< Asomafo 23 >

1 Paulo hwɛɛ agyinatufo no dinn kae se, “Anuanom, ahonim pa na mede ayɛ Onyankopɔn adwuma de abesi nnɛ da yi.”
Paul looked directly at the council members and said, “Brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience until this day.”
2 Anania a na ɔyɛ Ɔsɔfopanyin no hyɛɛ nnipa a na wogyina Paulo ho no se wɔmmɔ nʼano so.
The high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him 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!”
Then said Paul to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall. Are you sitting to judge me by the law, yet order me to be struck, against the law?”
4 Nnipa a na wogyina Paulo nkyɛn no bisaa no se, “Sɛɛ na ɛsɛ sɛ wokasa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn sɔfopanyin?”
Those who stood by said, “Is this how you insult 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.’”
Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was high priest. For it is written, You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.”
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.”
When Paul saw that the one part of the council were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he spoke loudly in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is because I have the certain hope of the resurrection of the dead that I am being judged.”
7 Asɛm a Paulo kae yi maa ntawntaw sii Farisifo ne Sadukifo no ntam maa wɔn mu kyɛɛ abien
When he said this, an argument began between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the crowd was divided.
8 efisɛ na Sadukifo no nnye owusɔre, abɔfo ne honhom nni. Nanso Farisifo no de, wogye saa nneɛma abiɛsa no di.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, no angels, and no spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge all of them.
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 large uproar occurred, and some of the scribes belonging to the Pharisees stood up and argued, saying, “We find nothing wrong with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”
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.
When there arose a great argument, the chief captain feared that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, so he commanded the soldiers to go down and take him by force from among the council members, and bring him into the fortress.
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.”
The following night the Lord stood beside him and said, “Do not be afraid, for as you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”
12 Ade kyee no, Yudafo bi hyia kaa ntam, dii nsew sɛ wɔrennidi na wɔrennom nso kosi sɛ wobekum Paulo.
When it became day, some Jews formed a conspiracy and called a curse down upon themselves with an oath not to eat nor drink anything until they had killed Paul.
13 Na saa nnipa no dodow bɛboro aduanan.
There were more than forty men who formed this conspiracy.
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.
They went to the chief priests and the elders and said, “We have put ourselves under a great curse, to eat nothing 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.”
Now, therefore, let the council tell the chief captain to bring him down to you, as if you would decide his case more precisely. As for us, we are ready to kill him before he comes here.”
16 Nanso Paulo wɔfaase bi tee pɔw a wɔabɔ no nti ɔkɔɔ aban mu hɔ kɔbɔɔ Paulo amanneɛ.
But Paul's sister's son heard that they were lying in wait, so he went and entered the fortress and told Paul.
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 centurions and said, “Take this young man to the chief captain, for he has 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.”
So the centurion took the young man and brought him to the chief captain and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him, and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.”
19 Ɔsahene no soo aberante no nsa de no kogyinaa nkyɛn baabi bisaa no se, “Asɛm bɛn na wowɔ ka kyerɛ me?”
The chief captain took him by the hand to a private place and asked him, “What is it that you have to tell me?”
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.
The young man said, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring down Paul tomorrow to the council, as if they were going to ask more precisely about 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 give in to them, because there are more than forty men who are lying in wait for him. They have called a curse down on themselves, neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him. Even now they are ready, waiting for consent from you.”
22 Ɔsafohene no gyaa aberante no kwan ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Nka nkyerɛ obiara sɛ woabɛka asɛm biara akyerɛ me.”
So the chief captain let the young man go, after instructing him, “Tell no one that you have said these things to me.”
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 to him two of the centurions and said, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go as far as Caesarea, and seventy horsemen also, and two hundred spearmen. You will leave at the third hour of the night.”
24 Mompɛ ɔpɔnkɔ mma Paulo na momfa no nkɔma Amrado Felike dwoodwoo.”
He also ordered them to provide animals which Paul could ride, and to take him safely to Felix the governor.
25 Afei, ɔsahene no kyerɛw nhoma a emu nsɛm ka se:
Then he wrote a letter like this:
26 Me Klaudio Lisia a Merekyerɛw wo Onuonyamfo Amrado Felike saa nhoma yi: Kyia wo!
“Claudius Lysias to the most excellent Governor Felix, greetings.
27 Yudafo kyeree saa ɔbarima yi a anka wɔrekum no, nanso metee sɛ ɔyɛ Romani no, me ne mʼasraafo kogyee no fii wɔn nsam.
This man was arrested by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, when I came upon them with soldiers and rescued him, since I learned that he was a Roman citizen.
28 Mepɛɛ sɛ mihu bɔne ko a wayɛ, enti mede no kɔmaa wɔn agyinatufo no.
I wanted to know why they accused him, so I took him down to 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.
I learned that he was being accused about questions concerning their own law, but that there was no accusation against him that deserved 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.
Then it was made known to me that there was a plot against the man, so I immediately sent him to you, and instructed his accusers also to bring their charges against him in your presence. Farewell.”
31 Asraafo no yɛɛ biribiara a wɔhyɛɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnyɛ no. Anadwo no ara wɔde Paulo kɔɔ Antipatri.
So the soldiers obeyed their orders. They took Paul and brought 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.
On the next day, most of the soldiers left the horsemen to go with him and they themselves returned to the fortress.
33 Woduu no wɔde nhoma no maa Amrado no de Paulo hyɛɛ ne nsa.
When the horsemen reached Caesarea and delivered the letter to the governor, they also presented Paul to him.
34 Amrado no kenkan nhoma no wiee no obisaa Paulo ɔman ko a ofi mu. Ɔtee sɛ ofi Kilikia no,
When the governor read the letter, he asked what province Paul was from. When he learned that he was from Cilicia,
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.
he said, “I will hear you fully when your accusers come here.” Then he commanded him to be kept in Herod's government headquarters.

< Asomafo 23 >