Acts 22
1 Ye men, brethren and Fathers, heare my defence nowe towards you.
“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defence which I now make to you.”
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrewe tongue to them, they kept the more silence, and he sayd)
When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
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.
“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.
4 And I persecuted this way vnto the death, binding and deliuering into prison both men and women.
I persecuted this Way to the 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 also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and travelled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds 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.
“As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.
7 So I fell vnto the earth, and heard a voyce, saying vnto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou mee?
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 Then I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Iesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Yeshua of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’
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.
“Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to 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.
I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to 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.
When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias a godly man, as perteining to the Lawe, hauing good report of all the Iewes which dwelt there,
“One Hananiah, a devout man according to the Torah, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
13 Came vnto me, and stoode, and sayd vnto me, Brother Saul, receiue thy sight: and that same houre I looked vpon him.
came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at 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.
He said, ‘The God of our fathers 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 witnes vnto all men, of the things which thou hast seene and heard.
For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have 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.
Now why do you wait? Arise, be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
17 And it came to passe, that when I was come againe to Hierusalem, and prayed in the Temple, I was in a traunce,
“When I had returned to Jerusalem and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into 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 to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’
19 Then I sayd, Lord, they know that I prisoned, and beat in euery Synagogue them that beleeued in thee.
I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.
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.
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’
21 Then he sayd vnto me, Depart: for I will send thee farre hence vnto the Gentiles.
“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”
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.
They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”
23 And as they cried and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the aire,
As they cried out, threw off their cloaks, and threw 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 commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.
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?
When they had tied him up with straps, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”
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.
When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”
27 Then the chiefe captaine came, and sayd to him, Tel me, art thou a Romane? And he said, Yea.
The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”
28 And the chiefe captaine answered, With a great summe obtained I this freedome. Then Paul sayd, But I was so borne.
The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”
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 those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realised that he was a Roman, 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, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Judeans, he freed him from the bonds and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
