Actuum Apostolorum 22
1 viri fratres et patres audite quam ad vos nunc reddo rationem
“Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense which I will now make to you.”
2 cum audissent autem quia hebraea lingua loquitur ad illos magis praestiterunt silentium
When the crowd heard Paul speak to them in the Hebrew language, they became quiet. 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 a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but educated in this city at the feet of Gamaliel. I was instructed according to the strict ways of the law of our fathers. I am zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
4 qui hanc viam persecutus sum usque ad mortem alligans et tradens in custodias viros ac mulieres
I persecuted this Way to the death, binding up and delivering them to prison 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 the high priest and all the elders can bear witness. I received letters from them for the brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring them back in bonds to Jerusalem in order for them to be punished.
6 factum est autem eunte me et adpropinquante Damasco media die subito de caelo circumfulsit me lux copiosa
It happened that when I was traveling and nearing Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven began to shine around me.
7 et decidens in terram audivi vocem dicentem mihi Saule Saule quid me persequeris
I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
8 ego autem respondi quis es Domine dixitque ad me ego sum Iesus Nazarenus quem tu persequeris
I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
9 et qui mecum erant lumen quidem viderunt vocem autem non audierunt eius qui loquebatur mecum
Those who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
10 et dixi quid faciam Domine Dominus autem dixit ad me surgens vade Damascum et ibi tibi dicetur de omnibus quae te oporteat facere
I said, 'What should I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus; there you will be told everything that you must do.'
11 et cum non viderem prae claritate luminis illius ad manum deductus a comitibus veni Damascum
I could not see because of that light's brightness, and being led by the hands of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 Ananias autem quidam vir secundum legem testimonium habens ab omnibus habitantibus Iudaeis
There I met a man named Ananias, a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there.
13 veniens ad me et adstans dixit mihi Saule frater respice et ego eadem hora respexi in eum
He came to me, stood by me, and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' In that very hour I saw him.
14 at ille dixit Deus patrum nostrorum praeordinavit te ut cognosceres voluntatem eius et videres Iustum et audires vocem ex ore eius
Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice coming from his own mouth.
15 quia eris testis illius ad omnes homines eorum quae vidisti et audisti
For you shall be a witness for him to all men about what you have seen and heard.
16 et nunc quid moraris exsurge baptizare et ablue peccata tua invocato nomine ipsius
Now why are you waiting? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
17 factum est autem revertenti mihi in Hierusalem et oranti in templo fieri me in stupore mentis
After I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, it happened that I was given a vision.
18 et videre illum dicentem mihi festina et exi velociter ex Hierusalem quoniam non recipient testimonium tuum de me
I saw him say to me, 'Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'
19 et ego dixi Domine ipsi sciunt quia ego eram concludens in carcerem et caedens per synagogas eos qui credebant in te
I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you in every synagogue.
20 et cum funderetur sanguis Stephani testis tui ego adstabam et consentiebam et custodiebam vestimenta interficientium illum
When the blood of Stephen your witness was spilled, I also was standing by and agreeing, and I was guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
21 et dixit ad me vade quoniam ego in nationes longe mittam te
But he said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'”
22 audiebant autem eum usque ad hoc verbum et levaverunt vocem suam dicentes tolle de terra eiusmodi non enim fas est eum vivere
They listened to him until he said this. Then they shouted and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not right that he should live.”
23 vociferantibus autem eis et proicientibus vestimenta sua et pulverem iactantibus in aerem
As they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and throwing 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 chief captain commanded Paul to be brought into the fortress. He ordered that he should be questioned with scourging, so that he himself might know why they were shouting against him like that.
25 et cum adstrinxissent eum loris dixit adstanti sibi centurioni Paulus si hominem romanum et indemnatum licet vobis flagellare
When they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and who has not been put on trial?”
26 quo audito centurio accessit ad tribunum et nuntiavit dicens quid acturus es hic enim homo civis romanus est
When the centurion heard this, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
27 accedens autem tribunus dixit illi dic mihi tu Romanus es at ille dixit etiam
The chief captain came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul said, “Yes.”
28 et respondit tribunus ego multa summa civitatem hanc consecutus sum et Paulus ait ego autem et natus sum
The chief captain answered, “It was only with a large amount of money that I acquired citizenship.” But Paul said, “I was born a Roman citizen.”
29 protinus ergo discesserunt ab illo qui eum torturi erant tribunus quoque timuit postquam rescivit quia civis romanus esset et quia alligasset eum
Then the men who were going to question him left him immediately. The chief captain also was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, because he had tied him up.
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
On the next day, the chief captain wanted to know the truth about the Jews' accusations against Paul. So he untied his bonds and ordered the chief priests and all the council to meet. Then he brought Paul down and placed him in their midst.
