Dɔwɔwɔwo 21
1 Esi míeklã Efeso hanunɔlawo vɔ la, míedze mɔ tẽe va ɖo Kos. Le ŋkeke evea gbe la, míeva ɖo Rode, eye tso afi ma míeyi Patara.
[After] we said goodbye to the elders [from Ephesus], we [got on the ship and] sailed to Cos [Island, where the ship stopped for the night]. The next day we sailed from Cos to Rhodes [Island, where the ship stopped again. The day after] that we sailed to Patara [town, where the ship stopped. This was on Patara Island].
2 Le Patara la, míeɖo tɔdziʋu aɖe si nɔ Foenisia si le Siria nuto me yim.
[At Patara we left that ship, and someone told us that] there was a ship that would be going to Phoenicia [region. So] we got on that ship, and it left.
3 Míeto Kipro ƒukpo la ŋu le miame lɔƒo, eye míeva ɖi go ɖe Tiro ʋudzeƒe la le Siria. Ʋu la ɖe agba le afi sia.
[We sailed until] we could see Cyprus [Island]. We passed to the south of the island and continued sailing until we arrived at [Phoenicia region, in] Syria [province]. We arrived at Tyre [city. The ship was going to stay there several days, because its workers] had to unload the cargo.
4 Míawo hã míeɖi tsa yi dua me, eye míedi xɔsetɔ siwo le afi ma la henɔ wo gbɔ kɔsiɖa ɖeka. Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la ƒo nu to hame sia dzi, ale wogbe na Paulo be megayi Yerusalem o.
[Someone told us] where the believers in Tyre lived, so we [(exc) went and] stayed with them for seven days. Because [God’s] Spirit revealed to them ([that people would cause Paul to suffer/Paul would suffer]) [in Jerusalem], they told Paul that he should not go there.
5 Ke esi míaƒe ɣeyiɣi de la, míedzo, eye míeyi míaƒe mɔzɔzɔ dzi. Hame blibo la, nusrɔ̃lawo kple wo srɔ̃wo kple wo viwo siaa va ɖo mí ɖa va se ɖe keke ƒuta, afi si míedo gbe ɖa le.
But when it was time [for the ship to leave again], we [prepared to] continue going [to Jerusalem]. When we left [Tyre], all the believers, including their wives and children, went with us [to the edge of the sea]. We all knelt down there on the sand/shore and prayed.
6 Míedo hedenyuie na wo, ge ɖe tɔdziʋu la me, eye woawo hã trɔ yi aƒe me.
After we all said goodbye, Paul and we [his companions] got on the ship, and the [other] believers returned to their own homes.
7 Tso Tiro la, míeva tɔ ɖe Pitolemia, eye míenɔ afi ma hã ŋkeke ɖeka hesrã hame si le afi ma kpɔ.
After we [(exc)] left Tyre, we continued on [that ship] to Ptolemais [city]. There were believers there, and we greeted them and stayed with them that night.
8 Tso afi ma míeyi Kaesarea, eye míedze nyanyuigblɔla Filipo si nye hadzikpɔla gbãtɔ adreawo dometɔ ɖeka la gbɔ.
The next day we left [Ptolemais] and sailed to Caesarea [city], where we stayed in the home of Philip, who [spent his days] telling others how to become disciples of Jesus. He was one of the seven [men whom the believers in Jerusalem had chosen to care for the widows].
9 Vinyɔnuvi ene siwo dometɔ aɖeke meɖe srɔ̃ haɖe o la nɔ esi. Mawu na nyagblɔɖi ƒe ŋusẽ wo dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe.
He had four daughters who were not married. Each of them [frequently] spoke messages that the Holy Spirit had revealed to them.
10 Míenɔ afi sia ŋkeke geɖewo, eye le ɣeyiɣi sia me la, nyagblɔɖila aɖe si woyɔna be Agabu la tso Yudea nuto me va kpɔ mí ɖa le Filipo gbɔ.
After [we(exc) had been in Philip’s house for] several days, a believer whose name was Agabus came down from Judea [district] and arrived [in Caesarea]. He [frequently] spoke messages that the Holy Spirit had told him.
11 Agabu tsɔ Paulo ƒe alidziblaka, eye wòbla eya ŋutɔ ƒe asiwo kple afɔwo hegblɔ be, “Gbɔgbɔ Kɔkɔe la be, ‘Alea tututu Yudatɔwo awɔ ame si tɔe nye alidziblanu sia la le Yerusalem, eye woatsɔe ade asi na ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o.’”
Coming over to where we were, he took off Paul’s belt. Then he tied his own feet and hands with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘The Jewish [leaders] [SYN] in Jerusalem will tie up [the hands and feet of] the owner of this belt, like this, and they will hand him over to non-Jewish people [as a prisoner].’”
12 Esi míese nya sia la, mí Paulo ŋumewo kple dua me kristotɔwo katã míeɖe kuku na Paulo be megayi Yerusalem o.
When [the rest of] us heard that, we and [other] believers there repeatedly pled with Paul, “Please do not go up to Jerusalem!”
13 Ke Paulo ɖo eŋu na mí be, “Midzudzɔ avifafa, elabena miele dzi gbãm nam. Mele klalo be manɔ gaxɔ me le Yerusalem, eye gawu la, maku le nye Aƒetɔ Yesu ta.”
But Paul replied, “(Please stop crying and trying to discourage me [IDM] [from going!]/Why are you crying and trying to discourage me [IDM] [from going]?) [RHQ] I am willing to be put {[for people] to put me} in prison and also to be killed {[for them] to kill me} in Jerusalem because I [serve] [MTY] the Lord Jesus.”
14 Esi míekpɔe be Paulo ɖoe kplikpaa be yeayi Yerusalem la, míeɖe asi le nya la ŋu, eye míetsɔe de asi na Mawu be wòawɔ eƒe lɔlɔ̃nu.
When [we(exc) realized that] he was determined [to go to Jerusalem], we did not try [any longer] to persuade him [not to go]. We said, “May (the Lord [God] do what he wants/the Lord’s will be done)!”
15 Le esia megbe la, míeƒo ƒu míaƒe agbawo, eye míedze Yerusalem mɔ.
After those days [in Caesarea], we [(exc)] prepared [our things] and [left to] go [by land] up to Jerusalem.
16 Nusrɔ̃la aɖewo tso Kaesarea kplɔ mí ɖo, eye esi míeva ɖo Yerusalem la, míedze xɔsetɔwo dometɔ ɖeka si ŋkɔe nye Mnason, ame si nye xɔsetɔ xoxoawo dometɔ ɖeka si tso Kipro la ƒe aƒe me.
Some of the believers from Caesarea also went with us. [On the way to Jerusalem], we stayed [one night] in the house of [a man whose name was] Mnason. He was from Cyprus [Island], and he had believed [in Jesus] when people were first beginning to hear the message [about him].
17 Esi míeɖo Yerusalem la, xɔsetɔ siwo le dua me la xɔ mí nyuie ŋutɔ.
When we arrived in Jerusalem, [a group of] the believers greeted us happily.
18 Ke ŋkeke evea gbe la, Paulo kplɔ mí ɖe asi, eye míeɖado gbe na Yakobo kple hamemegã siwo le Yerusalem hamea me.
The next day Paul and the rest of us went to speak with James, [who was the leader of the congregation there]. All of the [other] leaders/elders [of the congregation in Jerusalem] were also there.
19 Esi míelɔ̃ gbe vɔ la, Paulo gblɔ ale si Mawu wɔ dɔ le ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o domee to eya Paulo ƒe dɔwɔwɔ me la na wo.
Paul greeted them, and then he reported all of the things that God had enabled him to do among the non-Jewish people.
20 Hamemegãwo katã kpɔ dzidzɔ, kafu Mawu, ke wogblɔ na Paulo be, “Yudatɔ geɖewo hã zu Kristotɔwo gake woƒe ɖoɖoe nye be ele be Yudatɔ xɔsetɔ ɖe sia ɖe nagawɔ ɖe Yudatɔwo ƒe sewo dzi pɛpɛpɛ.
When they heard that, James and the other elders said, “Praise the Lord!” Then [one of] them said to Paul, “Brother/Friend, you [(sg)] know that there are very many thousands of us [(inc)] Jewish people [here] who have believed [in the Lord Jesus]. Also, you know that we [(inc)] all continue very carefully to obey the laws [that Moses gave us].
21 Yudatɔ Kristotɔ siwo le Yerusalem afi sia la se be wò la, èfia nu Yudatɔ siwo katã le ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o la dome be woagbe nu le Mose ƒe sewo gbɔ, eye mele be woatso aʋa na wo viwo o.
[But our fellow Jewish believers] have been told {have heard [people say]} that when you are among non-Jews, you tell the Jewish believers who live there that they should stop obeying [the laws] [MTY] ([of] Moses/[that] Moses [received from God]). [People say that] you tell [those Jewish believers] not to circumcise their sons and not to practice our [other] customs. [We(exc) do not believe that this is true].
22 Ke fifia ɖe, aleke míele nya sia lé gee? Godoo la, woasee be èva ɖo dua me.
But our fellow [Jewish] believers will certainly hear that you have arrived, [and they will be angry with you]. So [you] need to do something [RHQ] [to show them that what they heard about you is not true].
23 “Nu si míedi be nàwɔe nye esi, ame ene aɖewo le mía dome siwo le dzadzram ɖo be yewoalũ ta, aɖe adzɔgbe le sea nu,
So you should do what we suggest to you. There are four men among us who have strongly promised [to God] about [something].
24 eya ta míadi be wò hã nàkplɔ wo ɖo ayi gbedoxɔ la me, eye nàlũ ta. Hekpe ɖe esia ŋu la, nàxe fe ɖe ame ene siawo ƒe kɔnuwɔwɔ hã ta. Ne èwɔ esia la, ekema ame sia ame adze sii be nya siwo yewose le ŋuwò la mele eme nenema o. Ke boŋ wò ŋutɔ èzɔna nyuie, eye nèléa se la me ɖe asi.
Go with these men [to the Temple] and [ritually] purify yourself along with them. Then, [when it is time for them to offer the sacrifices for that ritual], pay for what they offer [as sacrifices]. After that, they can shave their heads [to show that they have done what they promised to do. And when people see you in the courts of the Temple with those men], they will know that what they have been told {what people have told them} about you is not true. Instead, all of them will know that you obey all our Jewish laws [and rituals].
25 “Ke le ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o siwo xɔ se la, ame aɖeke mele gbɔgblɔm be woawo hã nawɔ ɖe Yudatɔwo ƒe kɔnuwo dzi o, negbe nu siwo míeŋlɔ ɖo ɖe wo xoxo be woadzudzɔ nu siwo wotsɔ sa vɔe na trɔ̃wo kple lã tsiʋumewo ɖuɖu, eye womegawɔ matre o.”
As for the non-Jewish believers, [we elders here in Jerusalem have talked] about [which of our laws] they [should obey, and] we [(exc)] wrote them [a letter, telling them] what we decided. [We wrote] that they should not eat meat that people have offered as a sacrifice to any idol, [that they should not eat] blood [from animals], and that [they should not eat] meat from animals [that people have killed by] strangling [them. We also told them that] they should not have sex with someone to whom they are not married.”
26 Paulo lɔ̃ ɖe woƒe nya sia dzi, eye wòdze ameawo yome woyi ɖakɔ wo ɖokuiwo ŋu. Emegbe eyi ɖe gbedoxɔ la me, hele ŋutikɔkɔ ŋkekeawo gblɔm fia wo, va se ɖe esime woame nu ɖe wo dome ame sia ame ta.
So Paul [agreed to do what they asked], and the next day he took the [four] men, and together they ritually purified themselves. After that, Paul went to the Temple [courts and] told [the priest] what day they would [finish] purifying themselves [ritually] and when [they] would offer [the animals as sacrifices] for each of them.
27 Ke esi wòsusɔ vie ŋkeke adrea nade la, Yudatɔ aɖewo tso Asia nuto me va Yerusalem, eye wokpɔ Paulo le gbedoxɔ la me. Enumake wode ʋunyanya amewo dome ɖe eŋu, eye wolé Paulo henɔ ɣli dom ɖe eŋu be,
When the seven days [for purifying themselves] were nearly finished, Paul [returned] to the Temple [courtyard]. Some Jews from Asia [province] saw him there, [and they were very angry at him]. On another day they had seen Paul [walking around] in Jerusalem with Trophimus, who was a non-Jew. Their laws did not permit non-Jews to be in the Temple, and they thought that Paul had brought Trophimus into the Temple [courtyard that day. So] they called out to many other Jews [who were in the Temple courtyard] to [help them] seize [MTY] Paul. They shouted, “Fellow Israelites, come and help [us punish this] man! This is the one who is [constantly] teaching people wherever [he goes that they] should despise the [Jewish] people. [He teaches people that they should no longer obey] the laws [of Moses] nor respect this holy [Temple]. He has even brought non-Jews here into [the court of] our Temple, causing God to consider it no longer holy!”
28 “Israelviwo, mixɔ na mí loo! Ame siae tsi tsitre ɖe Yudatɔwo ŋu, eye wònɔ gbɔgblɔm na amewo be womegawɔ ɖe Yudatɔwo ƒe sewo dzi o. Gawu la, edo vlo míaƒe gbedoxɔ la hã, eye wòkplɔ Helatɔwo yi míaƒe gbedoxɔ mee be yeaɖi gbɔ̃ teƒe kɔkɔe sia.”
29 (Wogblɔ esia, elabena wokpɔ Paulo wònɔ zɔzɔm kple Trofimo si tso Efeso le Terki la, le ablɔ dzi, eya ta wosusu be Paulo kplɔe yi gbedoxɔ la mee.)
30 Zitɔtɔ gã aɖe dzɔ le dua me le nya sia ta, eye wolé Paulo, hee do goe le gbedoxɔ la me hedo ʋɔa.
[People] throughout [MTY] the city heard that there was trouble [at the Temple courtyard], and they came running there. They grabbed Paul and dragged him outside of the Temple [area]. The gates [to the Temple courtyard were shut] {[The Temple guards] shut the doors [to the Temple courts]} immediately, [so that the people would not riot inside the Temple area].
31 Esi wobe yewoawui ko la, ame aɖe yi ɖagblɔ na Romasrafowo ƒe amegã be ʋunyaʋunya gã aɖe le edzi yim le Yerusalem dua me.
While they were trying to kill Paul, someone [ran to the fort near the Temple] and told the Roman commander that many [HYP] people [MTY] in Jerusalem were rioting [at the Temple].
32 Asrafomegã la ɖe eƒe asrafo aɖewo ɖo ɖa be woaɖatsi ʋunyaʋunya la nu. Esi amehawo kpɔ asrafoawo wogbɔna ko la, wodzudzɔ Paulo ƒoƒo.
The commander quickly took some officers and [a large group of] soldiers and ran to [the Temple area where] the crowd was. When the crowd of people [who were yelling and beating Paul] saw the commander and the soldiers [coming], they stopped beating him.
33 Asrafoawo ƒe amegã la na wolé Paulo, eye woblae sesĩe kple gakɔsɔkɔsɔ. Azɔ etrɔ ɖe ameha la gbɔ, eye wòbia ame si Paulo nye kple nu vɔ̃ si wòwɔ la wo.
The commander came to [where Paul was and] seized him. He [commanded soldiers] to fasten a chain to [each of] Paul’s [arms]. Then he asked [the people in the crowd], “Who is this man, and what has he done?”
34 Ame aɖeke mete ŋu na ŋuɖoɖo gobii aɖeke o, elabena ame sia ame nɔ ɣli dom nɔ nya si dze eŋu la gblɔm. Le esia ta la, asrafowo ƒe amegã la ɖe gbe be woakplɔ Paulo yi ɖe asrafowo ƒe nɔƒee.
Some of the many people there were shouting one thing, [and] some were shouting something else. Because they continued shouting so loudly, the commander could not understand [what they were shouting. So] he [commanded] that Paul be taken {[the soldiers] to take Paul} into the barracks [so that he could question him there].
35 Esi wova afi ma henɔ atrakpuiawo liam la, ameha la galũ ɖe wo dzi kple adã. Esia na be asrafoawo kɔ Paulo ɖe abɔta be woƒe asi nagakae o.
[The soldiers] led Paul to the steps [of the barracks], but many people continued to follow them, trying to kill [Paul. So the commander told] the soldiers to carry Paul [up the steps into the barracks].
36 Ke hã ameawo nɔ ɣli dom le wo yome sesĩe be, “Miwui! Miwui!”
The crowd that followed kept shouting, “Kill him! Kill him!”
37 Esi wova ɖo gaxɔa ƒe mɔnu la, Paulo gblɔ na asrafoawo ƒe amegã le Helagbe me be, “Amegã, magblɔ nya aɖe na wò.” Ewɔ nuku na asrafoa ŋutɔ be Paulo gblɔ Helagbe, ale wòbiae be, “Ɖe nèse Helagbea?
As Paul was about to be taken {[the soldiers] were about to take Paul} into the barracks, he said [in Greek] to the commander, “May I speak to you?” The commander said, “(I am surprised that you can speak the Greek [language]!/Can you [(sg)] speak the Greek [language]?)” [RHQ]
38 Alo menye wòe nye Egiptetɔ ma si de zitɔtɔ amewo me abe ƒe ɖeka alo eve aɖewoe nye esi va yi ene, eye nèkplɔ amewulawo abe akpe ene sɔŋ ene woɖabe ɖe gbegbe aɖe oa?”
“(I [thought] that you [(sg)] were that fellow/Are you not that fellow) from Egypt [RHQ] who wanted to rebel [against the government not long ago], and who took 4,000 violent terrorists [with him] out into the desert, [so that we could not catch him]?”
39 Paulo ɖo eŋu be, “Ao, nye la, Yudatɔ menye tso Tarso le Kilikia nuto me. Du sia nye du xɔŋkɔ aɖe. Meɖe kuku na wò, ɖe mɔ nam maƒo nu na ameha la.”
Paul answered, “[No, I am not!] I am a Jew. I [was born] in Tarsus, which is an important [LIT] city in Cilicia [province]. I ask that you [(sg)] let me speak to the people.”
40 Asrafowo ƒe amegã la lɔ̃ ɖe Paulo ƒe biabia la dzi, ale Paulo tsi tsitre ɖe atrakpui la dzi hekɔ asi dzi na ameha la, eye ɖoɖoe gã aɖe zi enumake. Azɔ eƒo nu na wo le Hebrigbe me be:
Then the commander permitted Paul [to speak. So] Paul stood on the steps and motioned with his hand [for the crowd to be quiet. And after] the people in the crowd became quiet, Paul spoke to them in [their own] Hebrew language [MTY].
