< Acts 22 >
1 Brethren and fathers, hear my defense, which I now make before you.
“Ariũ a Baba, o na inyuĩ maithe makwa, thikĩrĩriai ngĩĩyarĩrĩria.”
2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept the greater silence. And he said:
Rĩrĩa maaiguire akĩmaarĩria na rũthiomi rwa Kĩhibirania-rĩ, magĩkira ki. Hĩndĩ ĩyo Paũlũ akiuga atĩrĩ,
3 I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, yet educated in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and instructed according to the strict discipline of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as you all are this day.
“Niĩ ndĩ Mũyahudi, wa gũciarĩrwo Tariso itũũra rĩa bũrũri wa Kilikia, no ndaarereirwo itũũra-inĩ rĩĩrĩ. Nĩndathomithirio wega nĩ Gamalieli ũhoro wa watho wa maithe maitũ, na ndaarĩ na kĩyo kĩa maũndũ ma Ngai o ta ũrĩa inyuĩ inyuothe mũtariĩ ũmũthĩ.
4 And I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prison both men and women,
Nĩndanyariiraga arũmĩrĩri a Njĩra ĩno o nginya magakua na nganyiita arũme na andũ-a-nja ngamaikia njeera,
5 as the chief priest and the whole body of elders will testify for me. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring those, also, who were there, bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished.
o ta ũrĩa mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai ũrĩa mũnene na Kĩama gĩothe gĩa athuuri o nao mangĩheana ũira ũcio. O na nĩmaheire marũa ndwarĩre andũ ao kũu Dameski, na niĩ ngĩthiĩ kuo nganyiite andũ acio ndĩmarehe Jerusalemu nĩguo maherithio.
6 But it came to pass, that, as I was on my journey, and was drawing near to Damascus, about midday, there suddenly shone from heaven a great light round about me;
“Ta thaa thita ndĩ hakuhĩ gũkinya Dameski-rĩ, o rĩmwe gũkĩgĩa ũtheri mũnene woimire igũrũ, naguo ũkĩnjarĩra mĩena yothe.
7 and I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?
Ngĩgwa thĩ, na ngĩigua mũgambo mũnene ũkĩnjarĩria, ũkĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Saũlũ! Saũlũ! Ũũnyariiraga nĩkĩ?’
8 And I answered, Who art thou Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you persecute.
“Na niĩ ngĩũria atĩrĩ, ‘Wee nĩ we ũ, Mwathani?’ “Nake akĩnjookeria atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ niĩ Jesũ wa Nazarethi, ũrĩa ũranyariira.’
9 They who were with me saw the light, and were afraid, but did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
Nao andũ arĩa twarĩ nao nĩmoonire ũtheri ũcio, no matiataũkĩirwo nĩ mũgambo wa ũcio wanjaragĩria.
10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus, and there you shall be told of all things that are appointed for you to do.
“Na niĩ ngĩũria atĩrĩ, ‘Mwathani ngwĩka atĩa?’ “Nake Mwathani akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ũkĩra ũtoonye Dameski. Kũu nĩkuo ũrĩĩrĩrwo maũndũ marĩa mothe wathĩrĩirwo gwĩka.’
11 And as I could not see for the glory of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus.
Na rĩrĩ, andũ arĩa twarĩ nao makĩĩnyiita guoko makĩndwara Dameski, tondũ ũkengu wa ũtheri ũcio nĩwanduĩte mũtumumu.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who had a good report from all the Jews that dwelt there,
“Mũndũ wetagwo Anania nĩookire kũnyona, na aarĩ mũndũ weamũrĩire Ngai na ũndũ wa kũrũmia watho, na nĩaheetwo gĩtĩĩo nĩ Ayahudi othe arĩa maatũũraga kũu.
13 came to me, and standing by me, said, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked upon him.
Agĩũka na akĩrũgama hakuhĩ na niĩ akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Mũrũ wa ithe witũ Saũlũ, cooka kuona!’ Na hĩndĩ o ro ĩyo ngĩhota kũmuona.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of his mouth;
“Agĩcooka akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ngai wa maithe maitũ nĩagũthuurĩte nĩguo ũmenye wendi wake na wone Ũrĩa Mũthingu, o na ũigue ciugo kuuma kanua gake.
15 for you shall be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
Nĩũgũtuĩka mũira wake kũrĩ andũ othe wa kũmoimbũrĩra ũrĩa wonete na ũrĩa ũiguĩte.
16 And now, why do you delay? Arise, and be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
Rĩu nĩ kĩĩ wetereire? Ũkĩra, ũbatithio na ũthambio mehia maku, ũgĩkayagĩra rĩĩtwa rĩake.’
17 And it came to pass, after I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance,
“Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndaacookire Jerusalemu, ndĩ hekarũ-inĩ ngĩhooya nĩndagĩire na iringi,
18 and saw him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me.
ngĩkĩona Mwathani akĩaria, nake akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ũkĩra narua uume Jerusalemu, tondũ matiigwĩtĩkĩra kumbũrĩrwo ũhoro wakwa nĩwe.’
19 And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I threw into prison, and scourged, in every synagogue, those who believed on thee;
“Na niĩ ngĩcookia atĩrĩ, ‘Mwathani, andũ aya nĩmooĩ atĩ ndoimaga thunagogi ĩmwe ngathiĩ ĩrĩa ĩngĩ nĩguo nyiitithie na hũũre andũ arĩa magwĩtĩkĩtie.
20 and that when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I also stood by and approved, and kept the clothing of those who slew him.
Na rĩrĩa Stefano mũira waku aaitirwo thakame, ndaarũngiĩ ho ngĩĩtĩkĩra ũndũ ũcio wĩkwo, na ngaikaria nguo cia andũ arĩa maamũũragire.’
21 And he said to me, Depart, for I will send you far off to the Gentiles.
“Nake Mwathani akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Thiĩ, tondũ nĩngũgũtũma kũndũ kũraya kwa andũ-a-Ndũrĩrĩ.’”
22 And they heard him to this word, and lifted up their voice, saying: Away with such a man from the earth! for it is not fit that he should live.
Kĩrĩndĩ kĩu gĩgĩthikĩrĩria Paũlũ o nginya rĩrĩa oigire ũguo. Hĩndĩ ĩyo gĩkĩaria na mũgambo mũnene kĩanĩrĩire, atĩrĩ, “Mweheriei thĩ! Ndagĩrĩirwo nĩgũtũũra muoyo!”
23 And as they were crying out, and tossing off their clothes, and throwing dust into the air,
Na rĩrĩa kĩanagĩrĩra gĩgĩteaga nguo ciakĩo na gĩkĩũmbũraga rũkũngũ,
24 the officer commanded him to be led into the fortress, and gave orders that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so cried out against him.
mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ agĩathana Paũlũ aingĩrio nyũmba ya thigari. Ningĩ agĩathana atĩ Paũlũ ahũũrwo iboko na orio ciũria nĩguo kũmenyeke kĩrĩa gĩatũmaga andũ mamugĩrĩrie ũguo.
25 But Paul said to the centurion who stood by, as he caused him to be bent forward to the straps: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?
Na rĩrĩa maamũkomagia mamũhũũre-rĩ, Paũlũ akĩũria mũnene ũcio wa thigari igana rĩmwe warũngiĩ hau atĩrĩ, “Watho nĩwĩtĩkĩrĩtie mũhũũre raiya wa Roma na kĩboko atanyiitĩkanĩte na ihĩtia?”
26 And when the centurion heard that, he went out and told it to the officer, saying: What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.
Rĩrĩa mũnene ũcio wa thigari igana rĩmwe aaiguire ũguo, agĩthiĩ kũrĩ mũnene wa mbũtũ, akĩmũhe ũhoro ũcio. Nake akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Rĩu ũgwĩka atĩa? Mũndũ ũyũ nĩ raiya wa Roma.”
27 And the officer came and said to him: Tell me, are you a Roman? He answered: Yes.
Mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ agĩthiĩ kũrĩ Paũlũ, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Ta njĩĩra atĩrĩ, wee ũrĩ raiya wa Roma?” Nake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ĩĩ, ndĩ raiya wa Roma.”
28 And the officer answered: With a great Bum did I purchase this citizenship. And Paul replied: But I was born a citizen.
Nake mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndarĩhire thogora mũnene nĩgeetha nduĩke raiya wa Roma.” Nake Paũlũ akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “No niĩ ndaaciarirwo ndĩ raiya wa Roma.”
29 Then, those who were about to examine him, immediately departed from him. And the officer was afraid, when he learned that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
Nao andũ arĩa meendaga kũmũũria ciũria magĩtigana nake o rĩmwe. Mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ we mwene akĩmaka aamenya atĩ nĩoheete Paũlũ na mĩnyororo, na aarĩ raiya wa Roma.
30 And, on the next day, wishing to know certainly why he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrim to meet together. And he brought Paul down, and placed him before them.
Mũthenya ũcio ũngĩ warũmĩrĩire, nĩgũkorwo mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ nĩeendaga kũmenya wega kĩrĩa Ayahudi maathitangagĩra Paũlũ, akĩmuohora na agĩathana athĩnjĩri-Ngai arĩa anene na athuuri othe a Kĩama magomane. Agĩcooka akĩrehe Paũlũ, na akĩmũrũgamia mbere yao.