1 “ Irmãos e pais, ouçam agora a minha defesa”.

“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.”

2 Q uando ouviram que lhes falava em aramaico, ficaram em absoluto silêncio. Então Paulo disse:

And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. Then he said:

3 “ Sou judeu, nascido em Tarso da Cilícia, mas criado nesta cidade. Fui instruído rigorosamente por Gamaliel na lei de nossos antepassados, sendo tão zeloso por Deus quanto qualquer de vocês hoje.

“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today.

4 P ersegui os seguidores deste Caminho até a morte, prendendo tanto homens como mulheres e lançando-os na prisão,

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

5 c omo o podem testemunhar o sumo sacerdote e todo o Sinédrio; deles cheguei a obter cartas para seus irmãos em Damasco e fui até lá, a fim de trazer essas pessoas a Jerusalém como prisioneiras, para serem punidas.

as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 “ Por volta do meio-dia, eu me aproximava de Damasco, quando de repente uma forte luz vinda do céu brilhou ao meu redor.

“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.

7 C aí por terra e ouvi uma voz que me dizia: ‘Saulo, Saulo, por que você está me perseguindo?’

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

8 E ntão perguntei: Quem és tu, Senhor? E ele respondeu: ‘Eu sou Jesus, o Nazareno, a quem você persegue’.

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

9 O s que me acompanhavam viram a luz, mas não entenderam a voz daquele que falava comigo.

“And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.

10 “ Assim perguntei: Que devo fazer, Senhor? Disse o Senhor: ‘Levante-se, entre em Damasco, onde lhe será dito o que você deve fazer’.

So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are appointed for you to do.’

11 O s que estavam comigo me levaram pela mão até Damasco, porque o resplendor da luz me deixara cego.

And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

12 “ Um homem chamado Ananias, piedoso segundo a lei e muito respeitado por todos os judeus que ali viviam,

“Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there,

13 v eio ver-me e, pondo-se junto a mim, disse: ‘Irmão Saulo, recupere a visão’. Naquele mesmo instante pude vê-lo.

came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him.

14 “ Então ele disse: ‘O Deus dos nossos antepassados o escolheu para conhecer a sua vontade, ver o Justo e ouvir as palavras de sua boca.

Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of His mouth.

15 V ocê será testemunha dele a todos os homens, daquilo que viu e ouviu.

For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

16 E agora, que está esperando? Levante-se, seja batizado e lave os seus pecados, invocando o nome dele’.

And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

17 “ Quando voltei a Jerusalém, estando eu a orar no templo, caí em êxtase e

“Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance

18 v i o Senhor que me dizia: ‘Depressa! Saia de Jerusalém imediatamente, pois não aceitarão seu testemunho a meu respeito’.

and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’

19 “ Eu respondi: Senhor, estes homens sabem que eu ia de uma sinagoga a outra, a fim de prender e açoitar os que crêem em ti.

So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.

20 E quando foi derramado o sangue de tua testemunha Estêvão, eu estava lá, dando minha aprovação e cuidando das roupas dos que o matavam.

And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

21 “ Então o Senhor me disse: ‘Vá, eu o enviarei para longe, aos gentios’”. Paulo, Cidadão Romano

Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ ” Paul’s Roman Citizenship

22 A multidão ouvia Paulo até que ele disse isso. Então todos levantaram a voz e gritaram: “Tira esse homem da face da terra! Ele não merece viver!”

And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!”

23 E stando eles gritando, tirando suas capas e lançando poeira para o ar,

Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air,

24 o comandante ordenou que Paulo fosse levado à fortaleza e fosse açoitado e interrogado, para saber por que o povo gritava daquela forma contra ele.

the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.

25 E nquanto o amarravam a fim de açoitá-lo, Paulo disse ao centurião que ali estava: “Vocês têm o direito de açoitar um cidadão romano sem que ele tenha sido condenado?”

And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?”

26 A o ouvir isso, o centurião foi prevenir o comandante: “Que vais fazer? Este homem é cidadão romano”.

When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.”

27 O comandante dirigiu-se a Paulo e perguntou: “Diga-me, você é cidadão romano?” Ele respondeu: “Sim, sou”.

Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”

28 E ntão o comandante disse: “Eu precisei pagar um elevado preço por minha cidadania”. Respondeu Paulo: “Eu a tenho por direito de nascimento”.

The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen. ”

29 O s que iam interrogá-lo retiraram-se imediatamente. O próprio comandante ficou alarmado, ao saber que havia prendido um cidadão romano. Paulo Diante do Sinédrio

Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. The Sanhedrin Divided

30 N o dia seguinte, visto que o comandante queria descobrir exatamente por que Paulo estava sendo acusado pelos judeus, libertou-o e ordenou que se reunissem os chefes dos sacerdotes e todo o Sinédrio. Então, trazendo Paulo, apresentou-o a eles.

The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down and set him before them.