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,
Then Agrippa said to Paul: Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretching forth his hand, began to make his answer.
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 think myself happy, O king Agrippa, that I am to answer for myself this day before thee, touching all the things whereof 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 as thou knowest all, both customs and questions that are among the Jews: Wherefore I beseech thee to hear 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 my life indeed from my youth, which was from the beginning among my own nation in Jerusalem, all the Jews do know:
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.
Having known me from the beginning (if they will give testimony) that according to the most sure sect of our religion I lived 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 for the hope of the promise that was made by God to the fathers, do 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.
Unto which, our twelve tribes, serving night and day, hope to come. For which 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 thought a thing incredible, that God should 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 I indeed did formerly think, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
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.
Which also I did at Jerusalem, and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority of the chief priests: and when they were put to death, 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 oftentimes punishing them, in every synagogue, I compelled them to blaspheme: and being yet more mad against them, I persecuted them even unto foreign cities.
12 “Esia dzi mele heyi Damasko, eye ŋusẽ kpakple mɔnana le asinye tso nunɔlagãwo gbɔ.
Whereupon when I was going to Damascus with authority and permission of the chief 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 saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me, and them that were in company with me.
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 were all fallen down on the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me in the Hebrew tongue: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is hard for thee 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.
And I said: Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord answered: I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
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 upon thy feet: for to this end have I appeared to thee, that I may make thee a minister, and a witness of those things which thou hast seen, and of those things wherein I will appear to thee,
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,
Delivering thee from the people, and from the nations, unto which now I send thee:
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.’
To open their eyes, that they may be converted from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and a lot among the saints, by the faith that is in me.
19 “Eya ta, Fia Agripa, nye hã mewɔ ɖe ŋutega si tso dziƒo la ƒe ɖoɖo dzi.
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not incredulous 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 to them first that are at Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and unto all the country of Judea, and to the Gentiles did I preach, that they should do penance, and turn to God, doing works worthy of penance.
21 Esia tae Yudatɔwo va lém le gbedoxɔ la me be yewoawum gɔ̃ hã hafi.
For this cause the Jews, when I was in the temple, having apprehended me, went about 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 being aided by the help of God, I stand unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other thing than those which the prophets, and Moses did say should come to pass:
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 Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light to the people, and to the Gentiles.
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.”
As he spoke these things, and made his answer, Festus said with a loud voice: Paul, thou art beside thyself: much learning doth make thee mad.
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 mad, most excellent Festus, but I speak words of truth and soberness.
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 knoweth of these things, to whom also I speak with confidence. For I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him. For neither was any of these things done in a corner.
27 Fia Agripa, menya be èxɔ nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe nyawo dzi se; alo mele eme nenema oa?”
Believest thou the prophets, O king Agrippa? I know that thou believest.
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?”
And Agrippa said to Paul: In a little thou persuadest 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 would to God, that both in a little and in much, not only thou, but also all that hear me, this day, should become such as I also am, except these bands.
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 they that sat 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 were gone aside, they spoke among themselves, saying: This man hath done nothing worthy of death or of bands.
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.”
And Agrippa said to Festus: This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.
