Acts 22

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

Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.

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

And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith,

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.

I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day:

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

and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons 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 also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus, to bring them also which were there unto Jerusalem in bonds, for to 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, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

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

And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto 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 answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

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

And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake 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 unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed 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 could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were 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 one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there,

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

came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked up on 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 appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

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

For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what 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? arise, and 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 came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,

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

and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: because they will not receive of thee 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 themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

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 Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him.

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

And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto 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 gave him audience unto this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

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

And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast 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 chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted 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 had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that 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 when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain, and told him, saying, What art thou 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 chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea.

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 chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am [a Roman] born.

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.

They then which were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid, when he knew that he was a Roman, and because 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.

But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty, wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.