1 ¶ Varones hermanos y padres, oíd la razón que ahora os doy.

Brethren and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make in your presence.

2 ( Y como oyeron que les hablaba en lengua hebrea, guardaron más silencio.) Y dijo:

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

3 ¶ Yo de cierto soy judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, mas criado en esta ciudad a los pies de Gamaliel, enseñado conforme a la verdad de la ley de la patria, celoso de la Ley, como todos vosotros sois hoy.

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.

4 Q ue he perseguido este camino hasta la muerte, prendiendo y entregando en cárceles hombres y mujeres;

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

5 c omo también el príncipe de los sacerdotes me es testigo, y todos los ancianos; de los cuales también tomando letras a los hermanos, iba a Damasco para traer presos a Jerusalén aun a los que estuvieran allí, para que fueran castigados.

As 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.

6 M as aconteció que yendo yo, y llegando cerca de Damasco, como a mediodía, de repente me rodeó mucha luz del cielo;

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

7 y caí al suelo, y oí una voz que me decía: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?

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

8 Y o entonces respondí: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y me dijo: Yo Soy Jesús de Nazaret, a quien tú persigues.

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

9 Y los que estaban conmigo vieron a la verdad la luz, y se espantaron; mas no oyeron la voz del que hablaba conmigo.

Now 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].

10 Y dije: ¿Qué haré, Señor? Y el Señor me dijo: Levántate, y ve a Damasco, y allí te será dicho todo lo que te está señalado hacer.

And 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.

11 Y como yo no veía a causa de la claridad de la luz, llevado de la mano por los que estaban conmigo, vine a Damasco.

And 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.

12 E ntonces un Ananías, varón pío conforme a la ley, que tenía tal testimonio de todos los judíos que allí moraban,

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

13 v iniendo a mí, y acercándose, me dijo: Hermano Saulo, recibe la vista. Y yo en aquella hora le miré.

Came 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.

14 Y él dijo: El Dios de nuestros padres te ha escogido para que conozcas su voluntad, y veas a aquel Justo, y oigas la voz de su boca.

And 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;

15 P orque has de ser testigo suyo a todos los hombres, de lo que has visto y oído.

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

16 A hora pues, ¿por qué te detienes? Levántate, y bautízate, y lava tus pecados, invocando su Nombre.

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

17 Y me aconteció, vuelto a Jerusalén, que orando en el Templo, fui arrebatado fuera de mí.

Then when I had come back to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple '> enclosure], I fell into a trance (an ecstasy);

18 Y le vi que me decía: Date prisa, y sal prestamente fuera de Jerusalén; porque no recibirán tu testimonio acerca de mí.

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

19 Y yo dije: Señor, ellos saben que yo encerraba en cárcel, y hería por las sinagogas a los que creían en ti;

And 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.

20 y cuando se derramaba la sangre de Esteban tu testigo, yo también estaba presente, y consentía a su muerte, y guardaba las ropas de los que le mataban.

And 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.

21 Y me dijo: Ve, porque yo te tengo que enviar lejos a los gentiles.

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

22 ¶ Y le oyeron hasta esta palabra; entonces alzaron la voz, diciendo: Quita de la tierra a un tal hombre, porque no conviene que viva.

Up 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!

23 Y dando ellos voces, y arrojando sus ropas y echando polvo al aire,

And as they were shouting and tossing and waving their garments and throwing dust into the air,

24 m andó el tribuno que le llevaran a la fortaleza, y ordenó que fuera examinado con azotes, para saber por qué causa clamaban así contra él.

The 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.

25 Y como le ataron con correas, Pablo dijo al centurión que estaba presente: ¿Os es lícito azotar a un hombre romano sin ser condenado?

But 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 ?

26 C uando el centurión oyó esto, fue y dio aviso al tribuno, diciendo: ¿Qué vas a hacer? Porque este hombre es romano.

When 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!

27 Y viniendo el tribuno, le dijo: Dime, ¿eres tú Romano? Y él dijo: Sí.

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

28 Y respondió el tribuno: Yo con grande suma alcancé esta ciudadanía. Entonces Pablo dijo: Pero yo lo soy de nacimiento.

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

29 A sí que, luego se apartaron de él los que le habían de atormentar; y aun el tribuno también tuvo temor, entendido que era romano, por haberle atado.

Instantly 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.

30 Y al día siguiente, queriendo saber de cierto la causa por qué era acusado de los judíos, le soltó de las prisiones, y mandó venir a los príncipes de los sacerdotes, y a todo su concilio; y sacando a Pablo, le presentó delante de ellos.

But 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.