Acts 22
1 —Zikhomba ayi batata, wanu mambu madi yama ma kulukamba mu kukitabila!
Paul said, “[Jewish] elders and my other fellow Jews, listen to me now while I reply to [those who are accusing me]!”
2 Bu bawa wunyoluka mu ki Ebelewo, baboso beka dio sui.
When the crowd of people heard Paul speaking to them in [their own] Hebrew language, they became even more quiet and really listened. Then Paul said to them,
3 Wutatamana kuba kamba: —Minu ndidi Nyuda, minu ndibutukila ku Talise; divula didi mu zunga ki Silisi. Mu divula diadi di Yelusalemi ndiyundukila; Ngamalieli niandi wundonga mina mi Bakulu beto. Bufula buwombo buba yama mu diambu di Nzambi banga bobo beno luididi buabu.
“I am a Jew, [as are all of you]. I was born in Tarsus [city], in Cilicia [province], but I grew up here in Jerusalem. [When I was young, for many years] I studied the laws [that Moses gave to our ancestors]. I was taught by [the famous teacher] Gamaliel [MTY] {[The famous teacher] Gamaliel taught [MTY] me}. [I have] carefully [obeyed those laws, because] I have wanted to obey God. I [am sure that] many of you also carefully obey [those laws].
4 Ndiyamisa ayi ndivondisa batu bobo balandakana nzila yayi yi Pfumu. Ndikanga babakala ayi baketo, ndiba kotisa mu nloko.
[That is why] I previously persecuted those who believe the message [that people call] the Way [that Jesus taught. I continually looked for ways] to kill [them. Whenever I found] men or women [who believed that message], I [commanded that] they should be seized and thrown {[people to] seize them and throw them} into jail.
5 Pfumu yi zinganga Nzambi ayi lukutukunu lu minyadi balenda kuawu telama kimbangi enati mambu ndintuba madi ma kiedika voti ma luvunu. Bila kuidi bawu ndiyenda baka minkanda mu diambu di vana kuidi bakhomba zi Damasi. Buna ndiyenda ku Damasi mu diambu di kanga batu bobo baba kuna banlandakana nzila yi Pfumu ayi kuba nata mu zisieni ku Yelusalemi muingi batambula thumbudulu.
The supreme priest knows this, and so do the [other respected men who belong to our Jewish] Council. They gave me letters to [take to] their fellow Jews in Damascus [city. By means of those letters, they authorized me to] go to there and find people who believed in [Jesus. They had written in the letters that I was to bring those people] as prisoners to Jerusalem, so that they would be punished here {[the leaders here] could punish them}. [So I went on my way to Damascus].
6 Bu ndiba mu nzila ayi buna ndieka fikama ku Damasi, buna midi mieka nduka, ndizimbukila kiezila kimosi kingolo kiba ku diyilu kinzungidila.
About noon, my companions and I were getting near Damascus. Suddenly a bright light from the sky flashed all around me.
7 Nditumbu bua va tsi, ndiwa mbembo yimosi yikhamba: “A Sawuli! A Sawuli, bila mbi wulembo ndiamisinanga e?”
[The light was so bright that] I fell to the ground. Then I heard the voice [of someone] speaking to me [from up in the sky. The one who was speaking to me said], ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you [(sg)] do things to harm me?’
8 Buna ndiyuvula: “A Pfumu, ngeyo widi nani e?” Niandi wuphutudila: “Minu Yesu, muisi Nazaleti diodi weti yamisa”.
I answered, ‘Who are you?’ He replied, ‘I am Jesus from Nazareth. I [am the one] whom you [(sg)] are harming [by doing things to harm my followers].’
9 Batu bobo baba yama bamona kiezila beni vayi basia wa ko mbembo.
The men who were [traveling] with me saw the [very bright] light, [and they heard a voice], but they did not understand what the voice said to me.
10 Bosi ndiyuvula: “A Pfumu, mbi mfueti vanga buabu e?” Pfumu wukhamba: “Telama, yenda ku Damasi, kuna maba kamba mambu momo fueti vanga.”
Then I asked, ‘Lord, what [do you want] me to do?’ The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus! [A man] there will tell you [(sg)] all that I have planned for you to do.’
11 Kiezila beni kiphonda meso ayi batu bobo baba yama batsimba mu koko ayi bandata nate ku Damasi.
[After that, I could not see], because the [very bright] light had caused me to become blind. So my companions took me by the hand and led me until [we(exc) arrived] in Damascus.
12 Kuna kuba mutu wumosi dizina diandi Ananiasi, niandi wuba mutu wuba kinzikanga Nzambi boso buididi Mina mi Moyize ayi wuba telumunungu kimbangi kimboti kuidi Bayuda boso baba ku Damasi;
[A couple of days] later, a man whose name was Ananias came to [see] me. He was a man who [greatly respected God and] carefully obeyed [our Jewish] laws. All the Jews living in Damascus said good things about him.
13 wuyiza kumbata ayi wukhamba: “Khombꞌama Sawuli, buela moni kuaku!” Muna thangu beni kuandi, meso mama mazibuka ayi ndimmona.
He came and stood beside me and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see [again]!’ Instantly I could see! I saw Ananias [standing there beside me].
14 Bosi wukhamba: “Nzambi yi bakulu beto niandi wusobula muingi wuzabaluzolo luandi, muingi wumona mutu wusonga ayi wuwa mbembo andi.
Then he said: ‘The God whom [we(inc) worship and] whom our ancestors [worshipped] has chosen you and will show you what he wants [you to do. He has allowed you] to see the righteous one, [the Messiah], and you have heard him speaking [to you].
15 Ngeyo fueti ba mbangi andi kuidi batu boso muingi wuba kamba mambu moso momo wumueni ayi momo wuwilu.
He wants you to tell people everywhere what you have seen and heard [from him].
16 Vayi buabu mbi wukidi vingila e? Telama, yenda botama ayi sambila dizina di Pfumu muingi wuvedoso mu masumu maku.”
So now (do not delay!/why delay?) [RHQ] Stand up, let [me] baptize you, and by praying to the Lord [Jesus ask God] to forgive you [(sg)] for your sins!’”
17 Bu ndivutuka ku Yelusalemi ayi bundiba sambila mu nzo Nzambi, ndimona tsongolo;
“Later, I returned to Jerusalem. [One day] I went to the Temple courtyard. While I was praying there, I saw a vision [in which]
18 Pfumu wukhamba: “Yenda kuaku! Botuka nsualu mu Yelusalemi bilabatu balendi kikinina ko kimbangi kiaku mu diambu diama.”
I saw the Lord speaking to me. He said to me, ‘[Do not stay here]! Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people [here] will not (believe/listen to) what you [(sg)] tell [them] about me!’
19 Minu ndivutula: “A pfumu, bazebi kuawu ti minu ndiba kotisanga batumu nloko ayi minu ndiba betisanga bikoti batu boso bobo baba kuwilukilanga mu zinzo zi zikhutukunu.
But I [protested and] said to him, ‘Lord, they know that I went to many of our meeting houses looking for people who believe in you. I was putting in jail those [whom I found] who believed in you, and I was even beating them.
20 Bosi mbangi aku Etieni boso baba kumvonda, buna minu ndiba vana. Minu ndikikinina mambu momo mavangama ayi ndisunga minledi mi batu bobo bamvonda.”
[They remember that] when Stephen was killed [MTY] {when people killed [MTY] Stephen} because he told people about you, I stood there [watching it all] and approving [what they were doing]. I [even] guarded the outer garments that those who were murdering him [had thrown aside. So if I stay here, the fact that I have changed how I think about you will surely impress those leaders of our people].’
21 Vayi Pfumu wumvutudila: —Yenda, thama ndieka kufidisa; kuidi makanda ma Bapakanu!
But the Lord said to me, ‘No, [do not stay here]! Leave [Jerusalem, because] I am going to send you [(sg)] far away [from here] to non-Jewish people!’”
22 Buna banwa nate katuba diambu diodi. Bayamikina mu mbembo yingolo: —Mutu wu phila yoyi fueni botolo va ntoto. Kasi fuana zinga ko!
The people listened [quietly] to what Paul was saying until [he mentioned the Lord sending him to non-Jewish people]. Then they began shouting [angrily], “Kill him! [He does not deserve to live any longer]!” [They said that because they could not believe that God would save anyone except Jews].
23 Sumbu bayamikina diaka ngolo, baloza minledi miawu ayi mbungi-mbungi ku yilu.
While they continued shouting, [“Kill him!”] they took off their cloaks and threw dust into the air, [which showed how angry they were].
24 Buna Pfumu masodi wuvana lutumunu mu diambu bakotisa Polo ku khati ka ki masodi ayi bambeta bikoti muingi katuba bila kioki batu baba yamikinina ngolo mu diambu diandi.
So the commander [commanded] that Paul be taken {[soldiers] to take Paul} into the barracks. He told [the soldiers] that they should strike Paul with a whip [that had pieces of bone/metal on the end of it], in order to make him tell what he had done that made the Jews shout so angrily. [So the soldiers took Paul into the barracks].
25 Mu thangu baba kunkanga minsinga, Polo wuyuvula nkulutu masodiwuba va ndambu yika ba: —A buevi, minsua midi mu betisa muisi Loma mu kambu teka samba e?
Then they stretched his arms out [and tied them] so that they could whip him [on his back. But] Paul said to the officer who was standing nearby [watching], “[You(sg) should think carefully about this]! You will certainly be [RHQ] acting unlawfully if you whip me, a Roman [citizen whom] no [one has put on trial and] condemned!”
26 Komanda ki masodi bu kawa bobo, wuyenda kuidi pfumuꞌandi ayi wunkamba: —A mambu mbi momo wumvanga e? Keti mutu wawu muisi Loma!
When the officer heard that, he went to the commander and reported it to him. He said [to the commander], “This man is a Roman [citizen] (Surely you would not [command us to whip him]!/Do you really want [us to whip him]?) [RHQ]”
27 Pfumu masodi bu kayiza vana vaba Polo, wunyuvula: —Bika wukhamba, bukiedika widi muisi Loma e? Niandi wumvutudila: —Nyinga, bobo kuandi!
The commander [was surprised when he heard that. He himself] went [into the barracks] and said to Paul, “Tell me, are you [(sg) really] a Roman [citizen]?” Paul answered, “Yes, I [am].”
28 Pfumu masodi wubuela tuba: —Zimbongo ziwombo ndifuta muingi minu ndibaka ki muisi Loma. Polo wumvutudila: —Vayi minu, ki muisi Loma kiama kibutukila!
Then the commander said, “[I am also a Roman citizen]. I paid a lot of money to become a [Roman] citizen.” Paul said, “But I was born a [Roman] citizen, [so I did not need to pay anything].”
29 Buna batu bobo bedi kambeta, banyekula muna thangu beni. Bosi Pfumu masodi wumona boma bu kazaba ti mutu wuka kangisa mu zisieni widi muisi Loma.
The soldiers [were about to whip Paul and to ask him questions about what he had done. But when they heard what Paul said, they] left him immediately. The commander also became afraid, because he realized that Paul was a Roman [citizen] and that he had [illegally commanded soldiers to] tie up Paul’s [hands].
30 Mu lumbu kilanda, Pfumu masodi, wuzola zaba bila kioki Bayudabafundila Polo. Wutuma ti banianguna Polo, wukutikisa zinganga Nzambi ayi batu bankalanga mu lukutukunu lu minyadi. Bosi wubonga Polo ayi wuntedimisa va khatitsikꞌawu.
[The commander still] wanted to know exactly why the Jews were accusing Paul. So the next day he [told the soldiers to] take the chains off Paul. He also summoned the chief priests and the [other Jewish] Council [members]. Then he took Paul [to where the Council was meeting] and [commanded] him to stand before them.
