Ọrụ Ndị Ozi 22
1 “Ụmụnna m na ndị nna anyị, geenụ m ntị mgbe m na-agọrọ onwe m nʼihu unu.”
Paul said, “[Jewish] elders and my other fellow Jews, listen to me now while I reply to [those who are accusing me]!”
2 Mgbe ha nụrụ na ọ na-agwa ha okwu nʼasụsụ Hibru, ha deere duu karịa. Mgbe ọ sịrị,
When the crowd of people heard Paul speaking to them in [their own] Hebrew language, they became even more quiet and really listened. Then Paul said to them,
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, [as are all of you]. I was born in Tarsus [city], in Cilicia [province], but I grew up here in Jerusalem. [When I was young, for many years] I studied the laws [that Moses gave to our ancestors]. I was taught by [the famous teacher] Gamaliel [MTY] {[The famous teacher] Gamaliel taught [MTY] me}. [I have] carefully [obeyed those laws, because] I have wanted to obey God. I [am sure that] many of you also carefully obey [those laws].
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.
[That is why] I previously persecuted those who believe the message [that people call] the Way [that Jesus taught. I continually looked for ways] to kill [them. Whenever I found] men or women [who believed that message], I [commanded that] they should be seized and thrown {[people to] seize them and throw them} into jail.
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.
The supreme priest knows this, and so do the [other respected men who belong to our Jewish] Council. They gave me letters to [take to] their fellow Jews in Damascus [city. By means of those letters, they authorized me to] go to there and find people who believed in [Jesus. They had written in the letters that I was to bring those people] as prisoners to Jerusalem, so that they would be punished here {[the leaders here] could punish them}. [So I went on my way to Damascus].
6 “Nʼetiti ehihie, mgbe m na-aga nʼụzọ, nʼebe dị Damaskọs nso, oke ìhè nke si nʼeluigwe, chara gburugburu m.
About noon, my companions and I were getting near Damascus. Suddenly a bright light from the sky flashed all around me.
7 Adara m nʼala ma nụkwa olu gwara m okwu sị m, ‘Sọl, Sọl, gịnị mere i ji na-akpagbu m?’
[The light was so bright that] I fell to the ground. Then I heard the voice [of someone] speaking to me [from up in the sky. The one who was speaking to me said], ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you [(sg)] do things to harm me?’
8 “‘Onye ka ị bụ Onyenwe m?’ Ka m jụrụ. “Ọ sịrị m, ‘Abụ m Jisọs onye Nazaret onye ị na-akpagbu.’
I answered, ‘Who are you?’ He replied, ‘I am Jesus from Nazareth. I [am the one] whom you [(sg)] are harming [by doing things to harm my followers].’
9 Ndị mụ na ha so hụkwara ìhè ahụ, ma ha anụghị olu onye ahụ na-agwa m okwu.
The men who were [traveling] with me saw the [very bright] light, [and they heard a voice], but they did not understand what the voice said 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.’
Then I asked, ‘Lord, what [do you want] me to do?’ The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus! [A man] there will tell you [(sg)] all that I have planned 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.
[After that, I could not see], because the [very bright] light had caused me to become blind. So my companions took me by the hand and led me until [we(exc) arrived] in 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.
[A couple of days] later, a man whose name was Ananias came to [see] me. He was a man who [greatly respected God and] carefully obeyed [our Jewish] laws. All the Jews living in Damascus said good things about him.
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 came and stood beside me and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see [again]!’ Instantly I could see! I saw Ananias [standing there beside me].
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.
Then he said: ‘The God whom [we(inc) worship and] whom our ancestors [worshipped] has chosen you and will show you what he wants [you to do. He has allowed you] to see the righteous one, [the Messiah], and you have heard him speaking [to you].
15 Ị ga-abụ onyeama ya nye ndị niile banyere ihe ị hụrụ na ihe ị nụrụ.
He wants you to tell people everywhere what you have seen and heard [from him].
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.’
So now (do not delay!/why delay?) [RHQ] Stand up, let [me] baptize you, and by praying to the Lord [Jesus ask God] to forgive you [(sg)] for your sins!’”
17 “Mgbe m lọghachikwara na Jerusalem, nọrọ na-ekpe ekpere nʼụlọnsọ ukwu ahụ, ahụrụ m ọhụ,
“Later, I returned to Jerusalem. [One day] I went to the Temple courtyard. While I was praying there, I saw a vision [in which]
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 the Lord speaking to me. He said to me, ‘[Do not stay here]! Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people [here] will not (believe/listen to) what you [(sg)] tell [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.
But I [protested and] said to him, ‘Lord, they know that I went to many of our meeting houses looking for people who believe in you. I was putting in jail those [whom I found] who believed in you, and I was even beating them.
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.’
[They remember that] when Stephen was killed [MTY] {when people killed [MTY] Stephen} because he told people about you, I stood there [watching it all] and approving [what they were doing]. I [even] guarded the outer garments that those who were murdering him [had thrown aside. So if I stay here, the fact that I have changed how I think about you will surely impress those leaders of our people].’
21 “Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị m, ‘Gawa; nʼihi na aga m ezipu gị ebe dị anya ijekwuru ndị mba ọzọ.’”
But the Lord said to me, ‘No, [do not stay here]! Leave [Jerusalem, because] I am going to send you [(sg)] far away [from here] to non-Jewish people!’”
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!”
The people listened [quietly] to what Paul was saying until [he mentioned the Lord sending him to non-Jewish people]. Then they began shouting [angrily], “Kill him! [He does not deserve to live any longer]!” [They said that because they could not believe that God would save anyone except Jews].
23 Ha tiri mkpu na-atụli uwe mgbokwasị ha elu, na-achilikwa aja nʼala na-efesasị ya ebe niile,
While they continued shouting, [“Kill him!”] they took off their cloaks and threw dust into the air, [which showed how angry they were].
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.
So the commander [commanded] that Paul be taken {[soldiers] to take Paul} into the barracks. He told [the soldiers] that they should strike Paul with a whip [that had pieces of bone/metal on the end of it], in order to make him tell what he had done that made the Jews shout so angrily. [So the soldiers took Paul into the barracks].
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?”
Then they stretched his arms out [and tied them] so that they could whip him [on his back. But] Paul said to the officer who was standing nearby [watching], “[You(sg) should think carefully about this]! You will certainly be [RHQ] acting unlawfully if you whip me, a Roman [citizen whom] no [one has put on trial and] condemned!”
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 officer heard that, he went to the commander and reported it to him. He said [to the commander], “This man is a Roman [citizen] (Surely you would not [command us to whip him]!/Do you really want [us to whip him]?) [RHQ]”
27 Ọchịagha ahụ bịakwutere sị ya, “Gwa m, ị bụ onye Rom?” Ọ sịrị, “E.”
The commander [was surprised when he heard that. He himself] went [into the barracks] and said to Paul, “Tell me, are you [(sg) really] a Roman [citizen]?” Paul answered, “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.”
Then the commander said, “[I am also a Roman citizen]. I paid a lot of money to become a [Roman] citizen.” Paul said, “But I was born a [Roman] citizen, [so I did not need to pay anything].”
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.
The soldiers [were about to whip Paul and to ask him questions about what he had done. But when they heard what Paul said, they] left him immediately. The commander also became afraid, because he realized that Paul was a Roman [citizen] and that he had [illegally commanded soldiers to] tie up Paul’s [hands].
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 commander still] wanted to know exactly why the Jews were accusing Paul. So the next day he [told the soldiers to] take the chains off Paul. He also summoned the chief priests and the [other Jewish] Council [members]. Then he took Paul [to where the Council was meeting] and [commanded] him to stand before them.
