Asomafoɔ 22
1 “Anuanom ne agyanom, montie mʼanoyie yi.”
“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defence which I now make to 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 were even more quiet. 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 indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are 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 to the death, binding and delivering into prisons 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 also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and travelled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
6 “Owigyinaeɛ a mereyɛ maduru Damasko no, prɛko pɛ, hann bi twa faa me ho.
“As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.
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 saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 “Mebisaa sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ wo hwan, Awurade?’ “Ɛnne no buaa me sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ me Nasareni Yesu a wotaa me no.’
I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Yeshua of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’
9 Nnipa a na wɔne me nam no hunuu hann no de, nanso wɔante nne a ɛkasa kyerɛɛ me no.
“Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t 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.’
I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which 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.
When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came 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.
“One Hananiah, a devout man according to the Torah, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
13 Ɔbaa me nkyɛn bɛkaa sɛ, ‘Onua Saulo, hunu adeɛ bio!’
came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at 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.
He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15 Wobɛdi adanseɛ afa biribiara a woahunu na woate wɔ Awurade ho no akyerɛ nnipa nyinaa.
For you will be a witness for him 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.’
Now why do you wait? Arise, 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,
“When I had returned to Jerusalem and while I prayed in 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 him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’
19 “Mekaa sɛ, ‘Awurade, wɔn nyinaa nim pefee sɛ mekɔɔ hyiadan mu kɔkyekyeree asuafoɔ, boroo wɔn.
I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue 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.’
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’
21 “Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, ‘Sɔre na kɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, mɛsoma wo akɔ akyirikyiri, amanamanmufoɔ nkyɛn!’”
“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here 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!”
They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”
23 Nnipa no kɔɔ so teateaam, hugyaa wɔn ntoma, saa mfuturo, to petee ewiem.
As they cried out, threw off their cloaks, and threw 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 commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.
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?”
When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”
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!”
When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are 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.”
The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “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.”
The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”
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.
Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realised that he was a Roman, 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.
But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Judeans, he freed him from the bonds and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
