Acts 22

1 “Brother and fathers,” he said, “Please listen as I give my defense before you.”

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

2 When they heard him speaking to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.

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

3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia,” he began. “However, I was brought up here in this city, and sat at the feet of Gamaliel. I was taught to strictly observe the law of our fathers. I was zealous for God, just like all of you here today,

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:

4 and I persecuted the people of this Way—having them put to death, and imprisoning both men and women.

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

5 As the high priest and the council of the elders can also verify, I received from them letters of authorization addressed to the Jewish brothers in Damascus, and went there to arrest these people and bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.

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.

6 At around noon, while I was on my way and approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven shone all around me.

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:

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

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

8 ‘Who are you, Lord?’ I answered. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting,’ he told me.

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

9 Those who were traveling with me did see the light, but they didn't hear the voice that spoke to me.

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

10 ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you'll be told everything that's arranged for you to do.’

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.

11 Since I couldn't see because of the brightness of the light, those who were with me led me by the hand into Damascus.

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

12 There a man called Ananias came to see me. He was a religious man who observed the law, and was highly respected by the Jews who lived in the town.

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

13 He stood in front of me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive back your sight.’ At that very moment I could see again, and I looked at him.

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

14 He told me, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, to see the one who is truly good and right, and to listen to what he has to say to you.

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.

15 You will testify for him to everyone about what you have seen and heard. So what are you waiting for?

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

16 Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins as you call on his name.’

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

17 I returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance.

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

18 I saw a vision of the Lord telling me, ‘Hurry! You need to leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept what you are telling them about me.’

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

19 I replied, ‘Lord, they certainly know that I went from synagogue to synagogue, beating and imprisoning those who trusted in you.

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

20 When Stephen was killed for testifying about you I was standing there in full agreement with those who killed him, holding their coats for them.’

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

21 The Lord told me, ‘Leave now, for I am sending you far away to the foreigners.’”

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

22 Up until this point they had listened to what he was saying, but then they started shouting, “Get rid of this man from the earth—he doesn't deserve to live!”

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.

23 They screamed and tore off their coats and threw dust into the air.

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

24 The commander ordered Paul brought into the fortress, and gave orders for him to be interrogated by flogging so he could find out the reason people were shouting so much against Paul.

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.

25 As they stretched him out and tied him down to flog him, Paul asked the centurion standing there, “Is it legal to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't had a trial?”

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?

26 When the centurion heard what Paul said, he went to the commander and asked him, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen.”

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.

27 The commander came, and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul replied, “Yes I am.”

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

28 “I paid a lot of money to buy Roman citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

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

29 Those who were about to interrogate Paul left immediately. The commander was worried when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen because he had placed him in chains.

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.

30 The next day, wanting to find out the reason why the Jews were accusing Paul, he had him released and taken before the chief priests and the whole council which he ordered to assemble. He had Paul brought down and placed him before them.

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.