Acts 22
1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense which I will now make to you.”
VARONES hermanos, y padres, oid la razon que ahora os doy.
2 When the crowd heard Paul speak to them in the Hebrew language, they became quiet. He said,
(Y como oyeron que les hablaba en lengua Hebréa, guardaron mas silencio.) Y dijo:
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.
Yo de cierto soy Judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, mas criado en esta ciudad á los piés de Gamaliel, enseñado conforme [á] la verdad de la ley de la patria, zeloso de Dios, como todos vosotros sois hoy.
4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding up and delivering them to prison both men and women,
Que he perseguido este camino hasta la muerte, prendiendo, y entregando en cárceles hombres y mujeres:
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.
Como tambien el príncipe de los sacerdotes me es testigo, y todos los ancianos; de los cuales tambien tomando letras á los hermanos, iba á Damasco, para traer presos á Jerusalem aun á los que estuviesen allí, para que fuesen castigados.
6 It happened that when I was traveling and nearing Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven began to shine around me.
Mas aconteció que yendo yo, y llegando cerca de Damasco, como á medio dia, de repente me rodeó mucha luz del cielo;
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
Y caí en el suelo, y oí una voz que me decia: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?
8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'
Yo entónces respondí: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y me dijo: Yo soy Jesus de Nazaret, á quien tú persigues.
9 Those who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
Y los que estaban conmigo vieron á la verdad la luz, y se espantaron: mas no oyeron la voz del que hablaba conmigo.
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.'
Y dije: ¿Qué haré, Señor? Y el Señor me dijo: Levántate, y ve á Damasco, y allí te será dicho todo lo que te esta señalado hacer.
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.
Y como yo no viese por causa de la claridad de la luz, llevado de la mano por los que estaban conmigo, vine á Damasco.
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.
Entónces un Ananías varon pio conforme á la ley, que tenia buen testimonio de todos los Judíos que [allí] moraban,
13 He came to me, stood by me, and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' In that very hour I saw him.
Viniendo á mí, y acercándose, me dijo: Hermano Saulo, recibe la vista. Y yo en aquella hora le miré.
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.
Y él dijo: El Dios de nuestros padres te ha predestinado, para que conocieses su voluntad, y vieses á aquel Justo, y oyeses la voz de su boca.
15 For you shall be a witness for him to all men about what you have seen and heard.
Porque has de ser testigo suyo á todos los hombres de lo que has visto y oido.
16 Now why are you waiting? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
Ahora pues, ¿por qué te detienes? Levántate, y bautízate, y lava tus pecados, invocando su nombre.
17 After I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, it happened that I was given a vision.
Y me aconteció, vuelto á Jerusalem, que orando en el templo, fuí arrebatado fuera de mí,
18 I saw him say to me, 'Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'
Y le ví que me decia: Date priesa, y sal prestamente fuera de Jerusalem; porque no recibirán tu testimonio de mí.
19 I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you in every synagogue.
Y yo dije: Señor, ellos saben que yo encerraba en cárcel, y heria por las sinagogas á los que creian en tí.
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.'
Y cuando se derramaba la sangre de Esteban tu testigo, yo tambien estaba presente, y consentia á su muerte, y guardaba las ropas de los que le mataban.
21 But he said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'”
Y me dijo: Vé, porque yo te tengo que enviar lejos á los 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.”
Y le oyeron hasta esta palabra: entónces alzaron la voz, diciendo: Quita de la tierra á un tal hombre, porque no conviene que viva.
23 As they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and throwing dust into the air,
Y dando ellos voces, y arrojando [sus] ropas, y echando polvo al aire,
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.
Mandó el tribuno que le llevasen á la fortaleza, y ordenó que fuese examinado con azotes, para saber por qué causa clamaban así contra él.
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?”
Y como le ataron con corréas, Pablo dijo al centurion que estaba presente: ¿Os es lícito azotar á un hombre Romano, sin ser condenado?
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.”
Y como el centurion oyó [esto, ] fué y dió aviso al tribuno, diciendo: ¿Qué has de hacer? porque este hombre es Romano.
27 The chief captain came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul said, “Yes.”
Y viniendo el tribuno, le dijo: Díme, ¿eres tu Romano? Y él dijo: Sí.
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.”
Y respondió el tribuno: Yo con grande suma alcancé esta ciudadania. Entónces Pablo dijo: Y aun yo soy nacido.
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.
Así que, luego se apartaron de él los que le habian de atormentar: y aun el tribuno tambien tuvo temor, entendido que era Romano, por haberlo atado.
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.
Y al dia siguiente, queriendo saber de cierto la causa por que era acusado de los Judíos, le soltó de las prisiones, y mandó venir á los príncipes de los sacerdotes, Y á todo su concilio; y sacando á Pablo, le presentó delante de ellos.
