Acts 22

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

Brethren and fathers! Hear ye, the defence, which I now make unto you: —

2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more 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 indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all 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 and delivering into prisons both men and women,

and, this way, I persecuted unto the death, binding and delivering up into prisons both men and women: —

5 as also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds 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 “As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.

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 saying 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 persecute.’

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 indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t 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 shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to 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 When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand 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 “One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

And, one Ananias, a man devout according to the law, well-attested by all the Jews that dwelt there,

13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at him.

coming unto me, and standing over me, said—Saul, brother! look up. And, I, in that very hour, looked up on him.

14 He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his 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 will be a witness for him to all men of 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 do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

And, now, what art thou going to do? Arise, and get thyself immersed, and have thy sins bathed away, calling upon his name.

17 “When I had returned to Jerusalem and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance

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 and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’

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 in every synagogue those who believed in you.

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 shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and 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 “He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here 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 that; then they lifted up their voice and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to 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 cried out, threw off their cloaks, and threw 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 commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted 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 thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”

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 it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”

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 commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”

And the captain, coming up, said to him—Tell me! Art, thou, a, Roman? And, he, said—Yea!

28 The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”

And the captain answered—I, for a large sum, this citizenship acquired! And, Paul, said—But, I, am even, [free-] born!

29 Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.

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 But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

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.