< Acts 22 >

1 "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you."
MEN, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my apology which I now offer unto you.
2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
Then when they heard that he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence: and he said,
3 "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 manner of the Law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day.
I am indeed a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but educated in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed accurately in the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as ye all are this day:
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
so much so that I persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women.
5 As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
As also the high-priest will bear me witness, and all the body of elders: from whom also having received letters unto the brethren, I went unto Damascus, to bring those who were there in chains unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.
6 It happened that, as I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me.
But as I went and drew nigh to Damascus, at noon-day, suddenly there shone a great light from heaven around me.
7 I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazorean, whom you persecute.'
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest.
9 "Those who were with me indeed saw the light, and were afraid, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
Now they who were with me saw the light indeed, and were terrified; but the voice of him that spake to me heard they not.
10 I said, 'What should 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.'
Then I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, go into Damascus; and there information shall be given thee of all things which are ordained for thee to do.
11 When I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
Then as I could no longer see through the dazzling brightness of that light, led by the hand of those who were with me, I came to Damascus.
12 One Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
And one Ananias, a religious man according to the law, and in high repute with all the Jews dwelling there,
13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' In that very hour I looked up at him.
came to me, and standing by me, said, Brother Saul, recover sight. And the same hour I looked up at him.
14 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.
And he said, The God of our fathers hath predestinated thee to know his will, and to see the Just One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15 For you will be a witness for him to all people of what you have seen and heard.
For thou shalt be a witness for him to all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.
16 Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
And now why delay? arise, to be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.
17 "It happened that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,
Now it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance;
18 and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.'
and beheld him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony of me.
19 I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.
And I said, Lord, they know that I was imprisoning and scourging from synagogue to synagogue those who believe on thee:
20 When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
and when the blood of Stephen thy martyr was shed, I myself even stood by, and took delight in his execution, and guarded the garments of those who slew him.
21 "He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you out far from here to non-Jewish people.'"
And he said to me, Go: for I will send thee forth to the Gentiles afar off.
22 They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, "Rid the earth of this fellow, for he is not fit to live."
And they gave him audience to this sentence, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23 As they yelled, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,
So when they began raising a vast clamour, and stripping off their garments, and casting dust into the air,
24 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 yelled at him like that.
the military tribune commanded him to be brought into the fortress, ordering that he should be put to the question by scourging; that he might know for what cause they clamoured so loudly against him.
25 When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?"
So as they were tying him up for the thongs, Paul said to the centurion standing by him, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?
26 When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman."
And when the centurion heard this, he came and told the military tribune, saying, Consider what you are going to do: for this man is a Roman citizen.
27 The commanding officer came and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" He said, "Yes."
Then the tribune came, and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman citizen? And he said, Yes.
28 The commanding officer answered, "I bought my citizenship for a great price." Paul said, "But I was born a Roman."
And the tribune replied, With a large sum of money I purchased this citizenship. And Paul said, But I enjoy it as my birthright.
29 Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.
Immediately then they who were about to put him to the question, withdrew from him: and indeed the tribune dreaded the consequences, when he knew that he was a Roman citizen, that he had even gone so far as to bind him.
30 But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
So on the morrow, desirous to know of a certainty what it was of which he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him from the bonds, and commanded the high-priest and all the sanhedrim to appear, and bringing Paul down, set him before them.

< Acts 22 >