Acts 22

1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”

My brothers and fathers, give ear to the story of my life which I now put before you.

2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,

And, hearing him talking in the Hebrew language, they became the more quiet, and he said,

3 “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.

I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia by birth, but I had my education in this town at the feet of Gamaliel, being trained in the keeping of every detail of the law of our fathers; given up to the cause of God with all my heart, as you are today.

4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,

And I made attacks on this Way, even to death, taking men and women and putting them in prison.

5 as also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

Of which the high priest will be a witness, and all the rulers, from whom I had letters to the brothers; and I went into Damascus, to take those who were there as prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment.

6 “As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.

And it came about that while I was on my journey, coming near to Damascus, about the middle of the day, suddenly I saw a great light from heaven shining round me.

7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

And when I went down on the earth, a voice came to my ears saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me so cruelly?

8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’

And I, answering, said, Who are you; Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are attacking.

9 “Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

And those who were with me saw the light, but the voice of him who was talking to me came not to their ears.

10 I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.’

And I said, What have I to do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Get up, and go into Damascus; and it will be made clear to you what you have to do.

11 When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

And because I was unable to see because of the glory of that light, those who were with me took me by the hand, and so I came to Damascus.

12 “One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

And one Ananias, a God-fearing man, who kept the law, and of whom all the Jews in that place had a high opinion,

13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at him.

Came to my side and said, Brother Saul, let your eyes be open. And in that very hour I was able to see him.

14 He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

And he said, You have been marked out by the God of our fathers to have knowledge of his purpose, and to see the Upright One and to give ear to the words of his mouth.

15 For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and of what has come to your ears.

16 Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

And now, why are you waiting? get up, and have baptism, for the washing away of your sins, giving worship to his name.

17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance

And it came about that when I had come back to Jerusalem, while I was at prayer in the Temple, my senses became more than naturally clear,

18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’

And I saw him saying to me, Go out of Jerusalem straight away because they will not give hearing to your witness about me.

19 I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.

And I said, Lord, they themselves have knowledge that I went through the Synagogues putting in prison and whipping all those who had faith in you:

20 When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’

And when Stephen your witness was put to death, I was there, giving approval, and looking after the clothing of those who put him to death.

21 “He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”

And he said to me, Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.

22 They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”

And they gave him a hearing as far as this word; then with loud voices they said, Away with this man from the earth; it is not right for him to be living.

23 As they cried out, threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,

And while they were crying out, and pulling off their clothing, and sending dust into the air,

24 the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.

The chief captain gave orders for him to be taken into the army building, saying that he would put him to the test by whipping, so that he might have knowledge of the reason why they were crying out so violently against him.

25 When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”

And when they had put leather bands round him, Paul said to the captain who was present, Is it the law for you to give blows to a man who is a Roman and has not been judged?

26 When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”

And hearing this, the man went to the chief captain and gave him an account of it, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.

27 The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”

And the chief captain came to him and said, Give me an answer, are you a Roman? And he said, Yes.

28 The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”

And the chief captain said, I got Roman rights for myself at a great price. And Paul said, But I had them by birth.

29 Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.

Then those who were about to put him to the test went away: and the chief captain was in fear, seeing that he was a Roman, and that he had put chains on him.

30 But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

But on the day after, desiring to have certain knowledge of what the Jews had to say against him, he made him free, and gave orders for the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together, and he took Paul and put him before them.