1 H ermanos y padres, escuchad mi defensa que ahora presento ante vosotros.

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

2 C uando oyeron que se dirigía a ellos en el idioma hebreo, observaron aún más silencio; y él dijo: Pablo da testimonio de su conversión

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

3 Y o soy judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, pero criado en esta ciudad, educado bajo Gamaliel en estricta conformidad a la ley de nuestros padres, siendo tan celoso de Dios como todos vosotros lo sois hoy.

“ 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 Y perseguí este Camino hasta la muerte, encadenando y echando en cárceles tanto a hombres como a mujeres,

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

5 d e lo cual pueden testificar el sumo sacerdote y todo el concilio de los ancianos. También de ellos recibí cartas para los hermanos, y me puse en marcha para Damasco con el fin de traer presos a Jerusalén también a los que estaban allá, para que fueran castigados.

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 Y aconteció que cuando iba de camino, estando ya cerca de Damasco, como al mediodía, de repente una luz muy brillante fulguró desde el cielo a mi derredor,

“ 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 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 are you persecuting Me?’

8 Y respondí: “¿Quién eres, Señor?” Y El me dijo: “Yo soy Jesús el Nazareno, a quien tú persigues.”

And I answered, ‘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 la luz, ciertamente, pero no comprendieron la voz del que me hablaba.

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 Y yo dije: “¿Qué debo hacer, Señor?” Y el Señor me dijo: “Levántate y entra a Damasco; y allí se te dirá todo lo que se ha ordenado que hagas.”

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 P ero como yo no veía por causa del resplandor de aquella luz, los que estaban conmigo me llevaron de la mano y entré a Damasco.

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 Y uno llamado Ananías, hombre piadoso según las normas de la ley, y de quien daban buen testimonio todos los judíos que vivían allí,

“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 v ino a mí, y poniéndose a mi lado, me dijo: “Hermano Saulo, recibe la vista.” En ese mismo instante alcé los ojos y lo miré.

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 Y él dijo: “El Dios de nuestros padres te ha designado para que conozcas su voluntad, y para que veas al Justo y oigas palabra de su boca.

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 “ Porque testigo suyo serás 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 “ Y ahora, ¿por qué te detienes? Levántate y bautízate, y lava tus pecados invocando su nombre.”

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

17 Y aconteció que cuando regresé a Jerusalén y me hallaba orando en el templo, caí en un éxtasis,

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

18 y vi al Señor que me decía: “Apresúrate y sal pronto de Jerusalén porque no aceptarán tu testimonio acerca de mí.”

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 Y yo dije: “Señor, ellos saben bien que en una sinagoga tras otra, yo encarcelaba y azotaba a los que creían en ti.

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 “ Y cuando se derramaba la sangre de tu testigo Esteban, allí estaba también yo dando mi aprobación, y cuidando los mantos de los que lo estaban matando.”

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 P ero El me dijo: “Ve, porque te voy a enviar lejos, a los gentiles.” Pablo bajo vigilancia del comandante

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

22 L o oyeron hasta que dijo esto, y entonces alzaron sus voces y dijeron: ¡Quita de la tierra a ese individuo! No se le debe permitir que viva.

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 C omo ellos vociferaban y arrojaban sus mantos y echaban polvo al aire,

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

24 e l comandante ordenó que lo llevaran al cuartel, diciendo que debía ser sometido a azotes para saber la razón por qué gritaban contra él de aquella manera.

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 C uando lo estiraron con correas, Pablo dijo al centurión que estaba allí: ¿Os es lícito azotar a un ciudadano romano sin haberle hecho juicio?

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 l oír esto el centurión, fue al comandante y le avisó, diciendo: ¿Qué vas a hacer? Porque este hombre es romano.

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 V ino el comandante a Pablo y le dijo: Dime, ¿eres romano? Y él dijo: Sí.

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

28 Y el comandante respondió: Yo adquirí esta ciudadanía por una gran cantidad de dinero. Y Pablo dijo: Pero yo soy ciudadano de nacimiento.

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

29 E ntonces los que iban a someterlo a azotes, al instante lo soltaron; y también el comandante tuvo temor cuando supo que Pablo era romano, y porque lo había atado con cadenas. Pablo ante el concilio

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 l día siguiente, queriendo saber con certeza la causa por la cual los judíos lo acusaban, lo soltó, y ordenó a los principales sacerdotes y a todo el concilio que se reunieran; y llevando a Pablo, lo puso ante ellos.

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.