Acts 22
1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense which I will now make to you.”
“Ụmụnna m na ndị nna anyị, geenụ m ntị mgbe m na-agọrọ onwe m nʼihu unu.”
2 When the crowd heard Paul speak to them in the Hebrew language, they became quiet. He said,
Mgbe ha nụrụ na ọ na-agwa ha okwu nʼasụsụ Hibru, ha deere duu karịa. Mgbe ọ sịrị,
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but educated in this city at the feet of Gamaliel. I was instructed according to the strict ways of the law of our fathers. I am zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
“Abụ m onye Juu. Amụrụ m na Tasọs nʼime Silisia. Azụrụ m na obodo a nʼụkwụ Gamaliel onye nkuzi m. Anatara m ọzụzụ dị ike na ịsọpụrụ iwu nke nna nna anyị ha ejikwa m ịnụ ọkụ nʼobi na-efe Chineke dịka unu niile si eme taa.
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding up and delivering them to prison both men and women,
Akpagburu m ndị niile na-eso ụzọ ọhụrụ a, na-etinye ha nʼaka ọnwụ. Ejidere m ndị ikom na ndị inyom ha tụbakwa ha nʼụlọ mkpọrọ.
5 as the high priest and all the elders can bear witness. I received letters from them for the brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring them back in bonds to Jerusalem in order for them to be punished.
Ma dịka onyeisi nchụaja na nzukọ ndị okenye niile pụrụ ịgbara m akaebe. Anatakwara m nʼaka ha akwụkwọ ozi e deere ụmụnna anyị nọ na Damaskọs. Agara m ebe ahụ ịkpụta ha nʼagbụ bịa Jerusalem maka ịta ha ahụhụ.
6 It happened that when I was traveling and nearing Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven began to shine around me.
“Nʼetiti ehihie, mgbe m na-aga nʼụzọ, nʼebe dị Damaskọs nso, oke ìhè nke si nʼeluigwe, chara gburugburu m.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
Adara m nʼala ma nụkwa olu gwara m okwu sị m, ‘Sọl, Sọl, gịnị mere i ji na-akpagbu m?’
8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
“‘Onye ka ị bụ Onyenwe m?’ Ka m jụrụ. “Ọ sịrị m, ‘Abụ m Jisọs onye Nazaret onye ị na-akpagbu.’
9 Those who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
Ndị mụ na ha so hụkwara ìhè ahụ, ma ha anụghị olu onye ahụ na-agwa m okwu.
10 I said, 'What should I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus; there you will be told everything that you must do.'
“Asịrị m, ‘Gịnị ka m ga-eme Onyenwe anyị?’ “Onyenwe anyị sịrị m, ‘Bilie banye Damaskọs; nʼebe ahụ a ga-agwa gị ihe niile a kwadobere na ị ga-eme.’
11 I could not see because of that light's brightness, and being led by the hands of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
Nʼihi na-enweghị m ike ịhụ ụzọ nʼihi ebube ìhè ahụ chachiri m anya. Ya mere ndị mụ na ha so sekpụụrụ m nʼaka bata na Damaskọs.
12 There I met a man named Ananias, a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there.
“Nʼebe ahụ ka Ananayas bi, bụ onye anyị pụrụ ịgụ nʼonye ezi omume nʼihi idebe iwu. O nwekwara ọgbụgba ama dị mma site nʼọnụ ndị Juu bi nʼebe ahụ.
13 He came to me, stood by me, and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' In that very hour I saw him.
Ọ bịakwutere m, guzoro nʼakụkụ m sị, ‘Nwanna anyị Sọl, ka emee ka ị hụ ụzọ!’ Otu mgbe ahụ, e nwetara m ike ịhụ ụzọ, m hụkwara ya.
14 Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice coming from his own mouth.
“Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị, ‘Chineke nke nna nna anyị ha ahọpụtala gị ịmara uche ya na ịhụ Onye Ezi Omume ahụ na ịnụta okwu site nʼọnụ ya.
15 For you shall be a witness for him to all men about what you have seen and heard.
Ị ga-abụ onyeama ya nye ndị niile banyere ihe ị hụrụ na ihe ị nụrụ.
16 Now why are you waiting? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
Ma ugbu a, gịnị ka ị na-eche? Bilie ọtọ, ka e mee gị baptizim, ka a sachakwa gị site na mmehie, na-akpọkukwa aha ya.’
17 After I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, it happened that I was given a vision.
“Mgbe m lọghachikwara na Jerusalem, nọrọ na-ekpe ekpere nʼụlọnsọ ukwu ahụ, ahụrụ m ọhụ,
18 I saw him say to me, 'Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'
ebe ọ na-agwa m, ‘Mee ngwa! Hapụ Jerusalem, nʼihi na ndị bi nʼala a agaghị anara ọgbụgba ama gị banyere m.’
19 I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you in every synagogue.
“Ma asịrị m, ‘Onyenwe anyị, ndị a maara nke ọma na m na-aga nʼụlọ nzukọ nʼotu nʼotu, na-atụba ndị kwere na gị nʼụlọ mkpọrọ, na-etikwa ha ihe.
20 When the blood of Stephen your witness was spilled, I also was standing by and agreeing, and I was guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
Nʼoge a na-awụfu ọbara onyeama gị bụ Stivin, eguzo m nso na-akwado nʼihe emere dị mma, ma na-elekọtakwa uwe ndị ahụ tụgburu ya anya.’
21 But he said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'”
“Mgbe ahụ, ọ sịrị m, ‘Gawa; nʼihi na aga m ezipu gị ebe dị anya ijekwuru ndị mba ọzọ.’”
22 They listened to him until he said this. Then they shouted and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not right that he should live.”
Ha ṅara ya ntị ruo ugbu a. Mgbe ahụ, ha niile tiri mkpu nʼotu olu sị, “Wepụnụ onye dị otu a nʼụwa! O kwesighị ka onye dị otu a dịrị ndụ!”
23 As they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and throwing dust into the air,
Ha tiri mkpu na-atụli uwe mgbokwasị ha elu, na-achilikwa aja nʼala na-efesasị ya ebe niile,
24 the chief captain commanded Paul to be brought into the fortress. He ordered that he should be questioned with scourging, so that he himself might know why they were shouting against him like that.
ọchịagha ahụ nyere iwu ka a kpụgaa ya nʼogige ndị agha, pịa ya ụtarị, ka eziokwu pụta ya nʼọnụ. Ọ chọrọ ịmata ihe mere ha ji eti mkpu otu a megide ya.
25 When they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and who has not been put on trial?”
Ma mgbe ha chịịrị ụdọ akpụkpọ kechaa ya, Pọl sịrị onye agha guzo ya nso, “Ọ bụ ihe ziri ezi nʼiwu na unu ga-eti nwa afọ Rom ihe, onye na-enweghị ikpe a mara ya?”
26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
Mgbe onye agha a nụrụ okwu a, o jekwuuru ọchịagha ahụ sị, “Gịnị ka ị na-aga ime? Nwoke a bụkwa onye Rom.”
27 The chief captain came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul said, “Yes.”
Ọchịagha ahụ bịakwutere sị ya, “Gwa m, ị bụ onye Rom?” Ọ sịrị, “E.”
28 The chief captain answered, “It was only with a large amount of money that I acquired citizenship.” But Paul said, “I was born a Roman citizen.”
Ọchịagha ahụ zara, “ma o furu m ego dị ukwuu iji bụrụ onye Rom.” Ma Pọl sịrị, “Amụrụ m dịka nwa afọ ala a.”
29 Then the men who were going to question him left him immediately. The chief captain also was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, because he had tied him up.
Ndị ahụ chọrọ ịgba ya ajụjụ ọnụ mere ngwangwa wezuga onwe ha. Egwu tụkwara ọchịagha nʼonwe ya mgbe ọ matara na ọ bụ nwa afọ Rom, nʼihi na o keela ya rịị agbụ na mbụ.
30 On the next day, the chief captain wanted to know the truth about the Jews' accusations against Paul. So he untied his bonds and ordered the chief priests and all the council to meet. Then he brought Paul down and placed him in their midst.
Nʼechi ya, ebe ọ chọrọ ịmata ihe bụ isi okwu na ihe mere ndị Juu ji ebo ya ebubo, o nyere iwu ka ndịisi nchụaja na ndị ụlọ ikpe ha zukọọ. Mgbe ahụ, o dupụtara Pọl, mee ka o guzo nʼihu ha.
