Acts 22

1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye the account which I now give unto you.

"Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make in your presence."

2 (And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence.)

When they heard him speaking in Hebrew they became the more quiet.

3 And he saith: I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the truth of the law of the fathers, zealous for the law, as also all you are this day:

"I am a Jew," he said, "born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strict manner of the Law of our forefathers, ardent for God, even as you all are this day.

4 Who persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

"I persecuted to the death this way, continually binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women.

5 As the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the ancients: from whom also receiving letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus, that I might bring them bound from thence to Jerusalem to be punished.

"To this the high priest and all the council of elders are witnesses. It was from them that I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was already on my way to bring those also who were there back to Jerusalem, in bonds, for punishment.

6 And it came to pass, as I was going, and drawing nigh to Damascus at midday, that suddenly from heaven there shone round about me a great light:

"But when, on my journey, I was nearing Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone round about me.

7 And falling on the ground, I heard a voice saying to me: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

"I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, "‘Saul! Saul! why are you persecuting me?’

8 And I answered: Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me: I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

"‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. "‘I am Jesus, the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting,’ he answered me.

9 And they that were with me, saw indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke with me.

"Now my companions, though they beheld the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.

10 And I said: What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me: Arise, and go to Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things that thou must do.

"And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ and the Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about all that you are destined to do.’

11 And whereas I did not see for the brightness of that light, being led by the hand by my companions, I came to Damascus.

"And as I was seeing nothing for the glory of the light, I was led by the hand of my companions, and so came into Damascus.

12 And one Ananias, a man according to the law, having testimony of all the Jews who dwelt there,

"And a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the Law, well thought of by all the Jews who lived there,

13 Coming to me, and standing by me, said to me: Brother Saul, look up. And I the same hour looked upon him.

"came to me, and standing by me, said to me, "‘Brother Saul, receive your sight’ "In that very hour I regained my sight and looked up at him.

14 But he said: The God of our fathers hath preordained thee that thou shouldst know his will, and see the Just One, and shouldst hear the voice from his mouth.

"Then he said. "‘The God of our forefathers has appointed you to know his will; and to see the righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

15 For thou shalt be his witness to all men, of those things which thou hast seen and heard.

"‘For before the face of all men you will be a witness for him of what you have seen and heard.

16 And now why tarriest thou? Rise up, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, invoking his name.

"‘And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling upon his name.’

17 And it came to pass, when I was come again to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance,

"After my return to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple,

18 And saw him saying unto me: Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

"I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, "‘Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.’

19 And I said: Lord, they know that I cast into prison, and beat in every synagogue, them that believed in thee.

"‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘they themselves well know that I was beating and imprisoning in synagogue after synagogue those who believed in you,

20 And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I stood by and consented, and kept the garments of them that killed him.

"‘and when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting, and holding the garments of his murders.’

21 And he said to me: Go, for unto the Gentiles afar off, will I send thee.

"‘Depart,’ he said to me, ‘for I will send you forth, far hence, to the Gentiles.’"

22 And they heard him until this word, and then lifted up their voice, saying: Away with such an one from the earth; for it is not fit that he should live.

Until they heard this last statement, the people were listening to Paul, but now they roared out. "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He is not fit to live!"

23 And as they cried out and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air,

When they continued to shout, throwing their clothes into the air, and flinging dust around,

24 The tribune commanded him to be brought into the castle, and that he should be scourged and tortured: to know for what cause they did so cry out against him.

the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and examined under the lash, to learn for what reason the people were thus crying out against him.

25 And when they had bound him with thongs, Paul saith to the centurion that stood by him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

But when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing near, "If a man is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned, is it lawful for you to scourge him?"

26 Which the centurion hearing, went to the tribune, and told him, saying: What art thou about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.

When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him. "What are you intending to do? This man is a Roman citizen."

27 And the tribune coming, said to him: Tell me, art thou a Roman? But he said: Yea.

So the tribune came to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.

28 And the tribune answered: I obtained the being free of this city with a great sum. And Paul said: But I was born so.

"I paid a large sum to get this citizenship," said the tribune. "But I was citizen-born," said Paul.

29 Immediately therefore they departed from him that were about to torture him. The tribune also was afraid after he understood that he was a Roman citizen, and because he had bound him.

Then those who were about to scourge him, immediately left him. And the tribune too, was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had had him bound.

30 But on the next day, meaning to know more diligently for what cause he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the priests to come together, and all the council: and bringing forth Paul, he set him before them.

The next day, as he wished to learn the real reason why the Jews accused Paul, he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together, and brought Paul down, and placed him before them.