Acts 22

1 Paul said, “[Jewish] elders and my other fellow Jews, listen to me now while I reply to [those who are accusing me]!”

Brethren and fathers, hear my defense, which I now make before you.

2 When the crowd of people heard Paul speaking to them in [their own] Hebrew language, they became even more quiet and really listened. Then Paul said to them,

When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept the greater silence. And he said:

3 “I am a Jew, [as are all of you]. I was born in Tarsus [city], in Cilicia [province], but I grew up here in Jerusalem. [When I was young, for many years] I studied the laws [that Moses gave to our ancestors]. I was taught by [the famous teacher] Gamaliel [MTY] {[The famous teacher] Gamaliel taught [MTY] me}. [I have] carefully [obeyed those laws, because] I have wanted to obey God. I [am sure that] many of you also carefully obey [those laws].

I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, yet educated in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and instructed according to the strict discipline of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as you all are this day.

4 [That is why] I previously persecuted those who believe the message [that people call] the Way [that Jesus taught. I continually looked for ways] to kill [them. Whenever I found] men or women [who believed that message], I [commanded that] they should be seized and thrown {[people to] seize them and throw them} into jail.

And I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prison both men and women,

5 The supreme priest knows this, and so do the [other respected men who belong to our Jewish] Council. They gave me letters to [take to] their fellow Jews in Damascus [city. By means of those letters, they authorized me to] go to there and find people who believed in [Jesus. They had written in the letters that I was to bring those people] as prisoners to Jerusalem, so that they would be punished here {[the leaders here] could punish them}. [So I went on my way to Damascus].

as the chief priest and the whole body of elders will testify for me. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring those, also, who were there, bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished.

6 About noon, my companions and I were getting near Damascus. Suddenly a bright light from the sky flashed all around me.

But it came to pass, that, as I was on my journey, and was drawing near to Damascus, about midday, there suddenly shone from heaven a great light round about me;

7 [The light was so bright that] I fell to the ground. Then I heard the voice [of someone] speaking to me [from up in the sky. The one who was speaking to me said], ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you [(sg)] do things to harm 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?’ He replied, ‘I am Jesus from Nazareth. I [am the one] whom you [(sg)] are harming [by doing things to harm my followers].’

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

9 The men who were [traveling] with me saw the [very bright] light, [and they heard a voice], but they did not understand what the voice said to me.

They who were with me saw the light, and were afraid, but did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

10 Then I asked, ‘Lord, what [do you want] me to do?’ The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus! [A man] there will tell you [(sg)] all that I have planned for you to do.’

And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus, and there you shall be told of all things that are appointed for you to do.

11 [After that, I could not see], because the [very bright] light had caused me to become blind. So my companions took me by the hand and led me until [we(exc) arrived] in Damascus.

And as I could not see for the glory of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus.

12 [A couple of days] later, a man whose name was Ananias came to [see] me. He was a man who [greatly respected God and] carefully obeyed [our Jewish] laws. All the Jews living in Damascus said good things about him.

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who had a good report from all the Jews that dwelt there,

13 He came and stood beside me and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see [again]!’ Instantly I could see! I saw Ananias [standing there beside me].

came to me, and standing by me, said, Brother Saul, receive your sight. And the same hour I looked upon him.

14 Then he said: ‘The God whom [we(inc) worship and] whom our ancestors [worshipped] has chosen you and will show you what he wants [you to do. He has allowed you] to see the righteous one, [the Messiah], and you have heard him speaking [to you].

And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know his will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of his mouth;

15 He wants you to tell people everywhere what you have seen and heard [from him].

for you shall be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

16 So now (do not delay!/why delay?) [RHQ] Stand up, let [me] baptize you, and by praying to the Lord [Jesus ask God] to forgive you [(sg)] for your sins!’”

And now, why do you delay? Arise, and be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

17 “Later, I returned to Jerusalem. [One day] I went to the Temple courtyard. While I was praying there, I saw a vision [in which]

And it came to pass, after I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance,

18 I saw the Lord speaking to me. He said to me, ‘[Do not stay here]! Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people [here] will not (believe/listen to) what you [(sg)] tell [them] about me!’

and saw him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony concerning me.

19 But I [protested and] said to him, ‘Lord, they know that I went to many of our meeting houses looking for people who believe in you. I was putting in jail those [whom I found] who believed in you, and I was even beating them.

And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I threw into prison, and scourged, in every synagogue, those who believed on thee;

20 [They remember that] when Stephen was killed [MTY] {when people killed [MTY] Stephen} because he told people about you, I stood there [watching it all] and approving [what they were doing]. I [even] guarded the outer garments that those who were murdering him [had thrown aside. So if I stay here, the fact that I have changed how I think about you will surely impress those leaders of our people].’

and that when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I also stood by and approved, and kept the clothing of those who slew him.

21 But the Lord said to me, ‘No, [do not stay here]! Leave [Jerusalem, because] I am going to send you [(sg)] far away [from here] to non-Jewish people!’”

And he said to me, Depart, for I will send you far off to the Gentiles.

22 The people listened [quietly] to what Paul was saying until [he mentioned the Lord sending him to non-Jewish people]. Then they began shouting [angrily], “Kill him! [He does not deserve to live any longer]!” [They said that because they could not believe that God would save anyone except Jews].

And they heard him to this word, and lifted up their voice, saying: Away with such a man from the earth! for it is not fit that he should live.

23 While they continued shouting, [“Kill him!”] they took off their cloaks and threw dust into the air, [which showed how angry they were].

And as they were crying out, and tossing off their clothes, and throwing dust into the air,

24 So the commander [commanded] that Paul be taken {[soldiers] to take Paul} into the barracks. He told [the soldiers] that they should strike Paul with a whip [that had pieces of bone/metal on the end of it], in order to make him tell what he had done that made the Jews shout so angrily. [So the soldiers took Paul into the barracks].

the officer commanded him to be led into the fortress, and gave orders that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so cried out against him.

25 Then they stretched his arms out [and tied them] so that they could whip him [on his back. But] Paul said to the officer who was standing nearby [watching], “[You(sg) should think carefully about this]! You will certainly be [RHQ] acting unlawfully if you whip me, a Roman [citizen whom] no [one has put on trial and] condemned!”

But Paul said to the centurion who stood by, as he caused him to be bent forward to the straps: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?

26 When the officer heard that, he went to the commander and reported it to him. He said [to the commander], “This man is a Roman [citizen] (Surely you would not [command us to whip him]!/Do you really want [us to whip him]?) [RHQ]”

And when the centurion heard that, he went out and told it to the officer, saying: What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.

27 The commander [was surprised when he heard that. He himself] went [into the barracks] and said to Paul, “Tell me, are you [(sg) really] a Roman [citizen]?” Paul answered, “Yes, I [am].”

And the officer came and said to him: Tell me, are you a Roman? He answered: Yes.

28 Then the commander said, “[I am also a Roman citizen]. I paid a lot of money to become a [Roman] citizen.” Paul said, “But I was born a [Roman] citizen, [so I did not need to pay anything].”

And the officer answered: With a great Bum did I purchase this citizenship. And Paul replied: But I was born a citizen.

29 The soldiers [were about to whip Paul and to ask him questions about what he had done. But when they heard what Paul said, they] left him immediately. The commander also became afraid, because he realized that Paul was a Roman [citizen] and that he had [illegally commanded soldiers to] tie up Paul’s [hands].

Then, those who were about to examine him, immediately departed from him. And the officer was afraid, when he learned that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

30 [The commander still] wanted to know exactly why the Jews were accusing Paul. So the next day he [told the soldiers to] take the chains off Paul. He also summoned the chief priests and the [other Jewish] Council [members]. Then he took Paul [to where the Council was meeting] and [commanded] him to stand before them.

And, on the next day, wishing to know certainly why he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrim to meet together. And he brought Paul down, and placed him before them.