Acts 22
1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense which I will now make to you.”
“Anuanom ne agyanom, muntie mʼanoyi yi.”
2 When the crowd heard Paul speak to them in the Hebrew language, they became quiet. He said,
Wɔtee sɛ ɔka Arameike no, wɔyɛɛ komm koraa. Paulo toaa so se,
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.
“Meyɛ Yudani a wɔwoo me wɔ Tarso a ɛwɔ Kilikia. Wɔtetew me wɔ Yerusalem wɔ Gamaliel nan ase. Misuaa sɛnea wodi Yudafo mmara ne wɔn amanne so pɛpɛɛpɛ. Mebɔɔ mmɔden sɛ biribiara a meyɛ no, mede bɛhyɛ Onyankopɔn anuonyam sɛnea mo nyinaa nso reyɛ nnɛ yi.
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding up and delivering them to prison both men and women,
Metaa nnipa a wodi Awurade asɛm so no nyinaa kunkum wɔn. Mekyeree mmea ne mmarima de wɔn guu afiase.
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.
Ɔsɔfopanyin ne agyinatufo no nyinaa di me adanse sɛ, asɛm a mereka yi yɛ nokware. Wɔn nkyɛn mpo na migyee tumi nhoma sɛ mede rekɔma anuanom Yudafo a wɔwɔ Damasko no. Saa nhoma no na anka megyina so makyekyere nnipa a wodi Awurade asɛm so no agu wɔn nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn, de wɔn aba Yerusalem na wɔatwe wɔn aso.
6 It happened that when I was traveling and nearing Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven began to shine around me.
“Owigyinae a mereyɛ adu Damasko no, mpofirim na hann bi twa faa me ho.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
Mitwa hwee fam, na metee nne bi a ɛrebisa me se, ‘Saulo! Saulo! Adɛn nti na wotaa me?’
8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
“Mibisae se, ‘Ɛyɛ wo hena, Awurade?’ “Nne no buaa me se, ‘Ɛyɛ me Nasareni Yesu a wotaa me no.’
9 Those who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
Nnipa a na wɔne me nam no huu hann no de, nanso wɔante nne a ɛkasa kyerɛɛ me no.
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.'
“Mibisae se, ‘Dɛn na menyɛ, Awurade?’ “Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me se, ‘Sɔre na kɔ Damasko, na hɔ na mɛkyerɛ wo biribiara a mepɛ sɛ woyɛ.’
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.
Hann no hyerɛn ano den no maa mʼani furae enti nnipa a na me ne wɔn rekɔ no susoo me nsa de me kɔɔ Damasko.
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.
“Na Onipa bi a wɔfrɛ no Anania a odi Mose mmara so a na Yudafo nyinaa di no ni no te Damasko hɔ.
13 He came to me, stood by me, and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' In that very hour I saw him.
Ɔbaa me nkyɛn bɛkae se, ‘Onua Saulo, hu ade bio!’” Na hɔ ara mʼani buei.
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.
“Ɔka kyerɛɛ me se, ‘Yɛn nenanom Nyankopɔn ayi wo sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wobɛyɛ nʼapɛde na woahu ɔtreneeni no, na wobɛte nʼankasa ne nne sɛ ɛkasa kyerɛ wo.
15 For you shall be a witness for him to all men about what you have seen and heard.
Wubedi adanse afa biribiara a woahu na woate wɔ Awurade ho no akyerɛ nnipa nyinaa.
16 Now why are you waiting? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
Afei, dɛn na woretwɛn bio? Sɔre na ma wɔmmɔ wo asu nhohoro wo bɔne wɔ Yesu din mu.’
17 After I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, it happened that I was given a vision.
“Mesan kɔɔ Yerusalem na merebɔ mpae wɔ asɔredan mu no,
18 I saw him say to me, 'Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'
mihuu Awurade wɔ anisoadehu mu na ɔka kyerɛɛ me se, ‘Yɛ ntɛm fi Yerusalem ha, efisɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ ha no rentie adanse a wudi fa me ho no.’
19 I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you in every synagogue.
“Mekae se, ‘Awurade, wɔn nyinaa nim pefee sɛ mekɔɔ hyiadan mu kɔkyekyeree asuafo boroo wɔn.
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.'
Saa ara na bere a wokum wo dansefo Stefano no, na mewɔ hɔ bi. Mepenee ne kum no so, hwɛɛ awudifo no ntama so.’
21 But he said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'”
“Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me se, ‘Sɔre na kɔ, efisɛ mɛsoma wo akɔ akyirikyiri, amanamanmufo nkyɛn!’”
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.”
Bere a Paulo kae se wɔasoma no amanamanmufo nkyɛn pɛ na dɔm no fii ase teɛteɛɛ mu dennen se, “Munkum no! Ɔmfata sɛ ɔtena wiase!”
23 As they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and throwing dust into the air,
Nnipa no kɔɔ so teɛteɛɛ mu, hugyaa wɔn ntama saw mfutuma tow petee wim.
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.
Roma sahene no hyɛɛ sɛ wɔmfa Paulo nkɔ aban mu nkɔbɔ no mmaa sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a ɔbɛka nea enti a nnipa no nyinaa mpɛ sɛ wotie nʼasɛm no.
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?”
Bere a wɔkyekyeree no wiee a wɔrebɛbɔ no mmaa no, Paulo bisaa ɔsraani panyin a na ogyina hɔ no se, “Mowɔ ho kwan sɛ mobɔ Romani a wonnii nʼasɛm mmuu no fɔ no mmaa ana?”
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.”
Bere a ɔsraani panyin no tee saa asɛm no, ɔkɔɔ ɔsahene no nkyɛn kobisaa no se, “Dɛn na wopɛ sɛ woyɛ yi? Onipa no yɛ Romani!”
27 The chief captain came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul said, “Yes.”
Afei ɔsahene no kɔɔ Paulo nkyɛn kobisaa no se, “Woyɛ Romani ana?” Paulo buaa no se, “Yiw meyɛ Romani.”
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.”
Ɔsahene no kae se, “Mituaa sika bebree na mede tɔɔ me Roma maniyɛ.” Paulo nso kae se, “Me de, wɔwoo me sɛ Romani.”
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.
Ntɛm ara, nnipa a na wɔrebebisa Paulo nsɛm no twee wɔn ho fii ne nkyɛn. Ɔsafohene no tee sɛ Paulo yɛ Romani no, osuroe sɛ wama wɔagu Paulo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn.
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.
Esiane sɛ na ɔsafohene no pɛ sɛ ohu nea enti a Yudafo no asɔre atia Paulo no nti, ade kyee no, ɔhyɛ ma woyii Paulo fii nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu. Ɔmaa asɔfo mpanyin ne agyinatufo no nyinaa hyiae. Afei ɔde Paulo kɔɔ se wɔnhwehwɛ nʼasɛm no mu.
