Acts 22
1 Paul said, “[Jewish] elders and my other fellow Jews, listen to me now while I reply to [those who are accusing me]!”
Fratelli e padri, ascoltate ciò che ora vi dico a mia difesa.
2 When the crowd of people heard Paul speaking to them in [their own] Hebrew language, they became even more quiet and really listened. Then Paul said to them,
E quand’ebbero udito ch’egli parlava loro in lingua ebraica, tanto più fecero silenzio. Poi disse:
3 “I am a Jew, [as are all of you]. I was born in Tarsus [city], in Cilicia [province], but I grew up here in Jerusalem. [When I was young, for many years] I studied the laws [that Moses gave to our ancestors]. I was taught by [the famous teacher] Gamaliel [MTY] {[The famous teacher] Gamaliel taught [MTY] me}. [I have] carefully [obeyed those laws, because] I have wanted to obey God. I [am sure that] many of you also carefully obey [those laws].
Io sono un Giudeo, nato a Tarso di Cilicia, ma allevato in questa città, ai piedi di Gamaliele, educato nella rigida osservanza della legge dei padri, e fui zelante per la causa di Dio, come voi tutti siete oggi;
4 [That is why] I previously persecuted those who believe the message [that people call] the Way [that Jesus taught. I continually looked for ways] to kill [them. Whenever I found] men or women [who believed that message], I [commanded that] they should be seized and thrown {[people to] seize them and throw them} into jail.
e perseguitai a morte questa Via, legando e mettendo in prigione uomini e donne,
5 The supreme priest knows this, and so do the [other respected men who belong to our Jewish] Council. They gave me letters to [take to] their fellow Jews in Damascus [city. By means of those letters, they authorized me to] go to there and find people who believed in [Jesus. They had written in the letters that I was to bring those people] as prisoners to Jerusalem, so that they would be punished here {[the leaders here] could punish them}. [So I went on my way to Damascus].
come me ne son testimoni il sommo sacerdote e tutto il concistoro degli anziani, dai quali avendo pure ricevuto lettere per i fratelli, mi recavo a Damasco per menare legati a Gerusalemme anche quelli ch’eran quivi, perché fossero puniti.
6 About noon, my companions and I were getting near Damascus. Suddenly a bright light from the sky flashed all around me.
Or avvenne che mentre ero in cammino e mi avvicinavo a Damasco, sul mezzogiorno, di subito dal cielo mi folgoreggiò d’intorno una gran luce.
7 [The light was so bright that] I fell to the ground. Then I heard the voice [of someone] speaking to me [from up in the sky. The one who was speaking to me said], ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you [(sg)] do things to harm me?’
Caddi in terra, e udii una voce che mi disse: Saulo, Saulo, perché mi perseguiti?
8 I answered, ‘Who are you?’ He replied, ‘I am Jesus from Nazareth. I [am the one] whom you [(sg)] are harming [by doing things to harm my followers].’
E io risposi: Chi sei, Signore? Ed egli mi disse: Io son Gesù il Nazareno, che tu perseguiti.
9 The men who were [traveling] with me saw the [very bright] light, [and they heard a voice], but they did not understand what the voice said to me.
Or coloro ch’eran meco, videro ben la luce ma non udirono la voce di colui che mi parlava.
10 Then I asked, ‘Lord, what [do you want] me to do?’ The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus! [A man] there will tell you [(sg)] all that I have planned for you to do.’
E io dissi: Signore, che debbo fare? E il Signore mi disse: Lèvati, va’ a Damasco, e quivi ti saranno dette tutte le cose che t’è ordinato di fare.
11 [After that, I could not see], because the [very bright] light had caused me to become blind. So my companions took me by the hand and led me until [we(exc) arrived] in Damascus.
E siccome io non ci vedevo più per il fulgore di quella luce, fui menato per mano da coloro che eran meco, e così venni a Damasco.
12 [A couple of days] later, a man whose name was Ananias came to [see] me. He was a man who [greatly respected God and] carefully obeyed [our Jewish] laws. All the Jews living in Damascus said good things about him.
Or un certo Anania, uomo pio secondo la legge, al quale tutti i Giudei che abitavan quivi rendevan buona testimonianza,
13 He came and stood beside me and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see [again]!’ Instantly I could see! I saw Ananias [standing there beside me].
venne a me; e standomi vicino, mi disse: Fratello Saulo, ricupera la vista. Ed io in quell’istante ricuperai la vista, e lo guardai.
14 Then he said: ‘The God whom [we(inc) worship and] whom our ancestors [worshipped] has chosen you and will show you what he wants [you to do. He has allowed you] to see the righteous one, [the Messiah], and you have heard him speaking [to you].
Ed egli disse: L’Iddio de’ nostri padri ti ha destinato a conoscer la sua volontà, e a vedere il Giusto, e a udire una voce dalla sua bocca.
15 He wants you to tell people everywhere what you have seen and heard [from him].
Poiché tu gli sarai presso tutti gli uomini un testimone delle cose che hai vedute e udite.
16 So now (do not delay!/why delay?) [RHQ] Stand up, let [me] baptize you, and by praying to the Lord [Jesus ask God] to forgive you [(sg)] for your sins!’”
Ed ora, che indugi? Lèvati, e sii battezzato, e lavato dei tuoi peccati, invocando il suo nome.
17 “Later, I returned to Jerusalem. [One day] I went to the Temple courtyard. While I was praying there, I saw a vision [in which]
Or avvenne, dopo ch’io fui tornato a Gerusalemme, che mentre pregavo nel tempio fui rapito in estasi,
18 I saw the Lord speaking to me. He said to me, ‘[Do not stay here]! Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people [here] will not (believe/listen to) what you [(sg)] tell [them] about me!’
e vidi Gesù che mi diceva: Affrettati, ed esci prestamente da Gerusalemme, perché essi non riceveranno la tua testimonianza intorno a me.
19 But I [protested and] said to him, ‘Lord, they know that I went to many of our meeting houses looking for people who believe in you. I was putting in jail those [whom I found] who believed in you, and I was even beating them.
E io dissi: Signore, eglino stessi sanno che io incarceravo e battevo nelle sinagoghe quelli che credevano in te;
20 [They remember that] when Stephen was killed [MTY] {when people killed [MTY] Stephen} because he told people about you, I stood there [watching it all] and approving [what they were doing]. I [even] guarded the outer garments that those who were murdering him [had thrown aside. So if I stay here, the fact that I have changed how I think about you will surely impress those leaders of our people].’
e quando si spandeva il sangue di Stefano tuo testimone, anch’io ero presente e approvavo, e custodivo le vesti di coloro che l’uccidevano.
21 But the Lord said to me, ‘No, [do not stay here]! Leave [Jerusalem, because] I am going to send you [(sg)] far away [from here] to non-Jewish people!’”
Ed egli mi disse: Va’, perché io ti manderò lontano, ai Gentili.
22 The people listened [quietly] to what Paul was saying until [he mentioned the Lord sending him to non-Jewish people]. Then they began shouting [angrily], “Kill him! [He does not deserve to live any longer]!” [They said that because they could not believe that God would save anyone except Jews].
L’ascoltarono fino a questa parola; e poi alzarono la voce, dicendo: Togli via un tal uomo dal mondo; perché non è degno di vivere.
23 While they continued shouting, [“Kill him!”] they took off their cloaks and threw dust into the air, [which showed how angry they were].
Com’essi gridavano e gettavan via le loro vesti e lanciavano la polvere in aria,
24 So the commander [commanded] that Paul be taken {[soldiers] to take Paul} into the barracks. He told [the soldiers] that they should strike Paul with a whip [that had pieces of bone/metal on the end of it], in order to make him tell what he had done that made the Jews shout so angrily. [So the soldiers took Paul into the barracks].
il tribuno comandò ch’egli fosse menato dentro la fortezza e inquisito mediante i flagelli, affin di sapere per qual cagione gridassero così contro a lui.
25 Then they stretched his arms out [and tied them] so that they could whip him [on his back. But] Paul said to the officer who was standing nearby [watching], “[You(sg) should think carefully about this]! You will certainly be [RHQ] acting unlawfully if you whip me, a Roman [citizen whom] no [one has put on trial and] condemned!”
E come l’ebbero disteso e legato con le cinghie, Paolo disse al centurione ch’era presente: V’è egli lecito flagellare un uomo che è cittadino romano, e non è stato condannato?
26 When the officer heard that, he went to the commander and reported it to him. He said [to the commander], “This man is a Roman [citizen] (Surely you would not [command us to whip him]!/Do you really want [us to whip him]?) [RHQ]”
E il centurione, udito questo, venne a riferirlo al tribuno, dicendo: Che stai per fare? perché quest’uomo è Romano.
27 The commander [was surprised when he heard that. He himself] went [into the barracks] and said to Paul, “Tell me, are you [(sg) really] a Roman [citizen]?” Paul answered, “Yes, I [am].”
Il tribuno venne a Paolo, e gli chiese: Dimmi, sei tu Romano? Ed egli rispose: Sì.
28 Then the commander said, “[I am also a Roman citizen]. I paid a lot of money to become a [Roman] citizen.” Paul said, “But I was born a [Roman] citizen, [so I did not need to pay anything].”
E il tribuno replicò: Io ho acquistato questa cittadinanza per gran somma di denaro. E Paolo disse: Io, invece, l’ho di nascita.
29 The soldiers [were about to whip Paul and to ask him questions about what he had done. But when they heard what Paul said, they] left him immediately. The commander also became afraid, because he realized that Paul was a Roman [citizen] and that he had [illegally commanded soldiers to] tie up Paul’s [hands].
Allora quelli che stavan per inquisirlo, si ritrassero subito da lui; e anche il tribuno ebbe paura, quand’ebbe saputo che egli era Romano; perché l’avea fatto legare.
30 [The commander still] wanted to know exactly why the Jews were accusing Paul. So the next day he [told the soldiers to] take the chains off Paul. He also summoned the chief priests and the [other Jewish] Council [members]. Then he took Paul [to where the Council was meeting] and [commanded] him to stand before them.
E il giorno seguente, volendo saper con certezza di che cosa egli fosse accusato dai Giudei, lo sciolse, e comandò ai capi sacerdoti e a tutto il Sinedrio di radunarsi; e menato giù Paolo, lo fe’ comparire dinanzi a loro.
