1 M en, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.

VARONES hermanos y padres, oid la razón que ahora os doy.

2 ( And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)

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

3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

Yo de cierto soy Judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, mas criado en esta ciudad á los pies de Gamaliel, enseñado conforme á la verdad de la ley de la patria, celoso de Dios, como todos vosotros sois hoy.

4 A nd I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

Que he perseguido este camino hasta la muerte, prendiendo y entregando en cárceles hombres y mujeres:

5 A s 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 went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.

Como también el príncipe de los sacerdotes me es testigo, y todos los ancianos; de los cuales también tomando letras á los hermanos, iba á Damasco para traer presos á Jerusalem aun á los que estuviesen allí, para que fuesen castigados.

6 A nd it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

Mas aconteció que yendo yo, y llegando cerca de Damasco, como á medio día, de repente me rodeó mucha luz del cielo:

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

Y caí en el suelo, y oí una voz que me decía: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?

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

Yo entonces respondí: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y me dijo: Yo soy Jesús de Nazaret, á quién tú persigues.

9 A nd they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

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

10 A nd 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.

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

11 A nd 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.

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

12 A nd one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,

Entonces un Ananías, varón pío conforme á la ley, que tenía buen testimonio de todos los Judíos que allí moraban,

13 C ame unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.

Viniendo á mí, y acercándose, me dijo: Hermano Saulo, recibe la vista. Y yo en aquella hora le miré.

14 A nd he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.

Y él dijo: El Dios de nuestros padres te ha predestinado para que conocieses su voluntad, y vieses á aquel Justo, y oyeses la voz de su boca.

15 F or thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

Porque has de ser testigo suyo á todos los hombres, de lo que has visto y oído.

16 A nd now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Ahora pues, ¿por qué te detienes? Levántate, y bautízate, y lava tus pecados, invocando su nombre.

17 A nd it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;

Y me aconteció, vuelto á Jerusalem, que orando en el templo, fuí arrebatado fuera de mí.

18 A nd saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

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

19 A nd I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

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

20 A nd when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.

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

21 A nd he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

Y me dijo: Ve, porque yo te tengo que enviar lejos á los Gentiles.

22 A nd they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

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

23 A nd as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,

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

24 T he chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.

Mandó el tribuno que le llevasen á la fortaleza, y ordenó que fuese examinado con azotes, para saber por qué causa clamaban así contra él.

25 A nd as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

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

26 W hen the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.

Y como el centurión oyó esto, fué y dió aviso al tribuno, diciendo ¿Qué vas á hacer? porque este hombre es Romano.

27 T hen the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.

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

28 A nd the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.

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

29 T hen straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

Así 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.

30 O n the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.

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 á los príncipes de los sacerdotes, y á todo su concilio: y sacando á Pablo, le presentó delante de ellos.