Acts 22

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

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear now my apology unto you.

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

And hearing that he was speaking to them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept silent the more.

3 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.

And he says, I am Jewish man, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, having been brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the accuracy of patristic law, being a zealot of God, as you all are this day;

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

who after this way persecuted unto death, binding and committing to prison both men and women;

5 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.

as the high priest also, and all the eldership, witnessed me: from whom having also received letters from the brethren in Damascus, I was on my way, being about to lead them also hither into Jerusalem bound, that they might be punished.

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

And it came to pass, while I was journeying, and nigh unto Damascus, a great light, about midday, suddenly shone from heaven around me;

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

and I felt upon the ground, and heard a voice, saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

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

And I responded, Who art thou, Lord? And He said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom thou art persecuting.

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

And those being along with me saw the light indeed, but heard not the voice of the one speaking to me.

10 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.

And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rising up, go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee concerning all things which have been ordained for thee to do.

11 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.

And when I did not see on account of the glory of that light, and being led by the hand by those journeying with me, I came into Damascus.

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

And a certain Ananias, a man godly according to the law, and of good report by all the Jews dwelling there,

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

having come to me, and standing over me, said, Brother Saul, look up. And I at that hour looked up unto him.

14 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.

And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee to know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice from His mouth;

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

because thou shalt be a witness for Him to all men of those things which thou hast seen and heard.

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

And now why tarriest thou? arising, be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on His name.

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

And it happened unto me, having returned into Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I was in an ecstasy;

18 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.

and I saw Him speaking to me, Hasten, and depart quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

19 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.

And I said, Lord, they know that I was imprisoning and binding those believing on thee throughout the synagogue;

20 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.

and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of those killing him.

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

And He said to me, Go: because I will send thee far away to the Gentiles.

22 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!

And they continued to hear him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Take away such a one from the earth: for it is not appropriate for him to live.

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

And they crying out, and rending their garments, and throwing dust into the air,

24 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.

the chiliarch commanded that he should be led into the castle, saying that he should be tested by scourges, in order that he might know on account of what cause they continued so to cry out against him.

25 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?

And when they were extending him to the scourges, Paul said to the centurion standing by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?

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

And the centurion hearing, having come to the chiliarch, announced to him, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.

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

And the chiliarch, having come to him, said; Tell me, are you a Roman? And he said, Yes.

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

And the chiliarch responded, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was indeed born (a Roman citizen).

29 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.

Then immediately those about to scourge him departed from him: and the chiliarch also feared, knowing that he was a Roman, and that he had bound him.

30 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.

And on the following day, wishing to know the certainty as to what he is accused of by the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the sanhedrin to come together, and leading down Paul, he placed him in their midst.