On Shore at Malta
1When we were safe on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2The people of the island were unusually kind. It was raining and cold. So they built a fire and welcomed all of us. 3Paul gathered some sticks and put them on the fire. A poisonous snake was driven out by the heat. It fastened itself on Paul’s hand. 4The people of the island saw the snake hanging from his hand. They said to one another, “This man must be a murderer. He escaped from the sea. But the female god Justice won’t let him live.” 5Paul shook the snake off into the fire. He was not harmed. 6The people expected him to swell up. They thought he would suddenly fall dead. They waited for a long time. But they didn’t see anything unusual happen to him. So they changed their minds. They said he was a god.
7Publius owned property nearby. He was the chief official on the island. He welcomed us to his home. For three days he took care of us. He treated us with kindness. 8His father was sick in bed. The man suffered from fever and dysentery. So Paul went in to see him. Paul prayed for him. He placed his hands on him and healed him. 9Then the rest of the sick people on the island came. They too were healed. 10The people of the island honored us in many ways. When we were ready to sail, they gave us the supplies we needed.
Paul Arrives in Rome
11After three months we headed out to sea. We sailed in a ship from Alexandria that had stayed at the island during the winter. On the front of the ship the figures of twin gods were carved. Their names were Castor and Pollux. 12We landed at Syracuse and stayed there for three days. 13From there we sailed to Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up. The day after that, we reached Puteoli. 14There we found some believers. They invited us to spend a week with them. At last we came to Rome. 15The believers there had heard we were coming. They traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. When Paul saw these people, he thanked God for them and was encouraged by them. 16When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself. But a soldier guarded him.
Paul Preaches in Rome
17Three days later Paul called a meeting of the local Jewish leaders. When they came, Paul spoke to them. He said, “My brothers, I have done nothing against our people. I have also done nothing against what our people of long ago practiced. But I was arrested in Jerusalem. I was handed over to the Romans. 18They questioned me. And they wanted to let me go. They saw I wasn’t guilty of any crime worthy of death. 19But the Jews objected, so I had to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not mean to bring any charge against my own people. 20I share Israel’s hope. That is why I am held with this chain. So I have asked to see you and talk with you.”
21They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea about you. None of our people here from Judea has reported or said anything bad about you. 22But we want to hear what your ideas are. We know that people everywhere are talking against those who believe as you do.”
23They decided to meet Paul on a certain day. At that time even more people came to the place where he was staying. From morning until evening, he told them about God’s kingdom. Using the Law of Moses and the Prophets, he tried to get them to believe in Jesus. 24Some believed what he said, and others did not. 25They didn’t agree with one another. They began to leave after Paul had made a final statement. He said, “The Holy Spirit was right when he spoke to your people long ago. Through Isaiah the prophet the Spirit said,
26“ ‘Go to your people. Say to them,
“You will hear but never understand.
You will see but never know what you are seeing.”
27These people’s hearts have become stubborn.
They can barely hear with their ears.
They have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes.
They might hear with their ears.
They might understand with their hearts.
They might turn, and then I would heal them.’ (Isaiah 6:9,10)
28-29“Here is what I want you to know. God has sent his salvation to the Gentiles. And they will listen!”
30For two whole years Paul stayed there in a house he rented. He welcomed all who came to see him. 31He preached boldly about God’s kingdom. He taught people about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one could keep him from teaching and preaching about these things.
Yedu Malta
1Yeduu mpoano hɔ no, ankyɛ na yehuu sɛ yɛwɔ supɔw Malta so. 2Supɔw no sofo no gyee yɛn fɛw so. Esiane sɛ na osu atɔ ama awɔw aba nti, wɔsɔɔ ogya ma yɛtoe. 3Paulo bubuu mmabaa sɛ ɔde regu ogya no mu. Ɔde regu mu no, ɔwɔ bi a ogya no hyew aka no no bebaree ne nsa ho. 4Supɔw no sofo no huu ɔwɔ no sɛ ɔbebare ne nsa ho no, wɔkae se, “Saa onipa yi yɛ owudifo a wanya ne ti adidi mu wɔ po akwanhyia mu, nanso esiane ne bɔne nti owu ara na etwa sɛ owu.” 5Paulo petee ɔwɔ no too ogya no mu a hwee anyɛ no. 6Na nkurɔfo no nyinaa susuw sɛ Paulo bɛhonhon anaasɛ obetwa ahwe awu. Nanso wɔtwɛn ara a biribiara anyɛ no no, wɔsakraa wɔn adwene kae se, “Ɔyɛ onyame bi.”
7Na ɔpanyin a ɔhwɛ supɔw no so a wɔfrɛ no Publio no fi bɛn mpoano hɔ; ogyee yɛn fɛw so som yɛn hɔho nnansa. 8Saa bere no ara na Publio agya yare atiridii ne konkoruwa a aka no ato hɔ. Paulo kɔɔ ɔdan a na ɔda mu no mu de ne nsa guu no so, bɔɔ mpae maa ne ho yɛɛ no den. 9Nea Paulo yɛe no maa ayarefo a wɔwɔ supɔw no so no nyinaa baa ne nkyɛn ma ɔsaa wɔn yare. 10Wɔmaa yɛn akyɛde bebree. Yɛrebefi hɔ akɔ no nso wɔde biribiara a ɛho hia yɛn no beguu hyɛn no mu maa yɛn.
Yefi Malta Kodu Roma
11Yedii asram abiɛsa wɔ supɔw no so ansa na yenyaa hyɛn bi a efi Aleksandria a ne nsɛnkyerɛnne yɛ eti abien a egyina hɔ ma anyame baanu bi. Na saa hyɛn no abedi awɔwbere no wɔ supɔw no so. 12Yeduu Sidarakusa no, yedii nnansa wɔ hɔ. 13Yefi hɔ toaa so koduu Regio. Ade kyee no, mframa bi bɔ fii anafo fam ma nnaanu akyi no yekoduu Puteoli. 14Ɛha na yehyiaa agyidifo bi a wɔsrɛɛ yɛn se yɛntena wɔn nkyɛn nnaawɔtwe. Ɛno akyi no, yɛtoaa so koduu Roma. 15Anuanom a wɔwɔ Roma no tee yɛn nka sɛ yɛreba no, ebinom behyiaa yɛn kwan wɔ aguabɔbea a ɛwɔ Apia kwan no so na afoforo nso hyiaa yɛn wɔ ahɔhobea bi a wɔfrɛ no Ahɔhodan Abiɛsa no. Bere a Paulo huu wɔn no, ne ho san no na ɔdaa Onyankopɔn ase. 16Yeduu Roma no, wɔmaa Paulo ho kwan sɛ ɔnkɔtena baabiara a ɔpɛ na ɔsraani bi nwɛn no.
17Nnansa akyi no, Paulo frɛɛ Yudafo mpanyin ne wɔn hyiae. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Anuanom, ɛwɔ mu sɛ manyɛ bɔne biara antia yɛn man ne yɛn amanne a yɛn agyanom de gyaw sɛ yɛn no de, nanso wɔkyeree me sɛ odeduani wɔ Yerusalem de me hyɛɛ Romafo nsa. 18Wobisaa me nsɛm pɛɛ sɛ wogyaa me, efisɛ wɔannya afɔbude bi wɔ me ho a ɛno nti ɛsɛ sɛ wogyina so kum me. 19Nanso bere a Yudafo kasatia gyae a wɔpɛ sɛ wogyaa me no, mihuu sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ miguan toa Kaesare. Ɛnyɛ me nkurɔfo ho adwemmɔne a mewɔ nti na meyɛɛ saa. 20Eyi nti na mepɛɛ sɛ mihu mo na me ne mo kasa no; na onipa a Israelfo ani da no so no nti na nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn gu me yi.”
21Wobuaa Paulo se, “Yennyaa nhoma biara a efi Yudea a ɛfa wo ho na yɛntee wo ho asɛmmɔne biara nso mfii anuanom a wofi hɔ ba ha no nso nkyɛn. 22Nanso yɛpɛ sɛ yehu wʼadwene, efisɛ yenim sɛ nnipa kasa tia Kristofo a wo nso woka wɔn ho no wɔ baabiara.”
Paulo Asɛnka Wɔ Roma
23Wɔhyɛɛ da bi sɛ wobehyia Paulo. Saa da no dui no, nnipa bebree kɔɔ ne nkyɛn wɔ faako a ɔte hɔ no. Ɔkaa Onyankopɔn ahenni no ho asɛm kyerɛɛ wɔn. Ɔnam Mose mmara ne nsɛm a adiyifo no kae no so kaa Yesu ho asɛm fi anɔpa kosii anadwo kyerɛɛ wɔn pɛɛ sɛ ɔdan wɔn adwene. 24Nnipa no bi gyee Paulo asɛm a ɔkae no dii na bi nso annye anni. 25Bere a wɔregyigye wɔn ho wɔn ho akyinnye no, wofii hɔ kɔe. Na asɛm a etwa to a Paulo kae ne sɛ, “Nokwasɛm na Honhom Kronkron nam Odiyifo Yesaia so ka kyerɛɛ mo agyanom se,
26“Monkɔka asɛm yi nkyerɛ Yudafo se,
‘Ɔte de mobɛte, nanso morente ase.
Ɔhwɛ de mobɛhwɛ, nanso morenhu,’
27efisɛ nnipa yi apirim wɔn koma;
moasisiw mo aso, akatakata mo ani.
Ɛnyɛ saa a, anka mo ani behu ade,
na mo koma ate asɛm ase,
na moanu mo ho asan aba me nkyɛn, na masa mo yare.”
28Paulo kae se, “Ɛsɛ sɛ muhu sɛ Onyankopɔn nkwagye no adu amanamanmufo no nkyɛn. Wobetie!” 29Paulo kaa saa asɛm yi wiei no, Yudafo no fii hɔ kɔe a na wɔregyigye wɔn ho wɔn ho akyinnye denneennen.
30Paulo tenaa hɔ mfe abien, a na ɔte ofi a ɔno ankasa tua ho ka mu, na nnipa bebree kɔɔ ne nkyɛn. 31Na ɔde akokoduru kaa Onyankopɔn Ahenni no ne Awurade Yesu Kristo ho asɛm.
