Asomafoɔ 22
1 “Anuanom ne agyanom, montie mʼanoyie yi.”
“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
2 Wɔtee sɛ ɔka Arameike no, wɔyɛɛ komm koraa. Paulo toaa so sɛ,
When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,
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, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today.
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.
I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
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 high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “Owigyinaeɛ a mereyɛ maduru Damasko no, prɛko pɛ, hann bi twa faa me ho.
About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
7 Metwa hwee fam, na metee nne bi a ɛrebisa me sɛ, ‘Saulo! Saulo! Adɛn enti na wotaa me?’
I fell to the ground and heard a voice say 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.’
‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.
9 Nnipa a na wɔne me nam no hunuu hann no de, nanso wɔante nne a ɛkasa kyerɛɛ me no.
My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking 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.’
Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed 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.
Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand 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.
There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,
13 Ɔbaa me nkyɛn bɛkaa sɛ, ‘Onua Saulo, hunu adeɛ bio!’
came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see 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.
Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice.
15 Wobɛdi adanseɛ afa biribiara a woahunu na woate wɔ Awurade ho no akyerɛ nnipa nyinaa.
You will be His witness to everyone 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 what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
17 “Mesane mekɔɔ Yerusalem na merebɔ mpaeɛ wɔ asɔredan mu no,
Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into 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 the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’
19 “Mekaa sɛ, ‘Awurade, wɔn nyinaa nim pefee sɛ mekɔɔ hyiadan mu kɔkyekyeree asuafoɔ, boroo wɔn.
‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
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 when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’
21 “Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, ‘Sɔre na kɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, mɛsoma wo akɔ akyirikyiri, amanamanmufoɔ nkyɛn!’”
Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away 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!”
The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
23 Nnipa no kɔɔ so teateaam, hugyaa wɔn ntoma, saa mfuturo, to petee ewiem.
As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing 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 commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry 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 as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”
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!”
On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27 Afei, ɔsafohene no kɔɔ Paulo nkyɛn kɔbisaa no sɛ, “Woyɛ Romani anaa?” Paulo buaa no sɛ, “Aane meyɛ Romani.”
The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
28 Ɔsafohene no kaa sɛ, “Metuaa sika bebree na mede tɔɔ me Roma manbayɛ.” Paulo nso kaa sɛ, “Me de wɔwoo me sɛ Romani.”
“I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
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 interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
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.
The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
