Paulo pa Chilumba cha Melita
1Titapulumuka choncho, tinamva kuti chilumbacho chimatchedwa Melita. 2Anthu a pa chilumbacho anatichitira zokoma zimene sizichitika kawirikawiri. Iwo anakoleza moto natilandira tonse chifukwa kumagwa mvula ndipo kumazizira. 3Paulo anatola mtolo wankhuni, pamene amayika pa moto, munatulukamo njoka chifukwa cha kutentha, ndipo inamuluma pa dzanja. 4Anthu a pa chilumbacho ataona njokayo ili lende pa dzanja lake, iwo anawuzana kuti, “Munthu uyu akuyenera kukhala munthu wopha anthu; pakuti ngakhale wapulumuka pa nyanja, chilungamo sichinamulore kuti akhale ndi moyo.” 5Koma Paulo anayikutumulira pa moto njokayo, ndipo sanamve kupweteka. 6Anthu anayembekezera kuti thupi lake litupa kapena agwa ndi kufa mwadzidzidzi, koma anadikira nthawi yayitali. Ataona kuti palibe kanthu kachilendo kanamuchitikira anasintha maganizo awo nanena kuti iye ndi mulungu.
7Pafupi ndi malowa panali munda wa Popliyo, mkulu wa boma la pa chilumbacho. Iye anatilandira natisamala bwino masiku atatu. 8Abambo ake anali gone, chifukwa amadwala malungo ndi kamwazi. Paulo analowa mʼchipinda chake kukawaona, ndipo atapemphera, anasanjika manja ake pa iwo nawachiritsa. 9Zitachitika zimenezi, anthu onse odwala a pa chilumbacho anabwera ndipo anachiritsidwa. 10Anthuwo anatilemekeza ife mʼnjira zambiri ndipo pamene tinakonzeka kuti tiyambe ulendo, anatipatsa zonse zomwe tinazisowa.
Paulo Afika ku Roma
11Patapita miyezi itatu, tinanyamuka pa sitima ina imene inakhala pa chilumbacho chifukwa cha kuzizira. Inali sitima ya ku Alekisandriya imene inali ndi chizindikiro cha milungu ya mapasa yotchedwa Kastro ndi Polikisi. 12Tinakafika ku Surakusa ndipo kumeneko tinakhalako masiku atatu. 13Kuchokera kumeneko tinayenda ndi kukafika ku Regio. Mmawa mwake mphepo yochokera kummwera inawomba, ndipo tsiku linalo tinakafika ku Potiyolo. 14Kumeneko tinapezako abale amene anatiyitana kuti tikhale nawo sabata limodzi. Ndipo kenaka tinapita ku Roma. 15Abale kumeneko atamva kuti tikubwera, anabwera kudzakumana nafe mpaka ku bwalo la Apiyo ndiponso ku nyumba za alendo zitatu. Atawaona anthu amenewa Paulo anayamika Mulungu ndipo analimbikitsidwa. 16Titafika ku Roma, Paulo analoledwa kukhala pa yekha ndi msilikali womulondera.
Paulo Alalikira kwa Ayuda ku Roma
17Patapita masiku atatu, Paulo anasonkhanitsa pamodzi atsogoleri a Ayuda. Atasonkhana, Paulo anawawuza kuti, “Abale anga, ngakhale kuti ine sindinachite kanthu kalikonse kulakwira mtundu wathu kapena miyambo ya makolo athu, koma anandigwira mu Yerusalemu ndi kundipereka mʼmanja mwa Aroma. 18Iwo anandifufuza ndipo anafuna kundimasula chifukwa sanandipeze wopalamula mlandu woyenera kuphedwa. 19Koma Ayuda atakana, ine ndinakakamizidwa kupempha kuti ndikaonekere pamaso pa Kaisara, sikuti ndinali ndi kanthu konenezera mtundu wanga. 20Pa chifukwa ichi ndapempha kuti ndionane nanu ndi kuyankhula nanu. Pakuti nʼchifukwa cha chiyembekezo cha Israeli ndamangidwa unyolo uwu.”
21Iwo anayankha kuti, “Ife sitinalandire kalata iliyonse yochokera ku Yudeya yonena za iwe, ndipo palibe mmodzi wa abale amene anachokera kumeneko anafotokoza kapena kunena kalikonse koyipa ka iwe. 22Koma ife tikufuna kumva maganizo ako ndi otani, pakuti tikudziwa kuti ponseponse anthu akuyankhula zotsutsana ndi mpatuko umenewu.”
23Iwo anakonza tsiku lina loti akumane ndi Paulo, ndipo anabwera anthu ambiri ku nyumba kumene amakhala. Kuyambira mmawa mpaka madzulo, Paulo anawafotokozera ndi kuwawuza za ufumu wa Mulungu ndipo anayesa kuwakopa kuti akhulupirire Yesu kuchokera mʼMalamulo a Mose ndiponso mʼmabuku a Aneneri. 24Ena anakopeka ndi zimene Paulo ananena, koma enanso sanakhulupirire. 25Ndipo anayamba kuchoka popeza sanagwirizane pakati pawo Paulo atanena mawu awa omaliza akuti, “Mzimu Woyera anayankhula zoona za makolo anu pamene Iye ananena kudzera mwa Mneneri Yesaya kuti,
26“Pita kwa anthu awa ndi kuwawuza kuti,
‘Kumva mudzamva, koma osamvetsetsa;
kupenya mudzapenya, koma osaona kanthu.’
27Pakuti mtima wa anthu ndi wokanika;
mʼmakutu mwawo ndi mogontha,
ndipo atsinzina kuti asaone kanthu.
Mwina angapenye ndi maso awo,
angamve ndi makutu awo,
angamvetse ndi nzeru zawo ndi kutembenuka,
Ineyo nʼkuwachiritsa.
28“Chifukwa chake ine ndikufuna mudziwe kuti chipulumutso cha Mulungu chatumizidwa kwa anthu a mitundu ina, ndipo iwo adzamvera.” 29Paulo atanena mawu amenewa, Ayuda aja anachoka akutsutsana kwambiri.
30Paulo anakhala kumeneko zaka ziwiri zathunthu mʼnyumba yobwereka yomwe amalipira ndipo ankalandira aliyense amene amabwera kudzamuona. 31Molimba mtima ndi popanda womuletsa, Paulo analalikira za ufumu wa Mulungu ndi kuphunzitsa za Ambuye Yesu Khristu.
On Shore at Malta
1When we were safe on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2The people of the island were unusually kind. It was raining and cold. So they built a fire and welcomed all of us. 3Paul gathered some sticks and put them on the fire. A poisonous snake was driven out by the heat. It fastened itself on Paul’s hand. 4The people of the island saw the snake hanging from his hand. They said to one another, “This man must be a murderer. He escaped from the sea. But the female god Justice won’t let him live.” 5Paul shook the snake off into the fire. He was not harmed. 6The people expected him to swell up. They thought he would suddenly fall dead. They waited for a long time. But they didn’t see anything unusual happen to him. So they changed their minds. They said he was a god.
7Publius owned property nearby. He was the chief official on the island. He welcomed us to his home. For three days he took care of us. He treated us with kindness. 8His father was sick in bed. The man suffered from fever and dysentery. So Paul went in to see him. Paul prayed for him. He placed his hands on him and healed him. 9Then the rest of the sick people on the island came. They too were healed. 10The people of the island honored us in many ways. When we were ready to sail, they gave us the supplies we needed.
Paul Arrives in Rome
11After three months we headed out to sea. We sailed in a ship from Alexandria that had stayed at the island during the winter. On the front of the ship the figures of twin gods were carved. Their names were Castor and Pollux. 12We landed at Syracuse and stayed there for three days. 13From there we sailed to Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up. The day after that, we reached Puteoli. 14There we found some believers. They invited us to spend a week with them. At last we came to Rome. 15The believers there had heard we were coming. They traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw these people, he thanked God for them and was encouraged by them. 16When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself. But a soldier guarded him.
Paul Preaches in Rome
17Three days later Paul called a meeting of the local Jewish leaders. When they came, Paul spoke to them. He said, “My brothers, I have done nothing against our people. I have also done nothing against what our people of long ago practiced. But I was arrested in Jerusalem. I was handed over to the Romans. 18They questioned me. And they wanted to let me go. They saw I wasn’t guilty of any crime worthy of death. 19But the Jews objected, so I had to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not mean to bring any charge against my own people. 20I share Israel’s hope. That is why I am held with this chain. So I have asked to see you and talk with you.”
21They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea about you. None of our people here from Judea has reported or said anything bad about you. 22But we want to hear what your ideas are. We know that people everywhere are talking against those who believe as you do.”
23They decided to meet Paul on a certain day. At that time even more people came to the place where he was staying. From morning until evening, he told them about God’s kingdom. Using the Law of Moses and the Prophets, he tried to get them to believe in Jesus. 24Some believed what he said, and others did not. 25They didn’t agree with one another. They began to leave after Paul had made a final statement. He said, “The Holy Spirit was right when he spoke to your people long ago. Through Isaiah the prophet the Spirit said,
26“ ‘Go to your people. Say to them,
“You will hear but never understand.
You will see but never know what you are seeing.”
27These people’s hearts have become stubborn.
They can barely hear with their ears.
They have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes.
They might hear with their ears.
They might understand with their hearts.
They might turn, and then I would heal them.’ (Isaiah 6:9,10)
28-29“Here is what I want you to know. God has sent his salvation to the Gentiles. And they will listen!”
30For two whole years Paul stayed there in a house he rented. He welcomed all who came to see him. 31He preached boldly about God’s kingdom. He taught people about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one could keep him from teaching and preaching about these things.
