Actuum Apostolorum 22

1 viri fratres et patres audite quam ad vos nunc reddo rationem

MEN, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my apology which I now offer unto you.

2 cum audissent autem quia hebraea lingua loquitur ad illos magis praestiterunt silentium

Then when they heard that he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence: and he said,

3 et dixit ego sum vir iudaeus natus Tarso Ciliciae nutritus autem in ista civitate secus pedes Gamalihel eruditus iuxta veritatem paternae legis aemulator legis sicut et vos omnes estis hodie

I am indeed a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but educated in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed accurately in the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as ye all are this day:

4 qui hanc viam persecutus sum usque ad mortem alligans et tradens in custodias viros ac mulieres

so much so that I persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women.

5 sicut princeps sacerdotum testimonium mihi reddit et omnes maiores natu a quibus et epistulas accipiens ad fratres Damascum pergebam ut adducerem inde vinctos in Hierusalem uti punirentur

As also the high-priest will bear me witness, and all the body of elders: from whom also having received letters unto the brethren, I went unto Damascus, to bring those who were there in chains unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.

6 factum est autem eunte me et adpropinquante Damasco media die subito de caelo circumfulsit me lux copiosa

But as I went and drew nigh to Damascus, at noon-day, suddenly there shone a great light from heaven around me.

7 et decidens in terram audivi vocem dicentem mihi Saule Saule quid me persequeris

And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

8 ego autem respondi quis es Domine dixitque ad me ego sum Iesus Nazarenus quem tu persequeris

And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest.

9 et qui mecum erant lumen quidem viderunt vocem autem non audierunt eius qui loquebatur mecum

Now they who were with me saw the light indeed, and were terrified; but the voice of him that spake to me heard they not.

10 et dixi quid faciam Domine Dominus autem dixit ad me surgens vade Damascum et ibi tibi dicetur de omnibus quae te oporteat facere

Then I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, go into Damascus; and there information shall be given thee of all things which are ordained for thee to do.

11 et cum non viderem prae claritate luminis illius ad manum deductus a comitibus veni Damascum

Then as I could no longer see through the dazzling brightness of that light, led by the hand of those who were with me, I came to Damascus.

12 Ananias autem quidam vir secundum legem testimonium habens ab omnibus habitantibus Iudaeis

And one Ananias, a religious man according to the law, and in high repute with all the Jews dwelling there,

13 veniens ad me et adstans dixit mihi Saule frater respice et ego eadem hora respexi in eum

came to me, and standing by me, said, Brother Saul, recover sight. And the same hour I looked up at him.

14 at ille dixit Deus patrum nostrorum praeordinavit te ut cognosceres voluntatem eius et videres Iustum et audires vocem ex ore eius

And he said, The God of our fathers hath predestinated thee to know his will, and to see the Just One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

15 quia eris testis illius ad omnes homines eorum quae vidisti et audisti

For thou shalt be a witness for him to all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.

16 et nunc quid moraris exsurge baptizare et ablue peccata tua invocato nomine ipsius

And now why delay? arise, to be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.

17 factum est autem revertenti mihi in Hierusalem et oranti in templo fieri me in stupore mentis

Now it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance;

18 et videre illum dicentem mihi festina et exi velociter ex Hierusalem quoniam non recipient testimonium tuum de me

and beheld him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony of me.

19 et ego dixi Domine ipsi sciunt quia ego eram concludens in carcerem et caedens per synagogas eos qui credebant in te

And I said, Lord, they know that I was imprisoning and scourging from synagogue to synagogue those who believe on thee:

20 et cum funderetur sanguis Stephani testis tui ego adstabam et consentiebam et custodiebam vestimenta interficientium illum

and when the blood of Stephen thy martyr was shed, I myself even stood by, and took delight in his execution, and guarded the garments of those who slew him.

21 et dixit ad me vade quoniam ego in nationes longe mittam te

And he said to me, Go: for I will send thee forth to the Gentiles afar off.

22 audiebant autem eum usque ad hoc verbum et levaverunt vocem suam dicentes tolle de terra eiusmodi non enim fas est eum vivere

And they gave him audience to this sentence, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

23 vociferantibus autem eis et proicientibus vestimenta sua et pulverem iactantibus in aerem

So when they began raising a vast clamour, and stripping off their garments, and casting dust into the air,

24 iussit tribunus induci eum in castra et flagellis caedi et torqueri eum ut sciret propter quam causam sic adclamarent ei

the military tribune commanded him to be brought into the fortress, ordering that he should be put to the question by scourging; that he might know for what cause they clamoured so loudly against him.

25 et cum adstrinxissent eum loris dixit adstanti sibi centurioni Paulus si hominem romanum et indemnatum licet vobis flagellare

So as they were tying him up for the thongs, Paul said to the centurion standing by him, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?

26 quo audito centurio accessit ad tribunum et nuntiavit dicens quid acturus es hic enim homo civis romanus est

And when the centurion heard this, he came and told the military tribune, saying, Consider what you are going to do: for this man is a Roman citizen.

27 accedens autem tribunus dixit illi dic mihi tu Romanus es at ille dixit etiam

Then the tribune came, and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman citizen? And he said, Yes.

28 et respondit tribunus ego multa summa civitatem hanc consecutus sum et Paulus ait ego autem et natus sum

And the tribune replied, With a large sum of money I purchased this citizenship. And Paul said, But I enjoy it as my birthright.

29 protinus ergo discesserunt ab illo qui eum torturi erant tribunus quoque timuit postquam rescivit quia civis romanus esset et quia alligasset eum

Immediately then they who were about to put him to the question, withdrew from him: and indeed the tribune dreaded the consequences, when he knew that he was a Roman citizen, that he had even gone so far as to bind him.

30 postera autem die volens scire diligentius qua ex causa accusaretur a Iudaeis solvit eum et iussit sacerdotes convenire et omne concilium et producens Paulum statuit inter illos

So on the morrow, desirous to know of a certainty what it was of which he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him from the bonds, and commanded the high-priest and all the sanhedrim to appear, and bringing Paul down, set him before them.