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, in the Hebrew language, he had begun to address them, they kept 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 nurtured in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, —trained after the strictness of our ancestral law; being jealous for God just as, all ye, are this day;
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding up and delivering them to prison both men and women,
and, this way, I persecuted unto the death, binding and delivering up 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, even the High-priest, beareth me witness, and all the Eldership, —from whom, letters also, accepting to the brethren, unto Damascus, was I journeying, to bring them who were there bound unto Jerusalem, 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.
But it befell me, as I was journeying and drawing nigh unto Damascus, that, about mid-day—suddenly—out of heaven, there flashed a great light all around me;
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
I fell also to the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me—Saul! Saul! Why, me, art thou persecuting?
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 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.
Now, they who were with me, beheld, indeed, the light, but heard not, the voice, of him that was speaking with 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 said—What shall I do, Lord? And, the Lord, said unto me—Arise, and be going thy way into Damascus, and, there, shall it 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.
But, as I could not see clearly owing to the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them who 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 man devout according to the law, well-attested 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.
coming unto me, and standing over me, said—Saul, brother! look up. And, I, in that very hour, 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 chosen thee to get to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, —and to hear a voice out of 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 to him unto all men, of the 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, what art thou going to do? Arise, and get thyself immersed, and have thy sins bathed away, calling upon 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, when had returned unto Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I came to be in 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—Haste thee, and go forth speedily out of Jerusalem, inasmuch as they will not accept thy witness 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, well know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them who were believing 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 being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.
21 But he said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'”
And he said unto me—Be taking thy journey; because, I, unto nations afar off, will send thee.
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 hearkened unto him as far as this word, and lifted up their voice, saying—Away from the earth, with such a man as this, for it is not fit that he should live.
23 As they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and throwing dust into the air,
Now, as they were both making an outcry and tearing their mantles, —dust, also were throwing 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 captain ordered him to be brought into the castle, saying, that, with scourging, he should be put to the test, —that he might find out, for what cause they were, thus, clamouring 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?”
But, when they had stretched him out with straps, Paul said unto the by-standing centurion—A Roman, and uncondemned, is it allowed you to be scourging?
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 [that], he went unto the captain, and reported, saying—What art thou going 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 captain, coming up, said to 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 captain answered—I, for a large sum, this citizenship acquired! And, Paul, said—But, I, am even, [free-] 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.
Straightway, therefore, they who were about to put him to the test, withdrew from him; and, even the captain, was struck with fear, when he found out he was, a Roman, and because, him, he had bound.
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, being minded to get to know the certainty as to why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him, and ordered the High-priests and all the High-council to come together; and, bringing down Paul, set him before them.
