Asomafoɔ 23
1 Paulo hwɛɛ agyinatufoɔ no dinn, kaa sɛ, “Anuanom, ahonim pa na mede mayɛ Onyankopɔn adwuma de abɛsi ɛnnɛ da yi.”
Paul looked directly at the Sanhedrin and said, “Brothers, I have conducted myself before God in all good conscience to this day.”
2 Anania a na ɔyɛ Ɔsɔfopanin no hyɛɛ nnipa a na wɔgyina Paulo ho no sɛ wɔmmɔ nʼano so.
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth.
3 Paulo ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wo a wote sɛ ɔfasuo a wɔasra ho fitaa, Onyankopɔn bɛbɔ wo. Wote ha de mmara rebu me atɛn, nanso wobu mmara no so hyɛ sɛ wɔmmɔ me!”
Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit here to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck.”
4 Nnipa a na wɔgyina Paulo nkyɛn no bisaa no sɛ, “Sei na ɛsɛ sɛ wokasa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn sɔfopanin?”
But those standing nearby said, “How dare you insult the high priest of God!”
5 Paulo buaa wɔn sɛ, “Anuanom, mennim sɛ ɔyɛ Ɔsɔfopanin. Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ, ‘Nka asɛmmɔne mfa wo ɔman panin ho.’”
“Brothers,” Paul replied, “I was not aware that he was the high priest, for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”
6 Ɛberɛ a Paulo hunuu sɛ nnipa no bi yɛ Sadukifoɔ na ebi yɛ Farisifoɔ no, ɔteaam wɔ agyinatufoɔ no anim sɛ, “Me nuanom, meyɛ Farisini. Mʼawofoɔ yɛ Farisifoɔ. Gyidie a mewɔ wɔ awufosɔreɛ mu no enti na megyina ha ama wɔredi mʼasɛm yi.”
Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee. It is because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
7 Asɛm a Paulo kaeɛ yi maa ntawantawa sii Farisifoɔ ne Sadukifoɔ no ntam maa wɔn mu kyɛɛ mmienu,
As soon as he had said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8 ɛfiri sɛ, na Sadukifoɔ no nnye owusɔreɛ, abɔfoɔ ne honhom nni. Nanso, Farisifoɔ no de, wɔgye saa nneɛma mmiɛnsa no di.
For the Sadducees say that there is neither a resurrection, nor angels, nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9 Nteateamu no kɔɔ so kɔsii sɛ Atwerɛsɛm no akyerɛkyerɛfoɔ no mu bi a wɔyɛ Farisifoɔ no sɔre gyinaa hɔ kaa sɛ, “Yɛnhunu bɔne biara a saa onipa yi ayɛ! Ebia honhom anaa ɔbɔfoɔ na ɔkasa kyerɛɛ no!”
A great clamor arose, and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees got up and contended sharply, “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 suroeɛ sɛ anhwɛ a wɔbɛtete Paulo mu; ɛno enti, ɔhyɛɛ nʼasraafoɔ sɛ, wɔnkɔ nnipa no mu na wɔnkɔgye Paulo mfiri wɔn nsam mfa no nkɔ aban mu.
The dispute grew so violent that the commander was afraid they would tear Paul to pieces. He ordered the soldiers to go down and remove him by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 Anadwo no, Awurade bɛgyinaa Paulo nkyɛn ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Nsuro! Sɛdeɛ woadi me ho adanseɛ wɔ Yerusalem ha no, saa ara nso na kɔdi me ho adanseɛ wɔ Roma.”
The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so also you must testify in Rome.”
12 Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, Yudafoɔ bi hyia kaa ntam, dii nse sɛ wɔrennidi na wɔrennom nso kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛkum Paulo.
When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Na saa nnipa no dodoɔ bɛboro aduanan.
More than forty of them were involved in this plot.
14 Afei, wɔkɔɔ asɔfoɔ mpanin ne mpanin no nkyɛn kɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Yɛaka ntam, adi nse sɛ hwee renka yɛn ano kɔsi sɛ yɛbɛkum Paulo.
They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul.
15 Mo ne agyinatufoɔ no nsoma nkɔ Roma ɔsafohene no nkyɛn nhyɛ da nka sɛ, mopɛ sɛ mobisa Paulo deɛ wayɛ no mu yie. Nanso, ansa na wɔde no bɛduru hɔ no, na yɛakum no dada.”
Now then, you and the Sanhedrin petition the commander to bring him down to you on the pretext of examining his case more carefully. We are ready to kill him on the way.”
16 Nanso, Paulo wɔfaase bi tee pɔ a wɔabɔ no enti, ɔkɔɔ aban mu hɔ kɔbɔɔ Paulo amaneɛ.
But when the son of Paul’s sister heard about the plot, he went into the barracks and told Paul.
17 Paulo frɛɛ asraafoɔ mpanin no mu baako ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Wo ne aberanteɛ yi nkɔ ɔsafohene no nkyɛn, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔwɔ asɛm bi ka kyerɛ no.”
Then Paul called one of the centurions and said, “Take this young man to the commander; he has something to tell him.”
18 Ɔsraani panin no ne aberanteɛ no kɔɔ ɔsafohene no nkyɛn. Wɔduruu hɔ no, ɔka kyerɛɛ ɔsafohene no sɛ, “Paulo a ɔda afiase no asoma me sɛ memfa aberanteɛ yi mmɛhunu wo na ɔwɔ asɛm bi ka kyerɛ wo.”
So the centurion took him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner sent and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to tell you.”
19 Ɔsafohene no sɔɔ aberanteɛ no nsa de no kɔgyinaa nkyɛn baabi bisaa no sɛ, “Asɛm bɛn na wowɔ ka kyerɛ me?”
The commander took the young man by the hand, drew him aside, and asked, “What do you need to tell me?”
20 Aberanteɛ no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Yudafoɔ mpanin no abɔ pɔ sɛ ɔkyena wɔbɛhyɛ da abɛsrɛ wo na woama wɔde Paulo abrɛ agyinatufoɔ no sɛ wɔrebɛbisa no ne nsɛm no mu yie.
He answered, “The Jews have agreed to ask you to bring Paul to the Sanhedrin tomorrow on the pretext of acquiring more information about him.
21 Nanso, mma wɔnnaadaa wo. Ɛfiri sɛ, mmarima bɛboro aduanan bi a wɔaka ntam, adi nse sɛ wɔremfa hwee nka wɔn ano kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛnya Paulo akum no no bɛtetɛ no wɔ ɛkwan so. Deɛ wɔretwɛn ara ne sɛ, wobɛma ho ɛkwan.”
Do not let them persuade you, because more than forty men are waiting to ambush him. They have bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him; they are ready now, awaiting your consent.”
22 Ɔsafohene no gyaa aberanteɛ no kwan ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Nka nkyerɛ obiara sɛ woabɛka asɛm biara akyerɛ me.”
So the commander dismissed the young man and instructed him, “Do not tell anyone that you have reported this to me.”
23 Ɔsafohene no frɛɛ nʼasraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ baanu ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Mompɛ asraafoɔ ahanu ne apɔnkɔsotefoɔ ne mpeakurafoɔ ahanu na momfiri ha anadwo nnɔnkron yi ara nkɔ Kaesarea.
Then he called two of his centurions and said, “Prepare two hundred soldiers, seventy horsemen, and two hundred spearmen to go to Caesarea in the third hour of the night.
24 Mompɛ ɔpɔnkɔ mma Paulo na momfa no nkɔma Amrado Felike dwoodwoo.”
Provide mounts for Paul to take him safely to Governor Felix.”
25 Afei, ɔsafohene no twerɛɛ nwoma a emu nsɛm ka sɛ:
And he wrote the following letter:
26 Me Klaudio Lisia a meretwerɛ wo Onimuonyamfoɔ Amrado Felike saa nwoma yi, kyea wo!
Claudius Lysias, To His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings.
27 Yudafoɔ kyeree saa ɔbarima yi a anka wɔrekum no, nanso metee sɛ ɔyɛ Romani no, me ne mʼasraafoɔ kɔgyee no firii wɔn nsam.
This man was seized by the Jews, and they were about to kill him when I came with my troops to rescue him. For I had learned that he is a Roman citizen,
28 Mepɛɛ sɛ mehunu bɔne ko a wayɛ, enti mede no kɔmaa wɔn agyinatufoɔ no.
and since I wanted to understand their charges against him, I brought him down to their Sanhedrin.
29 Mehunuiɛ sɛ ɔnyɛɛ biribiara a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔgyina so kum no anaasɛ wɔde no to afiase. Asɛm a wɔka too ne so no fa wɔn mmara ho.
I found that the accusation involved questions about their own law, but there was no charge worthy of death or imprisonment.
30 Ɛno enti, ɛberɛ a metee sɛ Yudafoɔ bi abɔ ne ho pɔ sɛ wɔbɛtɛ no akum no no, meyɛɛ mʼadwene sɛ mede no bɛbrɛ wo. Maka makyerɛ wɔn a wɔwɔ asɛm bi ka tia no no sɛ, wɔmmra wʼanim mmɛka.
When I was informed that there was a plot against the man, I sent him to you at once. I also instructed his accusers to present their case against him before you.
31 Asraafoɔ no yɛɛ biribiara a wɔhyɛɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnyɛ no. Anadwo no ara wɔde Paulo kɔɔ Antipatri.
So the soldiers followed their orders and brought Paul by night to Antipatris.
32 Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, asraafoɔ a wɔnam fam no sane wɔn akyi, na wɔn a wɔte apɔnkɔ so no toaa so kɔɔ Kaesarea.
The next day they returned to the barracks and let the horsemen go on with him.
33 Wɔduruiɛ no, wɔde nwoma no maa Amrado no de Paulo hyɛɛ ne nsa.
When the horsemen arrived in Caesarea, they delivered the letter to the governor and presented Paul to him.
34 Amrado no kenkanee nwoma no wieeɛ no ɔbisaa Paulo ɔman ko a ɔfiri mu. Ɔtee sɛ ɔfiri Kilikia no, ɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ.
The governor read the letter and asked what province Paul was from. Learning that he was from Cilicia,
35 “Wɔn a wɔwɔ asɛm bi ka tia wo no ba a na mɛtie wʼasɛm.” Afei, ɔhyɛɛ sɛ wɔmfa Paulo nkɔ Herode ahemfie na asraafoɔ nwɛn no.
he said, “I will hear your case when your accusers arrive.” Then he ordered that Paul be kept under guard in Herod’s Praetorium.
