Acts 22
1 Paul said, “[Jewish] elders and my other fellow Jews, listen to me now while I reply to [those who are accusing me]!”
Ry rahalahy sy ianareo ray henoy ny teny halahatro aminareo ankehitriny hanala tsiny ny tenako.
2 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,
Ary nony ren’ ny olona fa teny Hebreo no nitenenany taminy, dia mainka nangina izy; ary hoy Paoly:
3 “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].
Izaho lehilahy Jiosy, teraka tany Tarsosy any Kilikia, fa teto amin’ ity tanàna ity no nahabe ahy teo anilan’ ny tongotr’ i Gamaliela, dia nampianarina tsara ny lalàna avy tamin’ ny razana aho, ary nazoto indrindra ho an’ Andriamanitra tahaka anareo rehetra ankehitriny.
4 [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.
Nanenjika izay nanaiky izany fampianarana izany aho hatramin’ ny mahafaty azy aza, dia namatotra azy, na lahy na vavy, ka nanolotra azy hatao an-tranomaizina;
5 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].
ary ny mpisoronabe sy ny loholona rehetra no vavolombeloko, sady izy no nandraisako taratasy ho amin’ ny rahalahy, dia nankany Damaskosy aho, mba ho entiko am-patorana hankany Jerosalema koa izay hita teo, mba hampijalina.
6 About noon, my companions and I were getting near Damascus. Suddenly a bright light from the sky flashed all around me.
Ary raha nandeha aho ka mby teo akaiky an’ i Damaskosy, tamin’ ilay antoandrobe iny, dia nisy mazava lehibe nanelatrelatra tampoka avy tany an-danitra manodidina ahy;
7 [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?’
dia lavo tamin’ ny tany aho ka nandre feo nilaza tamiko hoe: Saoly, Saoly, nahoana ianao no manenjika Ahy?
8 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].’
Ary izaho namaly hoe: Iza moa Hianao, Tompoko? Dia hoy Izy tamiko: Izaho no Jesosy avy any Nazareta, Izay enjehinao.
9 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.
Ary izay niaraka tamiko dia nahita ny mazava; nefa tsy mba nahare ny feon’ izay niteny tamiko izy.
10 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.’
Ary hoy izaho: Tompoko, inona no hataoko? Dia hoy ny Tompo tamiko: Mitsangana, ka mandehana ho any Damaskosy; fa any no holazaina aminao izay rehetra voatendry hataonao.
11 [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.
Ary raha tsy nahajery aho noho ny famirapiratan’ izany mazava izany, dia notantanan’ ireo niaraka tamiko aho, ka dia tonga tany Damaskosy.
12 [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.
Ary ny lehilahy anankiray atao hoe Ananiasy, mpivavaka manaraka ny lalàna sady tsara laza teo amin’ ny Jiosy rehetra izay nonina teo,
13 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].
dia nanatona ahy ary nitsangana ka nanao tamiko hoe: Ry Saoly rahalahy, mahirata. Ary tamin’ izany ora izany dia nahiratra aho ka nahita azy.
14 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].
Ary hoy izy: Andriamanitry ny razantsika efa nanendry anao hahafantatra ny sitrapony sy hahita ny Iray Marina ary hihaino ny teny aloaky ny vavany;
15 He wants you to tell people everywhere what you have seen and heard [from him].
fa ho vavolombelony amin’ ny olona rehetra ianao ny amin’ izay efa hitanao sy renao.
16 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!’”
Ary ankehitriny inona no mampijanona anao? Mitsangàna, miantsoa ny anarany, ary aoka hatao batisa ianao ka hosasana ho afaka amin’ ny fahotanao.
17 “Later, I returned to Jerusalem. [One day] I went to the Temple courtyard. While I was praying there, I saw a vision [in which]
Ary rehefa tonga tany Jerosalema indray aho ka nivavaka teo an-kianjan’ ny tempoly, dia azon-tsindrimandry
18 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!’
ka nahita Azy milaza amiko hoe: Maladia ianao, ka mivoaha faingana an’ i Jerosalema; fa tsy handray ny fanambaranao Ahy izy.
19 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.
Dia hoy izaho: Tompoko, izy ireo mahalala fa ny mino Anao dia nataoko tao an-tranomaizina sady nokapohiko tao amin’ ny synagoga rehetra;
20 [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].’
ary raha nalatsaka ny ran’ i Stefana martioranao, izaho koa dia mba nitsangana teo ka nanaiky sady nitandrina ny fitafian’ izay namono azy.
21 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!’”
Ary hoy Izy tamiko: Mandehana, fa Izaho haniraka anao handeha lavitra any amin’ ny jentilisa.
22 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].
Ary ny olona nihaino azy hatramin’ izany teny izany, dia nanandratra ny feony ka nanao hoe: Esory amin’ ny tany ilehio, fa tsy tokony hovelomina izy!
23 While they continued shouting, [“Kill him!”] they took off their cloaks and threw dust into the air, [which showed how angry they were].
Ary raha niantso sy niala lamba ary nanipy vovoka ho amin’ ny rivotra izy,
24 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].
dia nasain’ ny mpifehy arivo ho entina any anati-rova Paoly, ary nasainy hadinina amin’ ny kapoka, mba hahafantarany izay fototry ny nanakoran’ ny olona azy toy izany.
25 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!”
Ary raha namatotra azy tamin’ ny kofehy hoditra izy, dia hoy Paoly tamin’ ny kapiteny izay hitsangana teo: Mety aminareo va ny mikapoka lehilahy Romana izay tsy mbola nohelohina?
26 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]”
Ary ny kapiteny, nony nahare, dia lasa nilaza tamin’ ny mpifehy arivo ka nanao hoe: Inona izao hataonao izao? fa Romana io lehilahy io.
27 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].”
Dia nankeo aminy ny mpifehy arivo ka nanao taminy hoe: Lazao amiko: Romana va ianao? Dia hoy izy: Eny.
28 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].”
Ary ny mpifehy arivo namaly hoe: Vola be no nahazoako izany voninahitra izany. Fa hoy Paoly: Izaho kosa efa nanana izany hatry ny fony vao teraka.
29 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].
Dia nandao azy faingana ireo olona efa hanadina azy; ary ny mpifehy arivo natahotra koa, rehefa nahalala azy fa Romana, satria efa nampamatotra azy izy.
30 [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.
Ary nony ampitso, satria ta-hahafantatra marina izay niampangan’ ny Jiosy azy ny mpifehy arivo, dia namaha azy, ary nasainy niangona ny lohan’ ny mpisorona sy ny Synedriona rehetra, ary Paoly nentiny nidina ka nampitoeriny teo anatrehany.
