Acts 22

1 "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you."

Brethren and fathers, hear my apology, which I make to you now.

2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,

And when they heard, that he addressed them in the Hebrew dialect, they rather kept silence;

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.

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:

4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

who persecuted this way to the death; binding both men and women, and delivering them into prisons:

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 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.

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.

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;

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 do you persecute me?

8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazorean, whom you persecute.'

But I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you persecute.

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.

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.

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.'

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.

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.

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.

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 pious man according to the law, who had an honorable character amongst all the Jews at Damascus,

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.

coming to me, and standing by me, said to me, Brother Saul, look up. And in that very hour, I looked up on 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, has chosen you to know his will, and to see that righteous person, 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.

because you shall be his witness, to all men, of those things, which you have seen and heard.

16 Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'

And now, why do you delay? Arise, and be immersed, and wash away your sins, invoking his name.

17 "It happened that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,

And it came to pass, that when I was returned to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, 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 I saw him, saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem; for they will not receive your testimony concerning 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 I was imprisoning, and scourging in the synagogues, them that believed in 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 also was standing by, and consenting, and kept 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 your way, for I will send you afar off to the Gentiles--

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 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.

23 As they yelled, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,

And as they were crying out, and were rending 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 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.

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?"

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.

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 the centurion hearing this, went and addressed the commander, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.

27 The commanding officer came and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" He said, "Yes."

And the commander came, and said to him, Tell me, are you a Roman? 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 commander answered, I obtained this freedom with a considerable sum of money. And Paul replied, But I was free born.

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.

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.

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.

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.