< Asomafo 23 >

1 Paulo hwɛɛ agyinatufo no dinn kae se, “Anuanom, ahonim pa na mede ayɛ Onyankopɔn adwuma de abesi nnɛ da yi.”
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 Anania a na ɔyɛ Ɔsɔfopanyin no hyɛɛ nnipa a na wogyina Paulo ho no se wɔmmɔ nʼano so.
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;
3 Paulo ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Wo a wote sɛ ɔfasu a wɔasra ho fitaa, Onyankopɔn bɛbɔ wo. Wote ha de mmara rebu me atɛn, nanso wubu mmara no so hyɛ sɛ wɔmmɔ me!”
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 Nnipa a na wogyina Paulo nkyɛn no bisaa no se, “Sɛɛ na ɛsɛ sɛ wokasa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn sɔfopanyin?”
The people standing near said to Paul, “Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?”
5 Paulo buaa wɔn se, “Anuanom, minnim sɛ ɔyɛ Ɔsɔfopanyin. Kyerɛwsɛm no ka se, ‘Monnkasa ntia wɔn a wodi mo so.’”
“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 Bere a Paulo huu sɛ nnipa no bi yɛ Sadukifo na bi yɛ Farisifo no, ɔteɛɛ mu wɔ agyinatufo no anim se, “Me nuanom, meyɛ Farisini. Mʼawofo yɛ Farisifo. Gyidi a mewɔ wɔ awufosɔre mu no nti na migyina ha ama wɔredi mʼasɛm yi.”
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 Asɛm a Paulo kae yi maa ntawntaw sii Farisifo ne Sadukifo no ntam maa wɔn mu kyɛɛ abien
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 efisɛ na Sadukifo no nnye owusɔre, abɔfo ne honhom nni. Nanso Farisifo no de, wogye saa nneɛma abiɛsa no di.
(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 Nteɛteɛmu no kɔɔ so kosii sɛ Kyerɛwsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfo no mu bi a wɔyɛ Farisifo no sɔre gyinaa hɔ kae se, “Yenhu bɔne biara a saa onipa yi ayɛ! Ebia honhom anaa ɔbɔfo na ɔkasa kyerɛɛ no!”
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 Akasakasa no mu yɛɛ den maa ɔsafohene no suroo sɛ anhwɛ a wɔbɛtetew Paulo mu; ɛno nti ɔhyɛɛ nʼasraafo sɛ, wɔnkɔ nnipa no mu na wonkogye Paulo mfi wɔn nsam mfa no nkɔ aban mu.
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 Anadwo no, Awurade begyinaa Paulo nkyɛn ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Nsuro! Sɛnea woadi me ho adanse wɔ Yerusalem ha no, saa ara nso na kodi me ho adanse wɔ Roma.”
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 Ade kyee no, Yudafo bi hyia kaa ntam, dii nsew sɛ wɔrennidi na wɔrennom nso kosi sɛ wobekum Paulo.
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 Na saa nnipa no dodow bɛboro aduanan.
There were more than forty in the plot;
14 Afei wɔkɔɔ asɔfo mpanyin ne mpanyin no nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Yɛaka ntam adi nsew sɛ hwee renka yɛn ano kosi sɛ yebekum Paulo.
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 Mo ne agyinatufo no nsoma nkɔ Roma ɔsafohene no nkyɛn nhyɛ da nka se, mopɛ sɛ mubisa nea Paulo ayɛ no mu yiye enti ɔmma wɔmfa no mmra mo anim. Ansa na wɔde no bedu hɔ no na yɛakum no dedaw.”
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 Nanso Paulo wɔfaase bi tee pɔw a wɔabɔ no nti ɔkɔɔ aban mu hɔ kɔbɔɔ Paulo amanneɛ.
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
17 Paulo frɛɛ asraafo mpanyin no mu baako ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Wo ne aberante yi nkɔ ɔsahene no nkyɛn efisɛ ɔwɔ asɛm bi ka kyerɛ no.”
Paul called one of the garrison centurion and asked him to take the lad to the commanding officer, as he had something to tell him.
18 Ɔsraani panyin no ne aberante no kɔɔ ɔsahene no nkyɛn. Woduu hɔ no, ɔka kyerɛɛ ɔsahene no se, “Paulo a ɔda afiase no asoma me sɛ memfa aberante yi mmehu wo na ɔwɔ asɛm bi ka kyerɛ wo.”
The centurion went with the lad to the commanding officer, and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this lad to you, as he has something to tell you.”
19 Ɔsahene no soo aberante no nsa de no kogyinaa nkyɛn baabi bisaa no se, “Asɛm bɛn na wowɔ ka kyerɛ me?”
The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
20 Aberante no ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Yudafo mpanyin no abɔ pɔw sɛ ɔkyena wɔbɛhyɛ da abɛsrɛ wo na woama wɔde Paulo abrɛ agyinatufo no sɛ wɔrebebisa no ne nsɛm no mu yiye.
“Some men have agreed,” answered the lad, “to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council tomorrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.
21 Mma wɔnnaadaa wo. Efisɛ mmarima bɛboro aduanan bi a wɔaka ntam adi nsew sɛ wɔremfa hwee nka wɔn ano kosi sɛ wobenya Paulo akum no no bɛtetew no wɔ ɔkwan so. Nea wɔretwɛn ara ne sɛ wobɛma ho kwan.”
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 Ɔsafohene no gyaa aberante no kwan ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Nka nkyerɛ obiara sɛ woabɛka asɛm biara akyerɛ me.”
The commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
23 Ɔsahene no frɛɛ nʼasraafo mpanyimfo baanu ka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Mompɛ asraafo ahannu ne apɔnkɔsotefo ne mpeawkurafo ahannu na mumfi ha anadwo nnɔnkron yi ara nkɔ Kaesarea.
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 Mompɛ ɔpɔnkɔ mma Paulo na momfa no nkɔma Amrado Felike dwoodwoo.”
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 Afei, ɔsahene no kyerɛw nhoma a emu nsɛm ka se:
He also wrote a letter along these lines:
26 Me Klaudio Lisia a Merekyerɛw wo Onuonyamfo Amrado Felike saa nhoma yi: Kyia wo!
‘Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
27 Yudafo kyeree saa ɔbarima yi a anka wɔrekum no, nanso metee sɛ ɔyɛ Romani no, me ne mʼasraafo kogyee no fii wɔn nsam.
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 Mepɛɛ sɛ mihu bɔne ko a wayɛ, enti mede no kɔmaa wɔn agyinatufo no.
Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 Mihui sɛ ɔnyɛɛ biribiara a ɛsɛ sɛ wogyina so kum no anaasɛ wɔde no to afiase. Asɛm a wɔka too ne so no fa wɔn mmara ho.
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 Ɛno nti bere a metee sɛ Yudafo bi abɔ ne ho pɔw sɛ wɔbɛtɛw no akum no no, meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mede no bɛbrɛ wo. Maka akyerɛ wɔn a wɔwɔ asɛm bi ka tia no no sɛ, wɔmmra wʼanim mmɛka.
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 Asraafo no yɛɛ biribiara a wɔhyɛɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnyɛ no. Anadwo no ara wɔde Paulo kɔɔ Antipatri.
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
32 Ade kyee no asraafo a wɔnam fam no san wɔn akyi, na wɔn a wɔte apɔnkɔ so no toaa so kɔɔ Kaesarea.
and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 Woduu no wɔde nhoma no maa Amrado no de Paulo hyɛɛ ne nsa.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 Amrado no kenkan nhoma no wiee no obisaa Paulo ɔman ko a ofi mu. Ɔtee sɛ ofi Kilikia no,
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 ɔkae se, “Wɔn a wɔwɔ asɛm bi ka tia wo no ba a na metie wʼasɛm.” Afei ɔhyɛe se wɔmfa Paulo nkɔ Herode ahemfi na asraafo nwɛn no.
“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.

< Asomafo 23 >