Ndu Manzaniba 22

1 “Mri vayi baba bati, sren ton ni vri kpachuwo mu, wa mi ti yiwu.”

“Brothers and fathers,” he said, “Please listen as I give my defense before you.”

2 Niwa jbu indji ba ba wo Bulus si tre niba ni lan Ibraniyawa, ba ti whime, A tre ndi,

When they heard him speaking to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.

3 Me mi nji Yahudawa, ngrji wu Tarsus ni Cilicia, mi kpa tsro mu ni kikle gbu yi ni za Gamaliel. Mi kpa tsro nitu nkon tsatsra wu du ba ti ti mbu. Mi hu nkon Irji ngyengyere, to wa biyi wawu mbi bi he luwa.

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia,” he began. “However, I was brought up here in this city, and sat at the feet of Gamaliel. I was taught to strictly observe the law of our fathers. I was zealous for God, just like all of you here today,

4 Miyo bi hu nkon'a iya ka tsra ni kwu, vu ba lo ndi tru ba sru ni kotro, lilon baba mmba,

and I persecuted the people of this Way—having them put to death, and imprisoning both men and women.

5 me wa kikle Prist baba bi chiche wawu ba vu bla nituma. Mi kpa nha vunvu rhi ni ba hi ni mri vayi wa ba he ni Damascus, I mi hiki nitu hi vuba lo nji ye ni Urushelima ni duba fubaton.

As the high priest and the council of the elders can also verify, I received from them letters of authorization addressed to the Jewish brothers in Damascus, and went there to arrest these people and bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 A he niki mba niwa mi zren ti weiweire ni Damascus, mla tsutsu irji, mle kikle kpan rji ni shulu a lu kri kpan kagon mu.

At around noon, while I was on my way and approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven shone all around me.

7 Mi kurjoku ni meme ndi wo ilan a tre ni me, 'Shawulu, Shawulu, nitu ngye wu si time ya?'

I fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

8 Mi sa ndi, 'Wu nha, Bachi?' A hla mu ndi, 'Mi Yesu wu Nazaret, wa wu si tiwu ya.'

‘Who are you, Lord?’ I answered. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting,’ he told me.

9 Biwa bana heni me bato bwu kpan, ndana to tutre lan wa a tre nime na.

Those who were traveling with me did see the light, but they didn't hear the voice that spoke to me.

10 Mi tre ndi, 'Mi ti ngye zizan Bachi?' Bachi a hla mu, lunde ni rhihi nimi Damascus. Niki wu wo kpe wa mi chuwu du wuti.

‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you'll be told everything that's arranged for you to do.’

11 Mina lani to bubuna nitu kpanlua, i indji wa ba he ni me'a ba vume zrenji ni wo ye nimi Damascus.

Since I couldn't see because of the brightness of the light, those who were with me led me by the hand into Damascus.

12 Niki mi zontu ni indji ri wu nde Ananiyas, indji wu kri gbangban ni hu nkon du, mba wa Yahudawa ba pempe wa ba ki niki ba tre ndindi ni tuma.

There a man called Ananias came to see me. He was a religious man who observed the law, and was highly respected by the Jews who lived in the town.

13 A ye ni me, nda ye kri whi nime, nda tre ndi, 'Vayi Shawulu, kpa to bubu me.' Ni nton kima, mi towu.

He stood in front of me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive back your sight.’ At that very moment I could see again, and I looked at him.

14 Wa a tre ndi, Irji wu ba titimbu a chu du wu to sron ma, du wu to Tsatsra wu Ma, mba ndi du wo ilan wa rju rju ni nyuma.

He told me, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, to see the one who is truly good and right, and to listen to what he has to say to you.

15 Nitu wu ta bla nituma ni indji wawu, kpe wa wu to ni shishime mba ni woa.

You will testify for him to everyone about what you have seen and heard. So what are you waiting for?

16 Zizan wu si gben ngye? lu kri, kpa batisma, ndi gla tre me hi, nisi yo ni ndema.

Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins as you call on his name.’

17 Niwa mika kma ye ni Urushelima, nda sia bre ni mi hekali, a he niwa mi kpa to nimi ra.

I returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance.

18 Mi ton sia hlamu, 'Sima ni lunde don Urushelima gbagbla, nitu bana kpa bla tre nitumu na.'

I saw a vision of the Lord telling me, ‘Hurry! You need to leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept what you are telling them about me.’

19 Mi tre ndi, 'Bachi, baba kimba ba to ndi mi vu bi wa ba kpanyimea tro nda tsi ba ni sinagog kagon.

I replied, ‘Lord, they certainly know that I went from synagogue to synagogue, beating and imprisoning those who trusted in you.

20 Niwa ba ka iyi Istifanus wa ata bla nitu me hle, mi sia kri ni hugon, ndani kri ya nklon biwa ba wuu a.

When Stephen was killed for testifying about you I was standing there in full agreement with those who killed him, holding their coats for them.’

21 I a hlamu ndi, 'Hi, nitu mi ton hi gbagban mu ni bi kora'a.'”

The Lord told me, ‘Leave now, for I am sending you far away to the foreigners.’”

22 Ba srenton niwu ka tsra niwa a tre kima. Mle ba nzu gro kpa nda tre ndi, “njii bibi kima rhuni gbungblu meme, nitu a na bi du he ni sisren na.”

Up until this point they had listened to what he was saying, but then they started shouting, “Get rid of this man from the earth—he doesn't deserve to live!”

23 Niwa ba sia kpa gro nda ju nklon mba ni the, nda ni vra iwru,

They screamed and tore off their coats and threw dust into the air.

24 kikle kaptin a duba nji Bulus rihi ni bubu wu mla ri. A nu nyu tre nda du ba shle myeu tre no tiwu ya, nitu du wawume du to ka a hi ngye duba ni kpagro nituma toki.

The commander ordered Paul brought into the fortress, and gave orders for him to be interrogated by flogging so he could find out the reason people were shouting so much against Paul.

25 Niwa ba loo ni rjirji ntan, Bulus a tre ni ninkon wu ndji ya bi lokpa deri ri, wa a kri nha niki, “A tsra ni du yi ti indji Roma ya biyi, hama ni yo ni tsra?

As they stretched him out and tied him down to flog him, Paul asked the centurion standing there, “Is it legal to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't had a trial?”

26 Niwa Centurion a wo toki, a hi ni ninkon kaptin a nda ka hlawu ndi, “A hi ngye wu si son ti? Indji yi hi vren meme Roma.”

When the centurion heard what Paul said, he went to the commander and asked him, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen.”

27 Kikle kaptin a ye tre niwu ndi, “Hlamu, wu vren meme Roma? Bulus a tre ndi, “Ee.”

The commander came, and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul replied, “Yes I am.”

28 Kikle kaptin a sa ndi, “Ana ni gbugbu nklen mba mi kpanyime son vren meme.”I Bulus a tre ndi, “Ba ngrji me vren me Roma.”

“I paid a lot of money to buy Roman citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

29 Niki indji wa bata hi shle miu trea ba kawu don hari. Kikle kaptin a ti sissri, niwa a wo ndi Bulus hi ndji meme Roma, nitu wa a vuu lo.

Those who were about to interrogate Paul left immediately. The commander was worried when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen because he had placed him in chains.

30 Ni vi wa ahu kia, kikle kpatin a ta son to tukpe wa Yahudawa ba bahe niwu nitu Bulus. Niki a duba si chuwo ni lo nda du kikle Prist baba bi son nitra bi ninkon gbua kuson. Niki, ba nji Bulus grji ye zi ni mi mba.

The next day, wanting to find out the reason why the Jews were accusing Paul, he had him released and taken before the chief priests and the whole council which he ordered to assemble. He had Paul brought down and placed him before them.