Ọrụ Ndị Ozi 22
1 “Ụmụnna m na ndị nna anyị, geenụ m ntị mgbe m na-agọrọ onwe m nʼihu unu.”
“Brother and fathers,” he said, “Please listen as I give my defense before you.”
2 Mgbe ha nụrụ na ọ na-agwa ha okwu nʼasụsụ Hibru, ha deere duu karịa. Mgbe ọ sịrị,
When they heard him speaking to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.
3 “Abụ m onye Juu. Amụrụ m na Tasọs nʼime Silisia. Azụrụ m na obodo a nʼụkwụ Gamaliel onye nkuzi m. Anatara m ọzụzụ dị ike na ịsọpụrụ iwu nke nna nna anyị ha ejikwa m ịnụ ọkụ nʼobi na-efe Chineke dịka unu niile si eme taa.
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia,” he began. “However, I was brought up here in this city, and sat at the feet of Gamaliel. I was taught to strictly observe the law of our fathers. I was zealous for God, just like all of you here today,
4 Akpagburu m ndị niile na-eso ụzọ ọhụrụ a, na-etinye ha nʼaka ọnwụ. Ejidere m ndị ikom na ndị inyom ha tụbakwa ha nʼụlọ mkpọrọ.
and I persecuted the people of this Way—having them put to death, and imprisoning both men and women.
5 Ma dịka onyeisi nchụaja na nzukọ ndị okenye niile pụrụ ịgbara m akaebe. Anatakwara m nʼaka ha akwụkwọ ozi e deere ụmụnna anyị nọ na Damaskọs. Agara m ebe ahụ ịkpụta ha nʼagbụ bịa Jerusalem maka ịta ha ahụhụ.
As the high priest and the council of the elders can also verify, I received from them letters of authorization addressed to the Jewish brothers in Damascus, and went there to arrest these people and bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “Nʼetiti ehihie, mgbe m na-aga nʼụzọ, nʼebe dị Damaskọs nso, oke ìhè nke si nʼeluigwe, chara gburugburu m.
At around noon, while I was on my way and approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven shone all around me.
7 Adara m nʼala ma nụkwa olu gwara m okwu sị m, ‘Sọl, Sọl, gịnị mere i ji na-akpagbu m?’
I fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 “‘Onye ka ị bụ Onyenwe m?’ Ka m jụrụ. “Ọ sịrị m, ‘Abụ m Jisọs onye Nazaret onye ị na-akpagbu.’
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I answered. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting,’ he told me.
9 Ndị mụ na ha so hụkwara ìhè ahụ, ma ha anụghị olu onye ahụ na-agwa m okwu.
Those who were traveling with me did see the light, but they didn't hear the voice that spoke to me.
10 “Asịrị m, ‘Gịnị ka m ga-eme Onyenwe anyị?’ “Onyenwe anyị sịrị m, ‘Bilie banye Damaskọs; nʼebe ahụ a ga-agwa gị ihe niile a kwadobere na ị ga-eme.’
‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you'll be told everything that's arranged for you to do.’
11 Nʼihi na-enweghị m ike ịhụ ụzọ nʼihi ebube ìhè ahụ chachiri m anya. Ya mere ndị mụ na ha so sekpụụrụ m nʼaka bata na Damaskọs.
Since I couldn't see because of the brightness of the light, those who were with me led me by the hand into Damascus.
12 “Nʼebe ahụ ka Ananayas bi, bụ onye anyị pụrụ ịgụ nʼonye ezi omume nʼihi idebe iwu. O nwekwara ọgbụgba ama dị mma site nʼọnụ ndị Juu bi nʼebe ahụ.
There a man called Ananias came to see me. He was a religious man who observed the law, and was highly respected by the Jews who lived in the town.
13 Ọ bịakwutere m, guzoro nʼakụkụ m sị, ‘Nwanna anyị Sọl, ka emee ka ị hụ ụzọ!’ Otu mgbe ahụ, e nwetara m ike ịhụ ụzọ, m hụkwara ya.
He stood in front of me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive back your sight.’ At that very moment I could see again, and I looked at him.
14 “Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị, ‘Chineke nke nna nna anyị ha ahọpụtala gị ịmara uche ya na ịhụ Onye Ezi Omume ahụ na ịnụta okwu site nʼọnụ ya.
He told me, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, to see the one who is truly good and right, and to listen to what he has to say to you.
15 Ị ga-abụ onyeama ya nye ndị niile banyere ihe ị hụrụ na ihe ị nụrụ.
You will testify for him to everyone about what you have seen and heard. So what are you waiting for?
16 Ma ugbu a, gịnị ka ị na-eche? Bilie ọtọ, ka e mee gị baptizim, ka a sachakwa gị site na mmehie, na-akpọkukwa aha ya.’
Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins as you call on his name.’
17 “Mgbe m lọghachikwara na Jerusalem, nọrọ na-ekpe ekpere nʼụlọnsọ ukwu ahụ, ahụrụ m ọhụ,
I returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance.
18 ebe ọ na-agwa m, ‘Mee ngwa! Hapụ Jerusalem, nʼihi na ndị bi nʼala a agaghị anara ọgbụgba ama gị banyere m.’
I saw a vision of the Lord telling me, ‘Hurry! You need to leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept what you are telling them about me.’
19 “Ma asịrị m, ‘Onyenwe anyị, ndị a maara nke ọma na m na-aga nʼụlọ nzukọ nʼotu nʼotu, na-atụba ndị kwere na gị nʼụlọ mkpọrọ, na-etikwa ha ihe.
I replied, ‘Lord, they certainly know that I went from synagogue to synagogue, beating and imprisoning those who trusted in you.
20 Nʼoge a na-awụfu ọbara onyeama gị bụ Stivin, eguzo m nso na-akwado nʼihe emere dị mma, ma na-elekọtakwa uwe ndị ahụ tụgburu ya anya.’
When Stephen was killed for testifying about you I was standing there in full agreement with those who killed him, holding their coats for them.’
21 “Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị m, ‘Gawa; nʼihi na aga m ezipu gị ebe dị anya ijekwuru ndị mba ọzọ.’”
The Lord told me, ‘Leave now, for I am sending you far away to the foreigners.’”
22 Ha ṅara ya ntị ruo ugbu a. Mgbe ahụ, ha niile tiri mkpu nʼotu olu sị, “Wepụnụ onye dị otu a nʼụwa! O kwesighị ka onye dị otu a dịrị ndụ!”
Up until this point they had listened to what he was saying, but then they started shouting, “Get rid of this man from the earth—he doesn't deserve to live!”
23 Ha tiri mkpu na-atụli uwe mgbokwasị ha elu, na-achilikwa aja nʼala na-efesasị ya ebe niile,
They screamed and tore off their coats and threw dust into the air.
24 ọchịagha ahụ nyere iwu ka a kpụgaa ya nʼogige ndị agha, pịa ya ụtarị, ka eziokwu pụta ya nʼọnụ. Ọ chọrọ ịmata ihe mere ha ji eti mkpu otu a megide ya.
The commander ordered Paul brought into the fortress, and gave orders for him to be interrogated by flogging so he could find out the reason people were shouting so much against Paul.
25 Ma mgbe ha chịịrị ụdọ akpụkpọ kechaa ya, Pọl sịrị onye agha guzo ya nso, “Ọ bụ ihe ziri ezi nʼiwu na unu ga-eti nwa afọ Rom ihe, onye na-enweghị ikpe a mara ya?”
As they stretched him out and tied him down to flog him, Paul asked the centurion standing there, “Is it legal to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't had a trial?”
26 Mgbe onye agha a nụrụ okwu a, o jekwuuru ọchịagha ahụ sị, “Gịnị ka ị na-aga ime? Nwoke a bụkwa onye Rom.”
When the centurion heard what Paul said, he went to the commander and asked him, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen.”
27 Ọchịagha ahụ bịakwutere sị ya, “Gwa m, ị bụ onye Rom?” Ọ sịrị, “E.”
The commander came, and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul replied, “Yes I am.”
28 Ọchịagha ahụ zara, “ma o furu m ego dị ukwuu iji bụrụ onye Rom.” Ma Pọl sịrị, “Amụrụ m dịka nwa afọ ala a.”
“I paid a lot of money to buy Roman citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29 Ndị ahụ chọrọ ịgba ya ajụjụ ọnụ mere ngwangwa wezuga onwe ha. Egwu tụkwara ọchịagha nʼonwe ya mgbe ọ matara na ọ bụ nwa afọ Rom, nʼihi na o keela ya rịị agbụ na mbụ.
Those who were about to interrogate Paul left immediately. The commander was worried when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen because he had placed him in chains.
30 Nʼechi ya, ebe ọ chọrọ ịmata ihe bụ isi okwu na ihe mere ndị Juu ji ebo ya ebubo, o nyere iwu ka ndịisi nchụaja na ndị ụlọ ikpe ha zukọọ. Mgbe ahụ, o dupụtara Pọl, mee ka o guzo nʼihu ha.
The next day, wanting to find out the reason why the Jews were accusing Paul, he had him released and taken before the chief priests and the whole council which he ordered to assemble. He had Paul brought down and placed him before them.
