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Ukuthonisiswa Phambi KukaFestasi
Ngemva kwensuku ezintathu efikile esifundeni uFestasi, wasuka eKhesariya waya eJerusalema lapho abaphristi abakhulu labakhokheli bamaJuda bema phambi kwakhe beneka amacala kaPhawuli. Bamcela ngokuphangisa uFestasi, ukuba abenzele umusa, abalethele uPhawuli eJerusalema, ngoba babeceba ukumcathamela bambulale endleleni. UFestasi waphendula wathi, “UPhawuli uvalelwe eKhesariya, njalo mina ngokwami Ngiya khona masinyane. Akuthi abanye abakhokheli bakini bahambe lami bafike bamethese amacala khonale, nxa kukhona akonileyo.”
Esehlale insuku eziyisificaminwembili loba ezilitshumi labo, wehlela eKhesariya, kwathi ngosuku olulandelayo wangenisa inkundla wathi kalethwe uPhawuli phambi kwakhe. Esefikile uPhawuli amaJuda ayebuyile evela eJerusalema ambuthanela, ethula amacala amanengi esabekayo ngaye, kodwa engelabufakazi ngawo.
UPhawuli wasezivikela wathi, “Angenzanga lutho oluphikisa umlayo wamaJuda kumbe ukudumaza ithempeli, kumbe oluphikisa uKhesari.”
UFestasi wayefuna ukwenzela amaJuda umusa, wathi kuPhawuli, “Uyavuma na ukuya eJerusalema ukuthi ngiyekuthonisela khona amacala la?”
10 Waphendula uPhawuli wathi, “Khathesi sengisiyakuma phambi kwenkundla kaKhesari, lapho engifanele ukuthonisiswa khona. Kangonanga lutho kumaJuda, njengoba lawe usazi kakuhle. 11 Kodwa, nxa ngilecala lokwenza loba yini efanele ukufa kangali ukubulawa. Kodwa nxa lawomacala engiwetheswa ngamaJuda la engasiqiniso, kakho olelungelo lokunginikela kuwo. Ngilidlulisela kuKhesari!”
12 UFestasi esehlanganise amakhanda lomphakathi wakhe, wathi, “Usulidlulisele kuKhesari. Uzakuya-ke kuKhesari!”
UFestasi Ubonisana LeNkosi U-Agripha
13 Sekuyizinsuku ezimbalwa ngemva kwalokho iNkosi u-Agripha loBhenikhe bafika eKhesariya ukuyaqinisa ubudlelwano laye uFestasi. 14 Njengoba babezachitha insuku ezinengi khona, uFestasi wakhuluma leNkosi ngendaba kaPhawuli. Wathi, “Kulendoda lapha eyatshiywa nguFelikhe iyisibotshwa. 15 Ngathi ngiseJerusalema, abaphristi abakhulu labadala bamaJuda bayimangalela ngamacala athile, bacela ukuthi ibulawe.
16 Ngabatshela ukuthi kakusimkhuba wamaRoma ukunikela umuntu engakahlanganiswa labamangaleli bakhe, waphiwa ithuba lokuzivikela kulawo macala abambeka wona. 17 Bathi sebefikile lapha behamba lami, ngahle ngalingenisa icala, kodwa inkundla ngayihlanganisa ngosuku olulandelayo, ngathi indoda leyo kayingeniswe. 18 Sebephakamile ukuba bakhulume, kabasambekanga lawomacala engangiwakhumbula. 19 Kodwa, kulezinto ezithile ababephikisana ngazo laye mayelana lenkolo yabo langenye indoda eyafayo ethiwa nguJesu, uPhawuli athi yena iyaphila. 20 Ngisuke ngadideka ukuthi ngizicubungule njani izindaba ezinjalo; yikho ngimbuzile ukuthi angavuma yini ukuya eJerusalema ayethonisiswa khona ngamacala la. 21 Kuthe uPhawuli esethe ucela icala lakhe limiswe liyoqunywa nguMbusi oMkhulu, ngathi kagcinwe entolongweni ngize ngimdlulisele kuKhesari.”
22 U-Agripha wasesithi kuFestasi, “Ngifuna ukuthi kengiyizwe mina ngokwami indoda leyo.”
Waphendula wathi, “Uzayizwa kusasa.”
UPhawuli Phambi Kuka-Agripha
23 Kusisa u-Agripha loBhenikhe bafika ngodumo olukhulu bangena emthethwandaba lezikhulu zakhona ezaziwayo kanye labakhokheli bedolobho. UFestasi wathi uPhawuli kalethwe. 24 UFestasi wasesithi, “Nkosi Agripha, lani lonke elikhona lathi lapha, liyayibona indoda le! Sonke isizwe samaJuda eJerusalema lakhona lapha eKhesariya senza isikhalazo kimi bememeza ukuthi kayisafanelanga ukuthi ibe ilokhu iphila. 25 Ngafumana ukuthi kwakungelalutho alwenzayo olufanele ukufa, kodwa ngenxa yokuthi wacela ukudluliselwa kuMbusi oMkhulu, ngakhetha ukuthi ngimdlulisele eRoma. 26 Kodwa kakulalutho olubambekayo engizalulobela uMhlekazi ngaye. Ngakho sengimlethe lapha phambi kwenu lonke, ikakhulu phambi kwakho wena Nkosi Agripha, ukuze kuthi ngemva kokumhlola hlezi ngithole ulutho engingaluloba. 27 Ngibona kungaba liphutha elikhulu ukuthumela isibotshwa ngingacacanga ngamacala esiwetheswayo.”