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

“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”

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

When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,

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 indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.

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

I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons 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 also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to 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;

As I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.

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

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

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

I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’

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

“Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

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.

I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are 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.

When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

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

One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

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

came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at 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.

He said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

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

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

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

Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

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

“When I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,

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

and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’

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

I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in 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.

When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’

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

“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”

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.

They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”

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

As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw 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 commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.

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?

When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”

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 it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”

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

The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” 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 commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”

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.

Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.

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 on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.