Acts 22

1 'Men, brethren, and fathers, hear my defence now unto you;' —

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

2 and they having heard that in the Hebrew dialect he was speaking to them, gave the more silence, and he saith, —

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

3 'I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been taught according to the exactitude of a law of the fathers, being zealous of God, as all ye are to-day.

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 'And this way I persecuted unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women,

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

5 as also the chief priest doth testify to me, and all the eldership; from whom also having received letters unto the brethren, to Damascus, I was going on, to bring also those there bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished,

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 and it came to pass, in my going on and coming nigh to Damascus, about noon, suddenly out of the heaven there shone a great light round about 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 I fell also to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute?

and I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?

8 'And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? and he said unto me, I am Jesus the Nazarene whom thou dost persecute —

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

9 and they who are with me the light did see, and became afraid, and the voice they heard not of him who is speaking 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 and I said, What shall I do, Lord? and the Lord said unto me, Having risen, go on to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee concerning all things that have been appointed for thee 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 'And when I did not see from the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who are with me, I came to 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 and a certain one, Ananias, a pious man according to the law, being testified to by all the Jews dwelling [there],

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

13 having come unto me and stood by [me], said to me, Saul, brother, look up; and I the same hour did look up to him;

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

14 and he said, The God of our fathers did choose thee beforehand to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of his mouth,

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 because thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard;

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

16 and now, why tarriest thou? having risen, baptize thyself, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.

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

17 'And it came to pass when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I came into a trance,

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 and I saw him saying to me, Haste and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me;

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

19 and I said, Lord, they — they know that I was imprisoning and was scourging in every synagogue those believing on thee;

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

20 and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was being poured forth, I also was standing by and assenting to his death, and keeping the garments of those putting him to death;

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 and he said unto me, Go, because to nations far off I will send thee.'

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

22 And they were hearing him unto this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying, 'Away from the earth with such an one; for it is not fit for him to live.'

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

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

24 the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, saying, 'By scourges let him be examined;' that he might know for what cause they were crying so against him.

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 And as he was stretching him with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion who was standing by, 'A man, a Roman, uncondemned — is it lawful to you to scourge;'

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 and the centurion having heard, having gone near to the chief captain, told, saying, 'Take heed what thou art about to do, for this man is a Roman;'

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 and the chief captain having come near, said to him, 'Tell me, art thou a Roman?' and he said, 'Yes;'

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

28 and the chief captain answered, 'I, with a great sum, did obtain this citizenship;' but Paul said, 'But I have been even born [so].'

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

29 Immediately, therefore, they departed from him who are about to examine him, and the chief captain also was afraid, having learned that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him,

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 and on the morrow, intending to know the certainty wherefore he is accused by the Jews, he did loose him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their sanhedrim to come, and having brought down Paul, he set [him] 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.