ⲚⲒⲠⲢⲀⲜⲒⲤ 22
“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I am about to make.”
When they heard that he was speaking to them in Hebrew, they were still more quiet; and Paul went on:
3 ⲅ̅ ⲁⲛⲅⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲉⲁⲩϫⲡⲟⲓ ϩⲛ ⲧⲁⲣⲥⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲕⲓⲗⲓⲕⲓⲁ ⲉⲁⲩⲥⲁⲛⲟⲩϣⲧ ⲇⲉ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲓⲡⲟⲗⲓⲥ ⲉⲁⲩⲡⲁⲓⲇⲉⲩⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩⲱⲣϫ ϩⲁⲣⲁⲧϥ ⲛⲅⲁⲙⲁⲗⲓⲏⲗ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲛⲁⲉⲓⲟⲧⲉ ⲉⲓⲟ ⲛⲣⲉϥⲕⲱϩ ⲉⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲑⲉ ⲉⲧⲉⲧⲛⲟ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲟⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲱⲧⲛ ⲧⲏⲣⲧⲛ
“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, but I was brought up in this city under the teaching of Gamaliel, and educated in accordance with the strict system of our ancestral Law. I was as zealous in God’s service as any of you who are here today.
In my persecution of this Way I did not stop even at the taking of life. I put in chains, and imprisoned, men and women alike –
5 ⲉ̅ ⲛⲑⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲉⲣⲉⲡⲁⲣⲭⲓⲉⲣⲉⲩⲥ ⲣⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉⲡⲣⲉⲥⲃⲩⲧⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲛⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲁⲓϫⲓ ⲛϩⲉⲛⲉⲡⲓⲥⲧⲟⲗⲏ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲧⲟⲩ ⲁⲓⲃⲱⲕ ⲉⲇⲁⲙⲁⲥⲕⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲣⲁⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲟⲛ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲉⲑⲓⲗⲏⲙ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉⲩⲉⲧⲓⲙⲱⲣⲓ ⲙⲙⲟⲟⲩ
And to that the high priest himself and all the council of elders can testify. For I had letters of introduction from them to our fellow Jews at Damascus, and I was on my way to that place, to bring those whom I might find there prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment.
6 ⲋ̅ ⲁⲥϣⲱⲡⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ⲉⲓⲙⲟⲟϣⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉⲓϩⲱⲛ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲇⲁⲙⲁⲥⲕⲟⲥ ⲙⲡⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲉⲉⲣⲉ ⲁⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ϣⲁ ⲉϩⲣⲁⲓ ⲉϫⲱⲓ ϩⲛ ⲟⲩϣⲥⲛⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲧⲡⲉ
While I was still on my way, just as I was getting close to Damascus, about midday, suddenly there flashed from the heavens a great light all around me.
I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I replied. Then the voice said ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’
The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the speaker’s voice.
10 ⲓ̅ ⲡⲉϫⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲟⲩ ⲡⲉϯⲛⲁⲁⲁϥ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲛⲅⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲇⲁⲙⲁⲥⲕⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲥⲉⲛⲁϣⲁϫⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲁⲕ ϩⲙ ⲡⲙⲁ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ϩⲱⲃ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲛⲧⲁⲓⲧⲟϣⲟⲩ ⲛⲁⲕ ⲉⲁⲁⲩ
Then I said ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ The Lord said to me, ‘and there you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
11 ⲓ̅ⲁ̅ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲓⲧⲱⲟⲩⲛ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲓⲗⲟ ⲉⲓⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲁ ⲡⲉⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲟⲩⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲁⲩϫⲓⲙⲟⲉⲓⲧ ⲇⲉ ϩⲏⲧ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲙⲙⲁⲓ ⲁⲓⲃⲱⲕ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲇⲁⲙⲁⲥⲕⲟⲥ
In consequence of that dazzling light I could not see, but my companions held me by the hand, until I reached Damascus.
12 ⲓ̅ⲃ̅ ⲟⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲇⲉ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲁⲛⲓⲁⲥ ⲟⲩⲣⲉϥⲣϩⲟⲧⲉ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ ⲡⲛⲟⲙⲟⲥ ⲉⲩⲣⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ϩⲁⲣⲟϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲧⲏⲣⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲏϩ ϩⲛ ⲇⲁⲙⲁⲥⲕⲟⲥ
There a man named Ananias, a strict observer of our Law, well spoken of by all the Jewish inhabitants, came to see me.
13 ⲓ̅ⲅ̅ ⲁϥⲉⲓ ϣⲁⲣⲟⲓ ⲁϥⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ϩⲓϫⲱⲓ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲥⲁⲩⲗⲉ ⲡⲁⲥⲟⲛ ⲁⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲉⲧⲙⲙⲁⲩ ⲁⲓⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
Standing close to me, he said ‘Saul, my brother, recover your sight.’ And then and there I recovered my sight and looked up at him.
14 ⲓ̅ⲇ̅ ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲇⲉ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲡⲛⲟⲩⲧⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲛⲉⲓⲟⲧⲉ ⲁϥⲛⲉϩⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲥⲟⲩⲛ ⲡⲉϥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲛⲁⲩ ⲉⲡⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲉⲩⲥⲙⲏ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲣⲱϥ
Then he said ‘The God of our ancestors has appointed you to learn his will, and to see the righteous one, and to hear words from his lips;
for you will be a witness for him to all the world of what you have just seen and heard.
And now why wait any longer, Be baptized at once, wash away your sins, and invoke his name.’
After my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying one day in the Temple, I fell into a trance,
and saw Jesus saying to me ‘Make haste and leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’
19 ⲓ̅ⲑ̅ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ϩⲱ ⲡⲉϫⲁⲓ ϫⲉ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲩ ⲥⲉⲥⲟⲟⲩⲛ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲡⲉ ⲛⲉⲓⲥⲱⲧⲡ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲧϩⲓⲟⲩⲉ ϩⲛ ⲛⲥⲩⲛⲁⲅⲱⲅⲏ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲡⲓⲥⲧⲉⲩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟⲕ
‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘these people know that I used to imprison and scourge, in synagogue after synagogue, those who believed in you;
20 ⲕ̅ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲟⲛ ⲉⲩⲛⲁⲡⲱϩⲧ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲡⲉⲥⲛⲟϥ ⲛⲥⲧⲉⲫⲁⲛⲟⲥ ⲡⲉⲕⲙⲛⲧⲣⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ϩⲱ ⲛⲉⲓⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧ ⲉⲓⲥⲩⲛⲉⲩⲇⲟⲕⲓ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲉⲓϩⲁⲣⲉϩ ⲉⲛϩⲟⲓⲧⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲧⲛⲁϩⲱⲧⲃ ⲙⲙⲟϥ
and, when the blood of your martyr, Stephen, was being shed, I was myself standing by, approving of his death, and took charge of the clothes of those who were murdering him.’
But Jesus said to me ‘Go; for I will send you to the Gentiles far away’.”
22 ⲕ̅ⲃ̅ ⲁⲩⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲙⲙⲏⲏϣⲉ ϣⲁ ⲡⲉⲓϣⲁϫⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲩϥⲓϩⲣⲁⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲩϫⲱ ⲙⲙⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ϥⲓ ⲡⲁⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲓⲙⲓⲛⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲓϫⲙ ⲡⲕⲁϩ ⲛϣϣⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲁⲛ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲉⲱⲛϩ ϫⲓⲛ ⲧⲉⲛⲟⲩ
Up to this point the people had been listening to Paul, but at these words they called out, “Kill him! A fellow like this ought not to have been allowed to live!”
As they were shouting, tearing off their clothes, and throwing dust in the air,
24 ⲕ̅ⲇ̅ ⲁⲡⲭⲓⲗⲓⲁⲣⲭⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲩⲉϩⲥⲁϩⲛⲉ ⲉϫⲓⲧϥ ⲉϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲉⲧⲡⲁⲣⲉⲙⲃⲟⲗⲏ ⲉⲁϥϫⲟⲟⲥ ⲉϩⲓⲟⲩⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛϩⲉⲛⲙⲁⲥⲧⲓⲅⲝ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥ ⲉϥⲉⲉⲓⲙⲉ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲁϣ ⲛⲗⲟⲓϭⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲩⲁϣⲕⲁⲕ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲣⲟϥ ⲛⲧⲉⲓϩⲉ
the commanding officer ordered Paul to be taken into the Fort, and directed that he should be examined under the lash so that he might find out the reason for their outcry against him.
25 ⲕ̅ⲉ̅ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲟⲩⲥⲟⲙⲛⲧϥ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲙⲙⲟⲩⲥ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲙⲡϩⲉⲕⲁⲧⲟⲛⲧⲁⲣⲭⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲁϩⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ϫⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲥⲧⲟⲛⲏⲧⲛ ⲉϩⲓⲟⲩⲉ ⲉⲩⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲛϩⲣⲱⲙⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲉⲙⲛ ⲛⲟⲃⲉ ⲉⲣⲟϥ
But just as they had tied him up to be scourged, Paul said to the centurion standing near, “Is it legal for you to scourge a Roman citizen, unconvicted?”
26 ⲕ̅ⲋ̅ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉϥⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲇⲉ ⲛϭⲓ ⲡϩⲉⲕⲁⲧⲟⲛⲧⲁⲣⲭⲟⲥ ⲁϥϯ ⲡⲉϥⲟⲩⲟⲓ ⲉⲡⲭⲓⲗⲓⲁⲣⲭⲟⲥ ⲁϥⲧⲁⲙⲟϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲁⲩ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲡⲉⲧⲕⲛⲁⲁⲁϥ ⲡⲉⲓⲣⲱⲙⲉ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲟⲩϩⲣⲱⲙⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲡⲉ
On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commanding officer. “Do you know what you are doing?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
So the commanding officer went up to Paul and said, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” replied Paul.
28 ⲕ̅ⲏ̅ ⲁⲡⲭⲓⲗⲓⲁⲣⲭⲟⲥ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲩⲱϣⲃ ⲡⲉϫⲁϥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲁⲓϯⲟⲩⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲭⲣⲏⲙⲁ ϩⲁ ⲧⲉⲓⲡⲟⲗⲓⲧⲓⲁ ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲛⲧⲁⲩϫⲡⲟⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲥ
“I had to pay a heavy price for my position as citizen,” said the officer. “I am one by birth,” rejoined Paul.
29 ⲕ̅ⲑ̅ ⲛⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲩⲥⲁϩⲱⲟⲩ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲉⲧⲛⲁϩⲉⲇⲁⲍⲉ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲭⲓⲗⲓⲁⲣⲭⲟⲥ ⲁϥⲣ ϩⲟⲧⲉ ⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉϥⲉⲓⲙⲉ ϫⲉ ⲟⲩϩⲣⲱⲙⲁⲓⲟⲥ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϫⲉ ⲛⲉⲁϥⲙⲟⲣϥ ⲡⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲧⲉⲩⲛⲟⲩ ⲁϥⲃⲟⲗϥ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
The men who were to have examined Paul immediately drew back, and the officer, finding that Paul was a Roman citizen, was alarmed at having put him in chains.
30 ⲗ̅ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲣⲁⲥⲧⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲱϣ ⲉⲉⲓⲙⲉ ⲉⲡⲱⲣϫ ϫⲉ ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲟⲩ ⲥⲉⲕⲁⲧⲏⲅⲟⲣⲓ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲓⲟⲩⲇⲁⲓ ⲁϥⲟⲩⲉϩ ⲥⲁϩⲛⲉ ⲉⲧⲣⲉⲩⲥⲱⲟⲩϩ ⲛϭⲓ ⲛⲁⲣⲭⲓⲉⲣⲉⲩⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲥⲩⲛϩⲉⲇⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲧⲏⲣϥ ⲁϥϫⲓ ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲉⲡⲉⲥⲏⲧ ⲁϥⲧⲁϩⲟϥ ⲉⲣⲁⲧϥ ϩⲛ ⲧⲉⲩⲙⲏⲧⲉ
On the next day the commanding officer, wishing to find out the real reason why Paul was denounced by the Jewish leaders, had his chains taken off, and directed the chief priests and the whole of the High Council to assemble, and then took Paul down and brought him before them.
