Atũmwo 22
1 “Ariũ a Baba, o na inyuĩ maithe makwa, thikĩrĩriai ngĩĩyarĩrĩria.”
“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense I now make to you.”
2 Rĩrĩa maaiguire akĩmaarĩria na rũthiomi rwa Kĩhibirania-rĩ, magĩkira ki. Hĩndĩ ĩyo Paũlũ akiuga atĩrĩ,
When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. Then he said,
3 “Niĩ ndĩ Mũyahudi, wa gũciarĩrwo Tariso itũũra rĩa bũrũri wa Kilikia, no ndaarereirwo itũũra-inĩ rĩĩrĩ. Nĩndathomithirio wega nĩ Gamalieli ũhoro wa watho wa maithe maitũ, na ndaarĩ na kĩyo kĩa maũndũ ma Ngai o ta ũrĩa inyuĩ inyuothe mũtariĩ ũmũthĩ.
“I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel and instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
4 Nĩndanyariiraga arũmĩrĩri a Njĩra ĩno o nginya magakua na nganyiita arũme na andũ-a-nja ngamaikia njeera,
I persecuted this Way to the death, binding both men and women and putting them in prison,
5 o ta ũrĩa mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai ũrĩa mũnene na Kĩama gĩothe gĩa athuuri o nao mangĩheana ũira ũcio. O na nĩmaheire marũa ndwarĩre andũ ao kũu Dameski, na niĩ ngĩthiĩ kuo nganyiite andũ acio ndĩmarehe Jerusalemu nĩguo maherithio.
as the high priest can testify about me, along with the whole council of elders. From them I received letters to the brothers in Damascus and then made my way there to make arrests and bring the prisoners back to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “Ta thaa thita ndĩ hakuhĩ gũkinya Dameski-rĩ, o rĩmwe gũkĩgĩa ũtheri mũnene woimire igũrũ, naguo ũkĩnjarĩra mĩena yothe.
“About noon, as I was going along and drawing near to Damascus, a great light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.
7 Ngĩgwa thĩ, na ngĩigua mũgambo mũnene ũkĩnjarĩria, ũkĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Saũlũ! Saũlũ! Ũũnyariiraga nĩkĩ?’
Then I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are yoʋ persecuting me?’
8 “Na niĩ ngĩũria atĩrĩ, ‘Wee nĩ we ũ, Mwathani?’ “Nake akĩnjookeria atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩ niĩ Jesũ wa Nazarethi, ũrĩa ũranyariira.’
I answered, ‘Who are yoʋ, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom yoʋ are persecuting.’
9 Nao andũ arĩa twarĩ nao nĩmoonire ũtheri ũcio, no matiataũkĩirwo nĩ mũgambo wa ũcio wanjaragĩria.
Those who were with me saw the light and were afraid, but they did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
10 “Na niĩ ngĩũria atĩrĩ, ‘Mwathani ngwĩka atĩa?’ “Nake Mwathani akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ũkĩra ũtoonye Dameski. Kũu nĩkuo ũrĩĩrĩrwo maũndũ marĩa mothe wathĩrĩirwo gwĩka.’
Then I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go to Damascus, and there yoʋ will be told about all that has been appointed for yoʋ to do.’
11 Na rĩrĩ, andũ arĩa twarĩ nao makĩĩnyiita guoko makĩndwara Dameski, tondũ ũkengu wa ũtheri ũcio nĩwanduĩte mũtumumu.
But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus.
12 “Mũndũ wetagwo Anania nĩookire kũnyona, na aarĩ mũndũ weamũrĩire Ngai na ũndũ wa kũrũmia watho, na nĩaheetwo gĩtĩĩo nĩ Ayahudi othe arĩa maatũũraga kũu.
“Now a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who was well spoken of by all the Jews dwelling there,
13 Agĩũka na akĩrũgama hakuhĩ na niĩ akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Mũrũ wa ithe witũ Saũlũ, cooka kuona!’ Na hĩndĩ o ro ĩyo ngĩhota kũmuona.
came and stood beside me. He said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive yoʋr sight,’ and in that very hour I received my sight and saw him.
14 “Agĩcooka akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ngai wa maithe maitũ nĩagũthuurĩte nĩguo ũmenye wendi wake na wone Ũrĩa Mũthingu, o na ũigue ciugo kuuma kanua gake.
Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed yoʋ to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice coming from his mouth.
15 Nĩũgũtuĩka mũira wake kũrĩ andũ othe wa kũmoimbũrĩra ũrĩa wonete na ũrĩa ũiguĩte.
For yoʋ will be his witness to all people of what yoʋ have seen and heard.
16 Rĩu nĩ kĩĩ wetereire? Ũkĩra, ũbatithio na ũthambio mehia maku, ũgĩkayagĩra rĩĩtwa rĩake.’
And now why do yoʋ delay? Rise and be baptized, and wash away yoʋr sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.’
17 “Hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ndaacookire Jerusalemu, ndĩ hekarũ-inĩ ngĩhooya nĩndagĩire na iringi,
“When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
18 ngĩkĩona Mwathani akĩaria, nake akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ũkĩra narua uume Jerusalemu, tondũ matiigwĩtĩkĩra kumbũrĩrwo ũhoro wakwa nĩwe.’
and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not accept yoʋr testimony about me.’
19 “Na niĩ ngĩcookia atĩrĩ, ‘Mwathani, andũ aya nĩmooĩ atĩ ndoimaga thunagogi ĩmwe ngathiĩ ĩrĩa ĩngĩ nĩguo nyiitithie na hũũre andũ arĩa magwĩtĩkĩtie.
So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe in yoʋ.
20 Na rĩrĩa Stefano mũira waku aaitirwo thakame, ndaarũngiĩ ho ngĩĩtĩkĩra ũndũ ũcio wĩkwo, na ngaikaria nguo cia andũ arĩa maamũũragire.’
And when the blood of yoʋr witness Stephen was being shed, I myself stood there approving of his execution as I watched over the cloaks of those who were killing him.’
21 “Nake Mwathani akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Thiĩ, tondũ nĩngũgũtũma kũndũ kũraya kwa andũ-a-Ndũrĩrĩ.’”
Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send yoʋ far away to the Gentiles.’”
22 Kĩrĩndĩ kĩu gĩgĩthikĩrĩria Paũlũ o nginya rĩrĩa oigire ũguo. Hĩndĩ ĩyo gĩkĩaria na mũgambo mũnene kĩanĩrĩire, atĩrĩ, “Mweheriei thĩ! Ndagĩrĩirwo nĩgũtũũra muoyo!”
The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement, but then they lifted up their voices and said, “Away with this man from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”
23 Na rĩrĩa kĩanagĩrĩra gĩgĩteaga nguo ciakĩo na gĩkĩũmbũraga rũkũngũ,
As they were crying out, throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,
24 mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ agĩathana Paũlũ aingĩrio nyũmba ya thigari. Ningĩ agĩathana atĩ Paũlũ ahũũrwo iboko na orio ciũria nĩguo kũmenyeke kĩrĩa gĩatũmaga andũ mamugĩrĩrie ũguo.
the commander ordered Paul to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out the reason why they were shouting at him in this way.
25 Na rĩrĩa maamũkomagia mamũhũũre-rĩ, Paũlũ akĩũria mũnene ũcio wa thigari igana rĩmwe warũngiĩ hau atĩrĩ, “Watho nĩwĩtĩkĩrĩtie mũhũũre raiya wa Roma na kĩboko atanyiitĩkanĩte na ihĩtia?”
But as one of the soldiers was stretching Paul out with the straps, Paul said to the centurion standing nearby, “Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman citizen without a proper trial?”
26 Rĩrĩa mũnene ũcio wa thigari igana rĩmwe aaiguire ũguo, agĩthiĩ kũrĩ mũnene wa mbũtũ, akĩmũhe ũhoro ũcio. Nake akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Rĩu ũgwĩka atĩa? Mũndũ ũyũ nĩ raiya wa Roma.”
When the centurion heard this, he went and reported it to the commander, saying, “Consider what yoʋ are about to do, for this man is a Roman citizen.”
27 Mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ agĩthiĩ kũrĩ Paũlũ, akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Ta njĩĩra atĩrĩ, wee ũrĩ raiya wa Roma?” Nake akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ĩĩ, ndĩ raiya wa Roma.”
So the commander went over and said to Paul, “Tell me, are yoʋ a Roman citizen?” He said, “Yes.”
28 Nake mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndarĩhire thogora mũnene nĩgeetha nduĩke raiya wa Roma.” Nake Paũlũ akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “No niĩ ndaaciarirwo ndĩ raiya wa Roma.”
The commander responded, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”
29 Nao andũ arĩa meendaga kũmũũria ciũria magĩtigana nake o rĩmwe. Mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ we mwene akĩmaka aamenya atĩ nĩoheete Paũlũ na mĩnyororo, na aarĩ raiya wa Roma.
So those who were about to examine him immediately drew back, and the commander was afraid when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
30 Mũthenya ũcio ũngĩ warũmĩrĩire, nĩgũkorwo mũnene ũcio wa mbũtũ nĩeendaga kũmenya wega kĩrĩa Ayahudi maathitangagĩra Paũlũ, akĩmuohora na agĩathana athĩnjĩri-Ngai arĩa anene na athuuri othe a Kĩama magomane. Agĩcooka akĩrehe Paũlũ, na akĩmũrũgamia mbere yao.
So the next day, wishing to know for certain why Paul was being accused by the Jews, the commander released him from his bonds and commanded the chief priests and their entire Sanhedrin to come. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
