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

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

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

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

3 “ 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.

¶ 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.

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

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

5 a s 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.

como 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.

6 “ 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,

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

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

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

8 A nd I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’

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

9 A nd 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.

Y los que estaban conmigo vieron a 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 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.’

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.

11 B ut 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.

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.

12 “ 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,

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

13 c ame to me, and standing near said to me, ‘ Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him.

viniendo a 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 has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.

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.

15 F or you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

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

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

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

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

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

18 a nd I saw Him saying to me, ‘ Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’

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

19 A nd I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You.

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

20 A nd 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.’

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.

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

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

22 T hey 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!”

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

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

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

24 t he 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.

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

25 B ut 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?”

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

26 W hen 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.”

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

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

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

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

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

29 T herefore 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.

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 B ut 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.

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.