The Case against Paul
1 Five days later the High Priest Ananias went to Caesarea with some elders and a lawyer named Tertullus. They appeared before Governor Felix and made their charges against Paul. 2 Then Paul was called in, and Tertullus began to make his accusation, as follows:
“Your Excellency! Your wise leadership has brought us a long period of peace, and many necessary reforms are being made for the good of our country. 3 We welcome this everywhere and at all times, and we are deeply grateful to you. 4 I do not want to take up too much of your time, however, so I beg you to be kind and listen to our brief account. 5 We found this man to be a dangerous nuisance; he starts riots among Jews all over the world and is a leader of the party of the Nazarenes. 6 He also tried to defile the Temple, and we arrested him. 8 If you question this man, you yourself will be able to learn from him all the things that we are accusing him of.” 9 The Jews joined in the accusation and said that all this was true.
Paul's Defense before Felix
10 The governor then motioned to Paul to speak, and Paul said,
“I know that you have been a judge over this nation for many years, and so I am happy to defend myself before you. 11 As you can find out for yourself, it was no more than twelve days ago that I went to Jerusalem to worship. 12 The Jews did not find me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor did they find me stirring up the people, either in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13 Nor can they give you proof of the accusations they now bring against me. 14 I do admit this to you: I worship the God of our ancestors by following that Way which they say is false. But I also believe in everything written in the Law of Moses and the books of the prophets. 15 I have the same hope in God that these themselves have, namely, that all people, both the good and the bad, will rise from death. 16 And so I do my best always to have a clear conscience before God and people.
17 “After being away from Jerusalem for several years, I went there to take some money to my own people and to offer sacrifices. 18 It was while I was doing this that they found me in the Temple after I had completed the ceremony of purification. There was no crowd with me and no disorder. 19 But some Jews from the province of Asia were there; they themselves ought to come before you and make their accusations if they have anything against me. 20 Or let these who are here tell what crime they found me guilty of when I stood before the Council— 21 except for the one thing I called out when I stood before them: ‘I am being tried by you today for believing that the dead will rise to life.’”
22 Then Felix, who was well informed about the Way, brought the hearing to a close. “When the commander Lysias arrives,” he told them, “I will decide your case.” 23 He ordered the officer in charge of Paul to keep him under guard, but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to provide for his needs.
Paul before Felix and Drusilla
24 After some days Felix came with his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish. He sent for Paul and listened to him as he talked about faith in Christ Jesus. 25 But as Paul went on discussing about goodness, self-control, and the coming Day of Judgment, Felix was afraid and said, “You may leave now. I will call you again when I get the chance.” 26 At the same time he was hoping that Paul would give him some money; and for this reason he would call for him often and talk with him.
27 After two years had passed, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix as governor. Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jews so he left Paul in prison.
Paulus ta tamanekwa kAajuda
1 Sho pwa piti omasiku gatano, omuyambimukuluntu Ananias okwa yi kuKesarea pamwe naakuluntu yamwe nomunongompango, edhina lye Tertullus. Oyo oye ya koshipala shomuleli Feliks, ya tamaneke Paulus. 2 Paulus sho e etwa mo, Tertullus okwa tameke okupa Paulus uusama a ti: “Omusimanekwa Feliks! Sho wa lele noondunge ethimbo ele, oshe tu pe ombili. Omalunduluko ogendji omawanawa moluuwanawa woshilongo shetu oga ningwa. 3 Tse ohatu hempulula aluhe naakuhe oshinima shika notatu ku pandula noonkondo. 4 Ihe inandi hala unene okumana po ethimbo lyoye, onkee otandi ku indile, u idhidhimike okupulakena ehokololo lyetu pafupi. 5 Omulumentu nguka otwe mu mono kutya omupiyaganeki. Oye ota piyaganeke Aajuda muuyuni auhe noye omuwiliki gwoshimpaga shAanasareti. 6 Oye okwa li ta kambadhala nokuli okunyateka otempeli yetu, onkee otwe mu kwata. [Otwa li twa hala oku mu pangula pampango yetu yene, 7 ihe omuwiliki omukuluntu gwaakwiita, Lisias, okwe ya po nokwe tu mu yugu koonkondo. 8 Nena Lisias okwe tu lombwele ihe kutya natu ye, tu mu tamanekele koshipala shoye.] Ngele wa pula omulumentu nguka, nena oto ka vula okutseya iinima ayihe mbyoka tatu yi mu tamanekele.” 9 Aajuda oya koleke wo kutya iinima mbyoka ayihe oyoshili.
Paulus ti ipopile koshipala shaFeliks
10 Opo ihe omuleli okwa pe Paulus ompito yokupopya, Paulus okwa popi a ti:
“Onda tseya kutya owa kala omupangeli moshigwana shika oomvula odhindji, onkee onda nyanyukwa, sho ndi na ompito okwiipopila koshipala shoye. 11 Ngaashi naanaa ngoye mwene to vulu oku shi tseya, opwa piti ashike omasiku omulongo nagaali, ngame sho nda yile kuJerusalem oku ka galikana Kalunga motempeli. 12 Aajuda inaa mona ndje nando tandi ludhike nomuntu motempeli. Osho wo inaa mona ndje tandi tsu aantu omaminimini moosinagoga nenge peha lilwe lyontumba moshilando. 13 Nokuli itaa vulu nando oku ku pa etompelo lyiinima mbyoka taa tamanekele ndje. 14 Ihe otandi hempulula mpaka koshipala shoye: Ngame ohandi longele Kalunga kootate nokulandula ondjila ndjika taa ti kutya oya puka. Ondi itaala wo iinima ayihe mbyoka ya nyolwa mompango yaMoses nomomambo gaahunganeki. 15 Ondi na wo etegameno limwe pamwe nayo kutya Kalunga ota ka yumudha aantu ayehe kuusi, naawanawa naawinayi. 16 Onkee ohandi kambadhala aluhe okukala ndi na eiyuvo lya yela koshipala shaKalunga noshaantu.
17 “Ano sho nda ningi oomvula odhindji ndaa mo muJerusalem, onda yile ko okufaalela aantu yoshigwana shetu omagano giimaliwa nokuyambela Kalunga omayambo. 18 Ano manga nda li tandi longo iilonga mbika, oyi itsu ndje motempeli, nda adhika opo nda mana ko omasiku geiyogo. Kapwa li nando ongundu yaantu noinapu holoka epiyagano lyasha. 19 Opwa li ashike Aajuda yamwe ya za kuAsia. Naye ye yo yene mpaka koshipala shoye, ye ku hokololele, ngele ondi na uusama washa. 20 Nongele pamwe aalumentu mbaka ye li mpaka, oya monene ndje ondjo yasha, sho nda li tandi ipopile koshipala shawo moshigongi shaatokoli, nena naye shi popye. 21 Nenge pamwe osho ndi igidhile, manga nda thikama koshipala shawo nda ti: ‘One otamu pangula ndje, sho ndi itaala kutya aasi otaa ka yumudhwa.’ ”
22 Ihe Feliks sho a li a tseya oshindji kombinga yondjila yOmuwa, okwa mweneke manga iihokolola. Oye okwa lombwele Aajuda ta ti: “Otandi ka pulakena ishewe oohapu dheni, uuna Lisias, omuwiliki omukuluntu gwaakwiita, te ke ya.” 23 Opo ihe okwa lombwele omukuluntu gwaakwiita ngoka ha tonatele Paulus, kutya na tsikile natango oku mu langela, ihe ne mu pe emanguluko lyontumba, opo nookuume ke ya mone ompito yoku mu yakula moompumbwe dhe.
Paulus koshipala shaFeliks naDrusila
24 Omasiku gamwe sho ga piti po, Feliks okwe ya pamwe nomukadhi Drusila, ngoka a li Omujuda. Feliks okwi ithana Paulus nokwe mu pulakene, sho ta hokolola okwiitaala Jesus Kristus shoka taku ti. 25 Ihe Paulus sho a tsikile okupopya kombinga yuuwanawa, eikwatonawa nesiku lyepangulo ndyoka tali ya, Feliks okwa haluka nokwa ti kuye: “Sha gwana manga, otandi ke ku ithana ishewe, ngele nda mono ethimbo.” 26 Ihe kombinga onkwawo okwa li ta dhiladhila kutya pamwe Paulus ote mu pe iimaliwa, onkee okwa kala he mu ithana olwindji, a popye naye.
27 Oomvula mbali sho dha piti po, Porkius Festus okwa ningi omuleli gwoshitopolwa shoka peha lyaFeliks. Ano Feliks sho a li a hala okuhokiwa kAajuda, okwa ethele Paulus mondholongo.
