Acts 22

1 “Brothers and Father, listen to the defence which I am about to make.”

“Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”

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

When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more silent. Then Paul declared,

3 “I am a Jew, a native of 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 to-day.

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I am just as zealous for God as any of you here today.

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

I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,

5 And to that the High Priest himself and all the Council 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.

as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 While I was still on my way, just as I was getting close to Damascus, about mid-day, suddenly there flashed from the heavens a great light all round me.

About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.

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

I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’

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

‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.

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

My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.

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

Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’

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

Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.

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

There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,

13 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.

came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.

14 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;

Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear His voice.

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

You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

16 And now why wait any longer: Be baptized at once, wash away your sins, and invoke his Name.

And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’

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

Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance

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

and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’

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

‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.

20 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.

And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

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

Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

22 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!”

The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”

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

As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,

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

the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.

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

But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”

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

On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”

27 So the Commanding Officer went up to Paul and said: “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” replied Paul.

The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.

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

“I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.

29 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.

Then those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.

30 On the next day the Commanding Officer, wishing to find out the real reason why Paul was denounced by the Jews, 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.

The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.