Hechos 22
1 VARONES hermanos y padres, oid la razón que ahora os doy.
“Brother and fathers,” he said, “Please listen as I give my defense before you.”
2 (Y como oyeron que les hablaba en lengua hebrea, guardaron más silencio.) Y dijo:
When they heard him speaking to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet.
3 Yo de cierto soy Judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, mas criado en esta ciudad á los pies de Gamaliel, enseñado conforme á la verdad de la ley de la patria, celoso de Dios, como todos vosotros sois hoy.
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia,” he began. “However, I was brought up here in this city, and sat at the feet of Gamaliel. I was taught to strictly observe the law of our fathers. I was zealous for God, just like all of you here today,
4 Que he perseguido este camino hasta la muerte, prendiendo y entregando en cárceles hombres y mujeres:
and I persecuted the people of this Way—having them put to death, and imprisoning both men and women.
5 Como también el príncipe de los sacerdotes me es testigo, y todos los ancianos; de los cuales también tomando letras á los hermanos, iba á Damasco para traer presos á Jerusalem aun á los que estuviesen allí, para que fuesen castigados.
As the high priest and the council of the elders can also verify, I received from them letters of authorization addressed to the Jewish brothers in Damascus, and went there to arrest these people and bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 Mas aconteció que yendo yo, y llegando cerca de Damasco, como á medio día, de repente me rodeó mucha luz del cielo:
At around noon, while I was on my way and approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven shone all around me.
7 Y caí en el suelo, y oí una voz que me decía: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?
I fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 Yo entonces respondí: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y me dijo: Yo soy Jesús de Nazaret, á quien tú persigues.
‘Who are you, Lord?’ I answered. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting,’ he told me.
9 Y los que estaban conmigo vieron á la verdad la luz, y se espantaron; mas no oyeron la voz del que hablaba conmigo.
Those who were traveling with me did see the light, but they didn't hear the voice that spoke to me.
10 Y dije: ¿Qué haré, Señor? Y el Señor me dijo: Levántate, y ve á Damasco, y allí te será dicho todo lo que te está señalado hacer.
‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked. The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you'll be told everything that's arranged for you to do.’
11 Y como yo no viese por causa de la claridad de la luz, llevado de la mano por los que estaban conmigo, vine á Damasco.
Since I couldn't see because of the brightness of the light, those who were with me led me by the hand into Damascus.
12 Entonces un Ananías, varón pío conforme á la ley, que tenía buen testimonio de todos los Judíos que [allí] moraban,
There a man called Ananias came to see me. He was a religious man who observed the law, and was highly respected by the Jews who lived in the town.
13 Viniendo á mí, y acercándose, me dijo: Hermano Saulo, recibe la vista. Y yo en aquella hora le miré.
He stood in front of me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive back your sight.’ At that very moment I could see again, and I looked at him.
14 Y él dijo: El Dios de nuestros padres te ha predestinado para que conocieses su voluntad, y vieses á aquel Justo, y oyeses la voz de su boca.
He told me, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, to see the one who is truly good and right, and to listen to what he has to say to you.
15 Porque has de ser testigo suyo á todos los hombres, de lo que has visto y oído.
You will testify for him to everyone about what you have seen and heard. So what are you waiting for?
16 Ahora pues, ¿por qué te detienes? Levántate, y bautízate, y lava tus pecados, invocando su nombre.
Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins as you call on his name.’
17 Y me aconteció, vuelto á Jerusalem, que orando en el templo, fuí arrebatado fuera de mí.
I returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance.
18 Y le vi que me decía: Date prisa, y sal prestamente fuera de Jerusalem; porque no recibirán tu testimonio de mí.
I saw a vision of the Lord telling me, ‘Hurry! You need to leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept what you are telling them about me.’
19 Y yo dije: Señor, ellos saben que yo encerraba en cárcel, y hería por las sinagogas á los que creían en ti;
I replied, ‘Lord, they certainly know that I went from synagogue to synagogue, beating and imprisoning those who trusted in you.
20 Y cuando se derramaba la sangre de Esteban tu testigo, yo también estaba presente, y consentía á su muerte, y guardaba las ropas de los que le mataban.
When Stephen was killed for testifying about you I was standing there in full agreement with those who killed him, holding their coats for them.’
21 Y me dijo: Ve, porque yo te tengo que enviar lejos á los Gentiles.
The Lord told me, ‘Leave now, for I am sending you far away to the foreigners.’”
22 Y le oyeron hasta esta palabra: entonces alzaron la voz, diciendo: Quita de la tierra á un tal hombre, porque no conviene que viva.
Up until this point they had listened to what he was saying, but then they started shouting, “Get rid of this man from the earth—he doesn't deserve to live!”
23 Y dando ellos voces, y arrojando sus ropas y echando polvo al aire,
They screamed and tore off their coats and threw dust into the air.
24 Mandó el tribuno que le llevasen á la fortaleza, y ordenó que fuese examinado con azotes, para saber por qué causa clamaban así contra él.
The commander ordered Paul brought into the fortress, and gave orders for him to be interrogated by flogging so he could find out the reason people were shouting so much against Paul.
25 Y como le ataron con correas, Pablo dijo al centurión que estaba presente: ¿Os es lícito azotar á un hombre Romano sin ser condenado?
As they stretched him out and tied him down to flog him, Paul asked the centurion standing there, “Is it legal to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't had a trial?”
26 Y como el centurión oyó [esto], fué y dió aviso al tribuno, diciendo: ¿Qué vas á hacer? porque este hombre es Romano.
When the centurion heard what Paul said, he went to the commander and asked him, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen.”
27 Y viniendo el tribuno, le dijo: Dime, ¿eres tú Romano? Y él dijo: Sí.
The commander came, and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul replied, “Yes I am.”
28 Y respondió el tribuno: Yo con grande suma alcancé esta ciudadanía. Entonces Pablo dijo: Pero yo lo soy de nacimiento.
“I paid a lot of money to buy Roman citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29 Así que, luego se apartaron de él los que le habían de atormentar: y aun el tribuno también tuvo temor, entendido que era Romano, por haberle atado.
Those who were about to interrogate Paul left immediately. The commander was worried when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen because he had placed him in chains.
30 Y al día siguiente, queriendo saber de cierto la causa por qué era acusado de los Judíos, le soltó de las prisiones, y mandó venir á los príncipes de los sacerdotes, y á todo su concilio: y sacando á Pablo, le presentó delante de ellos.
The next day, wanting to find out the reason why the Jews were accusing Paul, he had him released and taken before the chief priests and the whole council which he ordered to assemble. He had Paul brought down and placed him before them.
