Ebikolwa by’Abatume 22
1 “Abasajja abooluganda, ne bakadde bange, mumpulirize.”
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence [which I make] now unto you.
2 Bwe baawulira ng’ayogera Lwebbulaniya ne beeyongera okusirikira ddala.
(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith, )
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 verily a man [which am] a Jew, born in Tarsus, [a city] in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, [and] taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4 Nayigganya abantu b’Ekkubo n’okubatuusa ku kufa, ne nkwata abasajja n’abakazi ne mbasibisa mu kkomera.
And I persecuted this way unto 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 doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for 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.
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 Ne ngwa wansi ku ttaka, ne mpulira eddoboozi nga liŋŋamba nti, ‘Sawulo, Sawulo, onjigganyiza ki?’
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 “Ne mbuuza nti, ‘Ani, Mukama wange?’ “N’anziramu nti, ‘Nze Yesu Omunnazaaleesi gw’oyigganya.’
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 Be nnali nabo baalaba ekitangaala, naye eddoboozi ly’oyo eyayogera nange tebaaliwulira.
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake 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.’
And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 Bannange ne bankwata ku mukono ne bannyingiza mu Damasiko, kubanga ekitiibwa ky’ekitangaala kiri eky’amaanyi kyali kinzibye amaaso.
And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 “Omusajja omu ayitibwa Ananiya, ng’atya Katonda era ng’agondera amateeka gonna ag’Ekiyudaaya, n’Abayudaaya bonna mu Damasiko nga bamussaamu ekitiibwa,
And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt [there],
13 n’ajja okundaba n’ayimirira we ndi n’aŋŋamba nti, ‘Owooluganda Sawulo, zibuka amaaso!’ Mu ssaawa eyo yennyini ne nsobola okumulaba!
Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 “Awo n’aŋŋamba nti, ‘Katonda wa bajjajjaffe akulonze otegeere by’ayagala era olabe Omutuukirivu we, era owulire okuyitibwa okuva mu kamwa ke.
And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 Olituusa obubaka bwe mu bantu bonna ng’obategeeza by’olabye era ne by’owulidde.
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16 Kaakano olinda ki? Situka obatizibwe onaazibweko ebibi byo nga bw’oyatudde erinnya lye.’
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
17 “Ne nkomawo mu Yerusaalemi. Naye olunaku lumu bwe nnali mu Yeekaalu nga nsaba, ne mbeera ng’eyeebase,
And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was 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 unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy 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.
And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
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 thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21 “Naye Mukama waffe n’aŋŋamba nti, ‘Vva mu Yerusaalemi, kubanga nzija kukutuma mu bitundu bye wala mu baamawanga!’”
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto 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!”
And they gave him audience unto this word, and [then] lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a [fellow] from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23 Ne bawowoggana nnyo nga bwe bakasuka n’engoye zaabwe waggulu mu bbanga, ne bayoola enfuufu nga bagiyiwa mu bbanga.
And as they cried out, and cast off [their] clothes, and threw 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 chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
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?”
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 Omuserikale n’agenda eri omuduumizi waabwe n’amutegeeza nti, “Kiki kino ky’ogenda okukola? Omusajja ono Muruumi.”
When the centurion heard [that], he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for 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.”
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28 Omuduumizi w’abaserikale n’amugamba nti, “Nange ndi Muruumi, naye nabusasulira ensimbi nnyingi.” Pawulo n’amuddamu nti, “Nze mwe nazaalirwa!”
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was [free] 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.
Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
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.
On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from [his] bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.
