1 B rethren and fathers, hear my defence which I now make to you.

“ Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”

2 A nd hearing that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more quiet; and he says,

And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said,

3 I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to exactness of the law of fathers, being zealous for God, as ye are all this day;

“ I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.

4 w ho have persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women;

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

5 a s also the high priest bears me witness, and all the elderhood: from whom also, having received letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus to bring those also who were there, bound, to Jerusalem, to be punished.

as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.

6 A nd it came to pass, as I was journeying and drawing near to Damascus, that, about mid-day, there suddenly shone out of heaven a great light round about me.

“ But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me,

7 A nd I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

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

8 A nd I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazaraean, whom thou persecutest.

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

9 B ut they that were with me beheld the light,, but heard not the voice of him that was speaking to me.

And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

10 A nd I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rise up, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which it is appointed thee to do.

And I said, ‘ What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’

11 A nd as I could not see, through the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came to Damascus.

But 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 came into Damascus.

12 A nd a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the law, borne witness to by all the Jews who dwelt,

“A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

13 c oming to me and standing by me, said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And I, in the same hour, received my sight and saw him.

came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘ Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him.

14 A nd he said, The God of our fathers has chosen thee beforehand to know his will, and to see the just one, and to hear a voice out of his mouth;

And he said, ‘ The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.

15 f or thou shalt be a witness for him to all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

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

16 A nd now why lingerest thou? Arise and get baptised, and have thy sins washed away, calling on his name.

Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’

17 A nd it came to pass when I had returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, that I became in ecstasy,

“It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance,

18 a nd saw him saying to me, Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

and I saw Him saying to me, ‘ Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’

19 A nd I said, Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue those that believe on thee;

And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You.

20 a nd when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, I also myself was standing by and consenting, and kept the clothes of them who killed him.

And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’

21 A nd he said to me, Go, for I will send thee to the nations afar off.

And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

22 A nd they heard him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a one as that from the earth, for it was not fit he should live.

They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “ Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!”

23 A nd as they were crying, and throwing away their clothes, and casting dust into the air,

And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,

24 t he chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, saying that he should be examined by scourging, that he might ascertain for what cause they cried thus against him.

the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way.

25 B ut as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man a Roman and uncondemned?

But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?”

26 A nd the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman.

When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.”

27 A nd the chiliarch coming up said to him, Tell me, Art thou a Roman? And he said, Yes.

The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.”

28 A nd the chiliarch answered, I, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But I was also born.

The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.”

29 I mmediately therefore those who were going to examine him left him, and the chiliarch also was afraid when he ascertained that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.

30 A nd on the morrow, desirous to know the certainty why he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and having brought Paul down set him before them.

But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.