Atti 22
1 «Fratelli e padri, ascoltate la mia difesa davanti a voi».
Paul said, “[Jewish] elders and my other fellow Jews, listen to me now while I reply to [those who are accusing me]!”
2 Quando sentirono che parlava loro in lingua ebraica, fecero silenzio ancora di più.
When the crowd of people heard Paul speaking to them in [their own] Hebrew language, they became even more quiet and really listened. Then Paul said to them,
3 Ed egli continuò: «Io sono un Giudeo, nato a Tarso di Cilicia, ma cresciuto in questa città, formato alla scuola di Gamaliele nelle più rigide norme della legge paterna, pieno di zelo per Dio, come oggi siete tutti voi.
“I am a Jew, [as are all of you]. I was born in Tarsus [city], in Cilicia [province], but I grew up here in Jerusalem. [When I was young, for many years] I studied the laws [that Moses gave to our ancestors]. I was taught by [the famous teacher] Gamaliel [MTY] {[The famous teacher] Gamaliel taught [MTY] me}. [I have] carefully [obeyed those laws, because] I have wanted to obey God. I [am sure that] many of you also carefully obey [those laws].
4 Io perseguitai a morte questa nuova dottrina, arrestando e gettando in prigione uomini e donne,
[That is why] I previously persecuted those who believe the message [that people call] the Way [that Jesus taught. I continually looked for ways] to kill [them. Whenever I found] men or women [who believed that message], I [commanded that] they should be seized and thrown {[people to] seize them and throw them} into jail.
5 come può darmi testimonianza il sommo sacerdote e tutto il collegio degli anziani. Da loro ricevetti lettere per i nostri fratelli di Damasco e partii per condurre anche quelli di là come prigionieri a Gerusalemme, per essere puniti.
The supreme priest knows this, and so do the [other respected men who belong to our Jewish] Council. They gave me letters to [take to] their fellow Jews in Damascus [city. By means of those letters, they authorized me to] go to there and find people who believed in [Jesus. They had written in the letters that I was to bring those people] as prisoners to Jerusalem, so that they would be punished here {[the leaders here] could punish them}. [So I went on my way to Damascus].
6 Mentre ero in viaggio e mi avvicinavo a Damasco, verso mezzogiorno, all'improvviso una gran luce dal cielo rifulse attorno a me;
About noon, my companions and I were getting near Damascus. Suddenly a bright light from the sky flashed all around me.
7 caddi a terra e sentii una voce che mi diceva: Saulo, Saulo, perché mi perseguiti?
[The light was so bright that] I fell to the ground. Then I heard the voice [of someone] speaking to me [from up in the sky. The one who was speaking to me said], ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you [(sg)] do things to harm me?’
8 Risposi: Chi sei, o Signore? Mi disse: Io sono Gesù il Nazareno, che tu perseguiti.
I answered, ‘Who are you?’ He replied, ‘I am Jesus from Nazareth. I [am the one] whom you [(sg)] are harming [by doing things to harm my followers].’
9 Quelli che erano con me videro la luce, ma non udirono colui che mi parlava.
The men who were [traveling] with me saw the [very bright] light, [and they heard a voice], but they did not understand what the voice said to me.
10 Io dissi allora: Che devo fare, Signore? E il Signore mi disse: Alzati e prosegui verso Damasco; là sarai informato di tutto ciò che è stabilito che tu faccia.
Then I asked, ‘Lord, what [do you want] me to do?’ The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus! [A man] there will tell you [(sg)] all that I have planned for you to do.’
11 E poiché non ci vedevo più, a causa del fulgore di quella luce, guidato per mano dai miei compagni, giunsi a Damasco.
[After that, I could not see], because the [very bright] light had caused me to become blind. So my companions took me by the hand and led me until [we(exc) arrived] in Damascus.
12 Un certo Anania, un devoto osservante della legge e in buona reputazione presso tutti i Giudei colà residenti,
[A couple of days] later, a man whose name was Ananias came to [see] me. He was a man who [greatly respected God and] carefully obeyed [our Jewish] laws. All the Jews living in Damascus said good things about him.
13 venne da me, mi si accostò e disse: Saulo, fratello, torna a vedere! E in quell'istante io guardai verso di lui e riebbi la vista.
He came and stood beside me and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see [again]!’ Instantly I could see! I saw Ananias [standing there beside me].
14 Egli soggiunse: Il Dio dei nostri padri ti ha predestinato a conoscere la sua volontà, a vedere il Giusto e ad ascoltare una parola dalla sua stessa bocca,
Then he said: ‘The God whom [we(inc) worship and] whom our ancestors [worshipped] has chosen you and will show you what he wants [you to do. He has allowed you] to see the righteous one, [the Messiah], and you have heard him speaking [to you].
15 perché gli sarai testimone davanti a tutti gli uomini delle cose che hai visto e udito.
He wants you to tell people everywhere what you have seen and heard [from him].
16 E ora perché aspetti? Alzati, ricevi il battesimo e lavati dai tuoi peccati, invocando il suo nome.
So now (do not delay!/why delay?) [RHQ] Stand up, let [me] baptize you, and by praying to the Lord [Jesus ask God] to forgive you [(sg)] for your sins!’”
17 Dopo il mio ritorno a Gerusalemme, mentre pregavo nel tempio, fui rapito in estasi
“Later, I returned to Jerusalem. [One day] I went to the Temple courtyard. While I was praying there, I saw a vision [in which]
18 e vidi Lui che mi diceva: Affrettati ed esci presto da Gerusalemme, perché non accetteranno la tua testimonianza su di me.
I saw the Lord speaking to me. He said to me, ‘[Do not stay here]! Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people [here] will not (believe/listen to) what you [(sg)] tell [them] about me!’
19 E io dissi: Signore, essi sanno che facevo imprigionare e percuotere nella sinagoga quelli che credevano in te;
But I [protested and] said to him, ‘Lord, they know that I went to many of our meeting houses looking for people who believe in you. I was putting in jail those [whom I found] who believed in you, and I was even beating them.
20 quando si versava il sangue di Stefano, tuo testimone, anch'io ero presente e approvavo e custodivo i vestiti di quelli che lo uccidevano.
[They remember that] when Stephen was killed [MTY] {when people killed [MTY] Stephen} because he told people about you, I stood there [watching it all] and approving [what they were doing]. I [even] guarded the outer garments that those who were murdering him [had thrown aside. So if I stay here, the fact that I have changed how I think about you will surely impress those leaders of our people].’
21 Allora mi disse: Và, perché io ti manderò lontano, tra i pagani».
But the Lord said to me, ‘No, [do not stay here]! Leave [Jerusalem, because] I am going to send you [(sg)] far away [from here] to non-Jewish people!’”
22 Fino a queste parole erano stati ad ascoltarlo, ma allora alzarono la voce gridando: «Toglilo di mezzo; non deve più vivere!».
The people listened [quietly] to what Paul was saying until [he mentioned the Lord sending him to non-Jewish people]. Then they began shouting [angrily], “Kill him! [He does not deserve to live any longer]!” [They said that because they could not believe that God would save anyone except Jews].
23 E poiché continuavano a urlare, a gettar via i mantelli e a lanciar polvere in aria,
While they continued shouting, [“Kill him!”] they took off their cloaks and threw dust into the air, [which showed how angry they were].
24 il tribuno ordinò di portarlo nella fortezza, prescrivendo di interrogarlo a colpi di flagello al fine di sapere per quale motivo gli gridavano contro in tal modo.
So the commander [commanded] that Paul be taken {[soldiers] to take Paul} into the barracks. He told [the soldiers] that they should strike Paul with a whip [that had pieces of bone/metal on the end of it], in order to make him tell what he had done that made the Jews shout so angrily. [So the soldiers took Paul into the barracks].
25 Ma quando l'ebbero legato con le cinghie, Paolo disse al centurione che gli stava accanto: «Potete voi flagellare un cittadino romano, non ancora giudicato?».
Then they stretched his arms out [and tied them] so that they could whip him [on his back. But] Paul said to the officer who was standing nearby [watching], “[You(sg) should think carefully about this]! You will certainly be [RHQ] acting unlawfully if you whip me, a Roman [citizen whom] no [one has put on trial and] condemned!”
26 Udito ciò, il centurione corse a riferire al tribuno: «Che cosa stai per fare? Quell'uomo è un romano!».
When the officer heard that, he went to the commander and reported it to him. He said [to the commander], “This man is a Roman [citizen] (Surely you would not [command us to whip him]!/Do you really want [us to whip him]?) [RHQ]”
27 Allora il tribuno si recò da Paolo e gli domandò: «Dimmi, tu sei cittadino romano?». Rispose: «Sì».
The commander [was surprised when he heard that. He himself] went [into the barracks] and said to Paul, “Tell me, are you [(sg) really] a Roman [citizen]?” Paul answered, “Yes, I [am].”
28 Replicò il tribuno: «Io questa cittadinanza l'ho acquistata a caro prezzo». Paolo disse: «Io, invece, lo sono di nascita!».
Then the commander said, “[I am also a Roman citizen]. I paid a lot of money to become a [Roman] citizen.” Paul said, “But I was born a [Roman] citizen, [so I did not need to pay anything].”
29 E subito si allontanarono da lui quelli che dovevano interrogarlo. Anche il tribuno ebbe paura, rendendosi conto che Paolo era cittadino romano e che lui lo aveva messo in catene.
The soldiers [were about to whip Paul and to ask him questions about what he had done. But when they heard what Paul said, they] left him immediately. The commander also became afraid, because he realized that Paul was a Roman [citizen] and that he had [illegally commanded soldiers to] tie up Paul’s [hands].
30 Il giorno seguente, volendo conoscere la realtà dei fatti, cioè il motivo per cui veniva accusato dai Giudei, gli fece togliere le catene e ordinò che si riunissero i sommi sacerdoti e tutto il sinedrio; vi fece condurre Paolo e lo presentò davanti a loro.
[The commander still] wanted to know exactly why the Jews were accusing Paul. So the next day he [told the soldiers to] take the chains off Paul. He also summoned the chief priests and the [other Jewish] Council [members]. Then he took Paul [to where the Council was meeting] and [commanded] him to stand before them.
