Dɔwɔwɔwo 23
1 Paulo li ŋku ɖe takpekpea dzi gãa, eye wòƒo nu gblɔ be, “Nɔviwo, nye dzitsinya ka ɖe edzi nam be nye agbenɔnɔ dzea Mawu ŋu ɣe sia ɣi.”
Paul, looking steadfastly at the council, said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until today.”
2 Esi wòɖe nu le nya sia me teti ko la, nunɔlagã Anania ɖe gbe be ame siwo le Paulo gbɔ lɔƒo la naƒo nugbɔ nɛ. Ale woƒoe nɛ.
The high priest, Ananias, commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
3 Paulo gblɔ nɛ be, “Mawu aƒo wò hã, wò ame si le abe gli si wosi akalo na ene. Ènɔ zi dzi be nadrɔ̃ ʋɔnum ɖe se la nu, ke wò ŋutɔ nèda sea dzi, ɖe gbe be woaƒo alɔgbɔ nam!”
Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
4 Ame siwo nɔ tsitre ɖe Paulo gbɔ la do ɣli ɖe eta be, “Mɔ kae nèkpɔ be nànɔ Mawu ƒe nunɔlagã la dzum alea?”
Those who stood by said, “Do you malign God’s high priest?”
5 Paulo ɖo eŋu be, “Tɔnye medzɔ o, nɔviwo, nyemenya be eyae nye nunɔlagã la o, elabena mawunya gblɔ be, ‘Mègagblɔ nya vɔ̃ aɖeke ɖe wò dukɔ ƒe kplɔlawo ŋu o.’”
Paul said, “I didn’t know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
6 Azɔ, esi Paulo kpɔe dze sii be takpekpea me valawo ƒe akpa aɖewo nye Zadukitɔwo, eye ɖewo hã nye Farisitɔwo ŋuti la, edo ɣli gblɔ be, “Nɔvinyewo, Farisitɔ menye abe tɔgbuinyewo ke ene, eye nu si ta wohem va ʋɔnue egbe lae nye be nye hã meka ɖe edzi abe miawo ke ene be ame siwo ku la agafɔ tso ku me.”
But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. Concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”
7 Esi wògblɔ esia ko la, ʋiʋli ge ɖe Farisitɔwo kple Zadukitɔwo dome, eye takpekpe la ma ɖe akpa eve.
When he had said this, an argument arose between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.
8 (Elabena Zadukitɔwo gblɔna be tsitretsitsi tso ame kukuwo dome meli o, eye mawudɔlawo kple gbɔgbɔwo meli o, ke Farisitɔwo xɔ nu siawo dzi se be woli.)
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit; but the Pharisees confess all of these.
9 Nu sia he tɔtɔ gã aɖe vɛ, eye Yudatɔwo ƒe agbalẽfiala aɖewo siwo nye Farisitɔwo tsi tsitre hedo ɣli be yewomekpɔ be naneke gblẽ le Paulo ŋu o, ke boŋ ɖewohĩ mawudɔla alo gbɔgbɔ aɖee ƒo nu nɛ le Damasko mɔ dzi.
A great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ part stood up, and contended, saying, “We find no evil in this man. But if a spirit or angel has spoken to him, let’s not fight against God!”
10 Hoowɔwɔ la va de dzi blibo, eye asrafoawo ƒe amegã vɔ̃ be woava vuvu Paulo. Mlɔeba la, eɖe gbe na eƒe asrafowo be woakplɔ Paulo adzoe sesẽtɔe le wo gbɔ, ale wokplɔe gayi ɖe gaxɔa mee le asrafowo ƒe nɔƒe.
When a great argument arose, the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among them and bring him into the barracks.
11 Le zã me la, Aƒetɔ la va Paulo gbɔ gblɔ nɛ be, “Paulo, dzi megaɖe le ƒowò o, elabena abe ale si nèɖi ɖase le ŋunye le Yerusalem ene la, nenema kee nèle ɖase ɖi ge le ŋunye le Roma hã.”
The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, “Cheer up, Paul, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must testify also at Rome.”
12 Esi ŋu ke la, Yudatɔ aɖewo ƒo ƒu, eye woka atam na wo ɖokuiwo be ne yewomewu Paulo o kpaa, yewomaɖu nu alo ano tsi o.
When it was day, some of the Jews banded together and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Ŋutsu siwo ɖo vɔ̃ sia la sɔ gbɔ wu ame blaene.
There were more than forty people who had made this conspiracy.
14 Woyi nunɔlagãwo kple dumegãwo gbɔ hegblɔ na wo be, “Míeka atam ƒo ɖe mía ɖokui dzi be míele naneke ɖu ge va se ɖe esime míawu Paulo o.
They came to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have bound ourselves under a great curse to taste nothing until we have killed Paul.
15 Miawo kple ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo, miwɔ abe ɖe miedi be yewoagabia gbe Paulo ene, ale be miabia asrafowo ƒe amegã ne wòakplɔe va takpekpe gã la me. Míawo la, míade xa ɖe mɔa dzi, eye ne wokplɔ Paulo gbɔnae la, míadzo adze edzi, awui.”
Now therefore, you with the council inform the commanding officer that he should bring him down to you tomorrow, as though you were going to judge his case more exactly. We are ready to kill him before he comes near.”
16 Ke Paulo ƒe srɔ̃nyi aɖe se woƒe ɖoɖo sia ale wòɖe abla ɖagblɔe na Paulo le mɔ la me.
But Paul’s sister’s son heard they were lying in wait, and he came and entered into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Paulo yɔ asrafowo dometɔ ɖeka, eye wòbia tso esi be wòakplɔ ɖekakpui la yi asrafoawo ƒe amegã gbɔe, elabena nya aɖe le esi wòdi be yeagblɔ nɛ.
Paul summoned one of the centurions and said, “Bring this young man to the commanding officer, for he has something to tell him.”
18 Asrafoa kplɔ ɖekakpui la yii abe ale si Paulo gblɔ nɛ ene, eye wògblɔ na asrafoawo ƒe amegã be, “Paulo, gamenɔla la, yɔm va eɖokui gbɔ, eye wòɖe kuku nam be makplɔ ɖekakpui sia va gbɔwò, elabena nya aɖe le esi be wòagblɔ na wò.”
So he took him and brought him to the commanding officer and said, “Paul, the prisoner, summoned me and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
19 Asrafomegã la kplɔ ɖekakpui la ɖe kpɔe hebia gbee be, “Nya ka nèdi be yeagblɔ nam?”
The commanding officer took him by the hand, and going aside, asked him privately, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
20 Paulo ƒe nyruiyɔvi la gblɔ nɛ be, “Etsɔ la, Yudatɔwo aɖo ame ɖe gbɔwò be nàkplɔ Paulo va yewoƒe takpekpe gã la ŋkumee be yewoagabia gbee.
He said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though intending to inquire somewhat more accurately concerning him.
21 Gake mègawɔe o, elabena Yudatɔ blaene aɣla wo ɖokuiwo ɖe mɔa dzi be ne Paulo va yina la, yewoalée awu. Woka atam na wo ɖokuiwo be, ne Paulo meku o la, yewomaɖu nu alo ano tsi hã o, eya ta wode xa ɖe mɔa dzi fifi laa hã xoxo.”
Therefore don’t yield to them, for more than forty men lie in wait for him, who have bound themselves under a curse to neither eat nor drink until they have killed him. Now they are ready, looking for the promise from you.”
22 Asrafowo ƒe amegã la gblɔ na ɖekakpui la be, “Mègana ame aɖeke nanya be èva gblɔ nya sia nam o.” Emegbe la edzo.
So the commanding officer let the young man go, charging him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”
23 Enumake Asrafomegã la yɔ etevi eve, eye wògblɔ na wo be, “Midzra ɖo miadze Kaesarea mɔ dzi egbe zã ga asiekɛ me.
He called to himself two of the centurions, and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers to go as far as Caesarea, with seventy horsemen and two hundred men armed with spears, at the third hour of the night.”
24 Midi sɔ na Paulo wòado ale be miakplɔe aɖade asi na mɔmefia Felix dedie.”
He asked them to provide mounts, that they might set Paul on one, and bring him safely to Felix the governor.
25 Eŋlɔ agbalẽ kpe ɖe eŋu ale:
He wrote a letter like this:
26 Klaudio Lisia, Na Bubutɔ, mɔ̃mefia Felix, Xɔ gbedoname nyui sia.
“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent governor Felix: Greetings.
27 Gbe ɖeka la, Yudatɔwo lé ŋutsu sia, eye wonɔ eƒom be yewoawui, ke esi mese be Romatɔ wònye la, meɖo asrafowo ɖa woɖaxɔe le wo si.
“This man was seized by the Jews, and was about to be killed by them when I came with the soldiers and rescued him, having learned that he was a Roman.
28 Emegbe la, mekplɔe yi Yudatɔwo ƒe takpekpe gã la me be mase nu si tututu wòwɔ tae wolée ɖo.
Desiring to know the cause why they accused him, I brought him down to their council.
29 Le woƒe nyamedzodzrowo me la, mekpɔ be menye nya gobii aɖeke wotsɔ ɖe eŋu o, ke boŋ nya siwo ku ɖe Yudatɔwo ƒe xɔse kple kɔnuwo ŋu la koe, eye medze be woawui alo adee gaxɔ me kura gɔ̃ hã ɖe nya siawo ƒomevi ta o.
I found him to be accused about questions of their law, but not to be charged with anything worthy of death or of imprisonment.
30 Ke le esime mese be Yudatɔwo ganɔ ɖoɖo wɔm le bebeme be yewoawui ta la, meɖoe be makplɔe ɖo ɖe wò, eye magblɔ na eƒe futɔwo hã be woava gbɔwò ne nàdrɔ̃ nya la na wo.
When I was told that the Jews lay in wait for the man, I sent him to you immediately, charging his accusers also to bring their accusations against him before you. Farewell.”
31 Ale, le zã ma me la, asrafoawo kplɔ Paulo yi va ɖo Antipatre.
So the soldiers, carrying out their orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris.
32 Esi ŋu ke la, wotsɔe de asi na sɔdzisrafoawo be woakplɔe ayi Kaesarea, ke afɔzɔlawo ya gatrɔ va woƒe nɔƒe le mɔ la me.
But on the next day they left the horsemen to go with him, and returned to the barracks.
33 Esi wova ɖo Kaesarea la, wotsɔ Paulo de asi na mɔmefia la, eye wotsɔ agbalẽ si Lisia ŋlɔ de wo si la hã nɛ.
When they came to Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34 Esi mɔmefiagã la xlẽ agbalẽ la vɔ la, ebia du si me tɔ Paulo nye lae eye Paulo ɖo eŋu be, “Metso Kilikia.”
When the governor had read it, he asked what province he was from. When he understood that he was from Cilicia, he said,
35 Azɔ mɔmefia la gblɔ nɛ be, “Maɖo to wò nyawo katã nenye be nuwòtsolawo va ɖo.” Ale wòɖe gbe be woaɖatui ɖe gaxɔ me le Fia Herod ƒe fiasã me.
“I will hear you fully when your accusers also arrive.” He commanded that he be kept in Herod’s palace.
