Ndu Manzaniba 22

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

“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense I now make to you.”

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

When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. Then he said,

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 Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel and instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

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

I persecuted this Way to the death, binding both men and women and putting them in prison,

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 can testify about me, along with the whole council of elders. From them I received letters to the brothers in Damascus and then made my way there to make arrests and bring the prisoners back 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.

“About noon, as I was going along and drawing near to Damascus, a great light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.

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

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

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

I answered, ‘Who are yoʋ, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom yoʋ are persecuting.’

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

Those who were with me saw the light and were afraid, but they did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking 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.

Then I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go to Damascus, and there yoʋ will be told about all that has been appointed for yoʋ 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 since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went 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.

“Now a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who was well spoken of by all the Jews dwelling 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.

came and stood beside me. He said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive yoʋr sight,’ and in that very hour I received my sight and saw 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.

Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed yoʋ to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice coming from his mouth.

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

For yoʋ will be his witness to all people of what yoʋ have seen and heard.

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

And now why do yoʋ delay? Rise and be baptized, and wash away yoʋr sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.’

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

“When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at 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.'

and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not accept yoʋr testimony 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.

So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe in yoʋ.

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 yoʋr witness Stephen was being shed, I myself stood there approving of his execution as I watched over the cloaks of those who were killing him.’

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

Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send yoʋ far away to the Gentiles.’”

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.”

The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement, but then they lifted up their voices and said, “Away with this man from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”

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

As they were crying out, throwing off their cloaks and flinging 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 to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out the reason why they were shouting at him in this way.

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 as one of the soldiers was stretching Paul out with the straps, Paul said to the centurion standing nearby, “Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman citizen without a proper 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 this, he went and reported it to the commander, saying, “Consider what yoʋ are about to do, for this man is a Roman citizen.”

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

So the commander went over and said to Paul, “Tell me, are yoʋ a Roman citizen?” He said, “Yes.”

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.”

The commander responded, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”

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.

So those who were about to examine him immediately drew back, and the commander was afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

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.

So the next day, wishing to know for certain why Paul was being accused by the Jews, the commander released him from his bonds and commanded the chief priests and their entire Sanhedrin to come. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.