Asomafoɔ 26

1 Ɔhene Agripa ka kyerɛɛ Paulo sɛ, “Afei, mema wo ho ɛkwan sɛ woyi wo ho ano.” Paulo maa ne nsa so kasaa sɛ,

Then Agrippa said to Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:

2 “Ɔhene Agripa! Ɛyɛ me anigye sɛ ɛnnɛ manya mu kwan gyina wʼanim ha reyi me ho ano wɔ asɛm a Yudafoɔ aka atia me no ho.

I think myself happy, king Agrippa, because I shall answer for myself this day before thee concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews:

3 Deɛ ɛma meka saa ne sɛ, wonim Yudafoɔ mmara ne wɔn amanneɛ nyinaa fekɔɔ. Enti, mesrɛ wo, to wo bo ase tie me.

Especially because I know thee to be expert in all customs and questions which are among the Jews: therefore I beseech thee to hear me patiently.

4 “Yudafoɔ no nim mʼasetena mu nsɛm nyinaa firi me mmɔfraase. Wɔnim mʼasetena mu nsɛm wɔ me kurom ne Yerusalem nso.

My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;

5 Sɛ wɔbɛka nokorɛ a, wɔnim sɛ meyɛ Farisini a medi Yudafoɔ mmara ne wɔn som so pɛpɛɛpɛ.

Who knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most strict sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

6 Na afei ɛyɛ bɔ a Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ yɛn nananom no enti na megyina ha ɛnnɛ na wɔrebu me atɛn yi.

And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers:

7 Saa bɔhyɛ yi na yɛn mmusuakuo dumienu hwɛ ɛkwan sɛ ɛbɛba mu no enti na wɔsom Onyankopɔn awia ne anadwo no. Ɔhene, saa anidasoɔ yi enti na Yudafoɔ asɔre atia me yi.

To which promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews.

8 Adɛn enti na mo Yudafoɔ nnye nni sɛ Onyankopɔn nyane awufoɔ?

Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

9 “Mmerɛ bi a atwam no, na mʼadwene nyinaa ne sɛ mɛyɛ biribiara a mɛtumi de atia Yesu a ɔfiri Nasaret no din.

I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.

10 Saa ara na meyɛɛ wɔ Yerusalem. Megyee tumi nwoma firii asɔfoɔ mpanin nkyɛn gyinaa so kyekyeree Onyankopɔn akyidifoɔ guu afiase; na sɛ wɔbu wɔn kumfɔ a, medi mu akotene.

Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them.

11 Memaa wɔtwee wɔn aso mmerɛ pii wɔ hyiadan mu sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, wɔbɛpa wɔn gyidie. Mʼani beree wɔn so yie maa metaa wɔn kɔduruu aman afoforɔ so.”

And I punished them often in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

12 “Saa ɔtaa yi enti na mekɔgyee tumi nwoma firii asɔfoɔ mpanin nkyɛn sɛ mede rekɔ Damasko no.

Upon which as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests,

13 Daasebrɛ, da bi owigyinaeɛ a merekɔ Damasko no, hann bi a ɛkyɛn owia hyerɛn firii ɔsoro bɛtwaa me ne wɔn a yɛnam no ho hyiaeɛ.

At noon, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, beyond the brightness of the sun, shining around me and them who journeyed with me.

14 Yɛn nyinaa twitwa hwehwee fam na metee nne bi wɔ Arameike kasa mu sɛ, ‘Saulo! Saulo! Adɛn enti na wotaa me? Deɛ woyɛ yi nyinaa wode reha wo ho sɛdeɛ nantwie tu ne nan wɔ ɔkafoɔ poma ano.’

And when we had all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking to me, and saying in the Hebrew language, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the goads.

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

And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.

16 Sɔre gyina hɔ. Ɛnnɛ mayi me ho adi akyerɛ wo; mɛma woayɛ me ɔsomfoɔ na woadi adanseɛ wɔ deɛ woahunu afa me ho yi ne deɛ mɛkyerɛ wo nyinaa ho.

But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared to thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of the things which thou hast seen, and of the things in which I will appear to thee;

17 Mɛgye wo mafiri Israelfoɔ ne amanamanmufoɔ a wɔresoma wo akɔ wɔn nkyɛn no nsam.

Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom now I send thee,

18 Wobɛbue wɔn ani na woatwe wɔn afiri sum mu aba hann mu, na woayi wɔn afiri ɔbonsam tumi ase aba Onyankopɔn nkyɛn. Na wɔnam wɔn gyidie a wɔwɔ wɔ me mu no so anya bɔne fakyɛ na wɔayɛ Onyankopɔn mma.’

To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them who are sanctified by faith that is in me.

19 “Ɛno enti, Ɔhene Agripa, meyɛɛ ɔsetie maa nne a ɛfiri ɔsoro no.

Upon which, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision:

20 Mefirii aseɛ kaa asɛmpa no wɔ Damasko ne Yerusalem ne Yudeafoɔ aman nyinaa so ne amanamanmufoɔ mu sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔnu wɔn ho na wɔde wɔn ho ma Onyankopɔn, na wɔn nneyɛeɛ akyerɛ sɛ wɔasakyera.

But showed first to them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works fit for repentance.

21 Saa asɛm yi ara enti na mewɔ asɔredan mu resom no, Yudafoɔ no bɛkyeree me sɛ wɔrekɔku me.

For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me.

22 Nanso, ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ, Onyankopɔn abɔ me ho ban enti na megyina ha redi adanseɛ akyerɛ obiara yi. Asɛm korɔ a Mose ne adiyifoɔ no kaa sɛ,

Having therefore obtained help from God, I continue to this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come:

23 Ɛsɛ sɛ Agyenkwa no hunu amane na wadi awufoɔ sɔreɛ mu ɛkan, na wɔaka hann ho asɛm akyerɛ Yudafoɔ ne amanamanmufoɔ.”

That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should show light to the people, and to the Gentiles.

24 Paulo gu so rekasa no, Festo tiaa no kaa sɛ, “Paulo, woabɔ dam. Wo nwomanim bebrebe no abɔ wo dam.”

And as he was thus speaking for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad.

25 Nanso, Paulo buaa sɛ, “Daasebrɛ, memmɔɔ dam. Nsɛm a mereka no yɛ nokorɛ a aba wɔ mu.

But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.

26 Ɔhene Agripa, ɛsiane sɛ wonim saa nsɛm yi nyinaa enti, mɛtumi magyina wʼanim mede akokoɔduru makasa. Megye di sɛ biribiara a ɛsiiɛ no wonim, ɛfiri sɛ, emu biara nni hɔ a ɛyɛ kokoamsɛm.

For the king knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely: for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him; for this thing was not done in a corner.

27 Ɔhene Agripa, wogye adiyifoɔ no di anaa? Menim sɛ wogye wɔn di.”

King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.

28 Agripa bisaa Paulo sɛ, “Wogye di sɛ wobɛtumi adane mʼadwene ama mayɛ Kristoni saa ɛberɛ tiawa yi mu anaa?”

Then Agrippa said to Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.

29 Paulo buaa sɛ, “Sɛ nsɛm a mereka no ho hia anaa ɛho nhia no, me mpaeɛbɔ ara ne sɛ, Onyankopɔn bɛma wo ne wɔn a wɔretie me ɛnnɛ yi nyinaa bɛsakyera abɛyɛ sɛ me, agye nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn a ɛgu me yi nko ara.”

And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds.

30 Afei, ɔhene no ne Amrado ne Berenike ne wɔn a wɔahyia hɔ no nyinaa sɔreeɛ.

And when he had thus spoken, the king rose, and the governor, and Bernice, and they that sat with them:

31 Wɔrekɔ no, wɔkeka kyerɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Saa onipa yi nyɛɛ biribiara a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔgyina so bu no kumfɔ anaasɛ wɔde no to afiase.”

And when they had gone aside, they talked between themselves, saying, This man doeth nothing worthy of death or of bonds.

32 Ɔhene Agripa ka kyerɛɛ Festo sɛ, “Sɛ onipa yi nnwane ntoaa Kaesare a anka yɛbɛtumi agyaa no.”

Then said Agrippa to Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed to Caesar.