Asomafoɔ 23
1 Paulo hwɛɛ agyinatufoɔ no dinn, kaa sɛ, “Anuanom, ahonim pa na mede mayɛ Onyankopɔn adwuma de abɛsi ɛnnɛ da yi.”
Paul, looking sraight at the council, said, “Brothers, right up to now I have always conducted myself before God with a clear conscience.”
2 Anania a na ɔyɛ Ɔsɔfopanin no hyɛɛ nnipa a na wɔgyina Paulo ho no sɛ wɔmmɔ nʼano so.
Ananias the high priest ordered the officers standing beside Paul to hit 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!”
Paul said to him, “God will hit you, you whitewashed wall! You're sitting there to judge me according to the law, and you order me to be hit in contravention of the law!”
4 Nnipa a na wɔgyina Paulo nkyɛn no bisaa no sɛ, “Sei na ɛsɛ sɛ wokasa kyerɛ Onyankopɔn sɔfopanin?”
The officers standing beside Paul said, “How dare you insult the high priest!”
5 Paulo buaa wɔn sɛ, “Anuanom, mennim sɛ ɔyɛ Ɔsɔfopanin. Atwerɛsɛm no ka sɛ, ‘Nka asɛmmɔne mfa wo ɔman panin ho.’”
“Brothers, I didn't know that he was the high priest,” Paul replied. “As Scriptures say, ‘You must not speak evil of any 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.”
When Paul realized that some of the council were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, he shouted out, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee! I'm on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead!”
7 Asɛm a Paulo kaeɛ yi maa ntawantawa sii Farisifoɔ ne Sadukifoɔ no ntam maa wɔn mu kyɛɛ mmienu,
When he said this, a tremendous argument broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees that split the council.
8 ɛfiri sɛ, na Sadukifoɔ no nnye owusɔreɛ, abɔfoɔ ne honhom nni. Nanso, Farisifoɔ no de, wɔgye saa nneɛma mmiɛnsa no di.
(The Sadducees say there is no resurrection from the dead, no angels, and no spirits, but Pharisees believe in all of these.)
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 commotion erupted and some of the Pharisee teachers of the law stood up and argued fiercely, saying, “We find this man not guilty! Maybe a spirit spoke to him, or an angel!”
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 argument was getting out of hand, so the commander, concerned that they would tear Paul to pieces, ordered the soldiers to go and rescue him from them by force, and take him back into the fortress.
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.”
Afterwards, during the night, the Lord stood by Paul, and told him, “Keep up your courage! Just as you have given your testimony about me in Jerusalem, so you must be my witness in Rome as well.”
12 Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, Yudafoɔ bi hyia kaa ntam, dii nse sɛ wɔrennidi na wɔrennom nso kɔsi sɛ wɔbɛkum Paulo.
Next day some Jews plotted together, and they took an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Na saa nnipa no dodoɔ bɛboro aduanan.
Over forty were part of this conspiracy.
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 leaders and said, “We have taken 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.”
So you and the council should send word to the commander that he should bring Paul down to meet with you, as if you wanted to examine his case in more detail. We're ready to kill him along the way.”
16 Nanso, Paulo wɔfaase bi tee pɔ a wɔabɔ no enti, ɔkɔɔ aban mu hɔ kɔbɔɔ Paulo amaneɛ.
But Paul's nephew (his sister's son) heard about their planned ambush, and he went into the fortress and told Paul about it.
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.”
Paul called over one of the centurions, and told him, “Take this young man to the commander, because he has some information to share with 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 Paul's nephew and brought him to the commander and told him, “The prisoner Paul called me over 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 and drew him aside. “What do you have to tell me?” he asked quietly.
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.
“The Jews have arranged to ask you to bring Paul to the council tomorrow, as if they wanted to ask more detailed questions about his case,” he explained.
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.”
“Please don't listen to them, because they have planned to ambush him with more than forty men who have taken an oath not to eat or drink until they have killed him. They're ready right now, waiting for you to agree to the request.”
22 Ɔsafohene no gyaa aberanteɛ no kwan ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Nka nkyerɛ obiara sɛ woabɛka asɛm biara akyerɛ me.”
The commander sent the young man on his way, warning him, “Don't tell anyone that you've told me about this.”
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.
He summoned two centurions and told them, “Get two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, together with seventy cavalry-men and two hundred spearmen. Be ready to leave at nine p.m. tonight.
24 Mompɛ ɔpɔnkɔ mma Paulo na momfa no nkɔma Amrado Felike dwoodwoo.”
Provide horses for Paul to ride to make sure he gets to Governor Felix safely.”
25 Afei, ɔsafohene no twerɛɛ nwoma a emu nsɛm ka sɛ:
He also wrote a letter that went like this:
26 Me Klaudio Lisia a meretwerɛ wo Onimuonyamfoɔ Amrado Felike saa nwoma yi, kyea wo!
“From 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 arrived on the scene with soldiers and rescued him, because I had found out he was a Roman citizen.
28 Mepɛɛ sɛ mehunu bɔne ko a wayɛ, enti mede no kɔmaa wɔn agyinatufoɔ no.
I wanted to know the reason for their accusations, so I took him before their council.
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 out the charges against him had to do with issues regarding their law, but he was not guilty of anything that merited 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 discovered a plot against this man I sent him to you right away, ordering his accusers to make their complaints 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 took Paul overnight 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 morning they sent him on with the cavalry, and went back to the fortress.
33 Wɔduruiɛ no, wɔde nwoma no maa Amrado no de Paulo hyɛɛ ne nsa.
When the cavalry arrived at Caesarea they delivered the letter to the governor and brought Paul before 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.
After reading the letter, the governor asked Paul what province he came from. When he learned he was from Cilicia he told Paul,
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.
“I will investigate your case when your accusers arrive.” He ordered Paul detained in Herod's palace.
