Hechos 22

1 “Hermanos y padres”, dijo, “escuchen, por favor, pues presentaré ante ustedes mi defensa”.

“Noble brothers and fathers, listen to the explanation that I now give to you.”

2 Y cuando lo escucharon hablando en arameo, todos se quedaron en absoluto silencio.

And when they heard him speaking to them in the Hebrew language, they offered a greater silence.

3 “Soy judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia”, comenzó. “Sin embargo, fui criado en esta ciudad, y me senté a los pies de Gamaliel. Fui enseñado para guardar de manera estricta la ley de nuestros padres. Yo era un hombre celoso por Dios, tal como ustedes aquí hoy,

And he said: “I am a Jewish man, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but raised in this city beside the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the truth of the law of the fathers, zealous for the law, just as all of you also are to this day.

4 y perseguí a las personas de El Camino, mandándolos a matar y enviándolos a la cárcel, tanto a hombres como a mujeres.

I persecuted this Way, even unto death, binding and delivering into custody both men and women,

5 “Y como el sumo sacerdote y el concilio de anciano pueden verificar, recibí de ellos cartas de autorización dirigidas a los hermanos judíos en Damasco, y fui allí para arrestar a estas personas y traerlas como prisioneras a Jerusalén para darles castigo.

just as the high priest and all those greater by birth bear witness to me. Having received letters from them to the brothers, I journeyed to Damascus, so that I might lead them bound from there to Jerusalem, so that they might be punished.

6 “Cerca del mediodía, mientras iba de camino y me acercaba a Damasco, de repente una luz brillante vino del cielo iluminando todo a mi alrededor.

But it happened that, as I was traveling and was approaching Damascus at midday, suddenly from heaven a great light shone around me.

7 Entonces caí al suelo y escuché una voz diciéndome: ‘Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?’

And falling to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

8 “‘¿Quién eres, Señor?’ respondí. “‘Yo soy Jesús de Nazaret, a quien tu persigues,’ me dijo.

And I responded, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’

9 “Y los que viajaban conmigo vieron la luz, pero no oyeron la voz que me habló.

And those who were with me, indeed, saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of him who was speaking with me.

10 “‘¿Qué debo hacer, Señor?’ pregunté. “Y el Señor me dijo: ‘Levántate y ve a Damasco, y allí se te dirá todo lo que ya se ha dispuesto para que hagas’.

And I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ Then the Lord said to me: ‘Rise up, and go to Damascus. And there, you shall be told all that you must do.’

11 “Y como no podía ver por el brillo de la luz, los que estaban conmigo le llevaron de la mano hasta Damasco.

And since I could not see, because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by my companions, and I went to Damascus.

12 Allí había un hombre llamado Ananías que fue a verme. Era un hombre devoto que guardaba la ley, y era muy respetado por los judíos que vivían en la ciudad.

Then a certain Ananias, a man in accord with the law, having the testimony of all the Jews who were living there,

13 Se paró frente a mí y me dijo: ‘Hermano Saulo, recobra tu vista’. Y en ese momento pude ver nuevamente, y lo miré.

drawing near to me and standing close by, said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see!’ And in that same hour, I looked upon him.

14 “Entonces me dijo: ‘El Dios de nuestros padres te ha designado para que conozcas su voluntad, para que veas a Aquél que es verdaderamente recto, y escuches lo que él quiere decirte.

But he said: ‘The God of our fathers has preordained you, so that you would come to know his will and would see the Just One, and would hear the voice from his mouth.

15 Testificarás en su nombre a todos acerca de lo que has visto y oído. ¿Qué esperas entonces?

For you shall be his witness to all men about those things which you have seen and heard.

16 Levántate, bautízate y lava tus pecados invocando su nombre’.

And now, why do you delay? Rise up, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, by invoking his name.’

17 “Entonces regresé a Jerusalén, y mientras oraba en el Templo, caí en trance.

Then it happened that, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, a mental stupor came over me,

18 Tuve una visión del Señor diciéndome: ‘¡Apresúrate! Debes irte pronto de Jerusalén, porque no aceptarán lo que estás enseñando acerca de mí’.

and I saw him saying to me: ‘Hurry! Depart quickly from Jerusalem! For they will not accept your testimony about me.’

19 “Entonces respondí: ‘Señor, seguramente ellos saben que fui de sinagoga en sinagoga, golpeando y enviando a la cárcel a los que creían en ti.

And I said: ‘Lord, they know that I am beating and enclosing in prison, throughout every synagogue, those who have believed in you.

20 Cuando Esteban fue asesinado por testificar sobre ti, yo estuve allí en pleno acuerdo con los que lo mataron, sosteniendo sus abrigos’.

And when the blood of your witness Stephen was poured out, I stood nearby and was consenting, and I watched over the garments of those who put him to death.’

21 “Y el Señor me dijo: ‘Sal ahora, porque yo te voy a enviar muy lejos, donde están los extranjeros’”.

And he said to me, ‘Go forth. For I am sending you to far away nations.’”

22 Hasta ese momento la gente había escuchado lo que Pablo decía, pero entonces comenzaron a gritar: “¡Eliminen a este hombre de la tierra! ¡No merece vivir!”

Now they were listening to him, until this word, and then they lifted up their voice, saying: “Take this kind away from the earth! For it is not fitting for him to live!”

23 Y gritaban y rasgaban sus ropas y lanzaban tierra al aire.

And while they were shouting, and tossing aside their garments, and casting dust into the air,

24 Entonces el comandante ordenó que Pablo fuera enviado a la fortaleza, y que fuera interrogado usando latigazos para descubrir la razón por la cual la gente gritaba tanto en contra de Pablo.

the tribune ordered him to be brought into the fortress, and to be scourged and tortured, in order to discover the reason that they were crying out in this way against him.

25 Al extenderlo y atarlo para darle los azotes, Pablo le preguntó al centurión que estaba allí: “¿Es legal azotar a un ciudadano romano que no ha sido llevado a juicio?”

And when they had tied him with straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing near him, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and has not been condemned?”

26 Cuando el centurión escuchó lo que Pablo dijo, fue hasta donde estaba el comandante y le preguntó: “¿Qué estás haciendo? Este hombre es ciudadano romano”.

Upon hearing this, the centurion went to the tribune and reported it to him, saying: “What do you intend to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”

27 Entonces el comandante fue y le preguntó a Pablo: “Dime, ¿eres ciudadano romano?” Y Pablo respondió: “Sí, lo soy”.

And the tribune, approaching, said to him: “Tell me. Are you a Roman?” So he said, “Yes.”

28 “Pagué mucho dinero para comprar la ciudadanía romana”, dijo el comandante. “Pero yo nací siendo ciudadano”, respondió Pablo.

And the tribune responded, “I obtained this citizenship at great cost.” And Paul said, “But I was born to it.”

29 Entonces los que estaban a punto de interrogar a Pablo se fueron de inmediato. Y el comandante estaba preocupado porque le había puesto cadenas.

Therefore, those who were going to torture him, immediately withdrew from him. The tribune was similarly afraid, after he realized that he was a Roman citizen, for he had bound him.

30 Al día siguiente, queriendo descubrir la razón por la cual los judíos acusaban a Pablo, dio orden de que lo liberaran y lo llevaran ante los jefes de los sacerdotes y ante todo el concilio, al cual convocó para una reunión. Entonces mandó a traer a Pablo y que lo pusieran frente a ellos.

But on the next day, wanting to discover more diligently what the reason was that he was accused by the Jews, he released him, and he ordered the priests to convene, with the entire council. And, producing Paul, he stationed him among them.