1 B rethren and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make in your presence.

“Irmãos e pais, ouçam agora a minha defesa”.

2 A nd when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they were all the more quiet. And he continued,

Quando ouviram que lhes falava em aramaico, ficaram em absoluto silêncio. Então Paulo disse:

3 I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but reared in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated according to the strictest care in the Law of our fathers, being ardent for God, as all of you are today.

“Sou judeu, nascido em Tarso da Cilícia, mas criado nesta cidade. Fui instruído rigorosamente por Gamaliel na lei de nossos antepassados, sendo tão zeloso por Deus quanto qualquer de vocês hoje.

4 I harassed (troubled, molested, and persecuted) this Way to the death, putting in chains and committing to prison both men and women,

Persegui os seguidores deste Caminho até a morte, prendendo tanto homens como mulheres e lançando-os na prisão,

5 A s the high priest and whole council of elders (Sanhedrin) can testify; for from them indeed I received letters with which I was on my way to the brethren in Damascus in order to take also those who were there, and bring them in chains to Jerusalem that they might be punished.

como o podem testemunhar o sumo sacerdote e todo o Sinédrio; deles cheguei a obter cartas para seus irmãos em Damasco e fui até lá, a fim de trazer essas pessoas a Jerusalém como prisioneiras, para serem punidas.

6 B ut as I was on my journey and approached Damascus, about noon a great blaze of light flashed suddenly from heaven and shone about me.

“Por volta do meio-dia, eu me aproximava de Damasco, quando de repente uma forte luz vinda do céu brilhou ao meu redor.

7 A nd I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me ?

Caí por terra e ouvi uma voz que me dizia: ‘Saulo, Saulo, por que você está me perseguindo?’

8 A nd I replied, Who are You, Lord? And He said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, Whom you are persecuting.

Então perguntei: Quem és tu, Senhor? E ele respondeu: ‘Eu sou Jesus, o Nazareno, a quem você persegue’.

9 N ow the men who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear '> the sound of the uttered words of] the voice of the One Who was speaking to me '> understand it].

Os que me acompanhavam viram a luz, mas não entenderam a voz daquele que falava comigo.

10 A nd I asked, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord answered me, Get up and go into Damascus, and there it will be told you all that it is destined and appointed for you to do.

“Assim perguntei: Que devo fazer, Senhor? Disse o Senhor: ‘Levante-se, entre em Damasco, onde lhe será dito o que você deve fazer’.

11 A nd since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and I arrived in Damascus.

Os que estavam comigo me levaram pela mão até Damasco, porque o resplendor da luz me deixara cego.

12 A nd one Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, well spoken of by all the Jews who resided there,

“Um homem chamado Ananias, piedoso segundo a lei e muito respeitado por todos os judeus que ali viviam,

13 C ame to see me, and standing by my side said to me, Brother Saul, look up and receive back your sight. And in that very instant I looking up saw him.

veio ver-me e, pondo-se junto a mim, disse: ‘Irmão Saulo, recupere a visão’. Naquele mesmo instante pude vê-lo.

14 A nd he said, The God of our forefathers has destined and appointed you to come progressively to know His will, and to see the Righteous One (Jesus Christ, the Messiah), and to hear a voice from His mouth and a message from His lips;

“Então ele disse: ‘O Deus dos nossos antepassados o escolheu para conhecer a sua vontade, ver o Justo e ouvir as palavras de sua boca.

15 F or you will be His witness unto all men of everything that you have seen and heard.

Você será testemunha dele a todos os homens, daquilo que viu e ouviu.

16 A nd now, why do you delay? Rise and be baptized, and by calling upon His name, wash away your sins.

E agora, que está esperando? Levante-se, seja batizado e lave os seus pecados, invocando o nome dele’.

17 T hen when I had come back to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple '> enclosure], I fell into a trance (an ecstasy);

“Quando voltei a Jerusalém, estando eu a orar no templo, caí em êxtase e

18 A nd I saw Him as He said to me, Hurry, get quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony about Me.

vi o Senhor que me dizia: ‘Depressa! Saia de Jerusalém imediatamente, pois não aceitarão seu testemunho a meu respeito’.

19 A nd I said, Lord, they themselves well know that throughout all the synagogues I cast into prison and flogged those who believed on (adhered to and trusted in and relied on) You.

“Eu respondi: Senhor, estes homens sabem que eu ia de uma sinagoga a outra, a fim de prender e açoitar os que crêem em ti.

20 A nd when the blood of Your witness (martyr) Stephen was shed, I also was personally standing by and consenting and approving and guarding the garments of those who slew him.

E quando foi derramado o sangue de tua testemunha Estêvão, eu estava lá, dando minha aprovação e cuidando das roupas dos que o matavam.

21 A nd the Lord said to me, Go, for I will send you far away unto the Gentiles (nations).

“Então o Senhor me disse: ‘Vá, eu o enviarei para longe, aos gentios’”. Paulo, Cidadão Romano

22 U p to the moment that Paul made this last statement, the people listened to him; but now they raised their voices and shouted, Away with such a fellow from the earth! He is not fit to live!

A multidão ouvia Paulo até que ele disse isso. Então todos levantaram a voz e gritaram: “Tira esse homem da face da terra! Ele não merece viver!”

23 A nd as they were shouting and tossing and waving their garments and throwing dust into the air,

Estando eles gritando, tirando suas capas e lançando poeira para o ar,

24 T he commandant ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks, and that he be examined by scourging in order that might learn why the people cried out thus against him.

o comandante ordenou que Paulo fosse levado à fortaleza e fosse açoitado e interrogado, para saber por que o povo gritava daquela forma contra ele.

25 B ut when they had stretched him out with the thongs (leather straps), Paul asked the centurion who was standing by, Is it legal for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned ?

Enquanto o amarravam a fim de açoitá-lo, Paulo disse ao centurião que ali estava: “Vocês têm o direito de açoitar um cidadão romano sem que ele tenha sido condenado?”

26 W hen the centurion heard that, he went to the commandant and said to him, What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen!

Ao ouvir isso, o centurião foi prevenir o comandante: “Que vais fazer? Este homem é cidadão romano”.

27 S o the commandant came and said to, Tell me, are you a Roman citizen? And he said, Yes!

O comandante dirigiu-se a Paulo e perguntou: “Diga-me, você é cidadão romano?” Ele respondeu: “Sim, sou”.

28 T he commandant replied, I purchased this citizenship for a big price. Paul said, But I was born!

Então o comandante disse: “Eu precisei pagar um elevado preço por minha cidadania”. Respondeu Paulo: “Eu a tenho por direito de nascimento”.

29 I nstantly those who were about to examine and flog him withdrew from him; and the commandant also was frightened, for he realized that was a Roman citizen and he had put him in chains.

Os que iam interrogá-lo retiraram-se imediatamente. O próprio comandante ficou alarmado, ao saber que havia prendido um cidadão romano. Paulo Diante do Sinédrio

30 B ut the next day, desiring to know the real cause for which the Jews accused him, he unbound him and ordered the chief priests and all the council (Sanhedrin) to assemble; and he brought Paul down and placed him before them.

No dia seguinte, visto que o comandante queria descobrir exatamente por que Paulo estava sendo acusado pelos judeus, libertou-o e ordenou que se reunissem os chefes dos sacerdotes e todo o Sinédrio. Então, trazendo Paulo, apresentou-o a eles.