Acts 17
1 Paul and Silas traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia [towns] and arrived at Thessalonica [city]. There was a Jewish meeting place there.
Wɔtoaa wɔn akwantuo no so firii Amfipoli ne Apolonia baa Tesalonika a na Yudafoɔ hyiadan wɔ no.
2 (On the Sabbath/On the Jewish rest day) Paul went into the meeting house, as he usually did. For three weeks [he went there] on each Jewish day of rest. Referring to the Scriptures [about the Messiah], he spoke to the people who were there.
Sɛdeɛ Paulo taa yɛ no, ɔkɔɔ hyiadan mu mprɛnsa ne nnipa no gyee akyinnyeɛ wɔ Atwerɛsɛm no ho,
3 He explained and showed that [the prophets wrote that] the Messiah needed to die and (to become alive again/to be raised from the dead [afterwards]). He told them: “This man Jesus, whom I am telling you about, is our Messiah. [He died and became alive again, just like the prophets predicted].”
kyerɛɛ mu, dii adanseɛ sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ, Agyenkwa no hunu amane na ɔsɔre firi awufoɔ mu. Paulo kaa sɛ, “Saa Yesu a mereka ne ho asɛm akyerɛ mo yi ne Agyenkwa no.”
4 Some of the Jews [there] were persuaded by {believed} [what Paul had said] and began to associate with Paul and Silas. There were also many non-Jewish people there who worshipped God and many important women [who also believed the message about Jesus], and they began to associate with Paul and Silas.
Nnipa no bi gye diiɛ maa wɔdii Paulo ne Silas akyi. Saa ara nso na Helafoɔ bebree a wɔsom Onyankopɔn ne mmaa mpanin bi nso gye diiɛ de wɔn ho bɔɔ wɔn ara no no.
5 But [some leaders of] the Jews there in Thessalonica became jealous [because many people believed what Paul taught]. So they went to the public square and persuaded some lazy men [who were loitering there] to follow them. [In this way, the leaders of] the Jews gathered a crowd and incited them to become noisy and start a riot [against Paul and Silas]. Those [Jews and others] ran to the house of [a man named] Jason. [He was the man who had invited Paul and Silas to stay at his house]. They wanted to bring Paul and Silas outside to where the crowd [of people was waiting].
Yudafoɔ mpanin no ani bereeɛ enti wɔboaboaa ahuhufoɔ bi ano maa wɔbɔɔ twi faa kuro no mu kɔtwaa Yason fie ho hyiaeɛ, pɛɛ sɛ wɔn nsa ka Paulo ne Silas de wɔn brɛ mpanin no.
6 They discovered that Paul and Silas were not there, but they found Jason [and grabbed him]. They dragged him and some of the [other] believers to where the city officials/authorities and [many other people were gathered]. The men [who had brought Jason] shouted, “Those [two] men have caused trouble [IDM] everywhere [HYP] [they have gone]. Now they have come to our city,
Esiane sɛ wɔn nsa anka wɔn no enti, wɔtwee Yason ne anuanom bi de wɔn baa mpanin no anim teateaam sɛ, “Saa nnipa a wɔma basabasa ba baabiara a wɔkɔ no aba yɛn kuro yi mu,
7 and [this fellow] Jason invited them to stay at his house. All the people [of this sect] oppose what our Emperor has decreed. They say that another person, whose name is Jesus, is [the real] king!”
ama Yason agye wɔn atena ne fie. Wɔn nyinaa abu Ɔhempɔn Kaesare mmara a ɔde ama yɛn sɛ yɛnni so no so, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔka sɛ, ɔhene foforɔ bi wɔ hɔ a wɔfrɛ no Yesu.”
8 When the crowd of people [that had gathered] and the city authorities heard that, they became very angry and excited.
Saa asɛm yi hwanyanee dɔm no ne kuro no mu mpanin no.
9 [They wanted to put the believers in jail. But instead], the officials made Jason and the other [believers] pay a fine and told them that they [would give the money back to them if Paul and Silas did not cause any more trouble]. Then the authorities let Jason and those other believers go.
Kuro no mu mpanin no maa Yason ne anuanom no tuaa sika bi de dii wɔn agyinamu maa wɔgyaa wɔn.
10 [So] that same night, the believers sent Paul and Silas [out of Thessalonica] to Berea [town]. When Paul and Silas arrived there, they went to the Jewish meeting place, [on a day when people had gathered there].
Adeɛ saeɛ ara pɛ, anuanom yi gyaa Paulo ne Silas ɛkwan ma wɔkɔɔ Beroia. Wɔduruiɛ no, wɔkɔɔ Yudafoɔ hyiadan mu.
11 The [Jews] in Thessalonica had not been very willing to listen to God’s message, but the [Jews] who lived in Berea were very willing to listen, so they listened very eagerly to the message [about Jesus]. Every day they read the Scriptures [for themselves] to find out if what Paul said [about the Messiah] was true.
Na nnipa a wɔwɔ hɔ no nyɛ akyinnyegyefoɔ te sɛ Tesalonikafoɔ no. Wɔde ahosɛpɛ gyee asɛm no diiɛ a daa na wɔsua Atwerɛsɛm no pɛɛ sɛ wɔhunu sɛ nkyerɛkyerɛ a Paulo kyerɛkyerɛ no yɛ nokorɛ anaa.
12 As a result, many of the Jewish people believed [in Jesus], and also some of the important non-Jewish women and many non-Jewish men [believed in him].
Nnipa no mu bebree a Helafoɔ mmaa atitire ne mmarima ka ho no gyee nkyerɛkyerɛ no diiɛ.
13 But then the Jews in Thessalonica heard [people tell them] that Paul [was] in Berea and that he was preaching the message from God [about Jesus]. So they went to Berea and [told people there that what Paul was teaching was not true. Thus], they caused many of those people to get angry [at Paul].
Ɛberɛ a Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ Tesalonika no tee sɛ Paulo akɔka Onyankopɔn asɛm no wɔ Beroia no, wɔkɔɔ hɔ nso kɔhwanyanee ɛhɔfoɔ no nso.
14 So [several of] the believers [in Berea] took Paul to the coast [to go to another province]. But Silas and Timothy stayed in Berea.
Enti, ntɛm ara, anuanom no gyaa Paulo ɛkwan sɛ ɔnkɔ mpoano, nanso Silas ne Timoteo de, wɔtenaa Beroia.
15 When Paul and the other men from Berea [arrived at the coast, they got on a ship and] went to Athens [city]. Then Paul said [to the men who had come with him], “Tell Silas and Timothy to come to me [here in Athens] as soon as they can.” Then those men left [Athens and returned to Berea].
Nnipa a wɔkɔgyaa Paulo ɛkwan no de no kɔduruu Atene. Wɔresane akɔ Beroia no, Paulo kraa wɔn sɛ wɔnka nkyerɛ Silas ne Timoteo sɛ wɔmmɛka ne ho ntɛm.
16 In Athens, Paul waited for Silas and Timothy [to arrive. In the meantime, he walked around in the city. He] became very distressed/disturbed because he saw that throughout [HYP] the city there were many idols.
Ɛberɛ a Paulo retwɛn Silas ne Timoteo wɔ Atene no, ɔhunuu ahoni pii wɔ kuro no mu. Yei maa ne werɛ hoeɛ yie.
17 So he went to the Jewish meeting place and talked [about Jesus] with the Jews, and also with the Greeks who had accepted what the Jews believe. He also went to the public square/center every day and talked to the people [whom he met] there.
Enti, na ɔne Yudafoɔ ne amanamanmufoɔ a wɔsom Onyankopɔn no taa hyia wɔ hyiadan mu ma ɔkyerɛkyerɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn asɛm. Saa ara nso na daa na ɔne nkurɔfoɔ gye akyinnyeɛ wɔ adwabɔeɛ ara no no.
18 Paul met some teachers who liked to talk about what people should believe. [People called] some of them Epicureans and [they called] others Stoics. They told Paul [what they believed], and they asked him [what he believed. Then] some of them said [to one another], “This ignorant person is just talking nonsense [RHQ]!” Others said, “[We(exc) think] that he is teaching people about (foreign gods/[new] gods that we [(exc)] have not heard about).” They said that because Paul was telling them that Jesus [had died and] had become alive again [afterwards. They had not heard that message before].
Afei, ɔne Epikurofoɔ ne Stoikfoɔ anyansafoɔ bi nso gyee akyinnyeɛ. Ebinom kaa sɛ, “na ɛdeɛn na ɔtoatoafoɔ yi pɛ sɛ ɔkyerɛ yi?” Afoforɔ nso kaa sɛ, “Ɛsɛ deɛ ɔreka anyame afoforɔ bi ho asɛm.” Deɛ enti a wɔkaa yei ne sɛ, na Paulo reka Yesu Kristo ne ne wusɔreɛ ho asɛm.
19 So they took Paul to the place where the city council met. [When they arrived] there, they said to Paul, “[Please] tell us, what is this new message that you [(sg)] are teaching people?
Wɔde Paulo kɔɔ Areopago nhyiamu anim kaa sɛ, “Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛte nkyerɛkyerɛ foforɔ a worekyerɛkyerɛ yi ase,
20 You are teaching some things that startle us [(exc)], so we want to know what they mean.”
ɛfiri sɛ, nsɛm a woka no bi yɛ yɛn asom asɛm foforɔ, enti yɛpɛ sɛ wokyerɛkyerɛ yɛn mu yie.”
21 [They said that, because] the people of Athens and also the people from other regions who lived there continually talked about what was new [to them], or they listened to [others tell] what was new.
Na Atenefoɔ ne ahɔhoɔ a wɔwɔ hɔ no nni hwee yɛ sɛ wɔde wɔn adagyeɛ nyinaa bɛtie nsɛm foforɔ anaa wɔbɛka nsɛm foforɔ a wɔate no akyerɛ afoforɔ.
22 Then Paul stood up before the men of the city council and said, “Citizens of Athens, I see that you (are very religious/think that it is very important to worship many gods).
Paulo sɔre gyinaa Areopago nhyiamu no anim kaa sɛ, “Atenefoɔ, mehunu sɛ moyɛ nnipa a mopɛ nyamesom yie.
23 I [say that] because, while I was walking along and observing the objects [that represent different gods that] you worship, I even saw an altar that had these words [that someone had] carved [on it: THIS HONORS] THE GOD [THAT WE(exc)] DO NOT KNOW. So now I will tell you about [that God] whom you worship but you do not know.
Ɛfiri sɛ, metuu mpase faa mo kuro yi mu, na mehunuu mmeaeɛ ahodoɔ a mosom no, mehunuu afɔrebukyia bi a wɔatwerɛ ho sɛ, Onyame a wɔnnim no no de. Enti, adeɛ a monnim na mosɔre no no, ɛno ho asɛm na mereka akyerɛ mo yi.
24 He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Because he rules over all [beings in] heaven and [on] earth, he does not dwell in shrines that people have made.
“Onyankopɔn a ɔbɔɔ ewiase ne nneɛma a ɛwɔ mu nyinaa no na ɔyɛɛ ɔsoro ne asase. Awurade no nte asɔredan a nnipa asi mu.
25 He does not need to have anything made for him by people [MTY] {to have people [MTY] make [MTY] anything for him}, because everything that exists belongs to him. He is the one who causes (us [(inc)]/all people) to live and breathe, and [he gives us] all the things [that we(inc) need].
Saa ara nso na biribiara a nnipa nam wɔn dwumadie so de bɛma no no nso ho nhia no, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔno na ɔma nnipa nkwa ne biribiara a ɛhia wɔn.
26 [In the beginning], God created one couple, and from them God produced all (the ethnic groups/the nations) that now live everywhere on the earth. He also decided where each ethnic group of people should live and how long they should live [there].
Ɔnam onipa baako so na ɔbɔɔ nnipa ahodoɔ nyinaa de wɔn tenaa asase so. Ɔno ankasa na ansa na ɔrebɛbɔ nnipa no, ɔhyehyɛɛ amanaman ɛberɛ a wɔbɛsɔre ne ɛberɛ a wɔbɛhwe ase. Saa ara nso na ɔhyehyɛɛ wɔn tenabea ahyeɛ.
27 He wanted people to realize that they need him. Then maybe they would seek him and find him. [God wants us to seek him], although he is [really] close [LIT] to each one of us.
Ɛwom sɛ Onyankopɔn bɛn yɛn de, nanso ɔyɛ yei sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a nnipa bɛhwehwɛ nʼakyi kwan atwe abɛn no;
28 As someone has said, ‘[It is only] because he enables us that we [(inc)] live and move and do [what we do].’ And, as some of your own poets have said, ‘We [(inc)] are God’s children.’
sɛdeɛ obi ka sɛ, ‘Ne mu na yɛte ase na yɛkeka yɛn ho’ no no. Saa ara nso na mo nnwomtofoɔ bi nso aka sɛ, ‘Yɛn nso yɛyɛ ne mma’ no.
29 Therefore, because we are God’s children [and can communicate like God does], we [(inc)] should not think that he is anything like an image [that people have made] of gold or silver or stone [which cannot communicate]. Those images are designed and skillfully made {People design and make those images}, [but they are not alive].
“Ɛnneɛ sɛ yɛyɛ Onyankopɔn mma de a, ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛsusu sɛ Onyankopɔn tebea te sɛ ohoni bi a onipa de dwetɛ anaa sika anaa ɛboɔ ayɛ.
30 During the times when people did not know [what God wanted them to do], he did not [immediately] punish [them for what they did]. But now God commands all people everywhere to turn away from their evil behavior.
Onyankopɔn buu nʼani guu ɛberɛ a na nnipa nnim no no so, nanso afei de, ɔhyɛ nnipa nyinaa sɛ wɔntwe wɔn ho mfiri akwammɔne so.
31 [He tells us] that on a certain day that he has chosen he is going to judge [all of us(inc) people in] [MTY] the world. He has appointed a [certain] man to judge [us, and that man will judge each of us] fairly/justly. God has shown to all [people that he has appointed that man to judge everyone], because God (caused him to become alive again after he had died/raised him from the dead).”
Ɛfiri sɛ, wayi da bi ato hɔ a ɔnam onipa bi a wayi no no so bɛbu nnipa nyinaa atɛntenenee. Ɔnam sɔre a ɔmaa saa onipa yi sɔre firii awufoɔ mu no so adi adanseɛ akyerɛ nnipa nyinaa.”
32 When the men of the council heard [Paul say] that ([a man] had become alive again after he had died/[someone] had been raised from the dead), some of them laughed scornfully. But others said, “We [(exc)] would like you [(sg)] to tell us more about this, some other time.”
Ɛberɛ a nnipa no tee sɛ Paulo reka owusɔreɛ ho asɛm no, ebinom dii ne ho fɛw, na afoforɔ nso kaa sɛ, “Yɛpɛ sɛ wosane ka saa asɛm no bio.”
33 After they said that, Paul left the council [meeting].
Saa nsɛm a ɛkɔɔ so yi maa Paulo firii nhyiamu no ase hɔ kɔeɛ.
34 However, some of the people there went along with Paul and became believers. Among those [who believed in Jesus] was a member of the council whose [name was] Dionysius. Also, an [important] woman whose name was Damaris and some other people [who had heard Paul’s message also believed in Jesus].
Nanso, nnipa kakra bi gyee no diiɛ de wɔn ho bɔɔ no. Saa nnipa no mu bi ne Dionisio a ɔfra Areopagofoɔ mu ne ɔbaa bi a ne din de Damari ne afoforɔ bi.
