Dɔwɔwɔwo 19
1 Esime Apolo ganɔ Korinto la, Paulo hã zɔ mɔ to Terki nutowo me va ɖo Efeso. Ekpɔe be xɔsetɔ aɖewo le afi ma, eye le woƒe nyamedzodzro me la,
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul took the inland route and arrived in Ephesus where he found some believers.
2 Paulo bia wo be, “Esi miexɔ se la, miexɔ Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la mahã?” Ke woɖo eŋu be, “Ao, míexɔ Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la o, eye le nyateƒe me la, míese eŋkɔ kpɔ gɔ̃ hã o.”
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No, we haven't heard anything about a Holy Spirit,” they told him.
3 Paulo yi edzi bia wo be, “Ekema nu ka dzie miexɔ se hafi wode mawutsi ta na mi?” Woɖo eŋu be, “Wode mawutsi ta na mí ɖe Yohanes Mawutsidetanamela ƒe nufiafia nu.”
“So what baptism did you receive?” he asked. “John's baptism,” they replied.
4 Esi Paulo se nya sia la, egblɔ na wo be, “Yohanes Mawutsidetanamela ɖeko wòwɔe be yeafia ale si ame nadzudzɔ nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ, atrɔ va Mawu gbɔ eye emegbe la, wòaxɔ Yesu Kristo, ame si ƒe nya Yohanes gblɔ be ele vava ge la dzi ase, ale be woade mawutsi ta nɛ ɖe eƒe ŋkɔ me.”
“John baptized with the baptism of repentance,” said Paul. He told the people that they should trust in the one who would come after him—that is, they should trust in Jesus.
5 Esi wose nya sia la, wo katã wolɔ̃, eye Paulo de mawutsi ta na wo ɖe Aƒetɔ Yesu ƒe ŋkɔ me.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 Esi Paulo da asi ɖe wo dzi la, woxɔ Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la, eye woƒo nu kple gbegbɔgblɔ bubuwo hegblɔ nya ɖi hã.
After Paul had placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
7 Ameawo ƒe xexlẽme nɔ ame wuieve.
There were about twelve of them in total.
8 Paulo yi ɖe ƒuƒoƒe la me nɔ mawunya gblɔm kple dzideƒo ɣleti etɔ̃ sɔŋ, eye wòle mawufiaɖuƒe la ŋutinya ƒom ɖe wo nu ale be woxɔe se.
Paul went to the synagogue and over the course of the next three months spoke boldly to those who were there, discussing with them and trying to convince them about the kingdom of God.
9 Ame aɖewo mexɔ eƒe nya o, ale wotsi tsitre ɖe eŋu vevie hegblɔ busunya geɖe ɖe Mɔ la ŋu le dutoƒo. Nu sia na be Paulo dzo le wo gbɔ. Ke ekplɔ nusrɔ̃lawo ɖe asi yi Tirano Takpexɔa me, afi si wòƒoa nu na wo le gbe sia gbe.
But some of them were stubborn, and refused to accept. They denounced the Way to the crowd. So Paul gave up on them and left the synagogue, taking the believers with him. Then he had discussions every day at the lecture hall of Tyrannus.
10 Ewɔ nu sia ƒe eve sɔŋ ale be Yudatɔwo kple Grikitɔ siwo katã le Asia la katã se Aƒetɔ la ƒe nya la.
This went on for the next two years, with the result that everyone who lived in the province of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord.
11 Mawu wɔ nukunu tɔxɛwo to Paulo ƒe asi dzi
God performed unusual miracles through Paul,
12 ale gbegbe be wòtsɔa takuviwo kple akɔtawuiwo kaa dɔnɔwo ŋu wohayana, eye gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo hã doa go le wo me.
so much so that they took handkerchiefs or aprons Paul had touched to heal the sick and to drive out evil spirits.
13 Yudatɔ aɖewo hã nɔ tsatsam tso du me yi du me henɔ gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃wo nyam le amewo me. Ame siawo va ɖo be yewoayɔ Aƒetɔ Yesu Kristo ƒe ŋkɔ anya gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃e kpɔ be adze edzi na yewo mahã? Woɖoe be ne yewotu ame si me gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ le la, yewoado ɣli ɖe eta be, “Meɖe gbe na wò le Yesu Kristo, ame si ƒe nya gblɔm Paulo le la ƒe ŋkɔ me be nàdo go!”
Some Jews who were going around exorcising decided to use the name of the Lord Jesus when they drove out evil spirits. They'd say, “I command you to leave in the name of the Jesus that Paul talks about.”
14 Ame siwo nɔ nu sia wɔm la woe nye Yudatɔwo ƒe nunɔlagã aɖe si woyɔna be Skeva la ƒe viŋutsuvi adreawo.
The ones doing this were the seven sons of Sceva, a Jew and a chief priest.
15 Wova ke ɖe ame aɖe si me gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ le la ŋu vavã, eye wote kpɔ be yewoanya gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ la le Yesu ƒe ŋkɔ me. Ke gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ la bia wo be, “Yesu la medze sii eye Paulo la menyae nyuie, ke miawo ɖe, ame kawoe mienye?”
But one day an evil spirit responded, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?”
16 Enumake ame si me gbɔgbɔ vɔ̃ le la dzo dze wo dometɔ eve dzi, heɖu wo dzi, ƒo wo, eye wòvuvu awu le wo ŋu ale be wosi do go le aƒea me amamae.
The man with the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered all of them. He beat them so severely that they ran out of the house, naked and badly injured.
17 Nya sia kaka ɖe Yudatɔwo kple Helatɔwo siaa dome le Efeso dua me. Ale vɔvɔ̃ tɔxɛ aɖe dze wo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe dzi, eye wode bubu Aƒetɔ Yesu ƒe ŋkɔ ŋu.
People living in Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, heard about this. They were all in awe at what had happened, and the name of the Lord Jesus gained great respect.
18 Ame geɖe siwo xɔe se la va eye woʋu woƒe nu vɔ̃ɖiwo wɔwɔ me.
Many came to trust in the Lord and confessed their sins, openly admitting their evil practices.
19 Ame siwo nye afakalawo la tsɔ woƒe agbalẽwo kple nu kpotokpotoewo vɛ, eye wotɔ dzo wo le dutoƒo. Nu siwo wotɔ dzoe la ƒe home anɔ abe siɖi akpe blaatɔ̃ ene.
A number of those who used to practice sorcery collected their books on magic and brought them to be burned publicly. They worked out how much the books were worth, and the total was fifty thousand silver coins.
20 Esia nye dzesi be Aƒetɔ la ƒe nya la xɔ aƒe kple ŋusẽ le nuto la me vavã.
In this way the word of the Lord grew strong and spread widely.
21 Emegbe la, Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la dee Paulo me be wòayi Makedonia kple Akaya nuto me hafi atrɔ ayi Yerusalem. Eya ŋutɔ hã ɖoe be tso afi ma la, ele be yeayi Roma hã.
Some time after this Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, passing first through Macedonia and Achaia. “After I've been there, I'll have to go to Rome,” he said.
22 Eɖo eƒe kpeɖeŋutɔ eve siwo nye Timoteo kple Erasto la ɖa be woado ŋgɔ ayi Makedonia, Hela nuto me, ke eya ŋutɔ gatsi Asia vie.
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy and Erastus, to Macedonia, while he stayed on for a while in the province of Asia.
23 Ke le ɣe ma ɣi la, masɔmasɔ gã aɖe va Efeso dua me le Kristotɔwo ta.
It was about this time that serious problems occurred regarding the Way.
24 Ame si he masɔmasɔ sia vɛ lae nye Demetrio. Ame sia nye klosalotula, eye dɔsrɔ̃viwo nɔ esi fũu. Wonɔa Helatɔwo ƒe mawu, Artemis ƒe legbawo wɔm kple klosalo.
A man called Demetrius, a silversmith, was producing small silver replicas of the temple of the goddess Artemis. This business brought in a great deal of work for such craftsmen.
25 Gbe ɖeka la, Demetrio ƒo eƒe dɔwɔlawo kple ame siwo katã wɔa klosalotutu dɔ le dua me la nu ƒu, eye wòƒo nu na wo ale, “Mía tɔwo, miawo ŋutɔwo mienya be klosalotutu siae míewɔna ɖuna.
Demetrius called them together, along with others who worked in similar trades, and said, “Fellow-workers, you know that it's through this business we make our money.
26 Ke ele nyanya me na mi katã be Paulo va le tagbɔ gblẽm na amewo be mawu siwo wotsɔ asi wɔe la menye mawu gbagbe o, eye esia na be míaƒe dɔ megale edzi yim tututu le Efeso afi sia kple Asia nuto la katã me o.
As you're no doubt aware from what you've seen and heard—not just here in Ephesus, but throughout almost the whole of Asia—this man Paul has convinced and misled many people, telling them that there are no such things as gods made by human hands.
27 Azɔ medi be mianya be menye míaƒe dɔwɔna ɖeɖe tae mele nya siawo gblɔm o, ke boŋ ele bɔbɔe be mawu bubutɔ, Artemis subɔsubɔ dzi aɖe kpɔtɔ, eye madidi o la, Artemis si nye Mawu gã si wosubɔna le Asia nuto blibo la katã me kple xexeme godoo la ƒe ŋkɔ abu keŋ.”
It's not just a question that our business will be in danger of losing respect, but that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be considered worthless. Artemis herself would be dethroned from her high position as the one whom everyone in Asia and the whole world worships.”
28 Nya sia de adã ta me na ameha la ale wode asi ɣlidodo me sesĩe be, “Artemis, Efesotɔwo ƒe mawu la lolo!”
When they heard this they became furious, and shouted out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
29 Ɣlidodo sia na be amewo ƒo zi be yewoakpɔ nu si le edzi yim la ɖa, eye le ɣeyiɣi kpui aɖe megbe la, du blibo la katã tɔ zi. Ame sia ame ƒu du yi ƒuƒoƒe la, eye wolé Gayo kple Aristako, ame siwo nye Paulo ƒe mɔzɔhatiwo tso Makedonia.
The city was in complete chaos. People rushed towards the amphitheatre, dragging along with them Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul's traveling companions who were from Macedonia.
30 Paulo di vevie be yeadze wo yome ayi ƒuƒoƒe la, gake nusrɔ̃la bubuawo meɖe mɔ nɛ o.
Paul thought he should confront the mob, but the other believers would not let him.
31 Romasrafo siwo le nutoa me la dometɔ siwo nye Paulo xɔlɔ̃wo hã ɖo ame ɖe egbɔ gblɔ nɛ be megado ta ɖe afi ma o.
Some of the provincial officials, who were Paul's friends, also sent a message begging him not to go into the amphitheater.
32 Takpekpe la ŋutɔ tɔ zi kɔtɔɔ. Ame sia ame nɔ ɣli dom, nɔ nya sia nya ƒomevi si dze eŋu la gblɔm. Vavã, wo dometɔ geɖe hã menya nu si tututu ta wova ƒo ƒu ɖe afi ma ɖo gɔ̃ hã o.
Some were shouting one thing, and some something else, for the crowd that had gathered was in total confusion—most of them had no idea why they were there.
33 Yudatɔ aɖewo kpɔ Aleksandro le ameawo dome, eye enumake wohee do goe wòva tsi tsitre ɖe ameha la ŋkume. Ekɔ asi dzi, eye ɖoɖoe zi, ale wòde asi nuƒoƒo me na wo.
The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front. Alexander motioned with his hand for them to be quiet, wanting to explain things to the people.
34 Ke esi ameha la kpɔe dze sii be Yudatɔ wònye la, wogade asi ɣlidodo me be, “Artemis, Efesotɔwo ƒe mawu la lolo! Artemis, Efesotɔwo ƒe Mawu la lolo!”
But when they realized he was a Jew, they all took up a chant that lasted for about two hours, shouting “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”
35 Mlɔeba la, dua ƒe agbalẽŋlɔla la ble wo nu wozi ɖoɖoe, ale wòƒo nu na wo gblɔ be, “Efesotɔwo, ame sia ame nya be Efeso du siae nye trɔ̃ gã Artemis si ge tso dziƒo la ƒe du gã.
After the town clerk had managed to quiet the mob down, he told them, “People of Ephesus, who doesn't know that the city of the Ephesians is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image that fell from heaven?
36 Le esia ta la, mehiã be ne ame aɖe gblɔ nya bubu aɖe ko la, mianɔ ʋunyaʋunya wɔm alea gbegbe o.
Since these facts can't be denied, you should stay calm—don't do anything rash.
37 Ame siwo mielé va afi sia la mefi naneke le Artemis ƒe gbedoxɔ me o, eye womegblɔ busunya aɖeke ɖe míaƒe mawunɔ la ŋu hã o.
You have brought these men here, but they haven't robbed any temples or blasphemed against our goddess.
38 Gake ne Demetrio kple eƒe hadɔwɔlawo kpɔ be nya aɖe le yewo kple ame siawo dome la, ekema ɖe wòle na wo be woatsɔ nya ɖe wo ŋu le ʋɔnudrɔ̃ƒe. Ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo hã le klalo be yewoadrɔ̃ nyaa na wo.
So if Demetrius and the other craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, then go to the authorities and the courts. They can press charges there.
39 Ne nya bubu aɖe gali la, ekema woate ŋu ayi dutakpekpea me aɖalée kpɔ.
If there's anything else, it can be taken to the legal assembly.
40 Ke ne miekpɔ nyuie o la, Roma dziɖuɖua abia tso mía si be míana akɔnta le egbe ƒe ʋunyaʋunya si nu ta mele o la ŋu, eye nyemenya nya ka magblɔ ne wòva eme alea o.”
In fact we ourselves are in danger of being accused of being responsible for this riot today, since there was no reason for it, and we can't justify why it happened.”
41 Ale dudzikpɔla la kaka ƒuƒoƒo la, eye ame sia ame trɔ dzo yi aƒe me.
When he had finished speaking, he dismissed the crowd.
