< Acts 22 >
1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”
Varões irmãos e pais, ouvi agora a minha defesa perante vós.
2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
(E, quando ouviram falar-lhes em língua hebraica, maior silêncio guardaram.) E disse:
3 “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.
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 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,
Que tenho perseguido este caminho até à morte, prendendo, e metendo em prisões, assim varões como mulheres.
5 as also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
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 “As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.
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 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
E caí por terra, e ouvi uma voz que me dizia: Saulo, Saulo, porque me persegues?
8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’
E eu respondi: Quem és, Senhor? E disse-me: Eu sou Jesus nazareno, a quem tu persegues.
9 “Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke 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 I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed 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 When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into 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 “One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
E um certo Ananias, varão pio conforme a lei, que tinha bom testemunho de todos os judeus que ali moravam,
13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at him.
Vindo ter comigo, e apresentando-se, disse-me: Saulo, irmão, recobra a vista. E naquela mesma hora o vi.
14 He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
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 For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.
Porque lhe as de ser testemunha para com todos os homens do que tens visto e ouvido.
16 Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
E agora porque te deténs? Levanta-te, e batiza-te, e lava os teus pecados, invocando o nome do Senhor.
17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance
E aconteceu-me, tornando eu para Jerusalém, que, orando eu no templo, fui arrebatado para fora de mim.
18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’
E vi o que me dizia: Dá-te pressa, e sai apressadamente de Jerusalém; porque não receberão o teu testemunho acerca de mim
19 I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.
E eu disse: Senhor, eles bem sabem que eu lançava na prisão e açoitava nas sinagogas os que criam em ti
20 When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’
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 “He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”
E disse-me: vai, porque hei de enviar-te aos gentios de longe.
22 They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”
E ouviram-no até esta palavra, e levantaram a voz, dizendo: Tira da terra um tal homem, porque não convém que viva.
23 As they cried out, threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,
E, clamando eles, e lançando de si os vestidos, e deitando pó para o ar,
24 the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.
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 When they had tied him up with straps, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”
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 centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”
E, ouvindo isto, o centurião foi, e anunciou ao tribuno, dizendo: Olha o que vais fazer, porque este homem é romano.
27 The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”
E, vindo o tribuno, disse-lhe: Dize-me, és tu romano? E ele disse: Sim.
28 The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”
E respondeu o tribuno: Eu com grande soma de dinheiro alcancei este direito de cidadão. Paulo disse: Mas eu sou-o de nascimento.
29 Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.
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 But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him 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.