Ndu Manzaniba 22

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

Brethren and fathers! Hear ye, the defence, which I now make unto you: —

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

And, when they heard that, in the Hebrew language, he had begun to address them, they kept the more quiet. And he saith—

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 of Cilicia, but nurtured in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, —trained after the strictness of our ancestral law; being jealous for God just as, all ye, are this day;

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

and, this way, I persecuted unto the death, binding and delivering up into prisons 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, even the High-priest, beareth me witness, and all the Eldership, —from whom, letters also, accepting to the brethren, unto Damascus, was I journeying, to bring them who were there bound unto Jerusalem, that they might 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.

But it befell me, as I was journeying and drawing nigh unto Damascus, that, about mid-day—suddenly—out of heaven, there flashed a great light 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 also to the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me—Saul! Saul! Why, me, art thou persecuting?

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

And, I, answered—Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me—I, am Jesus the Nazarene, whom, thou, art persecuting!

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

Now, they who were with me, beheld, indeed, the light, but heard not, the voice, of him that was speaking with 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.

And said—What shall I do, Lord? And, the Lord, said unto me—Arise, and be going thy way into Damascus, and, there, shall it be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee 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.

But, as I could not see clearly owing to the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them who were with me, I came 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.

And, one Ananias, a man devout according to the law, well-attested by all the Jews that dwelt there,

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

coming unto me, and standing over me, said—Saul, brother! look up. And, I, in that very hour, looked up on 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.

And he said—The God of our fathers, hath chosen thee to get to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, —and to hear a voice out of his mouth.

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

Because thou shalt be a witness to him unto all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.

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

And, now, what art thou going to do? Arise, and get thyself immersed, and have thy sins bathed away, calling upon his name.

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

And it came to pass, when had returned unto Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance,

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

and saw him, saying unto me—Haste thee, and go forth speedily out of Jerusalem, inasmuch as they will not accept thy witness concerning me.

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

And, I, said—Lord! they themselves, well know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them who were believing on thee.

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.

And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.

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

And he said unto me—Be taking thy journey; because, I, unto nations afar off, will send thee.

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.”

And they hearkened unto him as far as this word, and lifted up their voice, saying—Away from the earth, with such a man as this, for it is not fit that he should live.

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

Now, as they were both making an outcry and tearing their mantles, —dust, also were throwing 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 captain ordered him to be brought into the castle, saying, that, with scourging, he should be put to the test, —that he might find out, for what cause they were, thus, clamouring against him.

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?

But, when they had stretched him out with straps, Paul said unto the by-standing centurion—A Roman, and uncondemned, is it allowed you to be scourging?

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.”

And, when the centurion heard [that], he went unto the captain, and reported, saying—What art thou going to do? For, this man, is, a Roman?

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

And the captain, coming up, said to him—Tell me! Art, thou, a, Roman? And, he, said—Yea!

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.”

And the captain answered—I, for a large sum, this citizenship acquired! And, Paul, said—But, I, am even, [free-] born!

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.

Straightway, therefore, they who were about to put him to the test, withdrew from him; and, even the captain, was struck with fear, when he found out he was, a Roman, and because, him, he had bound.

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.

But, on the morrow, being minded to get to know the certainty as to why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him, and ordered the High-priests and all the High-council to come together; and, bringing down Paul, set him before them.