Ebikolwa by’Abatume 22
1 “Abasajja abooluganda, ne bakadde bange, mumpulirize.”
“Men, brothers and fathers, listen to my defense before you now.”
2 Bwe baawulira ng’ayogera Lwebbulaniya ne beeyongera okusirikira ddala.
When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet, and he said:
3 Pawulo n’abagamba nti, “Ndi Muyudaaya, nazaalibwa mu kibuga Taluso eky’omu Kirukiya, naye ne nkulira wano mu Yerusaalemi. Era mu kibuga muno mwe nayigira ne nzijjumbira amateeka gonna aga bajjajjaffe n’obwegendereza, nga njigirizibwa Gamalyeri. Nafubanga nnyo okuweesa Katonda ekitiibwa mu buli kye nakolanga, nga nammwe bwe mukola leero.
“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, just as you all are today.
4 Nayigganya abantu b’Ekkubo n’okubatuusa ku kufa, ne nkwata abasajja n’abakazi ne mbasibisa mu kkomera.
I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,
5 Era Kabona Asinga Obukulu n’ab’Olukiiko Olukulu be bajulirwa bange. Kubanga nabasaba bawandiikire bannaabwe mu Damasiko ebbaluwa okunnyamba nkwate abaali eyo mbaleete wano mu Yerusaalemi nga mbasibye mu njegere mbaweeyo babonerezebwe.
as also the high priest and all the council of elders can bear me witness. I even obtained letters from them to the brothers in Damascus, to bring those also who were there bound to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “Naye mu ssaawa ez’omu ttuntu bwe nnali nga nsemberera Damasiko, amangwago ekitangaala eky’amaanyi ekyava mu ggulu ne kinjakira okunneetooloola.
Now it happened, as I was going and approaching Damascus, about noon, suddenly a strong light from heaven shone around me.
7 Ne ngwa wansi ku ttaka, ne mpulira eddoboozi nga liŋŋamba nti, ‘Sawulo, Sawulo, onjigganyiza ki?’
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 “Ne mbuuza nti, ‘Ani, Mukama wange?’ “N’anziramu nti, ‘Nze Yesu Omunnazaaleesi gw’oyigganya.’
So I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Natsorean, whom you are persecuting.’
9 Be nnali nabo baalaba ekitangaala, naye eddoboozi ly’oyo eyayogera nange tebaaliwulira.
Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.
10 “Ne mmubuuza nti, ‘Nkole ki, Mukama wange?’ “Mukama waffe n’anziramu nti, ‘Yimuka ogende mu Damasiko, bw’onootuuka eyo ojja kutegeezebwa byonna bye nkutumye okukola.’
So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about all that has been appointed to you to do.’
11 Bannange ne bankwata ku mukono ne bannyingiza mu Damasiko, kubanga ekitiibwa ky’ekitangaala kiri eky’amaanyi kyali kinzibye amaaso.
And since I could not see, because of the brightness of that light, I entered Damascus being led by the hand of those who were with me.
12 “Omusajja omu ayitibwa Ananiya, ng’atya Katonda era ng’agondera amateeka gonna ag’Ekiyudaaya, n’Abayudaaya bonna mu Damasiko nga bamussaamu ekitiibwa,
Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
13 n’ajja okundaba n’ayimirira we ndi n’aŋŋamba nti, ‘Owooluganda Sawulo, zibuka amaaso!’ Mu ssaawa eyo yennyini ne nsobola okumulaba!
came to me, and standing by me said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I looked up at him.
14 “Awo n’aŋŋamba nti, ‘Katonda wa bajjajjaffe akulonze otegeere by’ayagala era olabe Omutuukirivu we, era owulire okuyitibwa okuva mu kamwa ke.
Then he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear words from His mouth.
15 Olituusa obubaka bwe mu bantu bonna ng’obategeeza by’olabye era ne by’owulidde.
For you shall be a witness for Him to all men of the things that you have seen and heard.
16 Kaakano olinda ki? Situka obatizibwe onaazibweko ebibi byo nga bw’oyatudde erinnya lye.’
And now, why hesitate? Get up, be baptized and wash away your sins, invoking the name of the Lord.’
17 “Ne nkomawo mu Yerusaalemi. Naye olunaku lumu bwe nnali mu Yeekaalu nga nsaba, ne mbeera ng’eyeebase,
“Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance
18 ne nfuna okwolesebwa ne ndaba Mukama waffe ng’ayogera nange, n’aŋŋamba nti, ‘Yanguwa mangu ove mu Yerusaalemi, kubanga abantu ba wano tebajja kukkiriza bubaka bwo bw’onoobategeeza obufa ku nze.’
and saw Him saying to me, ‘Hurry up and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.’
19 “Ne nziramu nti, ‘Naye Mukama wange, abantu bonna bamanyi nga bwe nagendanga mu buli kkuŋŋaaniro ne nzigyamu abakukkiriza, ne mbatwala ne bakubwa emiggo n’okusibibwa ne basibibwa mu kkomera.
So I said: ‘Lord, they know that I used to imprison and beat those believing into you, from one synagogue to another;
20 Era n’omujulirwa wo Suteefano bwe yali attibwa nnali nnyimiridde awo era nga mpagira okuttibwa kwe, era nga ndabirira engoye z’abo abaali bamutta.’
and when the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing there and agreeing to his murder, even guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’
21 “Naye Mukama waffe n’aŋŋamba nti, ‘Vva mu Yerusaalemi, kubanga nzija kukutuma mu bitundu bye wala mu baamawanga!’”
And He said to me, ‘Get going, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22 Ekibiina ky’abantu ne bawuliriza Pawulo okutuusa lwe yatuuka ku bigambo ebyo, bonna ne balyoka baleekaanira wamu nti, “Mumuggyeewo! Mumutte! Tasaanira kuba mulamu!”
Well they kept listening to him until this statement, and then they raised their voice and shouted, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for it isn't fitting for him to live!”
23 Ne bawowoggana nnyo nga bwe bakasuka n’engoye zaabwe waggulu mu bbanga, ne bayoola enfuufu nga bagiyiwa mu bbanga.
As they were shouting, tearing off clothes and throwing dust into the air,
24 Omukulu w’abaserikale n’ayingiza Pawulo munda mu nkambi yaabwe, n’alagira akubwemu embooko nga bwe bamubuuza ayogere omusango gwe yazzizza oguleetedde ekibiina kyonna okwecwacwana.
the commander ordered him to be taken into the barracks, directing that he be interrogated with lashes, in order to learn for what crime they kept shouting against him like that.
25 Bwe baali bamugalamizza nga bagenda okumusiba bamukube, Pawulo n’abuuza omuserikale eyali amuyimiridde okumpi nti, “Amateeka gabakkiriza okukuba omuntu Omuruumi nga temunnaba na kumuwozesa?”
But as they stretched him out with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?”
26 Omuserikale n’agenda eri omuduumizi waabwe n’amutegeeza nti, “Kiki kino ky’ogenda okukola? Omusajja ono Muruumi.”
Well when the centurion heard that, he went and reported to the commander saying, “Consider what you are about to do, because this man is a Roman!”
27 Omuduumizi w’abaserikale n’ajja n’abuuza Pawulo nti, “Mbulira, oli Muruumi?” Pawulo n’amuddamu nti, “Yee, bwe kiri.”
So the commander went and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” So he said, “Yes.”
28 Omuduumizi w’abaserikale n’amugamba nti, “Nange ndi Muruumi, naye nabusasulira ensimbi nnyingi.” Pawulo n’amuddamu nti, “Nze mwe nazaalirwa!”
The commander replied, “I acquired this citizenship at considerable cost.” And Paul said, “But I was so born.”
29 Abaserikale abaali beetegese okumubuuza ne baseebulukuka ne bavaawo bwe baategeera nga Pawulo Muruumi, n’omuduumizi waabwe naye n’atya nnyo kubanga yali alagidde okumusiba n’okumukuba kibooko.
So those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately; and even the commander was apprehensive when he realized that he had put chains on a Roman.
30 Enkeera omuduumizi w’abaserikale bwe yayagala okumanyira ddala ensonga Abayudaaya gye bamulanze, n’asumulula Pawulo mu njegere, n’alagira bakabona abakulu bayite Olukiiko lw’Abayudaaya Olukulu lutuule. N’alagira Pawulo aleetebwe mu Lukiiko ensonga Abayudaaya gye bamuvunaana eryoke etegeerebwe.
But the next day, desiring to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds and ordered the chief priests and all their council to come, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
