< Acts 22 >
1 Brethren and fathers, hear my apology, which I make to you now.
Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.
2 And when they heard, that he addressed them in the Hebrew dialect, they rather kept silence;
And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith,
3 and he said, I am, indeed, a Jew, born at Tarsus, in Cilicia, but educated in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, accurately instructed in the law of our fathers; being zealous for God, as you all are at this day:
I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day:
4 who persecuted this way to the death; binding both men and women, and delivering them into prisons:
and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5 as also the high priest is my witness, and all the national senate: from whom also having received letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus; to bring those that were there bound, to Jerusalem, that they might be punished.
As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
6 And it came to pass, that as I was on my journey, and was come nigh to Damascus, about noon, on a sudden a great light from heaven shone about me;
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
7 and I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 But I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you persecute.
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
9 And they that were with me saw the light, indeed, and were terrified; but they did not distinctly hear the voice of him that spoke to me.
And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
10 And I said, Lord, what shall I do? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told you of all things, which are appointed for you to do.
And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 And as I could not see, by reason of the glory of that light; being led by those that were with me, I came to Damascus.
And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias, a pious man according to the law, who had an honorable character amongst all the Jews at Damascus,
And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there,
13 coming to me, and standing by me, said to me, Brother Saul, look up. And in that very hour, I looked up on him.
came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked up on him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers, has chosen you to know his will, and to see that righteous person, and to hear a voice from his mouth:
And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15 because you shall be his witness, to all men, of those things, which you have seen and heard.
For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16 And now, why do you delay? Arise, and be immersed, and wash away your sins, invoking his name.
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.
17 And it came to pass, that when I was returned to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, I was in a trance:
And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,
18 and I saw him, saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem; for they will not receive your testimony concerning me.
and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning me.
19 And I said, Lord, they know I was imprisoning, and scourging in the synagogues, them that believed in thee;
And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20 and when the blood of Stephen thy martyr was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and kept the garments of those who slew him.
and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him.
21 And he said to me, Go your way, for I will send you afar off to the Gentiles--
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.
22 And they heard him to this word, and they lifted up their voices, saying, Away with this fellow from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live.
And they gave him audience unto this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23 And as they were crying out, and were rending their garments, and casting dust into the air,
And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air,
24 the commander ordered that he should be brought into the castle, saying, that he should be put to the question by scourging, that he might know for what cause, they raised such an outcry against him.
the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him.
25 And as they binding him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion, who stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, who is Roman, and uncondemned.
And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 And the centurion hearing this, went and addressed the commander, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.
And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman.
27 And the commander came, and said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? And he said, Yes.
And the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea.
28 And the commander answered, I obtained this freedom with a considerable sum of money. And Paul replied, But I was free born.
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am [a Roman] born.
29 They, therefore, who were about to have put him to the question, immediately departed from him: and the commander was afraid, when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30 And on the next day, desiring to know certainly of what he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him; and commanded the chief priests, and all the Sanhedrim, to come together; and bringing Paul down, he set him before them.
But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.