Acts 22

1 Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.2 And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith,3 I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day:4 and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.9 And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.11 And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me I came into Damascus.12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there,13 came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked up on him.14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.15 For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.17 And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,18 and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning me.19 And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:20 and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him.21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.22 And they gave him audience unto this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.23 And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air,24 the chief captain commanded him be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him.25 And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?26 And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman.27 And the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea.28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Roman born.29 They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.30 But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

Acts 22

Paul’s Defense

1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to my defenses that I nowt make to you.”2 (When they heardt that he was addressingt them in Aramaic,t they became event quieter.)ts Thent Paul said,3 “I am a Jew,t born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought upt in this city, educated with strictnesst undert Gamalielts according to the law of our ancestors,t and wast zealoust for God just as all of you are today.4 It persecuted this Ways even to the point of death,t tying upt both men and women and puttingt them in prison,5 as both the high priest and the whole council of elderst can testify about me. From themt I also receivedt letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my wayt to make arrests there and bringt the prisonerst to Jerusalemts to be punished.6 Ast I was en route and near Damascus,ts about noon a very brightt light from heavent suddenly flashedt around me.7 Then It fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’9 Those who were with me saw the light, but did not understandt the voice of the one who was speaking to me.10 So I asked,t ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get upt and go to Damascus; there you will be told about everythingt that you have been designatedt to do.’11 Since I could not see because oft the brilliancet of that light, I came to Damascus led by the hand oft those who were with me.12 A man named Ananias,t a devout man according to the law,s well spoken of by all the Jews who live there,t13 camet to me and stood beside met and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!’t And at that very momentt I looked up and saw him.t14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestorsts has already chosent you to know his will, to seet the Righteous One,s and to hear a commandt from his mouth,15 because you will be his witnessts to all peoplet of what you have seen and heard.16 And now what are you waiting for?t Get up,t be baptized, and have your sins washed away,s calling on his name.’s17 Whent I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trancet18 and saw the Lordt saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’19 I replied,t ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those in the various synagoguests who believed in you.20 And when the blood of your witnesss Stephen was shed,s I myself was standing nearby, approving,t and guarding the cloaksts of those who were killing him.’t

21 Thent he said to me, ‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

The Roman Commander Questions Paul

22 The crowdt was listening to him until he said this.ts Thent they raised their voices and shouted,t “Away with this mant from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live!”t23 While they were screamingt and throwing off their cloaksts and tossing dusts in the air,24 the commanding officert ordered Pault to be brought back into the barracks.t He told themt to interrogate Pault by beating him with a lashs so that he could find out the reason the crowdt was shouting at Pault in this way.25 When they had stretched him out for the lash,t Paul said to the centurions standing nearby, “Is it legal for you to lash a man who is a Roman citizent without a proper trial?”ts26 When the centurions heard this,t he went to the commanding officert and reported it,t saying, “What are you about to do?t For this man is a Roman citizen.”t27 So the commanding officert came and askedt Paul,t “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”t He replied,t “Yes.”28 The commanding officert answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.”s “But I was event born a citizen,”ts Paul replied.t

29 Then those who were about to interrogate him stayed awayt from him, and the commanding officert was frightened when he realized that Pault wast a Roman citizent and that he had had him tied up.s

Paul Before the Sanhedrin

30 The next day, because the commanding officert wanted to know the true reasont Pault was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole councilt to assemble. He then broughtt Paul down and had him stand before them.