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

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

When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. 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 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 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 delivering into prisons both men and women.

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 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 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,

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 respondí: “¿Quién eres, Señor?” Y El me dijo: “Yo soy Jesús el Nazareno, 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 la luz, ciertamente, pero no comprendieron la voz del que me hablaba.

“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 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.”

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 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.

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

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

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 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 designado para que conozcas su voluntad, y para que veas al Justo y oigas palabra 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 “ 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 wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

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

“When I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, 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 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 bien que en una sinagoga tras otra, yo encarcelaba y azotaba 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 tu testigo Esteban, allí estaba también yo dando mi aprobación, y cuidando los mantos de los que lo estaban matando.”

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

“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here 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 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 C omo ellos vociferaban y arrojaban sus mantos y echaban polvo al aire,

As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw 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 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 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?

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 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 it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are 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 commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” 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 commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”

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

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 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, 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.