Asomafoɔ 22

1 “Anuanom ne agyanom, montie mʼanoyie yi.”

Brethren and fathers, hear my defense, which I now make before you.

2 Wɔtee sɛ ɔka Arameike no, wɔyɛɛ komm koraa. Paulo toaa so sɛ,

When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept the greater silence. And he said:

3 “Meyɛ Yudani a wɔwoo me wɔ Tarso a ɛwɔ Kilikia. Wɔtetee me wɔ Yerusalem wɔ Gamaliel nan ase. Mesuaa sɛdeɛ wɔdi Yudafoɔ mmara ne wɔn amanneɛ so pɛpɛɛpɛ. Mebɔɔ mmɔden sɛ biribiara a meyɛ no, mede bɛhyɛ Onyankopɔn animuonyam sɛdeɛ mo nyinaa nso reyɛ ɛnnɛ yi.

I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, yet educated in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and instructed according to the strict discipline of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as you all are this day.

4 Metaa nnipa a wɔka ekuo a wɔfrɛ no Ɛkwan no ho no nyinaa ma wɔkunkumm wɔn. Mekyeree mmaa ne mmarima de wɔn guu afiase.

And I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prison both men and women,

5 Ɔsɔfopanin ne agyinatufoɔ no nyinaa di me adanseɛ sɛ, asɛm a mereka yi yɛ nokorɛ. Wɔn nkyɛn mpo na megyee tumi nwoma sɛ mede rekɔma anuanom Yudafoɔ a wɔwɔ Damasko no. Saa nwoma no na anka mɛgyina so makyekyere nnipa a wɔdi Awurade asɛm so no agu wɔn nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn, de wɔn aba Yerusalem na wɔatwe wɔn aso.

as the chief priest and the whole body of elders will testify for me. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring those, also, who were there, bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished.

6 “Owigyinaeɛ a mereyɛ maduru Damasko no, prɛko pɛ, hann bi twa faa me ho.

But it came to pass, that, as I was on my journey, and was drawing near to Damascus, about midday, there suddenly shone from heaven a great light round about me;

7 Metwa hwee fam, na metee nne bi a ɛrebisa me sɛ, ‘Saulo! Saulo! Adɛn enti na wotaa me?’

and I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?

8 “Mebisaa sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ wo hwan, Awurade?’ “Ɛnne no buaa me sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ me Nasareni Yesu a wotaa me no.’

And I answered, Who art thou Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you persecute.

9 Nnipa a na wɔne me nam no hunuu hann no de, nanso wɔante nne a ɛkasa kyerɛɛ me no.

They who were with me saw the light, and were afraid, but did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

10 “Mebisaa sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn na menyɛ, Awurade?’ “Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, ‘Sɔre na kɔ Damasko, na ɛhɔ na mɛkyerɛ wo biribiara a mepɛ sɛ woyɛ.’

And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus, and there you shall be told of all things that are appointed for you to do.

11 Hann no hyerɛn ano den maa mʼani firaeɛ enti nnipa a na me ne wɔn rekɔ no sosɔɔ me nsa de me kɔɔ Damasko.

And as I could not see for the glory of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus.

12 “Na Onipa bi a wɔfrɛ no Anania a ɔdi Mose mmara so a na Yudafoɔ nyinaa di no ni no te Damasko hɔ.

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who had a good report from all the Jews that dwelt there,

13 Ɔbaa me nkyɛn bɛkaa sɛ, ‘Onua Saulo, hunu adeɛ bio!’

came to me, and standing by me, said, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked upon him.

14 “Ɔka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, ‘Yɛn nananom Onyankopɔn ayi wo sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a wobɛyɛ nʼapɛdeɛ na woahunu ɔteneneeni no, na wobɛte nʼankasa ne nne sɛ ɛkasa kyerɛ wo.

And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of his mouth;

15 Wobɛdi adanseɛ afa biribiara a woahunu na woate wɔ Awurade ho no akyerɛ nnipa nyinaa.

for you shall be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

16 Afei, ɛdeɛn na woretwɛn bio? Sɔre na ma wɔmmɔ wo asu nhohoro wo bɔne wɔ Yesu din mu.’

And now, why do you delay? Arise, and be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

17 “Mesane mekɔɔ Yerusalem na merebɔ mpaeɛ wɔ asɔredan mu no,

And it came to pass, after I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance,

18 mehunuu Awurade wɔ anisoadehunu mu na ɔka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, ‘Yɛ ntɛm firi Yerusalem ha, ɛfiri sɛ, nnipa a wɔwɔ ha no rentie adanseɛ a wodi fa me ho no.’

and saw him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me.

19 “Mekaa sɛ, ‘Awurade, wɔn nyinaa nim pefee sɛ mekɔɔ hyiadan mu kɔkyekyeree asuafoɔ, boroo wɔn.

And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I threw into prison, and scourged, in every synagogue, those who believed on thee;

20 Saa ara nso na ɛberɛ a wɔkumm wo danseni Stefano no, na mewɔ hɔ bi. Mepenee ne kum no so, hwɛɛ awudifoɔ no ntoma so.’

and that when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I also stood by and approved, and kept the clothing of those who slew him.

21 “Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, ‘Sɔre na kɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, mɛsoma wo akɔ akyirikyiri, amanamanmufoɔ nkyɛn!’”

And he said to me, Depart, for I will send you far off to the Gentiles.

22 Ɛberɛ a Paulo kaa sɛ wɔasoma no amanamanmufoɔ nkyɛn pɛ, ɛdɔm no hyɛɛ aseɛ teateaam denden sɛ, “Monkum no! Ɔmfata sɛ ɔtena ewiase!”

And they heard him to this word, and lifted up their voice, saying: Away with such a man from the earth! for it is not fit that he should live.

23 Nnipa no kɔɔ so teateaam, hugyaa wɔn ntoma, saa mfuturo, to petee ewiem.

And as they were crying out, and tossing off their clothes, and throwing dust into the air,

24 Roma safohene no hyɛɛ sɛ wɔmfa Paulo nkɔ aban mu, nkɔbɔ no mmaa sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a ɔbɛka deɛ enti a nnipa no nyinaa mpɛ sɛ wɔtie nʼasɛm no.

the officer commanded him to be led into the fortress, and gave orders that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so cried out against him.

25 Ɛberɛ a wɔkyekyeree no wieeɛ a wɔrebɛbɔ no mmaa no, Paulo bisaa ɔsraani panin a na ɔgyina hɔ no sɛ, “Mowɔ ho ɛkwan sɛ mobɔ Romani a wɔnnii nʼasɛm mmuu no fɔ no mmaa anaa?”

But Paul said to the centurion who stood by, as he caused him to be bent forward to the straps: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?

26 Ɛberɛ a ɔsraani panin no tee saa asɛm yi no, ɔkɔɔ ɔsafohene no nkyɛn kɔbisaa no sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na wopɛ sɛ woyɛ yi? Onipa no yɛ Romani!”

And when the centurion heard that, he went out and told it to the officer, saying: What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.

27 Afei, ɔsafohene no kɔɔ Paulo nkyɛn kɔbisaa no sɛ, “Woyɛ Romani anaa?” Paulo buaa no sɛ, “Aane meyɛ Romani.”

And the officer came and said to him: Tell me, are you a Roman? He answered: Yes.

28 Ɔsafohene no kaa sɛ, “Metuaa sika bebree na mede tɔɔ me Roma manbayɛ.” Paulo nso kaa sɛ, “Me de wɔwoo me sɛ Romani.”

And the officer answered: With a great Bum did I purchase this citizenship. And Paul replied: But I was born a citizen.

29 Ntɛm ara, nnipa a na wɔrebɛbisa Paulo nsɛm no twee wɔn ho firii ne nkyɛn. Ɔsafohene no tee sɛ Paulo yɛ Romani no, ɔsuroeɛ sɛ wama wɔagu Paulo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn.

Then, those who were about to examine him, immediately departed from him. And the officer was afraid, when he learned that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

30 Esiane sɛ na ɔsafohene no pɛ sɛ ɔhunu deɛ enti a Yudafoɔ no asɔre atia Paulo no enti, adeɛ kyeeɛ no, ɔhyɛ maa wɔyii Paulo firii nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu. Ɔmaa asɔfoɔ mpanin ne agyinatufoɔ no nyinaa hyiaeɛ. Afei, ɔde Paulo kɔeɛ sɛ wɔnhwehwɛ nʼasɛm no mu.

And, on the next day, wishing to know certainly why he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrim to meet together. And he brought Paul down, and placed him before them.