1 ق الَ بُولُسُ: «أيُّها الإخوَةُ وَالآباءُ، استَمِعُوا إلَى دِفاعِي عَنْ نَفسِي أمامَكُمْ.»

Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.

2 ف َلَمّا سَمِعُوهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِاللُّغَةِ الأرامِيَّةِ صارُوا أكثَرَ هُدُوءاً. حينَئِذٍ قالَ بُولُسُ:

And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith,

3 « أنا رَجُلٌ يَهُودِيٌّ. وُلِدتُ فِي مَدِينَةِ طَرسُوسَ الَّتِي فِي كِيلِيكِيَّةَ. لَكِنِّي نَشَأْتُ هُنا فِي هَذِهِ المَدِينَةِ. وَدَرَّبَنِي غَمالائِيلُ تَدرِيباً صارِماً حَسَبَ شَرِيعَةِ آبائِنا. كُنتُ جادّاً فِي خِدمَتِي للهِ، مِثلَكُمْ جَمِيعاً اليَومَ.

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 ف َاضطَهَدتُ ‹الطَّرِيقَ› حَتَّى المَوتِ. وَقَبَضتُ عَلَى رِجالٍ وَنِساءٍ وَسَجَنتُهُمْ.

and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

5 و َيُمكِنُ أنْ يَشهَدَ عَلَى صِحَّةِ كَلامِي رَئيسُ الكَهَنَةِ وَجَمِيعُ أعضاءِ مَجلِسِ الشُّيُوخِ. فَقَدْ أخَذتُ مِنهُمْ رَسائِلَ إلَى أهلِنا فِي دِمَشقَ. وَذَهَبتُ لِأقبِضَ عَلَى المَسِيحِيِّيْنَ هُناكَ، وَأُحضِرُهُمْ إلَى القُدسِ مُقَيَّدِينَ لِكَي يَلقَوا عِقابَهُمْ. بُولُسُ يَتَحَدَّثُ عَنِ اهتِدائِه

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 « وَبَينَما كُنتُ مُسافِراً أقتَرِبُ مِنْ مَدِينَةِ دِمَشقَ عِندَ الظَّهِيرَةِ، وَمَضَ فَجأةً حَولِيَ نُورٌ عَظِيمٌ مِنَ السَّماءِ.

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 ف َسَقَطتُ أرْضاً. وَسَمِعتُ صَوتاً يَقُولُ لِي: ‹يا شاوُلُ، يا شاوُلُ، لِماذا تَضطَهِدُنِي؟›

And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

8 « فَأجَبتُ: ‹مَنْ أنتَ يا سَيِّدُ؟› قالَ لِي: ‹أنا يَسُوعُ النّاصِرِيُّ الَّذِي أنتَ تَضطَهِدُهُ.›

And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

9 أ مّا الَّذِينَ كانُوا مَعِي فَرَأَوْا النُّورَ، لَكِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُميِّزوا الصَّوتَ الَّذِي كَلَّمَنِي.

And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

10 « فَقُلتُ: ‹ماذا أفعَلُ يا سَيِّدُ؟› فَقالَ لِي: ‹انهَضْ، وَادخُلْ دِمَشقَ. وَهُناكَ تَعرِفُ جَمِيعَ الأُمورِ الَّتي عَيَّنتُكَ لِعَمَلِها.›

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 « لَمْ أكُنْ أقدِرُ أنْ أرَى بِسَبَبِ سُطُوعِ النُّورِ، فَأمسَكَ بِي رُفَقائِي مِنْ يَدَيَّ وَأدخَلُونِي إلَى دِمَشقَ.

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 و َكانَ هُناكَ رَجُلٌ تَقِيٌّ اسْمُهُ حَنانِيّا يَحْفَظُ الشَّرِيعَةَ، وَيَمدَحُهُ كُلُّ اليَهُودِ السّاكِنِينَ هُناكَ.

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there,

13 ج اءَ هَذا إلَيَّ، وَوَقَفَ إلَى جانِبِي وَقالَ: ‹أيُّها الأخُ شاوُلُ، استَرجِعْ بَصَرَكَ!› فَاسْتَرجَعتُ بَصَرِي فِي تِلكَ اللَّحظَةِ.

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 « وَقالَ لِي: ‹لَقَدِ اختارَكَ إلَهُ آبائِنا لِكَيْ تَعرِفَ إرادَتَهُ، وَتَرَى البارَّ يَسوعَ وَتَسمَعُ صَوتَهُ.

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 ف َأنتَ سَتَكُونُ شاهِداً لَهُ أمامَ كُلِّ النّاسِ بِما رَأيتَ وَسَمِعتَ.

For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

16 و َالآنَ، ماذا تَنتَظِرْ؟ انهَضْ وَتَعَمَّدْ، وَاغْسِلْ خَطاياكَ مؤمِناً بِاسْمِهِ.›

And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.

17 « وَعِندَما عُدْتُ إلَى مَدينَةِ القُدسِ، وَقَعَ عَلَيَّ سُباتٌ بَينَما كُنتُ أُصَلِّي فِي الهَيكَلِ.

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 و َرَأيتُ يَسُوعَ يَقُولُ لِي: ‹عَجِّلْ بِالخُرُوجِ مِنَ مَدينَةِ القُدسِ عَلَى الفَورِ، لِأنَّهُمْ لَنْ يَقبَلُوا شَهادَتَكَ عَنِّي.›

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 « فَقُلتُ: ‹يا رَبُّ، يَعرِفُ هَؤُلاءِ النّاسُ أنِّي كُنتُ أذهَبُ إلَى المَجامِعِ لِأعتَقِلَ وَأضرِبَ الَّذِينَ يُؤمِنُونَ بِكَ.

And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

20 و َعِندَما سُفِكَ دَمُ إستِفانُوسَ شاهِدِكَ، كُنتُ واقِفاً هُناكَ، وَمُوافِقاً عَلَى ذَلِكَ. وَكُنتُ أحرُسُ ثِيابَ الَّذِينَ كانُوا يَقتُلُونَهُ.›

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 ف َقالَ لِي: ‹اذْهَبْ! فَسَأُرسَلُكَ بَعِيداً إلَى غَيرِ اليَهُودِ.›»

And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.

22 و َظَلَّ اليَهُودُ يُصغُونَ إلَى بُولُسَ إلَى أنْ قالَ هَذا. حينَئِذٍ رَفَعُوا أصواتَهُمْ وَقالُوا: «خَلِّصُوا الأرْضَ مِنْ هَذا الرَّجُلِ! فَهُوَ لا يَستَحِقُّ الحَياةَ!»

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 و َراحُوا يَصرُخُونَ وَيُلقُونَ بِثِيابِهِمْ، وَيَنثُرُونَ التُّرابَ فِي الهَواءِ غَضَباً.

And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air,

24 ف َأمَرَ الآمِرُ بِإدخالِ بُولُسَ إلَى الحِصنِ. وَأمَرَ بِأنْ يَتِمَّ استِجوابُهُ بِالجَلْدِ لِمَعرِفَةِ سَبَبِ صِياحِهِمْ عَلَيْهِ هَكَذا.

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 ل َكِنْ عِندَما هَيَّئُوهُ لِلجَلْدِ، قالَ بُولُسُ لِلضّابِطِ الواقِفِ هُناكَ: «هَلْ يُجِيزُ لَكُمُ القانُونُ أنْ تَجلِدُوا مُواطِناً رُومانِيّاً لَمْ تَثبُتْ عَلَيهِ تُهمَةٌ؟»

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 ف َلَمّا سَمِعَ الضّابِطُ هَذا، ذَهَبَ إلَى الآمِرِ وَقالَ: «انْتَبِهْ إلَى ما تَنوي أنْ تَفعَلَهُ بِهذا الرَّجُلِ، فَهُوَ مُواطِنٌ رُومانِيٌّ!»

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 ف َجاءَ الآمِرُ إلَى بُولُسَ وَقالَ لَهُ: «قُلْ لِي، هَلْ أنتُ مُواطِنٌ رُومانِيٌّ؟» قالَ بُولُسُ: «نَعَمْ.»

And the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea.

28 ف َأجابَ الضّابِطُ: «لَقَدْ كَلَّفَنِي اكتِسابُ الجِنسِيَّةِ الرُّومانِيَّةِ مَبلَغاً كَبِيراً مِنَ المالِ.» فَقالَ بُولُسُ: «أمّا أنا فَقَدْ وُلِدتُ رُومانِيّاً.»

And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am a Roman born.

29 و َعَلَى الفَورِ تَراجَعَ الَّذِينَ كانُوا يُوشِكُونَ أنْ يَستَجوِبُوهُ. وَخافَ الآمِرُ عِندَما أدرَكَ أنَّ بُولُسَ مُواطِنٌ رُومانِيٌّ، وَأنَّهُ قَيَّدَهُ. بُولُسُ يَتَحَدَّثُ إلَى زُعَماءِ اليَهُود

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 و َفِي اليَومِ التّالِي، قَرَّرَ الآمِرُ أنْ يَعرِفَ سَبَبَ شَكوَى اليَهُودِ عَلَى بُولُسَ. فَفَكَّ قُيودَ بُولُسَ وَأمَرَ بِأنْ يَجتَمِعَ كِبارُ الكَهَنَةِ وَكُلُّ أعضاءِ المَجلِسِ الأعلَى. ثُمَّ أنزَلَ بُولُسَ وَأحضَرَهُ وَأوقَفَهُ أمامَهُمْ.

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.