Hechos 22
1 Varones hermanos y padres, escuchen ahora mi defensa.
Brethren and fathers, hear my defence, which I now make to you.
2 Cuando oyeron que les hablaba en hebreo, guardaron más quietud.
And on hearing him speak to them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence. And he saith:
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 am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, hut brought up in this city, taught at the feet of Gamaliel in the strictness of the Law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as ye all are this day.
4 Perseguí hasta [la] muerte este Camino. Ataba y entregaba en cárceles tanto a varones como a mujeres.
And I persecuted this way [[of belief]] even to death, binding and putting into 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 high-priest beareth me witness, and all the elderhood; from whom I received letters to the brethren, and was on my way to Damascus to bring those also that were 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.
But it came to pass, as I was on my way, and approaching Damascus, that about noon there suddenly shone around me a great light from heaven;
7 Caí a tierra y oí una voz que me decía: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?
and I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute me?
8 Respondí: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y me dijo: Yo soy Jesús nazareno, a Quién tú persigues.
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom thou persecutest.
9 Los que me acompañaban ciertamente vieron la Luz, pero no entendieron la voz del que me hablaba.
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but the voice of him that spoke to me they did not hear.
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 shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there thou wilt be told of all which it hath been appointed thee to do.
11 Como no veía a causa del resplandor de aquella Luz, fui llevado de la mano por mis compañeros a Damasco.
And as I could not see by reason of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand of those that were with me, and came into Damascus.
12 Entonces Ananías, varón piadoso según la Ley, aprobado por todos los judíos que vivían allí,
But one Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, well spoken of by all the Jews who dwelt there,
13 me visitó y me dijo: Hermano Saulo, recobra la visión. En ese instante recobré la vista.
came to me, and standing over me said, Brother Saul, receive sight. And I immediately looked up upon 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 thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth;
15 Porque le serás testigo ante todos los hombres de lo que viste y oíste.
for thou shalt be a witness for him to all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16 Ahora pues, ¿por qué demoras? ¡Levántate, bautízate, invoca su Nombre y lava tus pecados!
And now why dost thou delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.
17 Cuando regresé a Jerusalén, hablaba con Dios en el Templo. Me vino un éxtasis
And it came to pass after my return to Jerusalem, while I was praying in the temple, that I fell 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 saw him saying to me, Make haste, and go quickly out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy 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 imprisoned, and beat in every synagogue, those that believed in thee;
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 Stephen, thy witness, was shed, I myself was standing by and consenting, and keeping the garments of those who slew him.
21 Pero Él me dijo: Vé porque Yo te enviaré lejos, a los gentiles.
And he said to me, Depart; for I will send thee far hence to the gentiles.
22 Hasta esa palabra lo escucharon. Alzaron su voz: ¡Extermínalo de la tierra, porque no merece vivir!
And they listened to him as far as this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth! for it was not fit that he should live.
23 Mientras ellos gritaban, agitaban los mantos y lanzaban polvo al aire.
And as they were crying out, and shaking 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 ordered him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might ascertain for what cause they were thus crying out 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?
But when they had stretched him out with the cords, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 Al oír esto, el centurión fue al comandante y le advirtió: ¿Qué vas a hacer? Porque este hombre es romano.
When the centurion heard this, he went and told the chief captain, saying, What art thou about to do? For this man is a Roman.
27 Entonces el comandante le preguntó: Dime, ¿eres tú romano? Y él contestó: Sí.
Then the chief captain came and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yes.
28 El comandante dijo: Yo pagué mucho dinero para adquirir esta ciudadanía. Entonces Pablo dijo: Pues yo nací [ciudadano].
The chief captain answered, For a great sum I obtained this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was born a Roman.
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.
They therefore who were about to examine him left him immediately. And the chief captain also was alarmed when he knew that he was 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.
On the morrow, wishing to have certain knowledge why he was accused by the Jews, he released him, and ordered the chief priests and all the council to assemble; and bringing Paul down, he set him before them.
