Acts 22

1 Ye men, brethren and Fathers, heare my defence nowe towards you.

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

2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrewe tongue to them, they kept the more silence, and he sayd)

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

3 I am verely a man, which am a Iew, borne in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought vp in this citie at the feete of Gamaliel, and instructed according to the perfect maner of the Lawe of the Fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

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 this way vnto the death, binding and deliuering into prison both men and women.

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

5 As also ye chiefe Priest doeth beare me witnes, and al the company of the Elders: of whom also I receiued letters vnto the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring them which were there, bound vnto Hierusalem, that they might 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 And so it was, as I iourneyed and was come neere vnto Damascus about noone, that suddenly there shone from heauen a great light round about 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 So I fell vnto the earth, and heard a voyce, saying vnto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou mee?

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

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

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

9 Moreouer they that were with me, sawe in deede a light and were afraide: but they heard not the voyce of him that spake vnto me.

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

10 Then I sayd, What shall I doe, Lord? And the Lord sayde vnto me, Arise, and goe into Damascus: and there it shall be tolde thee of all things, which are appointed for thee to doe.

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 So when I could not see for the glory of that light, I was led by the hand of them that were with me, and came 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 And one Ananias a godly man, as perteining to the Lawe, hauing good report of all the Iewes which dwelt there,

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

13 Came vnto me, and stoode, and sayd vnto me, Brother Saul, receiue thy sight: and that same houre I looked vpon him.

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

14 And he sayd, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee, that thou shouldest knowe his wil, and shouldest see that Iust one, and shouldest heare the voyce of his mouth.

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 For thou shalt be his witnes vnto all men, of the things which thou hast seene and heard.

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

16 Now therefore why tariest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sinnes, in calling on the Name of the Lord.

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

17 And it came to passe, that when I was come againe to Hierusalem, and prayed in the Temple, I was in a traunce,

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 And saw him saying vnto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Hierusalem: for they will not receiue thy witnes concerning 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 Then I sayd, Lord, they know that I prisoned, and beat in euery Synagogue them that beleeued in thee.

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

20 And when the blood of thy martyr Steuen was shed, I also stood by, and consented vnto his death, and kept the clothes of them that slew him.

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 Then he sayd vnto me, Depart: for I will send thee farre hence vnto the Gentiles.

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

22 And they heard him vnto this worde, but then they lift vp their voyces, and sayd, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not meete that he should liue.

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 And as they cried and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the aire,

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

24 The chiefe captaine commanded him to be led into the castle, and bade that he should be scourged, and examined, that he might knowe wherefore they cryed so on him.

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 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul sayd vnto the Centurion that stood by, Is it lawfull for you to scourge one that is a Romane, and not condemned?

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 Nowe when the Centurion heard it, hee went, and tolde the chiefe captaine, saying, Take heede what thou doest: for this man is a Romane.

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 Then the chiefe captaine came, and sayd to him, Tel me, art thou a Romane? And he said, Yea.

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

28 And the chiefe captaine answered, With a great summe obtained I this freedome. Then Paul sayd, But I was so borne.

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 Then straightway they departed from him, which should haue examined him: and the chiefe captaine also was afrayd, after he knewe that hee was a Romane, and that he had bound him.

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 On the next day, because hee would haue knowen the certaintie wherefore he was accused of the Iewes, he loosed him from his bonds, and commanded the hie Priests and all their Councill to come together: and he brought Paul, and set 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.