Kau ʻAposetolo 23
1 Pea sio fakamamaʻu ʻa Paula ki he kau fakamaau, pea ne pehē, “ʻAe kau tangata ko e kāinga, Kuo u moʻui angatonu pe ʻi he ʻao ʻoe ʻOtua ʻo aʻu mai ki he ʻaho ni.”
Paul fixed his eyes on the Council, and began: “Brothers, for my part, I have always ordered my life before God, with a clear conscience, up to this very day.”
2 Pea naʻe fekau ʻe ʻAnanaia ko e taulaʻeiki lahi kiate kinautolu naʻe tuʻu ofi kiate ia, ke nau sipiʻi hono ngutu.
At this, the high priest Ananias ordered the men standing near to strike him on the mouth;
3 Pea toki pehē ʻe Paula kiate ia, “ʻE taaʻi koe ʻe he ʻOtua, ʻa koe, ko e holisi kuo vali hinehina: he ʻoku ke nofo ke fakamaau au ʻo fakatatau ki he fono, pea ke fekau ke taaʻi au ʻo taʻetatau mo e fono?”
Paul turned to him and said: “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting there to try me in accordance with law, and yet, in defiance of law, order me to be struck?”
4 Pea pehē ʻekinautolu naʻe tutuʻu ai, “ʻOku ke lea kovi ki he taulaʻeiki lahi ʻae ʻOtua?”
The people standing near said to Paul, “Do you know that you are insulting God’s high priest?”
5 Pea pehē ʻe Paula, “ʻE kāinga, naʻe ʻikai te u ʻilo ko e taulaʻeiki lahi ia: he kuo tohi, ‘ʻOua naʻa ke lea kovi ki he pule ʻa hoʻo kakai.’”
“I did not know, brothers, that it was the high priest,” said Paul, “for scripture says – ‘Of the ruler of your people you should speak no ill’.”
6 Ka kuo ʻilo ʻe Paula ko e Sātusi ʻae niʻihi, pea ko e Fālesi ʻae niʻihi, pea kalanga ia ʻi he ʻao ʻoe kau fakamaau, [ʻo pehē], “ʻAe kau tangata ko e kāinga, ko e Fālesi au, pea ko e foha ʻoe Fālesi; pea ko e meʻa ʻi he ʻamanaki ki he toetuʻu ʻoe mate ʻoku fakamaau ai au.”
Noticing that some of those present were Sadducees and others Pharisees, Paul called out in the Council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees. It is on the question of hope for the dead and of their resurrection that I am on my trial.”
7 Pea kuo hili ʻene lea ko ia, pea tupu ʻae kikihi ʻi he kau Fālesi mo e kau Satusi: pea naʻe vaeua ʻae kakai.
As soon as he said this, a dispute arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and there was a sharp division of opinion among those present.
8 He ʻoku pehē ʻe he Satusi, ʻoku ʻikai ha toetuʻu, pe ha ʻāngelo, pe ha laumālie: ka ʻoku tui ki ai fakatouʻosi pe ʻae kau Fālesi.
(For Sadducees say there is no such thing as a resurrection, and that there is neither angel nor spirit, while Pharisees believe in both.)
9 Pea naʻe tupu ʻae fuʻu vālau: pea tuʻu hake ʻae kau tangata tohi naʻe kau mo e kau Fālesi, pea lea mālohi, ʻo pehē, “ʻOku ʻikai te mau ʻilo ha kovi ʻi he tangata ni: pea kapau kuo lea kiate ia ha laumālie pe ha ʻāngelo, ke ʻoua naʻa tau tauʻi ʻae ʻOtua.”
So a great uproar ensued, and some of the Teachers of the Law belonging to the Pharisees’ party stood up and hotly protested, “We find nothing whatever wrong in this man. Suppose a spirit did speak to him, or an angel…”
10 Pea kuo tupu ʻae kikihi lahi, pea ʻi he manavahē ʻae ʻeikitau naʻa haehae ʻa Paula ʻekinautolu, naʻa ne fekau ke ʻalu hifo ʻae kau tau, ʻo ʻomi fakamālohi ia meiate kinautolu, pea ʻomi ki he fale lahi ʻoe kau tau.
The dispute was becoming so violent, that the commanding officer, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces between them, ordered the Guard to go down and rescue him from them, and take him into the Fort.
11 Pea ʻi he pō ko ia, naʻe tuʻu ʻo ofi mai kiate ia ʻae ʻEiki, mo ne pehē, “Paula, ke ke fiemālie: koeʻuhi ʻe hangē ko hoʻo fakamoʻoni au ʻi Selūsalema, ʻe pehē foki hao fakamoʻoni kiate au ʻi Loma.”
That night the Lord came and stood by Paul, and said, “Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem and you must bear witness in Rome also.”
12 Pea kuo pongipongi ai, pea alea pau ʻae kau Siu niʻihi, mo nau fefuakavaʻaki, ʻonau pehē, “ʻE ʻikai te nau kai pe inu kaeʻoua ke nau tāmateʻi ʻa Paula.
In the morning some Jewish men combined together, and took an oath that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul.
13 Pea naʻe toko fāngofulu tupu ʻakinautolu naʻa nau fai ʻae fuakava ni.
There were more than forty in the plot;
14 Pea naʻa nau ʻalu ki he kau taulaʻeiki lahi mo e mātuʻa, ʻonau pehē, Kuo mau fefuakavaʻaki fakamamafa, ʻe ʻikai te mau kai ha meʻa kaeʻoua ke mau tāmateʻi ʻa Paula.
and they went to the chief priests and the elders, and said, “We have taken a solemn oath not to touch food until we have killed Paul.
15 Pea ko eni, ke lea fakataha ʻakimoutolu mo e kau fakamaau ki he pule ʻoe kau tau, ke ʻohifo ia kiate kimoutolu ʻapongipongi, ʻo hangē ko haʻamou fie fehuʻi fakapapau ʻi ha meʻa kiate ia: pea ʻi he teʻeki ke teitei ofi ia, te mau tali ke tāmateʻi ia.”
So we want you now, with the consent of the Council, to suggest to the commanding officer that he should bring Paul down before you, as though you intended to go more fully into his case; but, before he comes here, we will be ready to make away with him.”
16 Pea kuo fanongo ʻae tama ʻae tuofefine ʻo Paula ki he toitoi ʻe fai, naʻa ne ʻalu ʻo hū ki he fale lahi ʻoe kau tau, ʻo ne tala ia kia Paula.
However, the son of Paul’s sister, hearing of the plot, went to the Fort, and on being admitted, told Paul about it.
17 Pea naʻe ui ʻa Paula ki he ʻeikitau ʻe taha, ʻo ne pehē, “Ke ke ʻave ʻae talavou ni ki he pule ʻoe tau! He ʻoku ai ʻene meʻa ke fakahā ki ai.
Paul called one of the garrison centurion and asked him to take the lad to the commanding officer, as he had something to tell him.
18 Pea ne toʻo ia ʻo ʻave ki he pule ʻoe tau, ʻo ne pehē, Naʻe ui mai ʻa Paula ko e pōpula kiate au, ʻo ne kole ke u ʻomi ʻae talavou ni kiate koe, he ʻoku ʻiate ia ʻae meʻa ke tala atu kiate koe.”
The centurion went with the lad to the commanding officer, and said, “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this lad to you, as he has something to tell you.”
19 Pea puke nima ia ʻe he pule ʻoe tau, ʻo na afe ki he potu lilo, pea ne fehuʻi, “Ko e hā ia ʻoku ke fie tala mai kiate au?”
The commanding officer took the lad by the hand, and, stepping aside, asked what it was he had to tell him.
20 Pea ne pehē, “Kuo alea ʻae kakai Siu ke kole kiate koe ke ke ʻohifo ʻa Paula ʻapongipongi ki he kau fakamaau, ʻo hangē ko haʻanau fie fehuʻi fakapapau ʻi ha meʻa kiate ia.
“Some men have agreed,” answered the lad, “to ask you to bring Paul down before the Council tomorrow, on the plea of your making further inquiry into his case.
21 Kae ʻoua naʻa ke fai ki honau loto he ʻoku toitoi kiate ia ʻae kau tangata ʻe toko fāngofulu tupu meiate kinautolu, kuo nau fefuakavaʻaki, ʻe ʻikai te nau kai pe inu, kaeʻoua ke nau tāmateʻi ia: pea kuo nau teuteu eni, mo ʻamanaki te ke fai ki honau loto.”
But do not let them persuade you, for more than forty of them are lying in wait for him, who have taken an oath that they will not eat or drink, until they have made away with him; and they are at this very moment in readiness, counting on your promise.”
22 Pea tukuange ʻe he pule ʻoe kau tau ʻae talavou ke ʻalu ʻone naʻinaʻi, [ʻo pehē], “ʻOua naʻa ke tala ki ha taha kuo ke fakahā mai ʻae meʻa ni kiate au.”
The commanding officer then dismissed the lad, cautioning him not to mention to anybody that he had given him that information.
23 Pea ui ia ki he ongo ʻeikitau, ʻo ne pehē, “Teuteu ʻae kautau ʻe toko uangeau, ke nau ō ki Sesalia, ʻi hono tolu ʻoe feituʻupō, mo e kau tangata heka hoosi ʻe toko fitungofulu, mo e kau tangata toʻo tao ʻe toko uangeau;
Then he called two Captains, and ordered them to have two hundred soldiers ready to go to Caesarea, as well as seventy troopers and two hundred lancers, by nine o’clock that night,
24 Pea teuteu mo e fanga manu, ke heka ai ʻa Paula, pea aʻutaki moʻui ia kia Filike ko e tuʻi.”
and to have horses ready for Paul to ride, so that they might take him safely to Felix, the Governor.
25 Pea naʻa ne fai ʻae tohi, ʻo pehē,
He also wrote a letter along these lines:
26 “Ko Kalotiusi Lisia ki he tuʻi lelei ʻaupito ko Filike: siʻotoʻofa atu.
‘Claudius Lysias sends his compliments to His Excellency Felix the Governor.
27 Naʻe puke ʻae tangata ni ʻe he kakai Siu, ʻonau fai ke tāmateʻi ia: pea ne u ʻalu atu mo e kau tau, ʻo fakahaofi ia, ʻi heʻeku ʻilo ko e Loma ia.
The man whom I send with this had been seized by some Jews, and was on the point of being killed by them, when I came upon them with the force under my command, and rescued him, as I learned that he was a Roman citizen.
28 Pea ʻi heʻeku fie ʻilo ʻae meʻa ʻoku nau tukuakiʻi ai ia, ne u ʻatu ia ki heʻenau kau fakamaau:
Wanting to know exactly the ground of the charges they made against him, I brought him before their Council,
29 Pea ne u ʻilo kuo tukuakiʻi ia ʻi he ngaahi meʻa ʻo ʻenau fono, ka naʻe ʻikai tukuakiʻi ia ʻi ha meʻa ʻe totonu ai ke ne mate pe haʻisia.
when I found that their charges were connected with questions of their own Law, and that there was nothing alleged involving either death or imprisonment.
30 Pea ʻi hono tala mai kiate au ʻoku toitoi ʻae kau Siu ki he tangata, ne u tuku atu leva ia kiate koe, mo fekau ki he kau tukuaki foki ke nau fakahā ʻi ho ʻao ʻa hono talatalaakiʻi. ʻOfa ke ke lelei pē.
Having, however, information of a plot against the man, which was about to be put into execution, I am sending him to you at once, and I have also directed his accusers to prosecute him before you.’
31 Pea naʻe toki ʻave ʻe he kau tau ʻa Paula, ʻo hangē ko e fekau kiate kinautolu, pea ʻomi poʻuli ai ki ʻAnitepeta.”
The soldiers, in accordance with their orders, took charge of Paul and conducted him by night to Antipatris;
32 Pea pongipongi hake, naʻa nau tukuange ʻae kau tangata heka hoosi ke nau ō mo ia, kae foki ʻakinautolu ki he fale lahi ʻoe kau tau.
and on the next day, leaving the troopers to go on with him, they returned to the Fort.
33 Pea ʻi heʻenau aʻu atu ki Sesalia, ʻo tuku ʻae tohi ki he tuʻi, naʻa nau ʻomi foki ʻa Paula ki hono ʻao.
On arriving at Caesarea, the troopers delivered the letter to the Governor, and brought Paul before him.
34 Pea kuo ʻosi hono lau ʻe he tuʻi [ʻae tohi], pea ne fehuʻi pe ʻoku mei he fonua fē ia. Pea kuo ne ʻilo ko e Silisia ia;
As soon as Felix had read the letter, he enquired to what province Paul belonged, and, learning that he came from Cilicia, he said,
35 Pea ne pehē, “Te u fanongo kiate koe ʻoka haʻu ho kau tukuakiʻi.” Pea ne fekau ke leʻohi ia ʻi he fale fakamaau ʻo Helota.
“I will hear all you have to say as soon as your accusers have arrived.” And he ordered Paul to be kept under guard in Herod’s Government house.
