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]!”
Varões irmãos e pais, ouvi agora a minha defesa perante vós.
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,
(E, quando ouviram falar-lhes em língua hebraica, maior silêncio guardaram.) E disse:
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].
Quanto a mim, sou varão judeu, nascido em Tarso de Cilicia, e nesta cidade criado aos pés de Gamaliel, instruído conforme a verdade da lei de nossos pais, zelador de Deus, como todos vós hoje sois.
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.
Que tenho perseguido este caminho até à morte, prendendo, e metendo em prisões, assim varões como mulheres.
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].
Como também o sumo sacerdote me é testemunha, e todo o conselho dos anciãos: dos quais ainda, levando cartas para os irmãos, fui a Damasco, para trazer manietados para Jerusalém aqueles que ali estivessem, para que fossem castigados.
6 About noon, my companions and I were getting near Damascus. Suddenly a bright light from the sky flashed all around me.
Porém aconteceu que, indo eu já de caminho, e chegando perto de Damasco, quase ao meio dia, de repente me rodeou uma grande luz do céu.
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?’
E caí por terra, e ouvi uma voz que me dizia: Saulo, Saulo, porque me persegues?
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].’
E eu respondi: Quem és, Senhor? E disse-me: Eu sou Jesus nazareno, a quem tu persegues.
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.
E os que estavam comigo viram em verdade a luz, e se atemorisaram muito; mas não ouviram a voz daquele que falava comigo.
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.’
Então disse eu: Senhor, que farei? E o Senhor disse-me: Levanta-te, e vai a Damasco, e ali se te dirá tudo o que te é ordenado fazer.
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.
E, como eu não via, por causa do esplendor daquela luz, fui levado pela mão dos que estavam comigo, e cheguei a Damasco.
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.
E um certo Ananias, varão pio conforme a lei, que tinha bom testemunho de todos os judeus que ali moravam,
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].
Vindo ter comigo, e apresentando-se, disse-me: Saulo, irmão, recobra a vista. E naquela mesma hora o vi.
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].
E ele disse: O Deus de nossos pais de antemão te ordenou para que conheças a sua vontade, e vejas aquele Justo, e ouças a voz da sua boca.
15 He wants you to tell people everywhere what you have seen and heard [from him].
Porque lhe as de ser testemunha para com todos os homens do que tens visto e ouvido.
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!’”
E agora porque te deténs? Levanta-te, e batiza-te, e lava os teus pecados, invocando o nome do Senhor.
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]
E aconteceu-me, tornando eu para Jerusalém, que, orando eu no templo, fui arrebatado para fora de mim.
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!’
E vi o que me dizia: Dá-te pressa, e sai apressadamente de Jerusalém; porque não receberão o teu testemunho acerca de mim
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.
E eu disse: Senhor, eles bem sabem que eu lançava na prisão e açoitava nas sinagogas os que criam em ti
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].’
E quando o sangue de Estevão, tua testemunha, se derramava, também eu estava presente, e consentia na sua morte, e guardava os vestidos dos que o matavam.
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!’”
E disse-me: vai, porque hei de enviar-te aos gentios de longe.
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].
E ouviram-no até esta palavra, e levantaram a voz, dizendo: Tira da terra um tal homem, porque não convém que viva.
23 While they continued shouting, [“Kill him!”] they took off their cloaks and threw dust into the air, [which showed how angry they were].
E, clamando eles, e lançando de si os vestidos, e deitando pó para o ar,
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].
O tribuno mandou que o levassem para a fortaleza, dizendo que o examinassem com açoites, para saber por que causa assim clamavam contra ele.
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!”
E, quando o estavam atando com correias, disse Paulo ao centurião que ali estava: É-vos lícito açoitar um homem romano, sem ser condenado?
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]”
E, ouvindo isto, o centurião foi, e anunciou ao tribuno, dizendo: Olha o que vais fazer, porque este homem é romano.
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].”
E, vindo o tribuno, disse-lhe: Dize-me, és tu romano? E ele disse: Sim.
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].”
E respondeu o tribuno: Eu com grande soma de dinheiro alcancei este direito de cidadão. Paulo disse: Mas eu sou-o de nascimento.
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].
De sorte que logo dele se apartaram os que o haviam de examinar; e até o tribuno teve temor, quando soube que era romano, porque o tinha ligado.
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.
E no dia seguinte, querendo saber ao certo a causa por que era acusado pelos judeus, soltou-o das prisões, e mandou vir os principais dos sacerdotes, e todo o seu conselho; e, trazendo Paulo, o apresentou diante deles.
