Actes 22
1 Hommes, mes frères et mes pères, écoutez ma défense que je vais entreprendre devant vous.
“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I am about to make.”
2 Quand ils entendirent qu’il leur parlait en langue hébraïque, il se fit encore un plus grand silence.
When they heard that he was speaking to them in Hebrew, they were still more quiet; and Paul went on:
3 Il dit donc: Je suis Juif, né à Tarse en Cilicie, élevé dans cette ville aux pieds de Gamaliel, instruit selon la vérité de la loi de nos pères, zélateur de cette loi, comme vous l’êtes vous tous aujourd’hui;
“I am a Jew, from 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 today.
4 C’est moi qui ai poursuivi jusqu’à la mort ceux de cette voie, les chargeant de liens, hommes et femmes, et les jetant en prison,
In my persecution of this Way I did not stop even at the taking of life. I put in chains, and imprisoned, men and women alike –
5 Comme le prince des prêtres m’en est témoin ainsi que tous les anciens; et même, ayant reçu d’eux des lettres pour nos frères de Damas, j’y allais pour les amener enchaînés à Jérusalem, afin qu’ils fussent punis.
And to that the high priest himself and all the council of elders 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.
6 Or il arriva que lorsque j’étais en chemin, et que j’approchais de Damas au milieu du jour, soudain brilla du ciel autour de moi une abondante lumière;
While I was still on my way, just as I was getting close to Damascus, about midday, suddenly there flashed from the heavens a great light all around me.
7 Et tombant par terre, j’entendis une voix qui me disait: Saul, Saul, pourquoi me persécutes-tu?
I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 Et moi je répondis: Qui êtes-vous. Seigneur? Et il me dit: Je suis Jésus de Nazareth, que tu persécutes.
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I replied. Then the voice said ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’
9 Et ceux qui étaient avec moi virent la lumière, mais ils n’entendirent pas la voix de celui qui me parlait.
The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the speaker’s voice.
10 Alors je demandai: Que ferai-je, Seigneur? Et le Seigneur me répondit: Lève-toi, va à Damas; et là on te dira tout ce qu’il faut que tu fasses.
Then I said ‘What am I to do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ The Lord said to me, ‘and there you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
11 Et comme je ne voyais point, à cause de l’éclat de cette lumière, conduit par la main de mes compagnons, je vins à Damas.
In consequence of that dazzling light I could not see, but my companions held me by the hand, until I reached Damascus.
12 Or un certain Ananie, homme selon la loi, ayant le témoignage de tous les Juifs qui habitaient dans cette ville,
There a man named Ananias, a strict observer of our Law, well spoken of by all the Jewish inhabitants, came to see me.
13 Venant à moi, et s’approchant, me dit: Saul, mon frère, regarde. Et moi, au même instant, je le regardai.
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.
14 Et lui reprit: Le Dieu de nos pères t’a préordonné pour connaître sa volonté, voir le Juste, et entendre la voix de sa bouche;
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;
15 Parce que tu lui seras témoin devant tous les hommes, de ce que tu as vu et entendu.
for you will be a witness for him to all the world of what you have just seen and heard.
16 Et maintenant, que tardes-tu? Lève-toi, reçois le baptême et lave tes péchés en invoquant son nom.
And now why wait any longer, Be baptized at once, wash away your sins, and invoke his name.’
17 Et il arriva qu’étant de retour à Jérusalem, et priant dans le temple, je tombai dans un ravissement d’esprit,
After my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying one day in the Temple, I fell into a trance,
18 Et je vis le Seigneur qui me disait: Hâte-toi, et sors vite de Jérusalem; car ils ne recevront pas le témoignage que tu rends de moi.
and saw Jesus saying to me ‘Make haste and leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’
19 Et moi je répondis: Seigneur, ils savent eux-mêmes que c’est moi qui enfermais en prison et déchirais de coups dans les synagogues ceux qui croyaient en vous;
‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘these people know that I used to imprison and scourge, in synagogue after synagogue, those who believed in you;
20 Et que, lorsqu’on versait le sang d’Etienne, votre témoin, j’étais là, et j’y consentais, et je gardais les vêtements de ses meurtriers.
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.’
21 Et il me dit: Va, parce que je t’enverrai bien loin vers les nations.
But Jesus said to me ‘Go; for I will send you to the Gentiles far away’.”
22 Ils l’avaient écouté jusqu’à ce mot; mais alors ils élevèrent leur voix, disant: Ôte de la terre un pareil homme, car ce serait un crime de le laisser vivre.
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!”
23 Eux donc, poussant de grands cris, jetant leurs vêtements, et lançant de la poussière en l’air,
As they were shouting, tearing off their clothes, and throwing dust in the air,
24 Le tribun ordonna de le conduire dans le camp, de le déchirer de verges, et de le mettre à la question, afin de savoir pourquoi ils criaient ainsi contre lui.
the commanding officer ordered Paul to be taken into the Fort, and directed that he should be examined under the lash so that he might find out the reason for their outcry against him.
25 Mais lorsqu’ils l’eurent lié avec des courroies, Paul dit au centurion qui était près de lui: Vous est-il permis de flageller un citoyen romain non condamné?
But just as they had tied him up to be scourged, Paul said to the centurion standing near, “Is it legal for you to scourge a Roman citizen, unconvicted?”
26 Ce qu’ayant entendu, le centurion se rendit auprès du tribun, et l’avertit, disant: Qu’allez-vous faire? car cet homme est citoyen romain.
On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commanding officer. “Do you know what you are doing?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27 Et le tribun venant à lui, demanda: Dis-moi, es-tu Romain? Et Paul répondit: Oui.
So the commanding officer went up to Paul and said, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” replied Paul.
28 Le tribun repartit: C’est avec beaucoup d’argent que j’ai acquis ce droit de cité. Et Paul répliqua: Moi, je suis né citoyen.
“I had to pay a heavy price for my position as citizen,” said the officer. “I am one by birth,” rejoined Paul.
29 Aussitôt donc s’éloignèrent de lui ceux qui devaient lui donner la question; le tribun lui-même eut peur, après qu’il eut appris qu’il était citoyen romain, parce qu’il l’avait fait lier.
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.
30 Le lendemain, voulant savoir plus exactement de quoi il était accusé par les Juifs, il lui ôta ses liens, et ordonna aux prêtres, et à tout le conseil de s’assembler, puis il amena Paul, et le plaça au milieu d’eux.
On the next day the commanding officer, wishing to find out the real reason why Paul was denounced by the Jewish leaders, 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.
