Acts 22
1 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
位仁人弟兄，諸位父老！請聽我現在對你們的分辯。」
2 When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,
他們聽見保祿用希伯來話向他們致辭，就更為安靜了。保祿說：
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today.
「我原是猶太人，生於基里基雅的塔爾索，卻在這城裏長大，在加瑪里耳足前，對祖傳的法律，曾受過精確的教育；對天主我也是熱忱的，就如你們大家今天一樣。
4 I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
我曾迫害過這道，直到死地；不論男女，逮捕綑綁送入獄中；
5 as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
就是大司祭和整個長老團，都可給我作證；我從他們那裏領了給弟兄們的文書，往大馬士革去，有意把那裏的這樣的人加以逮捕，帶到耶路撒冷來處罰。
6 About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
當我前行臨近大馬士革時，約在中午，忽然天上有一道大光，環射到我身上，
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’
我便跌在地上，聽見有聲音向我說：掃祿，掃祿！你為什麼迫害我﹖
8 ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.
我回答說：主，你是誰﹖他向我說：我就是你所迫害的那個納匝肋人耶穌。
9 My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.
同我在一起的人，只看見那光，卻聽不見那對我說話的聲音。
10 Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
我說：主，我當作什麼﹖主向我說：你起來，往大馬士革去，在那裏有人要告訴你，給你派定當作的一切事。
11 Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.
由於那光的炫耀，我看不見了，就由我的同伴用手領著，進了大馬士革。
12 There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,
有個人名叫阿納尼雅，是虔誠守法的人，所有住在那裏的猶太人都稱譽他。
13 came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.
他來見我，站在旁邊向我說：掃祿兄弟，你看見罷！我當時向他一望，就看見了他。
14 Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice.
他說：我們祖先的天主，預簡了你，叫你認識他的意願，看見那位義者，並由他口中聽到聲音，
15 You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
因為你要向眾人，對你所見所聞的事，為他作證人。
16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
現在你還遲延什麼﹖起來領洗，呼求他的名，洗除你的罪惡罷!
17 Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
我回到耶路撒冷，在殿裏祈禱時，就神魂超拔，
18 and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’
看見主向我說：趕緊，快快離開耶路撒冷，因為這裏的人，將不接受你為我作的證。
19 ‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
我就說：主！這是因為他們知道：我經常把信你的人下在監裏，並在各會堂裏鞭打他們；
20 And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’
當你的證人斯德望的血傾流時，我本人還站在旁邊予以贊同，並且看守殺他的人們的衣服!
21 Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
他向我說：你去！因為我要打發你到遠方外邦人那裏去。」
22 The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
他們聽他說到這句話，便揚聲說：「從地上除掉這樣的人，他不該活著！」
23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,
他們遂喧嘩納喊，扔下衣服，並向空中揚土。
24 the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
千夫長只得下令將保祿帶進營裏，說是要用鞭子拷問他，以便知道他們為什麼緣故這樣喊叫反對他。
25 But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”
當士兵用皮條將保祿綁好時，保祿向旁邊站著的百夫長說：「一個羅馬人，又沒有被定罪，難道你們就可以鞭打他麼﹖」
26 On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
百夫長聽了，就來到千夫長前報告說：「你可怎麼辦﹖這個人是羅馬人！」
27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
千夫長就前來問保祿說：「告訴我，你是羅馬人嗎﹖」保祿說：「是。」
28 “I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
千夫長回答說：「我用一大筆錢纔購得這個公民權。」保祿說：「我卻生來就是。」
29 Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
於是那些要拷問保祿的人，又因為曾綑綁了他，就害怕起來。
30 The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
第二天，千夫長願意知道，保祿為什麼被猶太人控告的實情，就解開他，並命令司祭長及全體公議會集合；隨後將保祿帶下來，叫他站在他們面前。
