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, "You are permitted to speak for yourself." So Paul stretched forth his hand and began to make 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 think myself happy, King Agrippa, that I am to make my defense before you this day, in regard to all the accusations brought against me 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 are an export in all Jewish customs and questions. I pray you, expert in all Jewish customs and questions. I pray you, hear me with patience.
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.
"The kind of life I have lived from my youth upward among my own nation and at Jerusalem, all that early life of mine, is well known to all the Jews.
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 know me of old, if they are willing to testify, how that according to the strict 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.
"Today I am standing trial because of the hope of the promise made by God to our ancestors,
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.
"a promise which our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. It is concerning this hope, King Agrippa, that 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 is it deemed incredible by you all, if God raises the dead?
9 “Tsã la, mexɔe se be enye nye dɔdeasi be mawɔ funyafunya ƒomevi geɖewo ame siwo nye Yesu Nazaretitɔ la yomenɔlawo.
"I indeed once thought with myself that I ought to do many things against 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.
"And this also I did in Jerusalem. Armed with authority from the chief priests, I shut up many of the saints in prison, and when they were condemned to death I gave my vote against them.
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.
"In all the synagogues also I punished them oftentimes, and tried to make them blaspheme; and in my mad fury I was pursuing them even to foreign cities.
12 “Esia dzi mele heyi Damasko, eye ŋusẽ kpakple mɔnana le asinye tso nunɔlagãwo gbɔ.
"On this errand I was traveling to Damascus one day, armed with authority and commission of the chief priests,
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.
"when at noon, as I journeyed, O King, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and around those who journeyed 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.’
"We all fell to the ground; and I heard a voice saying to me in Hebrew. "‘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.
"‘Who are you, Lord?’ I said. "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 and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you in order to appoint you my minister and my witness both of what you have already seen and of those things in which I will appear 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,
"‘I will deliver you from the Jewish people, and from the Gentiles to whom I am sending you to open their eyes
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.’
"‘so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, in order to receive remission of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
19 “Eya ta, Fia Agripa, nye hã mewɔ ɖe ŋutega si tso dziƒo la ƒe ɖoɖo dzi.
"So then, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto 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 proceeded to preach, first to those in Damascus, and then in Jerusalem and throughout all the country of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they must repent and turn to God and do deeds worthy of repentance.
21 Esia tae Yudatɔwo va lém le gbedoxɔ la me be yewoawum gɔ̃ hã hafi.
"For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple, and tried 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 obtained the help that comes from God, I stand even to this day witnessing both to small and great, saying nothing except what the prophets and Moses said should come;
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.’”
"how that the Christ must suffer, and how he should be the first to rise from the dead, and should bring a message of light to the Jewish 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 Paul thus made his defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice. "Paul, you are raving mad; your great learning is driving you mad."
25 Paulo ɖo eŋu be, “Bubume Festus, nye tagbɔ meflu o, ke boŋ nya siwo megblɔ la nye nyateƒe matrɔmatrɔ sɔŋ ko.
"I am not mad, most noble Festus," said Paul,
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.
"I am speaking words of sober truth. For the King, to whom I am speaking freely, knows of these matters. I am persuaded that not one of these things has escaped his notice; for these things were not done in a corner.
27 Fia Agripa, menya be èxɔ nyagblɔɖilawo ƒe nyawo dzi se; alo mele eme nenema oa?”
"King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? 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?”
Agrippa answered, "In short, you are doing your best to 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.”
"Long or short," answered Paul, "my prayer to God is that not only you but all who are my hearers this day might become such as I am, save for these chains."
30 Le nya siawo megbe la, Fia Agripa kple Mɔmefiagã Festus kple Benis kple wo ŋumewo katã tso hedzo.
Then the king rose, and Bernice, and those who were sitting with him.
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.
When they had withdrawn they continued talking to one another. "This man is doing nothing," they said, "for which he deserves death or 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.”
And Agrippa said to Festus, "If he had not appealed to Caesar, he might have been set free."
