The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible
New Testament
Read each verse in English beside its African Kalanga equivalent.
Acts 26English
Mihingo 26African Kalanga
- English1
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense:
African KalangaAgiripa kati kuna Paulo, “Una ndetjedzelo kuzwilebelekela.” Paulo katambunudza luboko gugwe kazwimila sawhoku:
- English2
“King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews,
African Kalanga“He nkulu Agiripa! Ndozwikumbula ndina mhahha kuti nasi ndizwimile mbeli kuko mu zwinhu zose Bajuta zwabanonditjeta ndizo,
- English3
and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
African Kalangangobe uziba zubuyanana milenje ne ndebo dze Bajuta dzabanonyanyayidzana mudzili. Ndizo ndomukumbila kuti mundiwhilile ne moyonlefu.
- English4
“The Jews all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem.
African Kalanga“Bose Bajuta banoziba sekwa ndakatjila kubvila ndili ntukununu. Banoziba sekwa ndakapedza butjilo gwangu gose, kutanga mu hango ya kanyi kwedu nenge ku Jerusalema.
- English5
They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that according to the strictest sect of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee.
African KalangaKwabe ntolo beziba, ha beda tendeka kuti kubva mu kutangisa ndakatjila ndili ndungululo ye bhiko le milayo yakasima kwazo ye namata kwedu, le Bafarisi.
- English6
And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today.
African KalangaNgono ngwenu ndimile pano ndisumikilisiwa nekwe kugalabgwe kwandinako mu kugadziwabgwe kwa bobatategulu ne Ndzimu,
- English7
This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me.
African Kalangaitjo tjinhu njudzi dza kanyi kwedu dzili gumi lina mbili tjadzinogalabgwe kuamutjila, dzinamata Ndzimu siku ne sikati dzakalongamoyo. Ngono nekwa ikoku kugalabgwe, He nkulu, Bajuta banonditilika nlandu!
- African Kalanga
Ini muwana kwakasima bvuma kuti Ndzimu unomusa bafi?
- English9
“I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
African Kalanga“Imi ne kwangu ndakawana kwakafanila kuti ndithame zwinhu zwinjinji kunyanyayidza zina la Jesu we Nazareta.
- English10
And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the saints in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them.
African KalangaItjetjo nditjo tjandakahinga mu Jerusalema. Ndakaamutjila simba mu Baphirisiti bakulu, ngono alonga bunjinji gwe bagalimoyo mu ng'umba ye busungwa; bakati besumikilisigwa lufu, namibo abvumana nako.
- English11
Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. In my obsession against them, I even went to foreign cities to persecute them.
African KalangaNdakabadziyidza kanjinji mu ng'umba dzose dze mitembezelo, ngono agwisa kubathama kuti batuke Ndzimu wabo. Ne kubagwadzilamoyo kukulu, ndakabadziyidza ne ku mizi ye zwitjaba zwipoga.
- English12
“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests.
African Kalanga“Nditjo tjandakabendayendila ku Damasiko ne simba nenge ndayo dzinobva mu Baphirisiti bakulu.
- English13
About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.
African KalangaHe nkulu, kwakabe kuli pakati kwe masikati, ndili mu zila ha ndibona tjedza tjinopenya kupinda hhuba, tjibva pehhugwi ngono tjikapenya kundipoteleka na ibabo bakabe bayenda nami.
- English14
We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’
African KalangaTakati tawila pasi tose, awha whi liti kundili mu Tjihebheru, ‘Saulo, Saulo! Apa unondidziyidzilani kene? Unozwikubadza ne pfula nheswi dze mbambo.’
- African Kalanga
Abhuzwa ati, ‘Ndimwi ani He?’ Ngono He bakadabila beti, ‘Ndimi Jesu, waunodziyidza.
- English16
“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you.
African KalangaKoga milika ume ne makumbo. Ndakuzwilakidza nekwa ikoku, kukuhalula kuti uhinge kakale ube ntendeki mu zwinhu zwawandibona muzwili ne muna izwezo zwandinowokuzwilakidza.
- African Kalanga
Ndowokuangulila mu banhu be Iziraeli ne muna Bezwitjaba ibo bandinokutuma kubali,
- English18
to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
African Kalangakuhhula meho abo, kuti ndizo bahandukile hhalima babe tjedza. Bahandukile simba la Satani bahhe ku simba le Ndzimu, kuti ndizo ne galamoyo kwabo mundili baamutjile kuzwiibhatigwa zwibi zwabo, ngono bawane bugalo pakati kwe bayengemali.’
- African Kalanga
“Ngono ndizo, He nkulu Agiripa, andizonyanyayidza mbono wandakabona kubva kudzimu.
- English20
First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.
African KalangaNdakatanga ku Damasiko, kubvapo ati ku Jerusalema ne Judiya ne kuna Bezwetjaba, ndisumikila kuti bahandukile matjinyo abo bahhe ku Ndzimu kakale bahinge Mihingo inolakidza aba handuka.
- African Kalanga
Nekwa ikoku Bajuta bakandibhata ndili mu Ng'umba ye Ndzimu ngono bakagwisa kundibulaya.
- English22
But I have had God’s help to this very day, and so I stand here and testify to small and great alike. I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—
African KalangaKoga kuswikila hhuba lino ndabe ndibhatshiwa ne Ndzimu, ndizo ndimile pano kupa butendeki gwangu kuna bose, ku batukununu ne bakulukulu ne kunofanana. Tjandinoleba nditjozwatjo balebesambeli na Mushe tjabakati tjowohingikala,
- English23
that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
African Kalangakuti Mesiya wakadziyila, ngono ne kube we kutanga kumuka mu bafi, kuleba tjedza tje jidzo ku Bajuta ne kuna Bezwitjaba.”
- English24
At this point Festus interrupted Paul’s defense. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you insane.”
African KalangaKukati Paulo ezwimila ne zila iyeyi, Fesito kamilidza whi kati “Iwe unopenga Paulo! Kuzwidiya kuko kukulu kokupengesa!”
- English25
“I am not insane, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable.
African KalangaPaulo kadabila eti, “Anditopenga Mbilimanenje Fesito! Ndoleba matama ana malebeswa asina bupengo.
- English26
The king is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner.
African KalangaHe nkulu banoziba nekwe zwinhu izwezwi, ndizo kubali ndolebeleka ndakasununguka, ngoti ndogala moyo kuti zwinhu izwezwi azwizobalahikila ngoti azwizohingikalila mu kotjo.
- African Kalanga
He nkulu Agiripa, apa mogalamoyo balebesambeli kene? Ndoziba kuti mobagalamoyo!”
- English28
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “Do you think that in such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?”
African KalangaAgiripa kati kuna Paulo, “Apa unokumbula kuti mu lubaka igogu gufutswhanana unowondithama N’khirisiti kene?”
- English29
Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.”
African KalangaPaulo kadabila eti, “Kene lubaka gufutswhana kene gulefu, ntembezelo wangu ku Ndzimu whuti kusibe imwi koga nanga na bose makandiwhilila nasi, mube tjandili itjo, kuhhe kwe ketani idzedzi!”
- African Kalanga
Ipapo He nkulu ne mbusi na Bherinisi ne bakabe bali gele nabo bakamilika,
- English31
They left the room, and while talking with one another, they said, “This man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment.”
African Kalangangono bakati babva ipapo, bakalebesana beti, “Nlume iwoyu aazothama tjimwe tjaangafila kene kuli longwa mu ng'umba ye busungwa.”
- English32
Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
African KalangaNgono Agiripa kati kuna Fesito, “Nlume iwoyu unobe asunungugwa ha asakabe asapizila ndebo kuna Khaisara.”
Source: The English-Kalanga Bilingual Language Learning Bible, Ndzimu-unami Emmanuel Moyo, 2026. This online edition was extracted and reformatted from the PDF edition. Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.