Hechos 22

1 Varones hermanos y padres, escuchen ahora mi defensa.

“Men, brothers, and fathers, hear my defense now to you.”

2 Cuando oyeron que les hablaba en hebreo, guardaron más quietud.

and they having heard that he was speaking to them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more silent, and he says,

3 Yo soy judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, pero criado en esta ciudad, educado a los pies de Gamaliel en estricta conformidad con la Ley de nuestros antepasados. Era celoso de Dios como todos ustedes son hoy.

“I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been taught according to the exactness of a law of the fathers, being zealous of God, as all you are today.

4 Perseguí hasta [la] muerte este Camino. Ataba y entregaba en cárceles tanto a varones como a mujeres.

And this Way I persecuted to death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women,

5 El sumo sacerdote y todos los ancianos saben que me dieron cartas para los hermanos e iba a Damasco a fin de traer atados a Jerusalén aun a los que estaban allí, para que los castigaran.

as also the chief priest testifies to me, and all the eldership; from whom also having received letters to the brothers, to Damascus, I was going on, to bring also those there bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished,

6 Iba cerca de Damasco. Como al mediodía, de repente una gran luz del cielo resplandeció alrededor de mí.

and it came to pass, in my going on and coming near to Damascus, about noon, suddenly out of Heaven there shone a great light around me;

7 Caí a tierra y oí una voz que me decía: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?

I also fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?

8 Respondí: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y me dijo: Yo soy Jesús nazareno, a Quién tú persigues.

And I answered, Who are You, Lord? And He said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene whom you persecute—

9 Los que me acompañaban ciertamente vieron la Luz, pero no entendieron la voz del que me hablaba.

and they who are with me saw the light, and became afraid, and they did not hear the voice of Him who is speaking to me—

10 Entonces pregunté: ¿Qué hago, Señor? Y el Señor me respondió: Levántate y vé a Damasco, y allí se te dirá lo que tienes que hacer.

and I said, What will I do, Lord? And the LORD said to me, Having risen, go on to Damascus, and there it will be told you concerning all things that have been appointed for you to do.

11 Como no veía a causa del resplandor de aquella Luz, fui llevado de la mano por mis compañeros a Damasco.

And when I did not see from the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who are with me, I came to Damascus,

12 Entonces Ananías, varón piadoso según la Ley, aprobado por todos los judíos que vivían allí,

and a certain one, Ananias, a pious man according to the Law, being testified to by all the Jews dwelling [there],

13 me visitó y me dijo: Hermano Saulo, recobra la visión. En ese instante recobré la vista.

having come to me and stood by [me], said to me, Saul, brother, look up; and the same hour I looked up to him;

14 Entonces Ananías me dijo: El Dios de nuestros antepasados te escogió para que conozcas su voluntad, veas al Justo y oigas su voz.

and he said, The God of our fathers chose you beforehand to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of His mouth,

15 Porque le serás testigo ante todos los hombres de lo que viste y oíste.

because you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard;

16 Ahora pues, ¿por qué demoras? ¡Levántate, bautízate, invoca su Nombre y lava tus pecados!

and now, why do you linger? Having risen, immerse yourself, and wash away your sins, calling on the Name of the LORD.

17 Cuando regresé a Jerusalén, hablaba con Dios en el Templo. Me vino un éxtasis

And it came to pass, when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I came into a trance,

18 y lo vi cuando me decía: Apresúrate y sal pronto de Jerusalén, porque no creerán lo que digas de Mí.

and I saw Him saying to me, Hurry and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning Me;

19 Yo respondí: Señor, ellos saben que yo encarcelaba y azotaba a los que creen en Ti en todas las congregaciones judías.

and I said, LORD, they know that I was imprisoning and was scourging those believing on You in every synagogue;

20 Cuando era derramada la sangre de Esteban tu testigo, yo mismo estaba allí, di aprobación y guardaba las ropas de quienes lo mataban.

and when the blood of your witness Stephen was being poured forth, I was also standing by and assenting to his death, and keeping the garments of those putting him to death;

21 Pero Él me dijo: Vé porque Yo te enviaré lejos, a los gentiles.

and He said to me, Go, because I will send you to far-off nations.”

22 Hasta esa palabra lo escucharon. Alzaron su voz: ¡Extermínalo de la tierra, porque no merece vivir!

And they were hearing him to this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying, “Away from the earth with such a one; for it is not fit for him to live.”

23 Mientras ellos gritaban, agitaban los mantos y lanzaban polvo al aire.

And they crying out and casting up their garments, and throwing dust into the air,

24 El comandante mandó llevarlo al cuartel y ordenó examinarlo con azotes, por qué gritaban así contra él.

the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the stronghold, saying, “Let him be examined by scourges,” that he might know for what cause they were crying so against him.

25 Pero cuando lo estiraron con las correas, Pablo preguntó al centurión: ¿Les es lícito azotar a un ciudadano romano que no ha sido sentenciado?

And as he was stretching him with the straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful to you to scourge a man, a Roman, uncondemned?”

26 Al oír esto, el centurión fue al comandante y le advirtió: ¿Qué vas a hacer? Porque este hombre es romano.

And the centurion having heard, having gone near to the chief captain, told, saying, “Take heed what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman”;

27 Entonces el comandante le preguntó: Dime, ¿eres tú romano? Y él contestó: Sí.

and the chief captain having come near, said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes”;

28 El comandante dijo: Yo pagué mucho dinero para adquirir esta ciudadanía. Entonces Pablo dijo: Pues yo nací [ciudadano].

and the chief captain answered, “I, with a great sum, obtained this citizenship”; but Paul said, “But I have even been born [so].”

29 Al instante los que iban a interrogarlo se retiraron de él. Y aun el comandante, cuando supo que era romano, se atemorizó porque lo había atado.

Immediately, therefore, they departed from him, those being about to examine him, and the chief captain was also afraid, having learned that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him,

30 Al día siguiente quería saber por qué era acusado por los judíos. Lo desató. Mandó que se reunieran los principales sacerdotes y todo el Tribunal Supremo. Sacó a Pablo y lo colocó delante de ellos.

and the next day, intending to know the certainty for what reason he is accused by the Jews, he loosed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their Sanhedrin to come, and having brought down Paul, he set [him] before them.