Actuum Apostolorum 22
1 Viri fratres, et patres, audite quam ad vos nunc reddo rationem.
"Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make in your presence."
2 Cum audissent autem quia Hebraea lingua loqueretur ad illos, magis praestiterunt silentium.
When they heard him speaking in Hebrew they became the more quiet.
3 Et dixit: Ego sum vir Iudaeus, natus in Tarso Ciliciae, nutritus autem in ista civitate, secus pedes Gamalielis eruditus iuxta veritatem paternae legis, aemulator legis, sicut et vos omnes estis hodie:
"I am a Jew," he said, "born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strict manner of the Law of our forefathers, ardent for God, even as you all are this day.
4 qui hanc viam persecutus sum usque ad mortem, alligans et tradens in custodias viros ac mulieres,
"I persecuted to the death this way, continually binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women.
5 sicut princeps sacerdotum mihi testimonium reddit, et omnes maiores natu, a quibus et epistolas accipiens ad fratres Damascum pergebam, ut adducerem inde vinctos in Ierusalem ut punirentur.
"To this the high priest and all the council of elders are witnesses. It was from them that I received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was already on my way to bring those also who were there back to Jerusalem, in bonds, for punishment.
6 Factum est autem, eunte me, et appropinquante Damasco media die, subito de caelo circumfulsit me lux copiosa:
"But when, on my journey, I was nearing Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone round about me.
7 et decidens in terram, audivi vocem dicentem mihi: Saule, Saule, quid me persequeris?
"I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, "‘Saul! Saul! why are you persecuting me?’
8 Ego autem respondi: Quis es Domine? Dixitque ad me: Ego sum Iesus Nazarenus, quem tu persequeris.
"‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. "‘I am Jesus, the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting,’ he answered me.
9 Et qui mecum erant, lumen quidem viderunt, vocem autem non audierunt eius, qui loquebatur mecum.
"Now my companions, though they beheld the light, did not hear the words of Him who spoke to me.
10 Et dixi: Quid faciam, Domine? Dominus autem dixit ad me: Surgens vade Damascum: et ibi tibi dicetur de omnibus, quae te oporteat facere.
"And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ and the Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about all that you are destined to do.’
11 Et cum non viderem prae claritate luminis illius, ad manum deductus a comitibus, veni Damascum.
"And as I was seeing nothing for the glory of the light, I was led by the hand of my companions, and so came into Damascus.
12 Ananias autem quidam, vir secundum legem testimonium habens ab omnibus cohabitantibus Iudaeis,
"And a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the Law, well thought of by all the Jews who lived there,
13 veniens ad me, et astans dixit mihi: Saule frater respice. Et ego eadem hora respexi in eum.
"came to me, and standing by me, said to me, "‘Brother Saul, receive your sight’ "In that very hour I regained my sight and looked up at him.
14 At ille dixit: Deus patrum nostrorum praeordinavit te, ut cognosceres voluntatem eius, et videres iustum, et audires vocem ex ore eius:
"Then he said. "‘The God of our forefathers has appointed you to know his will; and to see the righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15 quia eris testis illius ad omnes homines eorum, quae vidisti, et audisti.
"‘For before the face of all men you will be a witness for him of what you have seen and heard.
16 Et nunc quid moraris? Exurge, et baptizare, et ablue peccata tua invocato nomine ipsius.
"‘And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling upon his name.’
17 Factum est autem revertenti mihi in Ierusalem, et oranti in templo, fieri me in stupore mentis,
"After my return to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple,
18 et videre illum dicentem mihi: Festina, et exi velociter ex Ierusalem: quoniam non recipient testimonium tuum de me.
"I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, "‘Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning me.’
19 Et ego dixi: Domine ipsi sciunt quia ego eram concludens in carcerem, et caedens per synagogas eos, qui credebant in te:
"‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘they themselves well know that I was beating and imprisoning in synagogue after synagogue those who believed in you,
20 et cum funderetur sanguis Stephani testis tui, ego astabam, et consentiebam, et custodiebam vestimenta interficientium illum.
"‘and when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by and consenting, and holding the garments of his murders.’
21 Et dixit ad me: Vade quoniam ego in nationes longe mittam te.
"‘Depart,’ he said to me, ‘for I will send you forth, far hence, to the Gentiles.’"
22 Audiebant autem eum usque ad hoc verbum, et levaverunt vocem suam dicentes: Tolle de terra huiusmodi: non enim fas est eum vivere.
Until they heard this last statement, the people were listening to Paul, but now they roared out. "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He is not fit to live!"
23 Vociferantibus autem eis, et proiicientibus vestimenta sua, et pulverem iactantibus in aerem,
When they continued to shout, throwing their clothes into the air, and flinging dust around,
24 iussit tribunus induci eum in castra, et flagellis caedi, et torqueri eum, ut sciret propter quam causam sic acclamarent ei.
the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and examined under the lash, to learn for what reason the people were thus crying out against him.
25 Et cum astrinxissent eum loris, dicit astanti sibi Centurioni Paulus: Si hominem Romanum, et indemnatum licet vobis flagellare?
But when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing near, "If a man is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned, is it lawful for you to scourge him?"
26 Quo audito, Centurio accessit ad tribunum, et nunciavit ei, dicens: Quid acturus es? hic enim homo civis Romanus est.
When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him. "What are you intending to do? This man is a Roman citizen."
27 Accedens autem tribunus, dixit illi: Dic mihi si tu Romanus es? At ille dixit: Etiam.
So the tribune came to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.
28 Et respondit tribunus: Ego multa summa civilitatem hanc consecutus sum. Et Paulus ait: Ego autem et natus sum.
"I paid a large sum to get this citizenship," said the tribune. "But I was citizen-born," said Paul.
29 Protinus ergo discesserunt ab illo, qui eum torturi erant. Tribunus quoque timuit postquam rescivit, quia civis Romanus esset, et quia alligasset eum.
Then those who were about to scourge him, immediately left him. And the tribune too, was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, for he had had him bound.
30 Postera autem die volens scire diligentius qua ex causa accusaretur a Iudaeis, solvit eum, et iussit sacerdotes convenire, et omne concilium, et producens Paulum, statuit inter illos.
The next day, as he wished to learn the real reason why the Jews accused Paul, he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together, and brought Paul down, and placed him before them.
