Ọrụ Ndị Ozi 22
1 “Ụmụnna m na ndị nna anyị, geenụ m ntị mgbe m na-agọrọ onwe m nʼihu unu.”
“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defence which I now make to you.”
2 Mgbe ha nụrụ na ọ na-agwa ha okwu nʼasụsụ Hibru, ha deere duu karịa. Mgbe ọ sịrị,
When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
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 indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are 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.
I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons 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 also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and travelled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
6 “Nʼetiti ehihie, mgbe m na-aga nʼụzọ, nʼebe dị Damaskọs nso, oke ìhè nke si nʼeluigwe, chara gburugburu m.
“As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.
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 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.’
I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’
9 Ndị mụ na ha so hụkwara ìhè ahụ, ma ha anụghị olu onye ahụ na-agwa m okwu.
“Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who 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.’
I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed 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.
When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came 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.
“One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
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.
came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up 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 said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15 Ị ga-abụ onyeama ya nye ndị niile banyere ihe ị hụrụ na ihe ị nụrụ.
For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.
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.’
Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptised, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
17 “Mgbe m lọghachikwara na Jerusalem, nọrọ na-ekpe ekpere nʼụlọnsọ ukwu ahụ, ahụrụ m ọhụ,
“When I had returned to Jerusalem and while I prayed 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.’
and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’
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 said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed 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 the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’
21 “Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị m, ‘Gawa; nʼihi na aga m ezipu gị ebe dị anya ijekwuru ndị mba ọzọ.’”
“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”
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!”
They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”
23 Ha tiri mkpu na-atụli uwe mgbokwasị ha elu, na-achilikwa aja nʼala na-efesasị ya ebe niile,
As they cried out, threw off their cloaks, 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 commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.
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?”
When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”
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 it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”
27 Ọchịagha ahụ bịakwutere sị ya, “Gwa m, ị bụ onye Rom?” Ọ sịrị, “E.”
The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”
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.”
The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”
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.
Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realised that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.
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.
But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
