Acts 22

1 “Men, brothers, and fathers, hear my defense now to you.”

Brethren, and fathers, hearken to my defence before you.

2 and they having heard that he was speaking to them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more silent, and he says,

And when they perceived that he addressed them in Hebrew, they were the more quiet: and he said to them:

3 “I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been taught according to the exactness of a law of the fathers, being zealous of God, as all you are today.

I am a man who am a Jew; and I was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but was brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and instructed perfectly in the law of our fathers; and I was zealous for God, as ye also all are.

4 And this Way I persecuted to death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women,

And I persecuted this way, even to death; for I bound, and delivered up to prison, both men and women.

5 as also the chief priest testifies to me, and all the eldership; from whom also having received letters to the brothers, to Damascus, I was going on, to bring also those there bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished,

As the high priest is my witness, and likewise all the Elders; from whom I received letters, that I might go to the brethren in Damascus, and bring those who were there prisoners to Jerusalem, to receive capital punishment.

6 and it came to pass, in my going on and coming near to Damascus, about noon, suddenly out of Heaven there shone a great light around me;

And as I travelled and began to approach Damascus, at noonday, from amidst tranquillity, a great light from heaven burst upon me.

7 I also fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?

And I fell to the earth: and I heard a voice, which said to me: Saul, Saul! why persecutest thou me?

8 And I answered, Who are You, Lord? And He said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene whom you persecute—

And I answered and said: Who art thou, my Lord? And he said to me: I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest.

9 and they who are with me saw the light, and became afraid, and they did not hear the voice of Him who is speaking to me—

And the men who were with me, saw the light, but heard not the voice that talked with me.

10 and I said, What will I do, Lord? And the LORD said to me, Having risen, go on to Damascus, and there it will be told you concerning all things that have been appointed for you to do.

And I said: My Lord, what must I do? And our Lord said to me: Arise, go to Damascus; and there will be told thee, all that it is commanded thee to do.

11 And when I did not see from the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who are with me, I came to Damascus,

And as I could see nothing, because of the glory of that light, those with me took me by the hand, and I entered Damascus.

12 and a certain one, Ananias, a pious man according to the Law, being testified to by all the Jews dwelling [there],

And a certain man, Ananias, who was upright according to the law, as all the Jews there testified concerning him, came to me.

13 having come to me and stood by [me], said to me, Saul, brother, look up; and the same hour I looked up to him;

And he said to me: My brother Saul! open thine eyes. And instantly my eyes were opened; and I looked upon him.

14 and he said, The God of our fathers chose you beforehand to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of His mouth,

And he said to me: The God of our fathers hath ordained thee to know his will, and to behold the Just One, and to hear the voice of his mouth.

15 because you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard;

And thou shalt be a witness for him before all men, concerning all that thou hast seen and heard.

16 and now, why do you linger? Having risen, immerse yourself, and wash away your sins, calling on the Name of the LORD.

And now, why delayest thou? Arise, be baptized, and be cleansed from thy sins, while thou invokest his name.

17 And it came to pass, when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I came into a trance,

And I returned and came hither to Jerusalem. And I prayed in the temple.

18 and I saw Him saying to me, Hurry and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning Me;

And I saw him in a vision, when he said to me: Make haste, and get thee out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

19 and I said, LORD, they know that I was imprisoning and was scourging those believing on You in every synagogue;

And I said: My Lord, they well know that I have delivered up to prison, and have scourged in all synagogues, those who believed in thee.

20 and when the blood of your witness Stephen was being poured forth, I was also standing by and assenting to his death, and keeping the garments of those putting him to death;

And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing with them, and performed the pleasure of his slayers, and took charge of the garments of those that stoned him.

21 and He said to me, Go, because I will send you to far-off nations.”

But he said to me: Depart; for I send thee afar, to preach to the Gentiles.

22 And they were hearing him to this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying, “Away from the earth with such a one; for it is not fit for him to live.”

And when they had heard Paul as far as this sentence, they raised their voice, and cried out: Away with such a man from the earth! for he ought not to live!

23 And they crying out and casting up their garments, and throwing dust into the air,

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

24 the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the stronghold, saying, “Let him be examined by scourges,” that he might know for what cause they were crying so against him.

the Chiliarch gave orders, to carry him into the castle: and he commanded, that he should be examined with stripes; that he might know, for what cause they cried out against him.

25 And as he was stretching him with the straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful to you to scourge a man, a Roman, uncondemned?”

And as they were stretching him with ropes, Paul said to the centurion who stood over him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, who is a Roman, and not yet found guilty?

26 And the centurion having heard, having gone near to the chief captain, told, saying, “Take heed what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman”;

And when the centurion heard it, he went to the Chiliarch, and said to him: What doest thou? For this man is a Roman.

27 and the chief captain having come near, said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes”;

And the Chiliarch came to him, and said to him: Tell me; Art thou a Roman? And he said to him: Yes.

28 and the chief captain answered, “I, with a great sum, obtained this citizenship”; but Paul said, “But I have even been born [so].”

The Chiliarch replied and said to him: With much money I acquired Roman citizenship. Paul said to him: And I was born in it.

29 Immediately, therefore, they departed from him, those being about to examine him, and the chief captain was also afraid, having learned that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him,

And immediately they who were intending to scourge him, fled from him: and the Chiliarch was afraid, when he learned that he was a Roman, because he had stretched him for scourging.

30 and the next day, intending to know the certainty for what reason he is accused by the Jews, he loosed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their Sanhedrin to come, and having brought down Paul, he set [him] before them.

And the next day, he wished to know truly what the accusation was, which the Jews brought against him: and he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests, and the whole company of their head-men, to assemble; and he took Paul, and brought him down, and placed him among them.