1 “My fellow Jews, listen to me as I make my defense before you!” 2 When they heard him speaking to them in Hebrew, they became even quieter; and Paul went on:
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here in Jerusalem as a student of Gamaliel. I received strict instruction in the Law of our ancestors and was just as dedicated to God as are all of you who are here today. 4 I persecuted to the death the people who followed this Way. I arrested men and women and threw them into prison. 5 The High Priest and the whole Council can prove that I am telling the truth. I received from them letters written to fellow Jews in Damascus, so I went there to arrest these people and bring them back in chains to Jerusalem to be punished.
Paul Tells of His Conversion
(Acts 9.1-19Acts 26.12-18)6 “As I was traveling and coming near Damascus, about midday a bright light from the sky flashed suddenly around me. 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ 8 ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute,’ he said to me. 9 The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 I asked, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ and the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything that God has determined for you to do.’ 11 I was blind because of the bright light, and so my companions took me by the hand and led me into Damascus.
12 “In that city was a man named Ananias, a religious man who obeyed our Law and was highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13 He came to me, stood by me, and said, ‘Brother Saul, see again!’ At that very moment I saw again and looked at him. 14 He said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see his righteous Servant, and to hear him speaking with his own voice. 15 For you will be a witness for him to tell everyone what you have seen and heard. 16 And now, why wait any longer? Get up and be baptized and have your sins washed away by praying to him.’
Paul's Call to Preach to the Gentiles
17 “I went back to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the Temple, I had a vision, 18 in which I saw the Lord, as he said to me, ‘Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your witness about me.’ 19 ‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that I went to the synagogues and arrested and beat those who believe in you. 20 And when your witness Stephen was put to death, I myself was there, approving of his murder and taking care of the cloaks of his murderers.’ 21 ‘Go,’ the Lord said to me, ‘for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
22 The people listened to Paul until he said this; but then they started shouting at the top of their voices, “Away with him! Kill him! He's not fit to live!” 23 They were screaming, waving their clothes, and throwing dust up in the air. 24 The Roman commander ordered his men to take Paul into the fort, and he told them to whip him in order to find out why the Jews were screaming like this against him. 25 But when they had tied him up to be whipped, Paul said to the officer standing there, “Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't even been tried for any crime?”
26 When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked him, “What are you doing? That man is a Roman citizen!”
27 So the commander went to Paul and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes,” answered Paul.
28 The commander said, “I became one by paying a large amount of money.”
“But I am one by birth,” Paul answered.
29 At once the men who were going to question Paul drew back from him; and the commander was frightened when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had put him in chains.
Paul before the Council
30 The commander wanted to find out for sure what the Jews were accusing Paul of; so the next day he had Paul's chains taken off and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council to meet. Then he took Paul and made him stand before them.
Paulus ta hepaululile Ovajuda okukala kwaye
1 “Ovalumenhu nye ovamwatate nootate, pwilikineni elipopilo lange koshipala sheni.” 2 Ndele vo eshi va uda ta popi Oshiheberi, ova mwenena, ye ta ti:
3 “Aame Omujuda, nda dalelwa muTarso shomuKilikia, ndele ame onda tekulwa omu, moshilando eshi opeemhadi daGamaliel, nda longwa okushiiva shili omhango yootate, nonda li handi kondjele Kalunga ngaashi nanye yo osho mu li nena. 4 Ame onda kondjifa ondjila ei fiyo okufya, nda manga ovalumenhu novakainhu noku va idilila modolongo. 5 Ngaashi omupristeli omukulunhu noshiongalele ashishe shovakulunhu ovo eendobwedi dange. Ovo tuu va pele nge eenhumwafo da shangelwa ovamwatate ovo va kala muDamaskus, nonda ile ko, opo ndi va ete kuJerusalem va mangwa va ka handukilwe.
6 “Ndelenee opa ningwa, fimbo nda li mondjila nde lishilila popepi naDamaskus, pokati komutenya, ohangelela ouyelele uhapu womeulu owa dingilila nge. 7 Ndele ame onde lishata poshi nonda uda ondaka ya popifa nge: ‘Saul, Saul, oshike to taataa nge?’ 8 Ame onda nyamukula: ‘Omwene, Oove lyelye?’ Ye okwa lombwela nge: ‘Aame Jesus Omunasareti, ou to mu taataa.’ 9 Ndele ava va li pamwe naame, ova mona shili ouyelele, ndele ondaka yaau a popifa nge, inave i uda, 10 ndele ame onda tya: ‘Omwene, ondi nokuninga shike?’ Omwene okwa lombwela nge, ta ti: ‘Fikama, u ye muDamaskus, omo to ka lombwelwa oinima aishe we i tokolelwa u i longe.’ 11 Ndele ame, eshi nda twikifwa keenhe douyelele, onda kwatwa komhango kwaava va li pamwe naame, osho ngaha nde uya muDamaskus.
12 “Ndele omo mwa li Ananias, omulumenhu omuyuki konghedi yomhango, a fimanekwa kOvajuda aveshe. 13 Ye okwe uya kwaame, a ehena pwaame, ndele ta ti: ‘Saul, omumwatate, pashuka!’ Opo tuu opo ame nda ninga omunamesho, nonde mu tala. 14 Ndele ye okwa tya: ‘Kalunga kootate e ku hoolola nale u shiive ehalo laye, ove u mone Omuyuki, ndele u ude ondaka yomokanya kaye. 15 Osheshi ove u nokuninga ondobwedi koshipala shovanhu aveshe, yaai we i mona naai we i uda. 16 Ndele paife, oto teelele vali shike? Fikama ashike, u ka shashwe, ove u koshwe omatimba oye, nokwiifana edina lOmwene.’
17 “Ndele eshi nda aluka ko, onde uya kuJerusalem, nonda ilikanena motembeli, onda fya ombabanghukuta, 18 ndele nde mu mona. Ye okwa lombwela nge: ‘Endelela u dje mo muJerusalem paife, osheshi itava tambula ehepaululo loye lokuhepaulula nge.’ 19 Ndele ame onda tya: ‘Omwene, voovene ove shi shii, ame nhumbi nda kwata ovaitaveli voye, ndele nde va dengifa meeshinagoga, 20 ndele ohonde yaStefanus, ondobwedi yoye, eshi ya tilwashi, naame yo oko nda li nonda li nde shi itavela, nonda kelela oikutu yovadipai vaye.’ 21 Ndele Ye okwa lombwela nge: ‘Inda ko, ohandi ku tumu kokule kovapaani.’ ”
22 Fiyo okondjovo ei ove mu pwilikina, ndele va ingida pombada, ndele tava ti: “Ou a tya ngaha na dje ko kombada yedu, osheshi inashi wapala a kale e nomwenyo.” 23 Ndele eshi va li tava ingida, tava ekeleshi oikutu yavo, ndele tava fundaula edu pombada, 24 omuneyovi okwe va lombwela ve mu twale meni longulu, opo a shiive osho she va ingidifa, okwe va lombwela a pulwe mokudengwa neeshokoto.
Oukwaroma waPaulus tau mu popile
25 Ndele vo eshi ve mu nangeka, ve mu dengife eeshokoto, Paulus okwa tya komunefele ou a li ofika opo: “Otamu dulu tuu okudenga Omuroma fimbo ina tokolwa?” 26 Omunefele eshi e shi uda okwa ya, ndele e ke shi lombwela omuneyovi, ndele ta ti: “Owa hala okuninga shike, omulumenhu ou Omuroma?” 27 Ndele omuneyovi okwa ya kuPaulus, ndele ta pula kuye: “Lombwele nge, oove ngeenge Oumuroma?” Ye okwa nyamukula: “Heeno.” 28 Opo nee omuneyovi ta ti: “Oukwashilongo ou onde u lilikolela noimaliwa ihapu.” Paulus ta ti: “Ame omudalwa Omuromelela.” 29 Opo tuu opo, venya va li va hala, ve mu denge, ove mu efa diva. Omuneyovi yo eshi a uda kutya Paulus Omuroma, a tila, eshi e mu mangifa.
30 Ndele mefiku la shikula, shaashi a hala okushiiva nawa omolwashike Ovajuda ve mu hokololifa, okwe mu mangululifa ndele a lombwela ovapristeli ovakulunhu noshiongalele ashishe shovakulunhu shi ongale, ndele a twala mo Paulus ndele te mu tula moipafi yavo.
