Acts 22

1 Brethren and fathers! Hear ye, the defence, which I now make unto you: —

“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I am about to make.”

2 And, when they heard that, in the Hebrew language, he had begun to address them, they kept the more quiet. And he saith—

When they heard that he was speaking to them in Hebrew, they were still more quiet; and Paul went on:

3 I, am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but nurtured in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, —trained after the strictness of our ancestral law; being jealous for God just as, all ye, are this day;

“I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, but I was brought up in this city under the teaching of Gamaliel, and educated in accordance with the strict system of our ancestral Law. I was as zealous in God’s service as any of you who are here today.

4 and, this way, I persecuted unto the death, binding and delivering up into prisons both men and women: —

In my persecution of this Way I did not stop even at the taking of life. I put in chains, and imprisoned, men and women alike –

5 as, even the High-priest, beareth me witness, and all the Eldership, —from whom, letters also, accepting to the brethren, unto Damascus, was I journeying, to bring them who were there bound unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.

And to that the high priest himself and all the council of elders can testify. For I had letters of introduction from them to our fellow Jews at Damascus, and I was on my way to that place, to bring those whom I might find there prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment.

6 But it befell me, as I was journeying and drawing nigh unto Damascus, that, about mid-day—suddenly—out of heaven, there flashed a great light all around me;

While I was still on my way, just as I was getting close to Damascus, about midday, suddenly there flashed from the heavens a great light all around me.

7 I fell also to the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me—Saul! Saul! Why, me, art thou persecuting?

I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

8 And, I, answered—Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me—I, am Jesus the Nazarene, whom, thou, art persecuting!

‘Who are you, Lord?’ I replied. Then the voice said ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’

9 Now, they who were with me, beheld, indeed, the light, but heard not, the voice, of him that was speaking with me

The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the speaker’s voice.

10 And said—What shall I do, Lord? And, the Lord, said unto me—Arise, and be going thy way into Damascus, and, there, shall it be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

Then I said ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ The Lord said to me, ‘and there you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’

11 But, as I could not see clearly owing to the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them who were with me, I came into Damascus.

In consequence of that dazzling light I could not see, but my companions held me by the hand, until I reached Damascus.

12 And, one Ananias, a man devout according to the law, well-attested by all the Jews that dwelt there,

There a man named Ananias, a strict observer of our Law, well spoken of by all the Jewish inhabitants, came to see me.

13 coming unto me, and standing over me, said—Saul, brother! look up. And, I, in that very hour, looked up on him.

Standing close to me, he said ‘Saul, my brother, recover your sight.’ And then and there I recovered my sight and looked up at him.

14 And he said—The God of our fathers, hath chosen thee to get to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, —and to hear a voice out of his mouth.

Then he said ‘The God of our ancestors has appointed you to learn his will, and to see the righteous one, and to hear words from his lips;

15 Because thou shalt be a witness to him unto all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.

for you will be a witness for him to all the world of what you have just seen and heard.

16 And, now, what art thou going to do? Arise, and get thyself immersed, and have thy sins bathed away, calling upon his name.

And now why wait any longer, Be baptized at once, wash away your sins, and invoke his name.’

17 And it came to pass, when had returned unto Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance,

After my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying one day in the Temple, I fell into a trance,

18 and saw him, saying unto me—Haste thee, and go forth speedily out of Jerusalem, inasmuch as they will not accept thy witness concerning me.

and saw Jesus saying to me ‘Make haste and leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’

19 And, I, said—Lord! they themselves, well know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them who were believing on thee.

‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘these people know that I used to imprison and scourge, in synagogue after synagogue, those who believed in you;

20 And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.

and, when the blood of your martyr, Stephen, was being shed, I was myself standing by, approving of his death, and took charge of the clothes of those who were murdering him.’

21 And he said unto me—Be taking thy journey; because, I, unto nations afar off, will send thee.

But Jesus said to me ‘Go; for I will send you to the Gentiles far away’.”

22 And they hearkened unto him as far as this word, and lifted up their voice, saying—Away from the earth, with such a man as this, for it is not fit that he should live.

Up to this point the people had been listening to Paul, but at these words they called out, “Kill him! A fellow like this ought not to have been allowed to live!”

23 Now, as they were both making an outcry and tearing their mantles, —dust, also were throwing into the air,

As they were shouting, tearing off their clothes, and throwing dust in the air,

24 the captain ordered him to be brought into the castle, saying, that, with scourging, he should be put to the test, —that he might find out, for what cause they were, thus, clamouring against him.

the commanding officer ordered Paul to be taken into the Fort, and directed that he should be examined under the lash so that he might find out the reason for their outcry against him.

25 But, when they had stretched him out with straps, Paul said unto the by-standing centurion—A Roman, and uncondemned, is it allowed you to be scourging?

But just as they had tied him up to be scourged, Paul said to the centurion standing near, “Is it legal for you to scourge a Roman citizen, unconvicted?”

26 And, when the centurion heard [that], he went unto the captain, and reported, saying—What art thou going to do? For, this man, is, a Roman?

On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commanding officer. “Do you know what you are doing?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

27 And the captain, coming up, said to him—Tell me! Art, thou, a, Roman? And, he, said—Yea!

So the commanding officer went up to Paul and said, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” replied Paul.

28 And the captain answered—I, for a large sum, this citizenship acquired! And, Paul, said—But, I, am even, [free-] born!

“I had to pay a heavy price for my position as citizen,” said the officer. “I am one by birth,” rejoined Paul.

29 Straightway, therefore, they who were about to put him to the test, withdrew from him; and, even the captain, was struck with fear, when he found out he was, a Roman, and because, him, he had bound.

The men who were to have examined Paul immediately drew back, and the officer, finding that Paul was a Roman citizen, was alarmed at having put him in chains.

30 But, on the morrow, being minded to get to know the certainty as to why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him, and ordered the High-priests and all the High-council to come together; and, bringing down Paul, set him before them.

On the next day the commanding officer, wishing to find out the real reason why Paul was denounced by the Jewish leaders, had his chains taken off, and directed the chief priests and the whole of the High Council to assemble, and then took Paul down and brought him before them.