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.
1 “Liyǝŋgǝri-ŋǝ rǝrnyǝri-ri, kitticar-nyii-ṯi yǝni ŋǝsi andaci ŋiɽaŋali ŋǝthi rogɽo riinyi kiyǝnǝ yaalɔ!” 2 Mǝr niŋnaci kwandicasi kandisa-gi kǝthi @ibraaniiyyiin, nǝr aami naanitha keereny-gi tugwup ŋǝmmǝŋ; mindaŋ nǝ Bɔɔlɔs aari isṯimir kandisa-gi nɔŋwaarɔŋw,
3 “Nyii kwir Yahuuḏi kwilŋithir Ṯarsuus kwǝthi Kiiliikiiyyǝ-ŋw, laakin nǝnyii aari rǝbbi kɔnɔŋw Urshaliim kwir ṯilmiiz ṯǝthi Ghamaalaa-iil. Nǝr-nyii inḏǝthǝ ṯa@liima ṯifirlli tǝthi Sherii@a kwǝthi lugwurnǝ lǝri, nǝnyii inḏǝthǝ Allah rogɽo riinyi kaka-ṯǝ ŋaaŋwɔsi kila linaanɔ kɔnɔŋw aŋwɔnv. 4 Nǝnyii ǝwɽi lizi yǝy-lɔ ethisi ɽeenye kila lǝṯi rɔɔmi Ṯaay kɔthɔ. Ǝṯinyii ɔmɔmmi lɔɔrɔ-ŋwɔsi laaw-li ǝṯi-nyji kagiṯṯɔ ki-sijin-nǝ. 5 Nǝ Rǝ-iis Rɔppa rǝthi kahana ŋundu-ŋǝ Mǝjlǝs-gi, lǝthi ŋɔma ethi kettice ŋaaŋwɔsi shahaaḏa ethaarɔŋw ŋɔ ŋandisa-nyji ŋir rerrem. E-ta nǝnyii aavi juwaaba naanir-gwɔ kwɔlɔccar liyǝŋgǝriŋi lir Yahuuḏ yinaanɔ Ḏimashga, e-ta ninyeele kinanaŋw ethi ɔmma lizi kila mindaŋ ethi-li aaɽitha Urshaliim likǝkkinǝ ŋwɔɔɽɔŋw-ŋi ethisi inḏǝthǝ jiizǝ.
Bɔɔlɔs mɔŋwsi-gwɔ andasi ŋimǝŋw-ŋi urlǝ ṯɔgwor-lɔ.
(A@maal 9:1-19A@maal 26:12-18)6 “Nǝ kinaŋw ninḏi-nyii mindaŋ mǝnyii iilici Ḏimashga-ŋwɔ keṯṯok, kaaŋwɔn wɔnaanɔ kelgeny-na tittir, ŋwɔṯaŋw biḏaan nǝnyii fɔɔri kwɔppa irṯacalɔ tɔc kiɽǝr kwɔɔɽɔ ki-leere. 7 Nǝnyii iidi kwurǝyu-lu mindaŋ nǝnyii neŋne ṯogɽo ṯǝccǝnyii-ŋw, ‘Shaawul, Shaawul! A kwotho kwǝwɽu-nyii yǝy-lɔ?’ 8 Nǝnyii ǝccǝŋw, ‘A kwir kwǝni ǝyǝ Kweeleny?’ Nɔŋwɔccǝ nyuŋwɔŋw, ‘Nyii kwǝni Yǝcu kwǝthi Naasira-ŋw ŋgwa kwǝwɽǝ-ŋǝ yǝy-lɔ’, 9 Nǝ lɔr linaaniny-li ese fɔɔri, laakin nǝreere neŋne ṯogɽo mac ṯǝthi ŋgwa kwandica-nyii. 10 Nǝnyii uṯicǝlɔ nǝnyǝccǝŋw, ‘Nyii kwǝrri aatha Kweeleny?’ Nǝnyii Kweeleny ǝccǝŋw, ‘Diiɽu ele ǝnḏi Ḏimashga mindaŋ ǝrŋǝ-gwɔ andaci kinanaŋw kwomne tatap kwɔgittathiŋa-gi Allah ethi ǝrri’. 11 Nǝnyii riimi kii ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝthi fɔɔri kwiithɔ, mindaŋ nǝnyii lizi kila lirɔɔmɔthiny-li mɔlotto ṯii-thi nǝr-nyii iili Ḏiimashga.
12 “Nǝ kwɔr naani kwette ki-mǝḏiinǝ-nǝ kwǝṯi iiɽi Allah-na nǝ kwǝṯi iinyici Sherii@a naana kwǝri tok, nǝ kwǝṯi Yahuuḏ tatap kinanaŋw iiɽinǝ. 13 Nɔŋw iila naaniny-gwɔ, nɔŋw rillaci nyuŋw-lɔ mindaŋ nɔŋw ǝccǝ nyuŋwɔ-ŋw, ‘Ǝŋgǝri Shaawul iisa ǝzir kwokwony!’ Nǝ kina-ṯǝ kinaŋw-lɔ ṯogdo-ṯogdo nǝnyii avri yǝy-nǝ tɔc mindaŋ nǝnyii ese ŋunduŋw. 14 Nɔŋw ǝccǝ nyuŋwɔ-ŋw, ‘Allah wǝthi lugwurnǝ-ŋǝ lǝri wɔmǝŋǝ ecce-na ethelŋe ŋiɽaŋali ŋǝthi ṯɔgwor ṯuuŋwun, ethi ese ŋgwa Kwɔvthanna, mindaŋ mǝ niŋnaci kwandisa ṯogɽo-thi ṯuuŋwun. 15 E-ta oro shuhuuḏ kwuuŋwun ki-lizi-nǝ tatap kwomne-gi ŋgwa kwiisa-ŋa nǝ kwuniŋna-ŋa tok. 16 Nǝ aatha kweere kwǝkkici kizan kwokwony? Diiɽu aari @ammiḏa mindaŋ mǝŋǝ ŋikiya ŋɔɔŋa suuɽunnici kithaay ṯaara-thi ŋunduŋw kiyiiriny’.
Bɔɔlɔs mǝr-gwɔ ɔrnɔṯi ǝthi ǝccǝ Umama bǝshirǝ.
17 “E-ta ninyeele ninyaaɽitha Urshaliim, na naariny kiyiiriny ki Heikal-na, nǝnyii ese rɔ-ɔya, 18 nǝnyii-gwɔ ese Kweelenyi mindaŋ nɔŋw-ǝccǝ nyuŋwɔ-ŋw, ‘Fiɽigathɔ a ruu kithaay Urshaliim-na fittak, nǝ lizi lǝthi kɔnɔŋw liti liŋǝ ǝmminci shahaaḏa kwɔɔŋa kwǝni nyii mac’. 19 Nǝnyii ǝŋnici nǝnyii ǝccǝŋw, ‘Kweeleny lilŋithi-pǝ rac ki-rɔgwor-na reeŋen ethaarɔŋw nyii kwǝṯi ele ki-limajma@-na ǝṯi-nyji ɔmɔmma nǝ ǝṯi-nyji ipippi kila lǝṯiŋǝ ǝmminici. 20 Nǝ kinaŋw mǝr ɽeenye Isṯifaanuus-ŋwɔ kwir shuhuuḏ kwɔɔŋa, nǝnyii naani kinanaŋw tok, kwǝmminǝ ŋiɽaŋali ŋǝthi ŋiɽany ŋuuŋun, mindaŋ nǝnyii karni yirethi-lɔ yǝthi kila liɽinyithi ŋunduŋw’. 21 Mindaŋ nǝnyii Kweeleny ǝccǝŋw, ‘Nḏi nǝ nyii ŋgwa kwinḏiŋǝ ethi ɔɔsi tuk ki Umam-na’.”
22 Nǝ lizi kettice Bɔɔlɔs-ŋwɔ yǝni mindaŋ nɔŋwsi andasi ŋɔ; e-ta nǝr-mǝ aari ibṯǝḏi ethi ɔppɔpɔna kwɔɔla-ŋi ŋɔmmaŋi-ŋɔmmaŋi, nǝraarɔŋw, “Nḏir-gi kithaay! Iɽinyithir kithaay! Kwiti kwɔvthanna kwokwony mac ethi naani kwɔmiithɔ!” 23 Mǝr kegitte kwɔɔla lurṯǝzǝ yirethi-la yeeŋen, na nǝr kagiṯṯɔ wurǝyuŋ-lǝ tok. 24 Nǝ gaa-iḏ kir Rɔɔmaani ǝlicci lɔɔrɔ luuŋwun waamira ethi mɔlo Bɔɔlɔs-ŋwɔ ethi-geele kǝzir wǝthi jesh, e-ta nɔŋwsi ǝllici waamira ethi ippi ŋunduŋw mindaŋ ethi kaṯṯasi sǝbǝbǝ kwɔrɔɔthathi-gi Yahuuḏ ŋunduŋw ṯuwǝn naana. 25 Laakin mǝr kǝkki rac ethi ippi tǝ, nǝ Bɔɔlɔs ǝccǝ ḏoobitha kitha ṯirllacalɔ-ŋw, “Ŋir gaanuuni ethi ippi kwizi kweere kwir Rɔɔmaani kwiti kwɔmǝr kettice hɔkwɔma kinnǝ mac ethi ruusi ŋunduŋw kaṯṯi-a?”
26 Mǝ ḏoobiṯ neŋne ŋiɽaŋali ŋɔ, nɔŋweele naanɔ-gwɔ gaa-iḏ, nɔŋw andaci nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Aatha kwir ŋgwɔ kwǝrrǝŋǝ? Kwɔr ŋgwala kwir-mi Rɔɔmaani!” 27 E-ta nǝ gaa-iḏ ele naanɔ-gwɔ Bɔɔlɔs nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Andica-nyii-ṯi a kwɔrɔ Rɔɔmaani-a?” Nǝ Bɔɔlɔs ǝŋnici nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Aw.” 28 Nǝ gaa-iḏ ǝccǝŋw, “Nyii kwɔgitta gwuruushǝ kwittǝzir kwǝthi-gi oro Rɔɔmaani.” Nǝ Bɔɔlɔs ǝŋnici nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Nǝ nyii-tǝ ŋilŋithir-nyiŋi-pǝnǝ” 29 Nǝ kila linḏi ethi uṯici Bɔɔlɔs-ŋwɔlɔ nǝr aaɽi pɔdɔk; mindaŋ nǝ gaa-iḏ ṯeenye mɔŋw elŋe ethaarɔŋw Bɔɔlɔs kwir Rɔɔmɔɔni, kaka nikǝkkǝ-ŋgwɔ ŋwɔɔɽɔŋw-ŋi tok.
Bɔɔlɔs mɔŋgwɔ rilli kiyǝnǝ yǝthi mǝjlǝs.
30 Ŋwɔṯaŋw nǝ gaa-iḏ naŋni ethelŋe rerrem ŋiɽaŋali ŋǝthi Yahuuḏ ŋigitticar-ŋi Bɔɔlɔs-ŋwɔ shǝkiyǝ minḏaŋ mǝ ŋɔrpɔ-ŋgwa oro nɔŋw kǝdici Bɔɔlɔs-ŋwɔ ŋwɔɔɽɔŋw-ŋa, mindaŋ nɔŋw alla waamira ethi rɔ-asa rǝthi kahana-ŋǝ lizi-li lǝthi mǝjlǝs aaɽathi dɔŋw. Mindaŋ nɔŋw mɔlo Bɔɔlɔs-ŋwɔ nɔŋw ŋilli kiyǝnǝ yeeŋen.