Acts 22

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

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear now my apology unto you.

2 When the crowd heard Paul speak to them in the Hebrew language, they became quiet. He said,

And hearing that he was speaking to them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept silent the more.

3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but educated in this city at the feet of Gamaliel. I was instructed according to the strict ways of the law of our fathers. I am zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

And he says, I am Jewish man, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, having been brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the accuracy of patristic law, being a zealot of God, as you all are this day;

4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding up and delivering them to prison both men and women,

who after this way persecuted unto death, binding and committing to prison both men and women;

5 as the high priest and all the elders can bear witness. I received letters from them for the brothers in Damascus, and went there to bring them back in bonds to Jerusalem in order for them to be punished.

as the high priest also, and all the eldership, witnessed me: from whom having also received letters from the brethren in Damascus, I was on my way, being about to lead them also hither into Jerusalem bound, that they might be punished.

6 It happened that when I was traveling and nearing Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven began to shine around me.

And it came to pass, while I was journeying, and nigh unto Damascus, a great light, about midday, suddenly shone from heaven around me;

7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'

and I felt upon the ground, and heard a voice, saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'

And I responded, Who art thou, Lord? And He said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom thou art persecuting.

9 Those who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

And those being along with me saw the light indeed, but heard not the voice of the one speaking to me.

10 I said, 'What should I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus; there you will be told everything that you must do.'

And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rising up, go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee concerning all things which have been ordained for thee to do.

11 I could not see because of that light's brightness, and being led by the hands of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

And when I did not see on account of the glory of that light, and being led by the hand by those journeying with me, I came into Damascus.

12 There I met a man named Ananias, a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there.

And a certain Ananias, a man godly according to the law, and of good report by all the Jews dwelling there,

13 He came to me, stood by me, and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' In that very hour I saw him.

having come to me, and standing over me, said, Brother Saul, look up. And I at that hour looked up unto him.

14 Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice coming from his own mouth.

And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee to know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice from His mouth;

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

because thou shalt be a witness for Him to all men of those things which thou hast seen and heard.

16 Now why are you waiting? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'

And now why tarriest thou? arising, be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on His name.

17 After I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, it happened that I was given a vision.

And it happened unto me, having returned into Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I was in an ecstasy;

18 I saw him say to me, 'Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'

and I saw Him speaking to me, Hasten, and depart quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

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

And I said, Lord, they know that I was imprisoning and binding those believing on thee throughout the synagogue;

20 When the blood of Stephen your witness was spilled, I also was standing by and agreeing, and I was guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'

and when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of those killing him.

21 But he said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'”

And He said to me, Go: because I will send thee far away to the Gentiles.

22 They listened to him until he said this. Then they shouted and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for it is not right that he should live.”

And they continued to hear him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Take away such a one from the earth: for it is not appropriate for him to live.

23 As they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and throwing dust into the air,

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

24 the chief captain commanded Paul to be brought into the fortress. He ordered that he should be questioned with scourging, so that he himself might know why they were shouting against him like that.

the chiliarch commanded that he should be led into the castle, saying that he should be tested by scourges, in order that he might know on account of what cause they continued so to cry out against him.

25 When they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and who has not been put on trial?”

And when they were extending him to the scourges, Paul said to the centurion standing by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?

26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”

And the centurion hearing, having come to the chiliarch, announced to him, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.

27 The chief captain came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul said, “Yes.”

And the chiliarch, having come to him, said; Tell me, are you a Roman? And he said, Yes.

28 The chief captain answered, “It was only with a large amount of money that I acquired citizenship.” But Paul said, “I was born a Roman citizen.”

And the chiliarch responded, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was indeed born (a Roman citizen).

29 Then the men who were going to question him left him immediately. The chief captain also was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, because he had tied him up.

Then immediately those about to scourge him departed from him: and the chiliarch also feared, knowing that he was a Roman, and that he had bound him.

30 On the next day, the chief captain wanted to know the truth about the Jews' accusations against Paul. So he untied his bonds and ordered the chief priests and all the council to meet. Then he brought Paul down and placed him in their midst.

And on the following day, wishing to know the certainty as to what he is accused of by the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the sanhedrin to come together, and leading down Paul, he placed him in their midst.