Πραξεις 22
1 ανδρες αδελφοι και πατερες ακουσατε μου της προς υμας νυν απολογιας
“Brothers and Father, listen to the defence which I am about to make.”
2 ακουσαντες δε οτι τη εβραιδι διαλεκτω προσεφωνει αυτοις μαλλον παρεσχον ησυχιαν και φησιν
When they heard that he was speaking to them in Hebrew, they were still more quiet; and Paul went on:
3 εγω μεν ειμι ανηρ ιουδαιος γεγεννημενος εν ταρσω της κιλικιας ανατεθραμμενος δε εν τη πολει ταυτη παρα τους ποδας γαμαλιηλ πεπαιδευμενος κατα ακριβειαν του πατρωου νομου ζηλωτης υπαρχων του θεου καθως παντες υμεις εστε σημερον
“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.
4 ος ταυτην την οδον εδιωξα αχρι θανατου δεσμευων και παραδιδους εις φυλακας ανδρας τε και γυναικας
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 —
5 ως και ο αρχιερευς μαρτυρει μοι και παν το πρεσβυτεριον παρ ων και επιστολας δεξαμενος προς τους αδελφους εις δαμασκον επορευομην αξων και τους εκεισε οντας δεδεμενους εις ιερουσαλημ ινα τιμωρηθωσιν
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.
6 εγενετο δε μοι πορευομενω και εγγιζοντι τη δαμασκω περι μεσημβριαν εξαιφνης εκ του ουρανου περιαστραψαι φως ικανον περι εμε
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.
7 επεσον τε εις το εδαφος και ηκουσα φωνης λεγουσης μοι σαουλ σαουλ τι με διωκεις
I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 εγω δε απεκριθην τις ει κυριε ειπεν τε προς με εγω ειμι ιησους ο ναζωραιος ον συ διωκεις
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I replied. Then the voice said ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.’
9 οι δε συν εμοι οντες το μεν φως εθεασαντο και εμφοβοι εγενοντο την δε φωνην ουκ ηκουσαν του λαλουντος μοι
The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the speaker’s voice.
10 ειπον δε τι ποιησω κυριε ο δε κυριος ειπεν προς με αναστας πορευου εις δαμασκον κακει σοι λαληθησεται περι παντων ων τετακται σοι ποιησαι
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.’
11 ως δε ουκ ενεβλεπον απο της δοξης του φωτος εκεινου χειραγωγουμενος υπο των συνοντων μοι ηλθον εις δαμασκον
In consequence of that dazzling light I could not see, but my companions held me by the hand, till I reached Damascus.
12 ανανιας δε τις ανηρ ευσεβης κατα τον νομον μαρτυρουμενος υπο παντων των κατοικουντων ιουδαιων
There a man named Ananias, a strict observer of our Law, well spoken of by all the Jewish inhabitants, came to see me.
13 ελθων προς με και επιστας ειπεν μοι σαουλ αδελφε αναβλεψον καγω αυτη τη ωρα ανεβλεψα εις αυτον
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 ο δε ειπεν ο θεος των πατερων ημων προεχειρισατο σε γνωναι το θελημα αυτου και ιδειν τον δικαιον και ακουσαι φωνην εκ του στοματος αυτου
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 οτι εση μαρτυς αυτω προς παντας ανθρωπους ων εωρακας και ηκουσας
for you shall be a witness for him to all the world of what you have just seen and heard.
16 και νυν τι μελλεις αναστας βαπτισαι και απολουσαι τας αμαρτιας σου επικαλεσαμενος το ονομα του κυριου
And now why wait any longer: Be baptized at once, wash away your sins, and invoke his Name.
17 εγενετο δε μοι υποστρεψαντι εις ιερουσαλημ και προσευχομενου μου εν τω ιερω γενεσθαι με εν εκστασει
After my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying one day in the Temple, I fell into a trance,
18 και ιδειν αυτον λεγοντα μοι σπευσον και εξελθε εν ταχει εξ ιερουσαλημ διοτι ου παραδεξονται σου την μαρτυριαν περι εμου
and saw Jesus saying to me ‘Make haste and leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’
19 καγω ειπον κυριε αυτοι επιστανται οτι εγω ημην φυλακιζων και δερων κατα τας συναγωγας τους πιστευοντας επι σε
‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘these people know that I used to imprison and scourge, in Synagogue after Synagogue, those who believed in you;
20 και οτε εξεχειτο το αιμα στεφανου του μαρτυρος σου και αυτος ημην εφεστως και συνευδοκων τη αναιρεσει αυτου και φυλασσων τα ιματια των αναιρουντων αυτον
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 και ειπεν προς με πορευου οτι εγω εις εθνη μακραν εξαποστελω σε
But Jesus said to me ‘Go; for I will send you to the Gentiles far away’.”
22 ηκουον δε αυτου αχρι τουτου του λογου και επηραν την φωνην αυτων λεγοντες αιρε απο της γης τον τοιουτον ου γαρ καθηκον αυτον ζην
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 κραυγαζοντων δε αυτων και ριπτουντων τα ιματια και κονιορτον βαλλοντων εις τον αερα
As they were shouting, tearing off their clothes, and throwing dust in the air,
24 εκελευσεν αυτον ο χιλιαρχος αγεσθαι εις την παρεμβολην ειπων μαστιξιν ανεταζεσθαι αυτον ινα επιγνω δι ην αιτιαν ουτως επεφωνουν αυτω
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.
25 ως δε προετεινεν αυτον τοις ιμασιν ειπεν προς τον εστωτα εκατονταρχον ο παυλος ει ανθρωπον ρωμαιον και ακατακριτον εξεστιν υμιν μαστιζειν
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?”
26 ακουσας δε ο εκατονταρχος προσελθων απηγγειλεν τω χιλιαρχω λεγων ορα τι μελλεις ποιειν ο γαρ ανθρωπος ουτος ρωμαιος εστιν
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.”
27 προσελθων δε ο χιλιαρχος ειπεν αυτω λεγε μοι ει συ ρωμαιος ει ο δε εφη ναι
So the Commanding Officer went up to Paul and said: “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” replied Paul.
28 απεκριθη τε ο χιλιαρχος εγω πολλου κεφαλαιου την πολιτειαν ταυτην εκτησαμην ο δε παυλος εφη εγω δε και γεγεννημαι
“I had to pay a heavy price for my position as citizen,” said the Officer. “I am one by birth,” rejoined Paul.
29 ευθεως ουν απεστησαν απ αυτου οι μελλοντες αυτον ανεταζειν και ο χιλιαρχος δε εφοβηθη επιγνους οτι ρωμαιος εστιν και οτι ην αυτον δεδεκως
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 τη δε επαυριον βουλομενος γνωναι το ασφαλες το τι κατηγορειται παρα των ιουδαιων ελυσεν αυτον απο των δεσμων και εκελευσεν ελθειν τους αρχιερεις και ολον το συνεδριον αυτων και καταγαγων τον παυλον εστησεν εις αυτους
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.
