Ọrụ Ndị Ozi 23
1 Mgbe Pọl legidere ndị nzukọ a anya, ọ sịrị, “Ụmụnna m, mụ onwe m ejirila ezi akọnuche bie ndụ m niile nʼihu Chineke ruokwa ụbọchị taa.”
Paul fixed his eyes on the Council, and began: ‘Brothers, for my part, I have always ordered my life before God, with a clear conscience, up to this very day.’
2 Nke a mere, Ananayas onyeisi nchụaja nyere iwu ka ndị nọ ya nso tie ya aka nʼọnụ.
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;
3 Ma Pọl, sịrị ya, “Otu a ka Chineke ga-esi tie gị, gị mgbidi e tere nzu. Ụdị onye ikpe dị aṅaa ka ị bụ i ji na-emebi iwu nʼonwe gị site nʼinye iwu ka e si otu a tie m ihe?”
Paul turned to him and said: ‘God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?’
4 Ndị guzo ya nso sịrị, “Ị na-ekwutọ onyeisi nchụaja Chineke?”
The people standing near said to Paul, ‘Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?’
5 Ma Pọl sịrị, “Aghọtaghị m, ụmụnna m na ọ bụ onyeisi nchụaja. Nʼihi na akwụkwọ nsọ kwuru sị, ‘Ekwula okwu ọjọọ ọbụla megide onye na-achị ndị nke gị.’”
‘I did not know, brothers, that it was the high priest,’ said Paul, ‘for scripture says – “Of the ruler of your people you should speak no ill”.’
6 Mgbe Pọl chọpụtara na otu ụzọ nʼime nzukọ ahụ bụ ndị otu Sadusii, ebe ndị ọzọ bụkwa ndị Farisii, o tiri mkpu nʼime nnọkọ ahụ sị, “Ụmụnna m, abụ m onye Farisii na nwa ndị Farisii. A na-ekpe m ikpe taa nʼihi olileanya m nwere na mbilite nʼọnwụ nke ndị nwụrụ anwụ.”
Noticing that some of those present were Sadducees and others Pharisees, Paul called out in the Council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees. It is on the question of hope for the dead and of their resurrection that I am on my trial.’
7 Mgbe o kwusiri nke a esemokwu dapụtara nʼetiti ndị Farisii na ndị Sadusii. Ọgbakọ ahụ kewara.
As soon as he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and there was a sharp division of opinion among those present.
8 Nʼihi na ndị Sadusii na-asị na mbilite nʼọnwụ maọbụ mmụọ ozi maọbụ mmụọ ọbụla adịghị. Ma ndị Farisii kweere nʼihe ndị a niile.
(For Sadducees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)
9 Mkpọtụ malitere na-ada ike ike. Ụfọdụ ndị ozizi iwu so nʼotu ndị Farisii biliri ọtọ malite ịrụ ụka nʼoke olu sị, “Anyị ahụghị ihe ọjọọ nʼebe nwoke a nọ, ma gịnịkwa ma ọ bụrụ na ọ bụ mmụọ, maọbụ mmụọ ozi gwara ya okwu?”
So a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teachers of the Law belonging to the Pharisees’ party stood up and hotly protested, ‘We find nothing whatever wrong in this man. Suppose a spirit did speak to him, or an angel…’
10 Esemokwu a bịara karịa, nke mere na onyeisi ọchịagha tụrụ egwu na ha ga-adọkasị Pọl. Ọ gwara ndị agha ya ka ha banye were ike kpọpụta ya, ziga ya nʼogige ndị agha.
The dispute was becoming so violent, that the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces between them, ordered the Guard to go down and rescue him from them, and take him into the Fort.
11 Nʼabalị ya, Onyenwe anyị bịakwutere ya sị, “Nwee obi ike, dịka i si gbaa ama banyere m na Jerusalem, ị ghaghị ịgbakwara m ama na Rom.”
That night the Lord came and stood by Paul, and said, ‘Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem and you must bear witness in Rome also.’
12 Nʼụtụtụ echi ya ụfọdụ ndị Juu zukọtara gbaa izu, ṅụọkwa iyi na ha agaghị eri nri maọbụ ṅụọ ihe ọbụla tutu ruo mgbe ha gburu Pọl.
In the morning some Jewish men combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Ndị zukọtara gbaa izu ọjọọ a karịrị iri mmadụ anọ.
There were more than forty in the plot;
14 Ha jekwuuru ndịisi nchụaja ha na ndị okenye, sị ha, “Anyị kwekọtara ịhapụ iri maọbụ ịṅụ ihe ọbụla tutu ruo mgbe anyị gburu Pọl.
and they went to the chief priests and the elders, and said, ‘We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food until we have killed Paul.
15 Ugbu a, unu na nzukọ zienụ onyeisi ọchịagha ka ọ kpọpụtara unu ya. Meenụ ka unu na-achọ ịjụpụtasị eziokwu nʼọnụ ya nakwa itule ikpe ya nke ọma. Anyị dị njikere igbu ya nʼụzọ tupu ọ bịaruo unu nso.”
So we want you now, with the consent of the Council, to suggest to the commanding officer that he should bring Paul down before you, as though you intended to go more fully into his case; but, before he comes here, we will be ready to make away with him.’
16 Ma nwa nwanne nwanyị Pọl nụrụ maka izuzu ọjọọ a. Ọ banyere nʼogige ndị agha kọọrọ Pọl.
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
17 Pọl kpọrọ otu nʼime ndịisi agha ahụ gwa ya, “Biko kpọrọ nwokorobịa a gaa nʼebe ọchịagha nọ, o nwere okwu dị mkpa ọ chọrọ ịgwa ya.”
Paul called one of the garrison centurion and asked him to take the young man to the commanding officer, as he had something to tell him.
18 Ọ kpọọrọ ya jekwuru onyeisi agha, sị. “Pọl, onye mkpọrọ, kpọrọ m rịọ m ka m kpọtara gị nwokorobịa a nʼihi na o nwere ihe ọ chọrọ ịgwa gị.”
The centurion went with him to the commanding officer, and said, ‘The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you, as he has something to tell you.’
19 Onyeisi agha ahụ duuru ya nʼaka ya gaa nʼakụkụ ọzọ jụọ ya, “Gịnị bụ ihe ị chọrọ ịkọrọ m?”
The commanding officer took the young man by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
20 Ọ sịrị, “Ndị Juu ụfọdụ ekwekọrịtala ịrịọ gị ka ị kpọpụta Pọl echi na nzukọ ụlọ ikpe. Ha ga-eme dịka ha nwere ihe dị mkpa ha chọrọ ịjụta ya.
‘Some men have agreed,’ he answered, ‘to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council tomorrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.
21 Ma aṅala ha ntị. Nʼihi na ihe karịrị iri mmadụ anọ na-ezo onwe ha na-eche inwude ya. Ndị a gbara ndụ na ha agaghị eri maọbụ ṅụọ ihe ọbụla tutu ruo mgbe ha gburu ya. Ha adịla njikere, ihe a na-eche bụ mkpebi gị nye arịrịọ ha.”
But do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, who have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink, until they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting on your promise.’
22 Ọchịagha ahụ zilagara nwokorobịa ahụ site nʼinye ya iwu, “Emekwala ka onye ọbụla mata na ị bịara gwa m ihe dị otu a.”
The commanding officer then dismissed the young man, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
23 Mgbe e mesịrị, ọ kpọrọ mmadụ abụọ nʼime ndịisi agha nye ha iwu sị, “Gaanụ jikere narị ndị agha abụọ, na iri mmadụ asaa ndị na-agba ịnyịnya, tinyere narị ndị ikom abụọ ndị na-ama ùbe, ndị ga-aga Sizaria nʼelekere itoolu nke abalị a.
Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o’clock that night,
24 Nyekwa Pọl ịnyịnya nke ọ ga-agba, ka e nwee ike duru ya gakwuru Feliks bụ gọvanọ nʼudo.”
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 O dere akwụkwọ nʼolu dị otu a:
He also wrote a letter along these lines:
26 Klọdiọs Lisias, Na-edegara Feliks onye nsọpụrụ na-adịrị, onye na-achị akụkụ a. Ana m ekele gị.
“Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
27 Ndị Juu jidere nwoke a chọọ igbu ya, ma mgbe m nụrụ na ọ bụ onye Rom, mụ na ndị agha m bịara napụta ya nʼaka ha.
The man whom I send with this had been seized by some Jews, and was on the point of being killed by them, when I came upon them with the force under my command, and rescued him, as I learned that he was a Roman citizen.
28 Achọrọ m ịmata ihe mere ha ji ebo ya ebubo, nʼihi ya eduuru m ya gaa nʼọgbakọ ndị okenye ha.
Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 Ma achọpụtara m na ọ bụ ihe banyere iwu ha. Nʼeziokwu, o nweghị ihe ọbụla kwesiri iji tụọ ya mkpọrọ maọbụ ọnwụ nʼime ebubo ahụ.
when I found that their charges were connected with questions of their own Law, and that there was nothing alleged involving either death or imprisonment.
30 Mgbe a gwara m banyere izuzu a na-agba megide nwoke a, ezitere m gị ya nʼegbughị oge. Enyekwara m ndị niile na-ebo ya ebubo iwu, ka ha bịa nʼihu gị kpee ọnụ ha.
Having, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.”
31 Ya mere, nʼabalị ahụ, ndị agha dubatara Pọl na Antipatris dịka e nyere ha nʼiwu.
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
32 Nʼechi ya, ha hapụrụ ya na ndị na-agba nʼelu ịnyịnya ka ha duru ya gawa, ebe ha laghachiri nʼogige ndị agha.
and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 Mgbe ha bịarutere Sizaria, ha nyere onyeisi obodo ahụ akwụkwọ ozi, ma kpọnyekwa ya Pọl.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 Gọvanọ ahụ gụrụ akwụkwọ ozi ahụ, jụọ ya akụkụ ala o si pụta. Mgbe ọ matara na ọ bụ onye Silisia,
As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said,
35 ọ sịrị ya, “Aga m enye okwu gị ezigbo ohere mgbe ndị na-ebo gị ebubo bịara.” O nyekwara iwu ka e debe ya nʼobi Herọd nʼaka ndị nche.
‘I will hear all you have to say as soon as your accusers have arrived.’ And he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in Herod’s Government house.
