Acts 22
1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense I now make to you.”
“Ụmụnna m na ndị nna anyị, geenụ m ntị mgbe m na-agọrọ onwe m nʼihu unu.”
2 When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. Then he said,
Mgbe ha nụrụ na ọ na-agwa ha okwu nʼasụsụ Hibru, ha deere duu karịa. Mgbe ọ sịrị,
3 “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.
“Abụ m onye Juu. Amụrụ m na Tasọs nʼime Silisia. Azụrụ m na obodo a nʼụkwụ Gamaliel onye nkuzi m. Anatara m ọzụzụ dị ike na ịsọpụrụ iwu nke nna nna anyị ha ejikwa m ịnụ ọkụ nʼobi na-efe Chineke dịka unu niile si eme taa.
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding both men and women and putting them in prison,
Akpagburu m ndị niile na-eso ụzọ ọhụrụ a, na-etinye ha nʼaka ọnwụ. Ejidere m ndị ikom na ndị inyom ha tụbakwa ha nʼụlọ mkpọrọ.
5 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.
Ma dịka onyeisi nchụaja na nzukọ ndị okenye niile pụrụ ịgbara m akaebe. Anatakwara m nʼaka ha akwụkwọ ozi e deere ụmụnna anyị nọ na Damaskọs. Agara m ebe ahụ ịkpụta ha nʼagbụ bịa Jerusalem maka ịta ha ahụhụ.
6 “About noon, as I was going along and drawing near to Damascus, a great light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.
“Nʼetiti ehihie, mgbe m na-aga nʼụzọ, nʼebe dị Damaskọs nso, oke ìhè nke si nʼeluigwe, chara gburugburu m.
7 Then I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are yoʋ persecuting me?’
Adara m nʼala ma nụkwa olu gwara m okwu sị m, ‘Sọl, Sọl, gịnị mere i ji na-akpagbu m?’
8 I answered, ‘Who are yoʋ, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom yoʋ are persecuting.’
“‘Onye ka ị bụ Onyenwe m?’ Ka m jụrụ. “Ọ sịrị m, ‘Abụ m Jisọs onye Nazaret onye ị na-akpagbu.’
9 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.
Ndị mụ na ha so hụkwara ìhè ahụ, ma ha anụghị olu onye ahụ na-agwa m okwu.
10 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.’
“Asịrị m, ‘Gịnị ka m ga-eme Onyenwe anyị?’ “Onyenwe anyị sịrị m, ‘Bilie banye Damaskọs; nʼebe ahụ a ga-agwa gị ihe niile a kwadobere na ị ga-eme.’
11 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.
Nʼihi na-enweghị m ike ịhụ ụzọ nʼihi ebube ìhè ahụ chachiri m anya. Ya mere ndị mụ na ha so sekpụụrụ m nʼaka bata na Damaskọs.
12 “Now a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who was well spoken of by all the Jews dwelling there,
“Nʼebe ahụ ka Ananayas bi, bụ onye anyị pụrụ ịgụ nʼonye ezi omume nʼihi idebe iwu. O nwekwara ọgbụgba ama dị mma site nʼọnụ ndị Juu bi nʼebe ahụ.
13 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.
Ọ bịakwutere m, guzoro nʼakụkụ m sị, ‘Nwanna anyị Sọl, ka emee ka ị hụ ụzọ!’ Otu mgbe ahụ, e nwetara m ike ịhụ ụzọ, m hụkwara ya.
14 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.
“Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị, ‘Chineke nke nna nna anyị ha ahọpụtala gị ịmara uche ya na ịhụ Onye Ezi Omume ahụ na ịnụta okwu site nʼọnụ ya.
15 For yoʋ will be his witness to all people of what yoʋ have seen and heard.
Ị ga-abụ onyeama ya nye ndị niile banyere ihe ị hụrụ na ihe ị nụrụ.
16 And now why do yoʋ delay? Rise and be baptized, and wash away yoʋr sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.’
Ma ugbu a, gịnị ka ị na-eche? Bilie ọtọ, ka e mee gị baptizim, ka a sachakwa gị site na mmehie, na-akpọkukwa aha ya.’
17 “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
“Mgbe m lọghachikwara na Jerusalem, nọrọ na-ekpe ekpere nʼụlọnsọ ukwu ahụ, ahụrụ m ọhụ,
18 and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not accept yoʋr testimony about me.’
ebe ọ na-agwa m, ‘Mee ngwa! Hapụ Jerusalem, nʼihi na ndị bi nʼala a agaghị anara ọgbụgba ama gị banyere m.’
19 So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe in yoʋ.
“Ma asịrị m, ‘Onyenwe anyị, ndị a maara nke ọma na m na-aga nʼụlọ nzukọ nʼotu nʼotu, na-atụba ndị kwere na gị nʼụlọ mkpọrọ, na-etikwa ha ihe.
20 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.’
Nʼoge a na-awụfu ọbara onyeama gị bụ Stivin, eguzo m nso na-akwado nʼihe emere dị mma, ma na-elekọtakwa uwe ndị ahụ tụgburu ya anya.’
21 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send yoʋ far away to the Gentiles.’”
“Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị m, ‘Gawa; nʼihi na aga m ezipu gị ebe dị anya ijekwuru ndị mba ọzọ.’”
22 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.”
Ha ṅara ya ntị ruo ugbu a. Mgbe ahụ, ha niile tiri mkpu nʼotu olu sị, “Wepụnụ onye dị otu a nʼụwa! O kwesighị ka onye dị otu a dịrị ndụ!”
23 As they were crying out, throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,
Ha tiri mkpu na-atụli uwe mgbokwasị ha elu, na-achilikwa aja nʼala na-efesasị ya ebe niile,
24 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.
ọchịagha ahụ nyere iwu ka a kpụgaa ya nʼogige ndị agha, pịa ya ụtarị, ka eziokwu pụta ya nʼọnụ. Ọ chọrọ ịmata ihe mere ha ji eti mkpu otu a megide ya.
25 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?”
Ma mgbe ha chịịrị ụdọ akpụkpọ kechaa ya, Pọl sịrị onye agha guzo ya nso, “Ọ bụ ihe ziri ezi nʼiwu na unu ga-eti nwa afọ Rom ihe, onye na-enweghị ikpe a mara ya?”
26 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.”
Mgbe onye agha a nụrụ okwu a, o jekwuuru ọchịagha ahụ sị, “Gịnị ka ị na-aga ime? Nwoke a bụkwa onye Rom.”
27 So the commander went over and said to Paul, “Tell me, are yoʋ a Roman citizen?” He said, “Yes.”
Ọchịagha ahụ bịakwutere sị ya, “Gwa m, ị bụ onye Rom?” Ọ sịrị, “E.”
28 The commander responded, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”
Ọchịagha ahụ zara, “ma o furu m ego dị ukwuu iji bụrụ onye Rom.” Ma Pọl sịrị, “Amụrụ m dịka nwa afọ ala a.”
29 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.
Ndị ahụ chọrọ ịgba ya ajụjụ ọnụ mere ngwangwa wezuga onwe ha. Egwu tụkwara ọchịagha nʼonwe ya mgbe ọ matara na ọ bụ nwa afọ Rom, nʼihi na o keela ya rịị agbụ na mbụ.
30 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.
Nʼechi ya, ebe ọ chọrọ ịmata ihe bụ isi okwu na ihe mere ndị Juu ji ebo ya ebubo, o nyere iwu ka ndịisi nchụaja na ndị ụlọ ikpe ha zukọọ. Mgbe ahụ, o dupụtara Pọl, mee ka o guzo nʼihu ha.
