1Agrippa said to Paul, “You may now present your case.”
So Paul motioned with his hand. Then he began to present his case. 2“King Agrippa,” he said, “I am happy to be able to stand here today. I will answer all the charges brought against me by the Jews. 3I am very pleased that you are familiar with Jewish ways. You know the kinds of things they argue about. So I beg you to be patient as you listen to me.
4“The Jewish people all know how I have lived ever since I was a child. They know all about me from the beginning of my life. They know how I lived in my own country and in Jerusalem. 5They have known me for a long time. So if they wanted to, they could tell you how I have lived. I have lived by the rules of the Pharisees. Those rules are harder to obey than those of any other Jewish group. 6Today I am on trial because of the hope I have. I believe in what God promised our people of long ago. 7It is the promise that our 12 tribes are hoping to see come true. Because of this hope they serve God with faithful and honest hearts day and night. King Agrippa, it is also because of this hope that these Jews are bringing charges against me. 8Why should any of you think it is impossible for God to raise the dead?
9“I believed that I should oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. So I did everything I could to oppose his name. 10That’s just what I was doing in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests, I put many of the Lord’s people in prison. I agreed that they should die. 11I often went from one synagogue to another to have them punished. I tried to force them to speak evil things against Jesus. All I wanted to do was hurt them. I even went looking for them in the cities of other lands.
12“On one of these journeys I was on my way to Damascus. I had the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13About noon, King Agrippa, I was on the road. I saw a light coming from heaven. It was brighter than the sun. It was shining around me and my companions. 14We all fell to the ground. I heard a voice speak to me in the Aramaic language. ‘Saul! Saul!’ it said. ‘Why are you opposing me? It is hard for you to go against what you know is right.’
15“Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
“ ‘I am Jesus,’ the Lord replied. ‘I am the one you are opposing. 16Now get up. Stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you to serve me. And you must tell other people about me. You must tell others that you have seen me today. You must also tell them that I will show myself to you again. 17I will save you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18to open their eyes. I want you to turn them from darkness to light. I want you to turn them from Satan’s power to God. I want their sins to be forgiven. They will be forgiven when they believe in me. They will have their place among God’s people.’
19“So then, King Agrippa, I obeyed the vision that appeared from heaven. 20First I preached to people in Damascus. Then I preached in Jerusalem and in all Judea. And then I preached to the Gentiles. I told them to turn away from their sins to God. The way they live must show that they have turned away from their sins. 21That’s why some Jews grabbed me in the temple courtyard and tried to kill me. 22But God has helped me to this day. So I stand here and tell you what is true. I tell it to everyone, both small and great. I have been saying nothing different from what the prophets and Moses said would happen. 23They said the Messiah would suffer. He would be the first to rise from the dead. He would bring the message of God’s light. He would bring it to his own people and to the Gentiles.”
24While Paul was still presenting his case, Festus interrupted. “You are out of your mind, Paul!” he shouted. “Your great learning is driving you crazy!”
25“I am not crazy, most excellent Festus,” Paul replied. “What I am saying is true and reasonable. 26The king is familiar with these things. So I can speak openly to him. I am certain he knows everything that has been going on. After all, it was not done in secret. 27King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”
28Then Agrippa spoke to Paul. “Are you trying to talk me into becoming a Christian?” he said. “Do you think you can do that in such a short time?”
29Paul replied, “I don’t care if it takes a short time or a long time. I pray to God for you and all who are listening to me today. I pray that you may become like me, except for these chains.”
30The king stood up. The governor and Bernice and those sitting with them stood up too. 31They left the room and began to talk with one another. “Why should this man die or be put in prison?” they said. “He has done nothing worthy of that!”
32Agrippa said to Festus, “This man could have been set free. But he has made an appeal to Caesar.”
Paulo Yi Ne Ho Ano
1Ɔhene Agripa ka kyerɛɛ Paulo sɛ, “Afei, mema wo ho ɛkwan sɛ woyi wo ho ano.”
Paulo maa ne nsa so kasaa sɛ, 2“Ɔhene Agripa! Ɛyɛ me anigye sɛ ɛnnɛ manya mu kwan gyina wʼanim ha reyi me ho ano wɔ asɛm a Yudafoɔ aka atia me no ho. 3Deɛ ɛma meka saa ne sɛ, wonim Yudafoɔ mmara ne wɔn amanneɛ nyinaa fekɔɔ. Enti, mesrɛ wo, to wo bo ase tie me.
4“Yudafoɔ no nim mʼasetena mu nsɛm nyinaa firi me mmɔfraase. Wɔnim mʼasetena mu nsɛm wɔ me kurom ne Yerusalem nso. 5Sɛ wɔbɛka nokorɛ a, wɔnim sɛ meyɛ Farisini a medi Yudafoɔ mmara ne wɔn som so pɛpɛɛpɛ. 6Na afei ɛyɛ bɔ a Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ yɛn nananom no enti na megyina ha ɛnnɛ na wɔrebu me atɛn yi. 7Saa bɔhyɛ yi na yɛn mmusuakuo dumienu hwɛ ɛkwan sɛ ɛbɛba mu no enti na wɔsom Onyankopɔn awia ne anadwo no. Ɔhene, saa anidasoɔ yi enti na Yudafoɔ asɔre atia me yi. 8Adɛn enti na mo Yudafoɔ nnye nni sɛ Onyankopɔn nyane awufoɔ?
9“Mmerɛ bi a atwam no, na mʼadwene nyinaa ne sɛ mɛyɛ biribiara a mɛtumi de atia Yesu a ɔfiri Nasaret no din. 10Saa ara na meyɛɛ wɔ Yerusalem. Megyee tumi nwoma firii asɔfoɔ mpanin nkyɛn gyinaa so kyekyeree Onyankopɔn akyidifoɔ guu afiase; na sɛ wɔbu wɔn kumfɔ a, medi mu akotene. 11Memaa wɔtwee wɔn aso mmerɛ pii wɔ hyiadan mu sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, wɔbɛpa wɔn gyidie. Mʼani beree wɔn so yie maa metaa wɔn kɔduruu aman afoforɔ so.”
Paulo Ka Nʼadwensakra Ho Asɛm
12“Saa ɔtaa yi enti na mekɔgyee tumi nwoma firii asɔfoɔ mpanin nkyɛn sɛ mede rekɔ Damasko no. 13Daasebrɛ, da bi owigyinaeɛ a merekɔ Damasko no, hann bi a ɛkyɛn owia hyerɛn firii ɔsoro bɛtwaa me ne wɔn a yɛnam no ho hyiaeɛ. 14Yɛn nyinaa twitwa hwehwee fam na metee nne bi wɔ Arameike kasa mu sɛ, ‘Saulo! Saulo! Adɛn enti na wotaa me? Deɛ woyɛ yi nyinaa wode reha wo ho sɛdeɛ nantwie tu ne nan wɔ ɔkafoɔ poma ano.’
15“Mebisaa sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ wo hwan, Awurade?’
“Awurade buaa sɛ, ‘Ɛyɛ me Yesu a wotaa me no. 16Sɔre gyina hɔ. Ɛnnɛ mayi me ho adi akyerɛ wo; mɛma woayɛ me ɔsomfoɔ na woadi adanseɛ wɔ deɛ woahunu afa me ho yi ne deɛ mɛkyerɛ wo nyinaa ho. 17Mɛgye wo mafiri Israelfoɔ ne amanamanmufoɔ a wɔresoma wo akɔ wɔn nkyɛn no nsam. 18Wobɛbue wɔn ani na woatwe wɔn afiri sum mu aba hann mu, na woayi wɔn afiri ɔbonsam tumi ase aba Onyankopɔn nkyɛn. Na wɔnam wɔn gyidie a wɔwɔ wɔ me mu no so anya bɔne fakyɛ na wɔayɛ Onyankopɔn mma.’
19“Ɛno enti, Ɔhene Agripa, meyɛɛ ɔsetie maa nne a ɛfiri ɔsoro no. 20Mefirii aseɛ kaa asɛmpa no wɔ Damasko ne Yerusalem ne Yudeafoɔ aman nyinaa so ne amanamanmufoɔ mu sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔnu wɔn ho na wɔde wɔn ho ma Onyankopɔn, na wɔn nneyɛeɛ akyerɛ sɛ wɔasakyera. 21Saa asɛm yi ara enti na mewɔ asɔredan mu resom no, Yudafoɔ no bɛkyeree me sɛ wɔrekɔku me. 22Nanso, ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ, Onyankopɔn abɔ me ho ban enti na megyina ha redi adanseɛ akyerɛ obiara yi. Asɛm korɔ a Mose ne adiyifoɔ no kaa sɛ, 23Ɛsɛ sɛ Agyenkwa no hunu amane na wadi awufoɔ sɔreɛ mu ɛkan, na wɔaka hann ho asɛm akyerɛ Yudafoɔ ne amanamanmufoɔ.”
Festo Bu Paulo Ɔbɔdamfoɔ
24Paulo gu so rekasa no, Festo tiaa no kaa sɛ, “Paulo, woabɔ dam. Wo nwomanim bebrebe no abɔ wo dam.”
25Nanso, Paulo buaa sɛ, “Daasebrɛ, memmɔɔ dam. Nsɛm a mereka no yɛ nokorɛ a aba wɔ mu. 26Ɔhene Agripa, ɛsiane sɛ wonim saa nsɛm yi nyinaa enti, mɛtumi magyina wʼanim mede akokoɔduru makasa. Megye di sɛ biribiara a ɛsiiɛ no wonim, ɛfiri sɛ, emu biara nni hɔ a ɛyɛ kokoamsɛm. 27Ɔhene Agripa, wogye adiyifoɔ no di anaa? Menim sɛ wogye wɔn di.”
28Agripa bisaa Paulo sɛ, “Wogye di sɛ wobɛtumi adane mʼadwene ama mayɛ Kristoni saa ɛberɛ tiawa yi mu anaa?”
29Paulo buaa sɛ, “Sɛ nsɛm a mereka no ho hia anaa ɛho nhia no, me mpaeɛbɔ ara ne sɛ, Onyankopɔn bɛma wo ne wɔn a wɔretie me ɛnnɛ yi nyinaa bɛsakyera abɛyɛ sɛ me, agye nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn a ɛgu me yi nko ara.”
30Afei, ɔhene no ne Amrado ne Berenike ne wɔn a wɔahyia hɔ no nyinaa sɔreeɛ. 31Wɔrekɔ no, wɔkeka kyerɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Saa onipa yi nyɛɛ biribiara a ɛsɛ sɛ wɔgyina so bu no kumfɔ anaasɛ wɔde no to afiase.”
32Ɔhene Agripa ka kyerɛɛ Festo sɛ, “Sɛ onipa yi nnwane ntoaa Kaesare a anka yɛbɛtumi agyaa no.”
