Acts 22

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

Brethren, and fathers, hearken to my defence before you.

2 When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,

And when they perceived that he addressed them in Hebrew, they were the more quiet: and he said to them:

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 man who am a Jew; and I was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but was brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and instructed perfectly in the law of our fathers; and I was zealous for God, as ye also all are.

4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,

And I persecuted this way, even to death; for I bound, and delivered up to prison, 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 the high priest is my witness, and likewise all the Elders; from whom I received letters, that I might go to the brethren in Damascus, and bring those who were there prisoners to Jerusalem, to receive capital punishment.

6 “As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.

And as I travelled and began to approach Damascus, at noonday, from amidst tranquillity, a great light from heaven burst upon me.

7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

And I fell to the earth: and I heard a voice, which said 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 persecute.’

And I answered and said: Who art thou, my Lord? And he said to me: I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest.

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.

And the men who were with me, saw the light, but heard not the voice that talked 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 I said: My Lord, what must I do? And our Lord said to me: Arise, go to Damascus; and there will be told thee, all that it is commanded 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.

And as I could see nothing, because of the glory of that light, those with me took me by the hand, and I entered Damascus.

12 “One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

And a certain man, Ananias, who was upright according to the law, as all the Jews there testified concerning him, came to me.

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.

And he said to me: My brother Saul! open thine eyes. And instantly my eyes were opened; and I looked upon 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 to me: The God of our fathers hath ordained thee to know his will, and to behold the Just One, and to hear the voice of his mouth.

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

And thou shalt be a witness for him before all men, concerning all that 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, why delayest thou? Arise, be baptized, and be cleansed from thy sins, while thou invokest his name.

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

And I returned and came hither to Jerusalem. And I prayed in the temple.

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 I saw him in a vision, when he said to me: Make haste, and get thee out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony 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: My Lord, they well know that I have delivered up to prison, and have scourged in all synagogues, those who believed in 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 thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing with them, and performed the pleasure of his slayers, and took charge of the garments of those that stoned him.

21 “He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’”

But he said to me: Depart; for I send thee afar, to preach to the Gentiles.

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 when they had heard Paul as far as this sentence, they raised their voice, and cried out: Away with such a man from the earth! for he ought not to live!

23 As they cried out, threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,

And as they vociferated, and cast off their garments, and threw dust 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 Chiliarch gave orders, to carry him into the castle: and he commanded, that he should be examined with stripes; that he might know, for what cause they cried out 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?”

And as they were stretching him with ropes, Paul said to the centurion who stood over him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, who is a Roman, and not yet found guilty?

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 it, he went to the Chiliarch, and said to him: What doest thou? 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 Chiliarch came to him, and said to him: Tell me; Art thou a Roman? And he said to him: Yes.

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

The Chiliarch replied and said to him: With much money I acquired Roman citizenship. Paul said to him: And I was born in it.

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.

And immediately they who were intending to scourge him, fled from him: and the Chiliarch was afraid, when he learned that he was a Roman, because he had stretched him for scourging.

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.

And the next day, he wished to know truly what the accusation was, which the Jews brought against him: and he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests, and the whole company of their head-men, to assemble; and he took Paul, and brought him down, and placed him among them.