomwe Apolo akhali ku Kolinto, Paulo adapita na m’mbuto za mapiri acipolikira ku Efezo. Kumweko iye adagumana anyakupfunza winango, 2 ndipo adawabvunza kuti: “Kodi imwepo mudatambira mzimu wakucena pomwe mudakhala anyakukhulupira?” Iwo adatawira kuti: “Ifepano tikanati kubva kale kuti kuna mzimu wakucena.” 3 Tenepo iye adawabvunza pomwe kuti: “Kodi imwepo mudabatizidwa na ubatizo bwa mtundu wanyi?” Iwo adatawira kuti: “Ubatizo bwa Juwau.” 4 Paulo adatawira pomwe kuti: “Ubatizo bwa Juwau bukhali ubatizo bwa cizindikiro ca kukungula, ndipo iye akhauza wanthu kuti akhulupire ule omwe akhabwera patsogolo pace omwe akhali Jezu.” 5 Pomwe iwo adabva bzimwebzi, adabatizidwa m’dzina la Mbuya Jezu. 6 Ndipo pomwe Paulo adaikha manja yace pa iwo, mzimu wakucena udawafikira, ndipo iwo adayamba kulewalewa bzirewedwe bzacirendo acimbaleweratu mafala yakucokera kwa Mulungu. 7 Wentse pabodzi akhali amuna pafupi-fupi 12.
8 Kwa minyezi mitatu, iye akhambapita m’nyumba yakunamatira ya Adjuda* ndipo akhalewalewa mwakukhwimika na kufotokoza nkhani acimbayeza kuwathandiza kuti abvesese bza Umambo bwa Mulungu. 9 Tsono wanthu winango akhalambisisa kukhulupira ndipo akhambalewa kuipa bza Njirayo pakati pa thimu la wanthu, tenepo iye adacoka pamwepo ndipo adacosambo anyakupfunzawo pakati pawo. Ntsiku na ntsiku iye akhambafotokoza nkhani m’nyumba ikulu ya pa xikola ya Tirano. 10 Bzimwebzi bzidacitika kwa magole mawiri, mwakuti wanthu wentse omwe akhakhala m’cigawo ca Aziya, Adjuda na Agerego adabva mafala ya Mbuya.
11 Ndipo Mulungu adapitiriza kucita mabasa yakudabwisa ya mphanvu mwakuphatisa basa Paulo, 12 mwakuti wanthu akhatenga tunguwo twakupukutira kaluma na mavintala ndipo akhayenda kukakhuya thupi la Paulo, akamala akhayenda nabzo kwa anyakuduwala ndipo anyakuduwalawo akhalimbiratu, ndipo mizimu yakuipa ikhacokambo. 13 Tsono Adjuda winango omwe akhambafamba m’mbuto zakusiyana-siyana, akhambacosa bziwanda, ndipo akhambayezera kuphatisa basa dzina la Mbuya Jezu kuti acose mizimu yakuipa mwakulewa kuti: “Ndikukutonga m’dzina la Jezu omwe Paulo akumupalizira kuti coka.” 14 Pakhana wana 7 wacimuna wa Mdjuda munango, omwe akhali mtsogoleri wa antsembe ndipo dzina lace Sikeva omwe akhacita bzimwebzi. 15 Tsono mzimu wakuipayo udatawira kuti: “Inepano nimbamudziwa Jezu ndipo nimbamudziwambo bwino Paulo, tsono imwepo ndimwe mbani?” 16 Na bzimwebzi, munthu omwe akhana mzimu wakuipayo adawamogera ndipo adayamba kulimbana na m’bodzi na m’bodzi wa iwo acikunda wentsenewo. Na tenepo, iwo adabula m’nyumbamo acithawa uko ali pezi ndipo adapwetekeka. 17 Bzimwebzi bzidadziwika kwa wanthu wentse, kwa Adjuda na kwa Agerego omwe akhakhala ku Efezo. Wentse adabva mantha ndipo dzina la Mbuya Jezu lidapitiriza kutumbizidwa. 18 Wanthu azinji omwe adakhala anyakukhulupira, akhabwera kudzakungula pikado zawo na kulewa padeca bzinthu bzomwe akhacita. 19 Kulewa cadidi, wanthu azinji omwe akhambacita bza matsenga adabweresa mabukhu yawo aciyatentha pamaso pa wanthu wentse. Pomwe iwo adalewenga kobiri za mabukhuyo zidakwana kobiri 50 000 za prata.* 20 Na tenepo, mafala ya Yahova yakhapitiriza kukula mwamphanvu kwene-kwene yacikunda bzineso.
21 Pomwe bzidamala kucitika bzinthu bzimwebzi, Paulo adatsimikiza kupita na ku Masedoniya na ku Akaya aciyenda ku Jeruzalemu. Ndipo iye adati: “Ndikakafika kumweko, nin’funika ndikayendembo ku Roma.” 22 Tenepo iye adatumiza wanthu awiri pa wanthu omwe akhamutumikira, Timotio na Erasto, kuti ayende ku Masedoniya. Tsono iye adapitiriza kukhala m’cigawo ca Aziya kwa kanthawe.
23 Pa nthawe imweyire, padawoneka phiringu likulu thangwe ra Njira ya Mbuya. 24 Ndipo pakhana mwamuna munango wakucemeredwa Demetriyo, omwe akhambakonza tuakacisi tung’ono-tung’ono twakundendemerana na templo ya Artemi ndipo amisiri akhagumana phindu likulu na basa limweri. 25 Iye adatsonkhanisa anzace omwe akhambacita basa libodzi-bodziro aciwauza kuti: “Amunamwe, imwepo mukudziwa bwino kuti ifepano timbagumana kobiri thangwe ra basa limweri. 26 Tsapano imwepo mukuwona na kubva kuti Paulo akupumpsa wanthu azinji kuti acinje nzeru zawo, acimbawauza kuti mirungu yakukonzedwa na manja ya wanthu, ni mirungu lini yacadidi. Ndipo iye akucita bzimwebzi sikuti ku Efezo kokha, koma m’cigawo centse ca Aziya. 27 Kuthumizira bzimwebzi, ndina mantha kuti wanthu aniyamba kulewa kuipa malonda yathu ndipo mulungu wathu wacikazi Artemi ni mkulu. Tsono bzikuwoneka kuti wanthu anileka kulemekeza templo yace ndipo kuposa bzimwebzi, wanthu wentse wa ku Aziya na wa pa dziko lentse ambanamata Artemi, tsono thangwe ra mafala ya Pauloya, iwo an’dzasiya kumulemekeza.” 28 Pakubva bzimwebzi amunawo adadzalidwa na ciya, aciyamba kukuwa kuti: “Mkulu ni Artemi wa ku Efezo!”
29 Na tenepo, mzindayo udadzala na phiringu ndipo wanthu wentse adathamangira pa mbuto yakucitira masenzeka, acimbakwekweta anzace wa paulendo wa Paulo, omwe ni Gayo na Aristako, wanthu wa ku Masedoniya. 30 Tenepo, Paulo akhafuna kupita mkati mwa thimu la wanthulo, tsono anyakupfunza alibe kum’bvumiza. 31 Napo wanthu winango omwe akhanyang’anira phwando na masenzeka omwe akhadziwana naye, adamutumizira mafala yakumudandaulira, yakuti aleke kuikha moyo wace pangozi mwa kuyenda pa mbuto yakucitira masenzekayo. 32 Kulewa cadidi, wanthu omwe akhali pamwepowo winango akhakuwa acimbalewa ibzi ndipo winango akhalewa bzinango, pakuti pakhana phiringu pakati pa wanthu omwe akhali pamwepowo ndipo azinji wa iwo ne akhadziwa lini thangwe ranyi akhali pamwepo. 33 Na tenepo, iwo adacosa Alexandre pakati pa thimulo ndipo Adjuda akham’gwinyira kutsogolo; Alexandreyo adacita cizindikiro na boko lace, thangwe akhafuna kulewa mafala yakubzikhotcerera pakati pa wanthuwo. 34 Tsono pomwe adazindikira kuti iye akhali Mdjuda, wentsenewo pabodzi, adakuwa kwa maora mawiri kuti: “Mkulu ni Artemi wa ku Efezo!”
35 Pakumalizira pace, pomwe munembi wa mu mzindamo adanyamalisa thimu la wanthulo adati: “Wanthu wa mu Efezomwe, mbani wa imwepo omwe an’dziwadi lini kuti mzinda wa Efezo ndiye omwe umbanyang’anira templo ya Artemi mkulu na cifanikiso comwe cidagwa kucokera kudzulu? 36 Pakuti palibe munthu omwe angagaze bzimwebzi, imwepo derekhani ndipo lekani kucita bzinthu mwakuthamanga. 37 Ndipo imwepo mwabweresa amunawa pano omwe ni mbava lini za mu templo ndipo ne ambanyoza lini mulungu wathu mkazi. 38 Na tenepo, penu Demetriyo pabodzi na anzace omwe ambaphatambo basa libodzi-bodziro ana mathangwe na munthu, ziripo ntsiku zomwe nyumba za mphala zimbafungulidwa ndipo alipombo atongi wa cigawo, iwo mbayende akalewe mirandu yawo kumweko. 39 Tsono penu mun’funa bzinango kuposa bzimwebzi, bzimwebzo mukabzifotokoze pa mtsonkhano wakubvumidwa mwa lamulo. 40 Thangwe kulewa cadidi, ifepano tingapasidwe mulandu wakupumpsa wanthu thangwe ra bzinthu bzomwe bzacitikabzi, pakuti tingakwanise lini kufotokoza mathangwe yakubveka yomwe yabweresa phiringuli.” 41 Pomwe adamala kulewa bzimwebzi, iye adauza wanthuwo kuti ayende.