Dɔwɔwɔwo 26
1 Fia Agripa gblɔ na Paulo be, “Meɖe mɔ na wò be nàɖe ɖokuiwò nu mase.” Ale Paulo do asi ɖa, eye wòɖe eɖokui nu gblɔ be,
Yet truly, Agrippa said to Paul, “It is permitted for you to speak for yourself.” Then Paul, extending his hand, began to offer his defense.
2 “Fia Agripa, enye dzidzɔ kple bubu gã aɖe nam be mekpɔ mɔnu sia be maƒo nu na wò le nu siwo katã Yudatɔwo tsɔ le nunye tsom la ŋuti,
“I consider myself blessed, O king Agrippa, that I am to give my defense today before you, about everything of which I am accused by the Jews,
3 elabena ènya nu tso Yudatɔwo ƒe sewo kple kɔnuwo ŋu tsitotsito. Azɔ meɖe kuku na wò be nàgbɔ dzi ɖi aɖo tom.
especially since you know everything that pertains to the Jews, both customs and questions. Because of this, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
4 “Ele nyanya me na Yudatɔwo katã be wohem tso ɖevime abe Yudatɔ akuakua ene, le nye dedu Tarso kple Yerusalem me, eye menɔ agbe ɖe sewo kple kɔnuwo nu pɛpɛpɛ ƒe geɖewo.
And certainly, all the Jews know about my life from my youth, which had its beginning among my own people in Jerusalem.
5 Ne woato nyateƒe la, Yudatɔwo alɔ̃ ɖe edzi be menɔ agbe abe Farisitɔ adodoe ene, eye mewɔ ɖe Yudatɔwo ƒe sewo kple kɔnuwo dzi pɛpɛpɛ ɣe sia ɣi.
They knew me well from the beginning, (if they would be willing to offer testimony) for I lived according to the most determined sect of our religion: as a Pharisee.
6 Ke nu bubu sãa tae wotsɔ nya ɖe ŋunye fifia, eyae nye be mele mɔ kpɔm be Mawu awɔ eƒe ŋugbe si wòdo na mía tɔgbuitɔgbuiwo la dzi.
And now, it is in the hope of the Promise which was made by God to our fathers that I stand subject to judgment.
7 Nu sia ke ko Israelviwo ƒe to wuieveawo katã hã le mɔ kpɔm na, hele kutri kum le subɔsubɔ wɔm zã kple keli gbe sia gbe ɖe eta. Gake Fia Agripa, le nye ya gome la, Yudatɔwo le nunye tsom be enye nu vɔ̃ mewɔ.
It is the Promise that our twelve tribes, worshiping night and day, hope to see. About this hope, O king, I am accused by the Jews.
8 Ne Mawu fɔ ame kukuwo ɖe tsitre la, aleke wɔ miebu be enye nu si womate ŋu axɔ ase oa?
Why should it be judged so unbelievable with you all that God might raise the dead?
9 “Tsã la, mexɔe se be enye nye dɔdeasi be mawɔ funyafunya ƒomevi geɖewo ame siwo nye Yesu Nazaretitɔ la yomenɔlawo.
And certainly, I myself formerly considered that I ought to act in many ways which are contrary to the name of Jesus the Nazarene.
10 Le esia ta la, mexɔ ŋusẽ tso nunɔlagã gbɔ, eye melé xɔsetɔ geɖewo de gaxɔ me le Yerusalem. Gawu la, ne wotso kufia na wo dometɔ aɖe la, medaa asi ɖe nuwɔna sia dzi blibo.
This is also how I acted at Jerusalem. And so, I enclosed many holy persons in prison, having received authority from the leaders of the priests. And when they were to be killed, I brought the sentence.
11 Mewɔ funyafunya ƒomevi geɖewo Kristotɔ siawo le ƒuƒoƒewo katã be wogblɔ busunya. Melé fu ame siawo ale gbegbe be metia wo yome yia du bubuwo ke hã me.
And in every synagogue, frequently while punishing them, I compelled them to blaspheme. And being all the more maddened against them, I persecuted them, even to foreign cities.
12 “Esia dzi mele heyi Damasko, eye ŋusẽ kpakple mɔnana le asinye tso nunɔlagãwo gbɔ.
Thereafter, as I was going to Damascus, with authority and permission from the high priest,
13 Esi míenɔ mɔa dzi yina anɔ abe ŋdɔ ga wuieve me lɔƒe ene la, fia Agripa, mekpɔ keklẽ gã aɖe tso dziƒo heklẽ ɖe nye kple ŋunyemewo dzi.
at midday, O king, I and those who were also with me, saw along the way a light from heaven shining around me with a splendor greater than that of the sun.
14 Mí katã míedze anyi. Enumake mese ame aɖe wònɔ nu ƒom nam le Hebrigbe me be, ‘Saulo, Saulo, nu ka ta nèle yonyeme tim ɖo? Afɔɖoɖo nutɔame dzi ɖe wòwɔa nu vevi ame.’
And when we had all fallen down to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew language: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goad.’
15 “Mebia be, ‘Aƒetɔ, wò ame kae le nu ƒom?’ “Aƒetɔ la ɖo eŋu be, ‘Nyee nye Yesu, ame si yome tim nèle.
Then I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
16 Tsi tsitre, elabena metia wò be nànye nye subɔla kple nye ɖaseɖila. Yi nàɖe gbeƒã wò nuteƒekpɔkpɔ sia kple bubu siwo gbɔna la fia xexea me katã.
But rise up and stand on your feet. For I appeared to you for this reason: so that I may establish you as a minister and a witness concerning the things that you have seen, and concerning the things that I will show to you:
17 Makpɔ tawò, eye maɖe wò tso wò ŋutɔ wò amewo kple ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o hã ƒe asi me. Le nyateƒe me la, maɖo wò ɖe ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o dome be nàgblɔ nyanyui la na wo,
rescuing you from the people and the nations to which I am now sending you,
18 be woƒe ŋkuwo naʋu, eye woatrɔ le viviti la gbɔ ava kekeli la me. Woatso Satana ƒe ŋusẽ me ava Mawu gbɔ, be woakpɔ nu vɔ̃wo ƒe tsɔtsɔke kple domenyinu si li na ame siwo katã ŋuti kɔ, eye wodza le xɔse me.’
in order to open their eyes, so that they may be converted from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive the remission of sins and a place among the saints, through the faith that is in me.’
19 “Eya ta, Fia Agripa, nye hã mewɔ ɖe ŋutega si tso dziƒo la ƒe ɖoɖo dzi.
From then on, O king Agrippa, I was not unbelieving to the heavenly vision.
20 Gbã la, megblɔ nyanyui la na ame siwo le Damasko, eye tso afi ma la, meva Yerusalem kple Yudea nutowo me. Emegbe la, meyi ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o dome, eye megblɔ na wo be woadzudzɔ nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ, atrɔ ɖe Mawu ŋu, eye woana woƒe nu nyui wɔwɔ nafia be wotrɔ dzi me vavã.
But I preached, first to those who are at Damascus and at Jerusalem, and then to the entire region of Judea, and to the Gentiles, so that they would repent and convert to God, doing the works that are worthy of repentance.
21 Esia tae Yudatɔwo va lém le gbedoxɔ la me be yewoawum gɔ̃ hã hafi.
It was for this reason that the Jews, having apprehended me when I was in the temple, attempted to kill me.
22 Ke Mawu kpɔ dzinye ale megale agbe egbe, be magblɔ nya sia na ame sia ame ƒomevi, ame gblɔewo kple bubumewo siaa. Ke nyemele nya bubu aɖeke gblɔm o, negbe nu si nyagblɔɖilawo kple Mose wogblɔ ɖi be ava va eme la koe.
But having been aided by the help of God, even to this day, I stand witnessing to the small and the great, saying nothing beyond what the Prophets and Moses have said would be in the future:
23 Nyagblɔɖilawo kple Mose gblɔ be, ‘Woawɔ funyafunya Kristo la, eyae anye ame gbãtɔ si afɔ tso ame kukuwo dome, eye wòahe Kekeli vɛ na Yudatɔwo kple ame siwo menye Yudatɔwo o.’”
that the Christ would suffer, and that he would be the first from the resurrection of the dead, and that he would bring light to the people and to the nations.”
24 Esi Festus se nya sia ko la, edo ɣli ɖe Paulo ta sesĩe be, “Paulo, wò tagbɔ le gbegblẽm; wò agbalẽsɔsrɔ̃ fũu na wò tagbɔ flu.”
While he was speaking these things and presenting his defense, Festus said with a loud voice: “Paul, you are insane! Too much studying has turned you to insanity.”
25 Paulo ɖo eŋu be, “Bubume Festus, nye tagbɔ meflu o, ke boŋ nya siwo megblɔ la nye nyateƒe matrɔmatrɔ sɔŋ ko.
And Paul said: “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but rather I am speaking words of truth and sobriety.
26 Fia Agripa ŋutɔ hã nya nu le nu siawo ŋu. Meka ɖe edzi be Fia Agripa se nya siawo katã kpɔ, elabena wonye nu siwo dzɔ le gaglãgbe, eye womele ɣaɣla ɖe ame aɖeke o.
For the king knows about these things. To him also, I am speaking with constancy. For I think that none of these things are unknown to him. And neither were these things done in a corner.
27 Fia Agripa, menya be èxɔ nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe nyawo dzi se; alo mele eme nenema oa?”
Do you believe the Prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that you believe.”
28 Agripa xɔ nya la le Paulo nu gblɔ be, “Ɖe nèbu be nya sue si nègblɔ le afi sia lae ana be mazu kristotɔ zi ɖeka?”
Then Agrippa said to Paul, “To some extent, you persuade me to become a Christian.”
29 Paulo ɖo eŋu be, “Anye nye didi vevie be togbɔ be nye nyawo meɖi naneke o hã la, Mawu ana wò kple ame sia ame si aɖo tom egbe la natrɔ zu abe ame si menye ene, ke menye to fukpekpe me abe ale si mele babla me ene o.”
And Paul said, “I hope to God that, both to a small extent and to a great extent, not only you, but also all those who hear me this day will become just as I also am, except for these chains.”
30 Le nya siawo megbe la, Fia Agripa kple Mɔmefiagã Festus kple Benis kple wo ŋumewo katã tso hedzo.
And the king rose up, and the governor, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with them.
31 Emegbe esi wonɔ nya la me dzrom kpɔ le wo ɖokuiwo dome la, wokpɔe dze sii be le nyateƒe me la, Paulo mewɔ naneke si dze na ku alo gamenɔnɔ gɔ̃ hã o.
And when they had withdrawn, they were speaking among themselves, saying, “This man has done nothing worthy of death, nor of imprisonment.”
32 Ale Agripa gblɔ na Festus be, “Ne menye ɖe Paulo tsɔ eƒe nya la de Kaisaro si o la, anye ne ele be woaɖe asi le eŋu hafi.”
Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been released, if he had not appealed to Caesar.”
