Paul Ashore on Malta
1Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.
7There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and showed us generous hospitality for three days. 8His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 9When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 10They honored us in many ways; and when we were ready to sail, they furnished us with the supplies we needed.
Paul’s Arrival at Rome
11After three months we put out to sea in a ship that had wintered in the island—it was an Alexandrian ship with the figurehead of the twin gods Castor and Pollux. 12We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days. 13From there we set sail and arrived at Rhegium. The next day the south wind came up, and on the following day we reached Puteoli. 14There we found some brothers and sisters who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome. 15The brothers and sisters there had heard that we were coming, and they traveled as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns to meet us. At the sight of these people Paul thanked God and was encouraged. 16When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with a soldier to guard him.
Paul Preaches at Rome Under Guard
17Three days later he called together the local Jewish leaders. When they had assembled, Paul said to them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. 18They examined me and wanted to release me, because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death. 19The Jews objected, so I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. 20For this reason I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain.”
21They replied, “We have not received any letters from Judea concerning you, and none of our people who have come from there has reported or said anything bad about you. 22But we want to hear what your views are, for we know that people everywhere are talking against this sect.”
23They arranged to meet Paul on a certain day, and came in even larger numbers to the place where he was staying. He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus. 24Some were convinced by what he said, but others would not believe. 25They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this final statement: “The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when he said through Isaiah the prophet:
26“ ‘Go to this people and say,
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”
27For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’28:27 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
28“Therefore I want you to know that God’s salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!” 2928:29 Some manuscripts include here After he said this, the Jews left, arguing vigorously among themselves.
30For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. 31He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!
Yɛduru Malta
1Yɛduruu mpoano hɔ no, ankyɛre na yɛhunuu sɛ yɛwɔ supɔ Malta so. 2Supɔ no sofoɔ no gyee yɛn fɛ so. Esiane sɛ na osuo atɔ ama awɔ aba enti, wɔsɔɔ ogya ma yɛtoeɛ. 3Paulo bubuu mmabaa sɛ ɔde regu ogya no mu. Ɔde regu mu no, ɔwɔ bi a ogya no hyeɛ aka no no, bebaree ne nsa ho. 4Supɔ no sofoɔ no hunuu ɔwɔ no sɛ ɔbebare ne nsa ho no, wɔkaa sɛ, “Saa onipa yi yɛ owudifoɔ a wanya ne ti adidi mu wɔ ɛpo akwanhyia mu, nanso ɛnam ne bɔne enti, owuo ara na ɛtwa sɛ ɔwu.” 5Paulo petee ɔwɔ no too ogya no mu a hwee anyɛ no. 6Na nkurɔfoɔ no nyinaa susuu sɛ Paulo bɛhonhono anaasɛ ɔbɛtwa ahwe awu. Nanso, wɔtwɛnee ara a biribiara anyɛ no no, wɔsakyeraa wɔn adwene kaa sɛ, “Ɔyɛ onyame bi.”
7Na ɔpanin a ɔhwɛ supɔ no so a wɔfrɛ no Publio no fie bɛn mpoano hɔ; ɔgyee yɛn fɛw so, somm yɛn hɔhoɔ nnansa. 8Saa ɛberɛ no ara na Publio agya yaree huraeɛ ne konkurowa a aka no ato hɔ. Paulo kɔɔ ɛdan a na ɔda mu no mu de ne nsa guu ne so, bɔɔ mpaeɛ maa ne ho yɛɛ no den. 9Deɛ Paulo yɛeɛ no maa ayarefoɔ a wɔwɔ supɔ no so no nyinaa baa ne nkyɛn maa ɔsaa wɔn yadeɛ. 10Wɔmaa yɛn akyɛdeɛ bebree. Yɛrebɛfiri hɔ akɔ no nso, wɔde biribiara a ɛho hia yɛn no bɛguu ɛhyɛn no mu maa yɛn.
Yɛfiri Malta Kɔ Roma
11Yɛdii abosome mmiɛnsa wɔ supɔ no so ansa na yɛnyaa ɛhyɛn bi a ɛfiri Aleksandria a ne nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ yɛ etire mmienu a ɛgyina hɔ ma anyame baanu bi. Na saa ɛhyɛn no abɛdi awɔberɛ no wɔ supɔ no so. 12Yɛduruu Sidarakusa no, yɛdii nnansa wɔ hɔ. 13Yɛfiri hɔ no, yɛtoaa so kɔduruu Regio. Adeɛ kyeeɛ no, mframa bi bɔ firi anafoɔ fam maa nnanu akyi no, yɛkɔduruu Puteoli. 14Ɛha na yɛhyiaa agyidifoɔ bi a wɔsrɛɛ yɛn sɛ, yɛntena wɔn nkyɛn nnawɔtwe. Ɛno akyi no, yɛtoaa so kɔduruu Roma. 15Anuanom a wɔwɔ Roma no tee yɛn nka sɛ yɛreba no, ebinom bɛhyiaa yɛn ɛkwan wɔ adwabɔeɛ a ɛwɔ Apia ɛkwan no so na afoforɔ nso hyiaa yɛn wɔ ahɔhobea bi a wɔfrɛ no Ahɔhodan Mmiɛnsa no. Ɛberɛ a Paulo hunuu wɔn no, ne ho sanee no na ɔdaa Onyankopɔn ase. 16Yɛduruu Roma no, wɔmaa Paulo ho ɛkwan sɛ ɔnkɔtena baabiara a ɔpɛ na ɔsraani bi nnwɛn no.
17Nnansa akyi no, Paulo frɛɛ Yudafoɔ mpanin ne wɔn hyiaeɛ. Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Anuanom, ɛwom sɛ manyɛ bɔne biara mantia yɛn ɔman ne yɛn amanneɛ a yɛn agyanom de gyaa yɛn no de, nanso wɔkyeree me dedua wɔ Yerusalem de me hyɛɛ Romafoɔ nsa. 18Wɔbisaa me nsɛm pɛɛ sɛ wɔgyaa me, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔannya afɔbudeɛ bi wɔ me ho a ɛno enti ɛsɛ sɛ wɔgyina so kum me. 19Nanso, ɛberɛ a Yudafoɔ kasatia gyaeɛ a wɔpɛ sɛ wɔgyaa me no, mehunuu sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ medwane metoa Kaesare. Ɛnyɛ me nkurɔfoɔ ho adwemmɔne a mewɔ enti na meyɛɛ saa. 20Yei enti na mepɛɛ sɛ mehunu mo na me ne mo kasa no, na onipa a Israelfoɔ ani da ne so no enti na nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn gu me yi.”
21Wɔbuaa Paulo sɛ, “Yɛnnyaa nwoma biara a ɛfiri Yudea a ɛfa wo ho na yɛntee wo ho asɛmmɔne biara nso mfirii anuanom a wɔfiri hɔ ba ha no nso nkyɛn. 22Nanso, yɛpɛ sɛ yɛhunu wʼadwene, ɛfiri sɛ, yɛnim sɛ baabiara nnipa kasa tia Akristofoɔ a wɔn nso woka wɔn ho no.”
Paulo Asɛnka Wɔ Roma
23Wɔhyɛɛ da bi sɛ wɔbɛhyia Paulo. Saa ɛda no duruiɛ no, nnipa bebree kɔɔ ne nkyɛn wɔ faako a ɔte hɔ no. Ɔkaa Onyankopɔn Ahennie no ho asɛm kyerɛɛ wɔn. Ɔnam Mose mmara ne nsɛm a adiyifoɔ no kaeɛ no so kaa Yesu ho asɛm firi anɔpa kɔsii anadwo kyerɛɛ wɔn, pɛɛ sɛ ɔdane wɔn adwene. 24Nnipa no bi gyee Paulo asɛm a ɔkaeɛ no diiɛ na ebi nso annye anni. 25Ɛberɛ a wɔregyegye wɔn ho wɔn ho akyinnyeɛ no, wɔfirii hɔ kɔeɛ. Na asɛm a ɛtwa toɔ a Paulo kaeɛ ne sɛ. “Nokwasɛm na Honhom Kronkron nam Odiyifoɔ Yesaia so ka kyerɛɛ mo agyanom sɛ,
26“Monkɔka asɛm yi nkyerɛ Yudafoɔ sɛ,
‘Ɔte deɛ mobɛte, nanso morente aseɛ.
Ɔhwɛ deɛ mobɛhwɛ, nanso morenhunu,’
27ɛfiri sɛ mo, moapirim mo akoma;
moasi mo aso, akatakata mo ani.
Ɛnyɛ saa a anka mo ani bɛhunu adeɛ,
na mo akoma ate asɛm ase,
na moanu mo ho asane aba me nkyɛn, na masa mo yadeɛ.”
28Paulo kaa sɛ, “Ɛsɛ sɛ mohunu sɛ Onyankopɔn nkwagyesɛm no aduru amanamanmufoɔ no nkyɛn. Wɔbɛtie!” 29Paulo kaa saa asɛm yi wieeɛ no, Yudafoɔ no firii hɔ kɔeɛ a na wɔregyegye wɔn ho wɔn ho akyinnyeɛ dendeenden.
30Paulo tenaa hɔ mfeɛ mmienu, a na ɔte efie a ɔno ankasa tua ho ka no mu, na nnipa bebree kɔɔ ne nkyɛn. 31Na ɔde akokoɔduru kaa Onyankopɔn Ahennie no ne Awurade Yesu Kristo ho asɛm.
