Ndu Manzaniba 26

1 Niki Agrippa a tre ni Bulus, “Wu ka tre kime.” Nikima Bulus a nmerju ni woma nda lu tre wu kpa tuma chuwo.

Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You have permission to speak about yourself." So Paul, with outstretched arm, proceeded to make his defence.

2 “Mi ban ndi mi ngyiri ni kpamu, Ichu Agrippa, ni wa mi nji tre mu niye ni shishime luwa, nitu wawu kpi meme wa Yahudawa ba nji ye nha nimu niwuu;

"As regards all the accusations brought against me by the Jews," he said, "I think myself fortunate, King Agrippa, in being about to defend myself to-day before you,

3 kima me nitu wu to zan tu ni tu nkon zren Yahudawa rhini sen. Niki, mi bre du u wome ni kru sron.

who are so familiar with all the customs and speculations that prevail among the Jews; and for this reason, I pray you, give me a patient hearing.

4 Njanji, Yahudawa wawu ba to zren son mu rhini wa mi vren nze ni meme mu mba ni Urushelima.

"The kind of life I have lived from my youth upwards, as exemplified in my early days among my nation and in Jerusalem, is known to all the Jews.

5 Ba to nitumu rhini ni mumla, batini son nyme niki, nitu mison na Farasii, grji bi kri gbangban ni nkon hu Irji mbu.

For they all know me of old--if they would but testify to the fact--how, being an adherent of the strictest sect of our religion, my life was that of a Pharisee.

6 Zizan mi kri ni wayi du ba gaatre nimu nitu yo sron mu ni yo sron kpe ni shishi wa Irji a ti ni ba titi mbu.

And now I stand here impeached because of my hope in the fulfilment of the promise made by God to our forefathers--

7 A he nitu yo sron kpe ni shishi wa ba grji wlon don ha ba ba yo sron wu kpa niwa ba nzu nde Irji hon ni chu mba ni virhi. Wa a he nitu yo sron a, Ichu Yahudawa ba ban nha me.

the promise which our twelve tribes, worshipping day and night with intense devotedness, hope to have made good to them. It is on the subject of this hope, Sir, that I am accused by the Jews.

8 A ngye nizu du mla ya ni kpanyme ndi Irji ni nzu indji lu rjini kwu?

Why is it deemed with all of you a thing past belief if God raises the dead to life?

9 Zizan, a toki, Ime me mina ta mren ndi mi ti kpi gbugbuwu nitu ka nde Yesu wu Nazarat su.

"I myself, however, thought it a duty to do many things in hostility to the name of Jesus, the Nazarene.

10 Mi ti kpi biyi ni Urushelima, Mi vu loyo ni mi tratro gbugbu indji tsatsra wu Irji, ni vunvu kpanyme wa mi kpa rhini ninkon Prist, mba niwa ba sia wuuba, mi yo wo nyime mu nitu kima.

And that was how I acted in Jerusalem. Armed with authority received from the High Priests I shut up many of God's people in various prisons, and when they were about to be put to death I gave my vote against them.

11 Mi ti ba ya, nton gbugbuwu ni mi Sinagog, mba ni ta tsra yoba ni gbengblen du ba tre meme ntiu Irji. Mi ta vra ni nfu nitumba, mba nini tiba ya ka rhini igbu wu meme bari.

In all the synagogues also I punished them many a time, and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my wild fury I chased them even to foreign towns.

12 Niwa mi sia ti toyi, mi hini Damaskus ni yawo kpanyme mba nu nkon rhini kikle Prist;

"While thus engaged, I was travelling one day to Damascus armed with authority and a commission from the High Priests,

13 mba ni nkon, hiki, ni tsutsu irji, ichu, mi to kpan lu rjini shulu wa a kpan zan irji, nda bwu kpan kagon me baba indji biwa bana si zren hume.

and on the journey, at noon, Sir, I saw a light from Heaven--brighter than the brightness of the sun--shining around me and around those who were travelling with me.

14 Niwa wawumbu ki kurjoku ni meme mi wo ilan ni tre ni me ni ilbe Ibraniyawa ndi Shawulu, Shawulu, u i tie me ya nitu ngye? A ni he ni ya ni du chuza too kpe wu ntsen nyu.

We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice which said to me in Hebrew, "'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? You are finding it painful to kick against the ox-goad.'

15 Niki mi tre ndi, “Wu nha, Bachi?” I Bachi a sa mu ndi, 'A hi me Yesu wa wu si tiwu ya.

"'Who art Thou, Lord?' I asked. "'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied.

16 Zizan lu kri ni zande; anitu ndu yi mi tsro kpamu niwu, nitu youyo ni tindu vrenko, mba wa wu vu bla nitu kpi wa wuto nitumu zizan mba kpi wa mi tsro ni ko shishi;

'But rise, and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for the very purpose of appointing you My servant and My witness both as to the things you have already seen and as to those in which I will appear to you.

17 i mi kpau chuwo rhini wo indji ba mba rjini Bikora wa mi si ton ni hi niba,

I will save you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I send you to open their eyes,

18 ni du hi bwu shishi mba, ndi kma ba sran rjini bwu hini kpan mba rjini son niwobrji shango hini Irji, ni du ba kpa rjini Irji, kpa wru latre mba (gado) wa mi nu ibiwa ba kri bi nitu kpanyme ni me.

that they may turn from darkness to light and from the obedience to Satan to God, in order to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified through faith in Me.'

19 Ni tu kima, Ichu Agrippa, mina kamu ni hutre ira wa a rjini shulu na;

"Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision;

20 Mi hi ni bi Damaskus guchi, nda ka ri ni Urushelima, nda ka kagon gbungblu Judiya, mba ni bikora ngame, mi nu ba tondua, nitu du ba kma sran nda kma ye ni Irji, nda ti ndu wa a bi tsra ni kma sran sron mba.

but I proceeded to preach first to the people in Damascus, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judaea, and to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God, and live lives consistent with such repentance.

21 Nitu kima Yahudawa ba vu me lo nimi hekali nda ta son wuu me.

"It was on this account that the Jews seized me in the Temple and tried to kill me.

22 Ni kima, me kpa zo wa a ye rji ni Irji, ye ni vi wu luwa, ndi ni kri ni nran hla ni bi tsitsa baba bi kikle ana kpe nkan na, hama niwa anabawa mba Musa ba tre ndi naiye he toki -

Having, however, obtained the help which is from God, I have stood firm until now, and have solemnly exhorted rich and poor alike, saying nothing except what the Prophets and Moses predicted as soon to happen,

23 ndi Kristi niye ti ya, nitu wawuyi ni guchi tashme rjini kwu, ndani bwuhla ikpan ni indji mbu mba ni bi kora.”

since the Christ was to be a suffering Christ, and by coming back from the dead was then to be the first to proclaim a message of light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

24 Niwa Bulus akle ngla kpama a, Festus a tre ni kikle lan, “Bulus, wu sran; to gbugbu tsro me du ni sran.”

As Paul thus made his defence, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, "You are raving mad, Paul; and great learning is driving you mad."

25 I Bulus a tre ndi, “Mina sran na, wa azan bi Festus, mi si dbu bla lan tre wu njanji mba wu gaatre ndindi.

"I am not mad, most noble Festus," replied Paul; "I am speaking words of sober truth.

26 Nitu Ichu to kpi biyi; niki mi tre ni gbengblen sron niwu, nitu mi nyme pempe ndi kpi biyi bana he ni bwu ni wu na, nitu ikpe biyi bana tiba ni kosan na.

For the King, to whom I speak freely, knows about these matters. I am not to be persuaded that any detail of them has escaped his notice; for these things have not been done in a corner.

27 Wu kpanyme ni anabawa ba, Ichu Agrippa? Mi to ndi wu kpanyme.”

King Agrippa, do you believe the Prophets? I know that you believe them."

28 Agrippa hla ni Bulus nid, ni nton fiime toyi, wu son gbronmeyo dumi kma ti Krista?”

Agrippa answered, "In brief, you are doing your best to persuade me to become a Christian."

29 Bulus tre ndi, “Mi bre Irji ndi, anita nton fiime ka wu gbron me ana wu megen na, mba wawu biwa ba wo me luwa, du ba he too me, hama ni rjiri ij'bo wu ko tro yi.”

"My prayer to God, whether briefly or at length," replied Paul, "would be that not only you but all who are my hearers to-day, might become such as I am--except these chains."

30 Niki Ichua lunde kri, i gomna mba Bernice ngame, baba biwa bana ki niba.

So the King rose, and the Governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them;

31 Niwa ba rju don kikle tra u son mba, ba si tre ni kpamba ndi, “Igu yi na ti kpe wa ani tsra u kwu ko ka u lo zi na.”

and, having withdrawn, they talked to one another and said, "This man is doing nothing for which he deserves death or imprisonment."

32 Agrippa a tre ni Festus ndi, kinina chu Iguyi chuwo hama wa ana bre hi to Kaisar.”

And Agrippa said to Festus, "He might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar."