Ọrụ Ndị Ozi 25
1 Mgbe ụbọchị atọ gasịrị site nʼoge Festọs bịara na mpaghara ọchịchị ya, o sitere Sizaria garuo Jerusalem.
Three days after Festus had arrived in his province, he left Caesarea and went up to Jerusalem.
2 Nʼebe ahụ ka ndịisi nchụaja na ndịisi ndị Juu kọwara ya ihe banyere Pọl.
There the chief priests and the leading men among the Jews laid an information before him against Paul,
3 Ha rịọkwara ya nʼamara ọ ga-emere ha bụ ime ka Pọl bịa na Jerusalem. Nʼihi na ha agbaala izu igbu ya nʼụzọ.
and asked a favor of him, to Paul’s injury – to have Paul brought to Jerusalem. All the while they were plotting to make away with him on the road.
4 Ma Festọs zara, “Pọl nọ dịka onye mkpọrọ na Sizaria. Ebe ahụ ka mụ onwe m ga-alaghachi na mgbe na-adịghị anya.
But Festus answered that Paul was in prison at Caesarea, and that he himself would be leaving for that place shortly.
5 Ya mere, ka ndịisi unu ji ikike soro m gaa, boo nwoke ahụ ebubo ma ọ bụrụ na o nwere ihe ọjọọ o mere.”
“So let the influential men among you,” he said, “go down with me, and if there is anything amiss in the man, charge him formally with it.”
6 Ọ nọnyeere ha ihe dịka ụbọchị asatọ maọbụ ụbọchị iri, tupu ọ laghachi na Sizaria. Nʼụbọchị so ya, ọ nọdụrụ nʼoche ikpe, nye ikike ka a kpọpụta Pọl.
After staying among them some eight or ten days, Festus went down to Caesarea. The next day he took his seat on the Bench, and ordered Paul to be brought before him.
7 Mgbe ọ bịaruru, ndị Juu sitere Jerusalem bịa gbara ya gburugburu na-ekwu ọtụtụ ihe megide ya nke ha na-enweghị ike ịkọwa.
On Paul’s appearance, the Jewish leaders who had come down from Jerusalem surrounded him, and made many serious charges, which they failed to establish.
8 Ma Pọl gọọrọ onwe ya, na-asị, “Ọ dịghị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla m mere megide iwu ndị Juu maọbụ ụlọnsọ, maọbụ Siza.”
Paul’s answer to the charge was – ‘I have not committed any offense against the Jewish Law, or the Temple, or the Emperor.’
9 Ma ebe Festọs na-achọ inwe ihuọma nʼebe ndị Juu nọ, ọ sịrị Pọl, “Ị chọrọ ịga Jerusalem ka m kpee gị ikpe nʼebe ahụ?”
But, as Festus wished to gain popularity with the Jews, he interrupted Paul with the question, “Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and be tried on these charges before me there?”
10 Ma Pọl sịrị, “Eguzo m nʼụlọikpe Siza nʼonwe ya, ebe e kwesiri ka a nọdụ kpee m ikpe. Ọ dịghị ihe ọjọọ ọbụla m mere ndị Juu, dịka ị maara nke ọma.
“No,” replied Paul, “I am standing at the Emperor’s court, where I ought to be tried. I have not wronged the Jews, as you yourself are well aware.
11 Ọ bụrụ na ọ dị ihe m mere kwesiri ọnwụ, anaghị m arịọ ka m gbanarị ọnwụ. Ma ọ bụrụ na ọ dịghị eziokwu dị nʼebubo ndị Juu a na-ebo m, mmadụ ọbụla agaghị e were m nyefee nʼaka ha. Ya mere, ọ bụ Siza ka m na-akpọku.”
If, however, I am breaking the law and have committed any offense deserving death, I do not ask to escape the penalty; but, if there is nothing in the accusations of these people, no one has the power to give me up to them. I appeal to the Emperor.”
12 Ya mere, mgbe Festọs na ndị na-adụ ya ọdụ gbara izu, ọ zara, “Ị kpọkuola Siza, ọ bụkwa Siza ka ị ga-agakwuru.”
Festus, after conferring with his Council, answered, “You have appealed to the Emperor; to the Emperor you will go.”
13 Mgbe ụbọchị ole na ole gasịrị, eze Agripa na Benaisi bịara Sizaria ịnabata Festọs.
Some days later King Agrippa and Bernice came down to Caesarea, and paid a visit of congratulation to Festus;
14 Mgbe ha nọrọ ọtụtụ ụbọchị nʼebe ahụ, Festọs kọwara eze a ọnọdụ Pọl sị, “Ọ dị nwoke Feliks hapụrụ nʼụlọ mkpọrọ nʼebe a.
and, as they were staying there for several days, Festus laid Paul’s case before the king. “There is a man here,” he said, “left a prisoner by Felix,
15 Mgbe m gara Jerusalem, ndịisi nchụaja na ndị okenye ndị Juu gwara m banyere ya. Ha rịọkwara ka m maa ya ikpe.
about whom, when I came to Jerusalem, the Jewish chief priest and the elders laid an information, demanding judgment against him.
16 “Ma emere m ka ha ghọta na o megidere iwu ndị Rom ịrara mmadụ ọbụla nye tupu ekpee ya ikpe nyekwa ya ohere ịgọrọ onwe ya nʼihu ndị na-ebo ya ebubo.
My answer to them was, that it was not the practice of Romans to give up anyone to their accusers until the accused had met them face to face, and had also had an opportunity of answering the charges brought against them.
17 Nʼihi nke a, mgbe ha bịara nʼebe a, atụfughị m oge ọbụla, kama nʼụbọchị nke ọzọ ya, anọdụrụ m nʼoche ikpe, nye ikike ka a kpọbata nwoke ahụ.
So they met here, and without loss of time I took my seat on the Bench the very next day, and ordered the man to be brought before me.
18 Mgbe ndị na-ebo ya ebubo biliri, ọ dịghị otu nʼime ụrụ ala ndị m chere ha ga-akpọ aha nke ha gụpụtara na o mere.
But, when his accusers came forward, they brought no charge of wrongdoing such as I had expected;
19 Okwu ha niile bụ ịrụ ụka banyere okpukpe ha, na banyere otu onye ọzọ a na-akpọ Jisọs onye nwụrụ, onye Pọl na-ekwusịkwa ike na ọ dị ndụ.
but I found that there were certain questions in dispute between them about their own religion, and about some dead man called Jesus, whom Paul declared to be alive.
20 Ọ rara m ahụ imedo okwu dị otu a. Nʼihi ya, a jụrụ m ya ma ọ ga-amasị ya ị ga nʼụlọikpe dị na Jerusalem ka ọ nọrọ nʼebe ahụ gọrọ onwe ya.
And, as I was at a loss how to enquire into questions of this kind, I asked Paul if he were willing to go up to Jerusalem, and be put on trial there.
21 Ma Pọl rịọrọ ka e debe ya nʼụlọ mkpọrọ ruo mgbe Siza nʼonwe ya ga-ekpebi ikpe ya. Ya mere, ezighachiri m ya nʼụlọ mkpọrọ tutu ruo mgbe m jikeere izigara ya Siza.”
Paul, however, appealed to have his case reserved for the consideration of his August Majesty, so I ordered him to be detained in custody, until I could send him to the Emperor.”
22 Agripa gwara Festọs, “Achọrọ m ịnụ okwu site nʼọnụ nwoke a nʼonwe ya.” Ọ sịrị, “Ị ga-anụ ya echi.”
“I should like to hear this man myself,” Agrippa said to Festus. “You will hear him tomorrow,” Festus answered.
23 Ya mere, nʼechi ya, Agripa na Benaisi rutere nʼụlọ ọha na-anọ anụ ikpe nʼoke nganga. Ọtụtụ ndịisi agha na ndị a maara aha ha nʼobodo a sooro ha. Festọs nyere iwu ka a kpọbata Pọl.
So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come in full state and had entered the Audience Chamber, with the superior officers and the principal people of the city, by the order of Festus Paul was brought before them.
24 Festọs sịrị, “Eze Agripa na ndị niile soro anyị nọrọ nʼebe a, unu ahụla nwoke a onye ọha ndị Juu niile, ma ndị nọ nʼebe a ma ndị nọ na Jerusalem, wetara ikpe ya nʼaka m na-eti mkpu na o kwesighị ịdị ndụ ọzọ.
Then Festus said, “King Agrippa, and all here present, you see before you the man about whom the whole Jewish people have applied to me, both at Jerusalem and here, loudly asserting that he ought not to be allowed to live.
25 Ma achọpụtaghị m ihe ọjọọ o mere nke kwesiri ka ọ nwụọ. Ma ebe ọ rịọrọ ka Siza lenye ikpe ya anya, ekpebiri m iziga ya.
I found, however, that he had not done anything deserving death; so, as he had himself appealed to his August Majesty, I decided to send him.
26 Ma enweghị m ihe ọbụla doro anya m ga-edegara Siza banyere ya. Ya mere m jiri kpọpụta ya nʼihu unu niile, ma karịsịa nʼihu gị onwe gị eze Agripa, ka ọ ga-abụ anyị tulesịa ihe banyere ya, ka m nwee ihe m ga-ede.
But I have nothing definite to write about him to my Imperial Master; and for that reason I have brought him before you all, and especially before you, King Agrippa, that, after examining him, I may have something to write.
27 Nʼihi na ọ bụ ihe na-ezighị ezi na m ga-ezipụ onye mkpọrọ na-egosighị nʼebubo e boro ya.”
For it seems to me absurd to send a prisoner, without at the same time stating the charges made against him.”
