Ndu Manzaniba 17
1 Zizan, niwa ba zren zu ni igbu bi Amphipolis mba Apoloniya, ba ye ri ni kikle gbu Tesalonika, bubu wa synagogue wu Yahudawa a he.
After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia they arrived at Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue.
2 Bulus, toh wa a ta tia, hi ni ba, nda ban vi Sati tra si vu mla ya ni mi nha tre BAchi niba.
As usual, Paul went into the synagogue and over the course of three Sabbaths he debated with them using the Scriptures.
3 A sia bwu tre Bachi nda ni mla bla ndi a tsra kri ni du Kristi du ti ya nda la lu rhini kwu. A hla ndi “Yesu yi, wa mi d'bu bla ni yiwu a wawuyi hi Kristi.”
He explained what the Scriptures meant, proving that the Messiah had to die and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I'm telling you about—he is the Messiah,” he told them.
4 Yahudawa bari ba kpanyme nda zontu ni Bulus mba Sila, baba gbugbu ndji bi Greek wa ba kri gbangban ni hu, mba imba bi ninkon, wa bana fii me ngame na.
Some of them were convinced and joined Paul and Silas, along with many Greek-speaking worshipers and some leading women of the town.
5 I Yahudawa wa bana kpanyime na, nitu ba shu ni ngu, ba vu ndji bari bi meme dri rji ni bubu-leni-kpi wu gbu'a, nda kplu kpaandji ye zontu nda chon gbu'a duba yra gro ni nfu. Ba ri ni nfu kima ni ko Jason, ndi ba wa vu Bulus mba Sila nu ndji ba.
But the Jews became jealous and with some rabble-rousers they gathered from the marketplace they formed a mob. They rioted in the town, and attacked Jason's house. They tried to find Paul and Silas so they could bring them before the people.
6 Niwa bana to bana, ba gbi Jason baba mri vayi bari ye ni bi ninkon u gbu'a nda ni yii, “Ndji biyi wa ba k'ma gbungblu wawu sran hon grji ba ye ni wayi ngame.
When they couldn't find them they dragged Jason and some of the other believers before the town leaders, shouting, “These people are famous for causing trouble, turning the world upside down. Now they've come here,
7 Ndji biyi wa Jason a kpa ba; a; zren mba ni hu nkon nkan ni gbren tre wa Siza a yo'a, ba bla ndi niko chu ri nkan he wa ba yondi Yesu.
and Jason has made them welcome in his house. They all defy Caesar's decrees, committing treason by saying there is another king called Jesus.”
8 Ba kpa suron kpaa ndji ba baba bi ninkon gbu'a ti meme ni kpi biyi wa ba wo'a.
The people and the leaders of the town were very disturbed when they heard this.
9 Hu gon wa ba chu Jason baba mbru mba ru ni wo bi lo ba, ba chuba chuwo duba hi.
So they made Jason and the others post bail before they let them go.
10 Ni chu kima, mri vayi ba ba tru Bulus mba Sila hi ni Beriya. Niwa ba ri niki, ba ri hi ni mi sinagog wu Yahudawa ba.
The believers had Paul and Silas leave for Berea that very night. When they arrived in Berea they went to the Jewish synagogue.
11 Zizan ndji biyi bana he nitu mla to zan bi wa ba he ni Tasalonika, ba kpa lan tre'a ni sron ndindi, nda bwu lan nha chachu nda shle si ya nitu duba to ka kpi ba ba tokii.
The people there had a better attitude than those in Thessalonica in that they were very quick to accept the word, and every day they examined the Scriptures to make sure what they were told was right.
12 Nitu kima, gbugbu mba ba kpanyime, hu ni mba Greek bari wa ba yaba ni nfutu, baba gbugbu lilon bari.
As a result many of them became believers, along with some highly-placed Greek women and men.
13 Niwa Yahudawa bi Tasalonika ba wo ndi Bulus a sia d'bu ni bla lan tre Irji ni Bariya, ba hi niki nda ka chon kpaa ndji ba hwu dri.
But when the Jews in Thessalonica heard that Paul was also spreading the word of God in Berea, they went there and caused the same kind of trouble, stirring up the crowds.
14 Mle, mri vayi ba ba tru Bulus du hi hu nkon wu tu kpaa ma, i Sila mba Timoti ba ki niki.
Immediately the believers sent Paul to the coast, while Silas and Timothy remained behind.
15 Biwa ba sia tsro Bulus nkon a ba njiwu aren gbron ka tsra ni kikle gbu wu Athens. Niwa ba don Bulus niki, ba kpa tre nitu kpe wuti rji niwu hi ni ba Sila mba Timoti, ndi duba sima ye niwu.
Those escorting Paul took him as far as Athens, and then returned with instructions from Paul to Silas and Timothy that they should join him there as soon as possible.
16 Zizan wa Bulus a sia gben ye mba ni Athens, langbiri sron ma a si chon niwa a to gunki ba shu ni kikle gbu'a.
While Paul was waiting for them in Athens he was very troubled to see all the idolatry in the city.
17 Niki a si bla ndani k'ma sran ya chachu ni mi sinagog baba Yahudawa baba bari wa babi hu nkon Irji, mba nimi bubu wu leni kpi baba biwa ba heni ki.
He debated in the synagogue with the Jews and those who worshiped God, as well as in the marketplace with those he happened to meet from day to day.
18 Niki ngame bari bi to rhimren gban, wa babi Epikurean mba Stoic, ba zontu wu sen nyu niwu. Bari ba tre ndi, “A ngye wa ndi wu gbla nyu treyi si son hla?” Bari ba tre “A rju ndji biwa ba yo ndi du ba ye hu mri Irji wa bana to tumana,” nitu a sia dbu bla tre ndindi nitu Yesu mba ta sh'me ni kwu ma.
Some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also argued with him. “What is he going on about?” they wondered. Others concluded, “He seems to be teaching about some foreign gods,” because he was speaking about Jesus and the resurrection.
19 Ba ban Bulus hi ni Areopagus, nda ni bla ndi, “Wu la mla bla nitu tsro isa yi wa wu sia bla?”
So they took him to the Areopagus, and asked him, “Please tell us about this new teaching that you're promoting.
20 Nitu wu nji kpi wa kina to tuma na ye ni ton mbu. Nikima, kisonb mla to tumba.”
We're hearing from you things that sound odd to us, so we'd like to know what they mean.”
21 (Zizan bi Athens ba wawumba baba bi tsri wa ba kru nha niba'a, ba sia wu nton mba ni kpe na, hama ni ndu bla mba srenton nitu ikpi isa wa ba rini gbu).
(All the Athenians, including foreigners who lived there, spent their whole time doing nothing except explaining or listening to something new.)
22 Niki Bulus a lu kri ni tsutsu Ariopagus nda tre ndi, “Biyi ndji Athens, mi to ndi bi bi hu nkon bre irji ni za nkankan.
Paul stood up right in the middle of the Areopagus and said, “People of Athens, I notice you are very religious about everything.
23 Niwa mi zren zu si hi, mi mla ya nito kpe wa bi nzu hon ni bre mbi. Mi to iko bre ri wa bi nha “Ni Irji wa bina to na,” Ikpe wa bi nzu hon ni bre nina too na, wawuyi mi bwu bla ni yiwu.
As I was walking along, looking at your shrines, I found an altar that had the inscription, ‘To an Unknown God.’ This unknown God whom you worship is the one I'm describing to you.
24 Irji wa a ti gbungblu wawu mba kpi wa ba he nimi ma, nitu wawuyi hi Bachi wu shulu mba meme, ana son ni ko bre wa ba me ni wo na.
The God who created the world and everything in it, the Lord of heaven and earth, doesn't live in temples we make.
25 Ana wo ndji mba ni tindu niwu na, ana ndi ani wa kpe ni wo ndji na, nitu a hi wawu kima mba ni nu ndji vrison sisren mba gbron vri ni kpi wawu.
He doesn't need to be served by us as if he needed anything, since he is the source of all life for every living being.
26 Rhi ni ndji ri, a ti gbungblu ndi ni duba ki ni tu gbungblu meme, nda tsra nton mba nyu dren bubu ki mba,
From one man he made all the peoples who live on the earth, and decided beforehand when and where they should live.
27 nitu duba wa Irji ka ba ma nk'mo nkon hi nda hi to wu. Kima me, ana gbangban ni ko nha mbu na.
God's purpose was that they should seek him, hoping they would reach out for him and find him—though he isn't far from any one of us.
28 Ni wawuyi ki son nda zren nda he ni kpa ndi too wa ndi mbi ri wu to tre a hla ndi 'kita ngame ki hpu ma.'
In him we live, move, and exist. Just as one of your own poets wrote, ‘We are his family.’”
29 Nikima, nituwa ki hpu Irji, kina ba ndi nkon wubi wu irji ana to zinariya ko azurfa ko tita iwa kpiwa mren ndi mba ba la ba rhu na.
“Since we are his family we shouldn't think that God is like gold, or silver, or stone, shaped by human artistry and thinking.
30 Nitu ki, Irji wruhle kpi wa kiti ni bwu tu, nda mha yo zi ndi du ndji kagon duba k'ma sron sran.
God disregarded people's ignorance in the past, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent.
31 A he toki nitu a yo vi wa ani gaatre ni gbungblu wawu ni nkon tsatsra zu ni wo ndji wa a chu zi ye. Irji guchi nu kpe wu tsro to nitu ndji yi ni ko nha wa a nzu lu ri ni kwu'a.
For he has set a time when he will rightly judge the world by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone that he is the one by raising him from the dead.”
32 Niwa ndji bi Athens ba wo nitu tsame ri ni kwu, bari mba ban za Bulus, e bari ba tre ndi, “Ki la sreton ngari ni wo nitu kpeyi.”
Some of them laughed when they heard about the resurrection of the dead, while others said, “Please come back so we can hear more about this later.”
33 Hu gon ki, Bulus rju donba.
So Paul left them.
34 E ndi bari ba hu ka zontu niwu nda kpanyime, nimi mba Dionysius wu Areopagus, wari wa ndema hi Damaris, baba bari wa ba he ni ba.
A few men joined him and trusted in God, including Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, as well as a woman called Damaris, and some others.
