1 « Padres y hermanos míos, escuchen ahora lo que tengo que decir en mi defensa.»

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

2 A l oír que les hablaba en lengua aramea, todos guardaron silencio. Pablo siguió diciendo:

When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,

3 « Yo soy judío. Nací en Tarso de Cilicia, pero me criaron en esta ciudad, donde Gamaliel me instruyó con total apego a la ley de nuestros antepasados. El celo por Dios que ustedes sienten hoy, también lo sentí yo,

“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 p ues perseguí a muerte a los de este Camino. Yo aprehendía y llevaba a las cárceles a hombres y mujeres;

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

5 e l sumo sacerdote y todos los ancianos me dieron cartas para apresar a los hermanos; ellos son testigos de que fui a Damasco para aprehender a los creyentes que estuvieran allí, y llevarlos a Jerusalén para castigarlos. Pablo relata su conversión

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 » Pero sucedió que en el camino, ya cerca de Damasco y como a mediodía, de repente me rodeó una intensa luz del cielo,

As I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.

7 C aí al suelo, y entonces 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 o respondí: “¿Quién eres, Señor?” Y la voz me contestó: “Yo soy Jesús de Nazaret, a quien tú persigues.”

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

9 L os que me acompañaban vieron la luz, y se espantaron; pero no escucharon 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 E ntonces dije: “Señor, ¿qué debo hacer?” Y el Señor me dijo: “Levántate, y ve a Damasco; allí se te dirá todo lo que se ha determinado 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 C omo yo no podía ver por causa de esa luz tan potente, los que me acompañaban me llevaron de la mano, y así llegué 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 » Allí vivía Ananías, un hombre piadoso y apegado a la ley, de quien todos los judíos que allí vivían hablaban bien.

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

13 A nanías vino, se me acercó y me dijo: “Hermano Saulo, ¡recibe la vista!” Y en ese mismo instante recobré la vista y pude verlo.

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 me dijo: “El Dios de nuestros padres te ha escogido para que conozcas su voluntad, y veas al Justo y escuches de sus propios labios su palabra,

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 p ues tú serás su testigo ante todo el mundo de esto que has visto y oído.

For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

16 ¿ Qué esperas, entonces? ¡Levántate y bautízate, e invoca su nombre, para que quedes limpio de tus pecados!” Pablo es enviado a los no judíos

Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

17 » Cuando volví a Jerusalén, mientras oraba yo en el templo, entré en éxtasis.

“When I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,

18 V i entonces al Señor, y escuché que me decía: “Date prisa, y sal pronto de Jerusalén, porque no van a creer lo que les digas 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 o le respondí: “Señor, ellos saben que yo andaba por todas las sinagogas encarcelando y azotando 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 C uando corría la sangre de Esteban, tu testigo, yo estaba allí, aprobando su muerte con mi presencia y cuidando la ropa de quienes lo mataron.”

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 Señor me dijo: “Anda, que voy a enviarte lejos, a los que no son judíos.”» Pablo en manos del tribuno

“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”

22 H asta aquí lo escucharon. Entonces alzaron la voz y gritaron: «¡Mátalo! ¡Bórralo de este mundo! ¡Gente así no merece vivir!»

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 Y se rasgaban la ropa y lanzaban polvo al aire, y no dejaban de gritar.

As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,

24 E ntonces el tribuno mandó que llevaran a Pablo a la fortaleza, con órdenes de que lo interrogaran y lo azotaran para saber por qué protestaban contra él.

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 estaban atando con correas, Pablo le preguntó al centurión allí presente: «¿Acaso está permitido azotar a un ciudadano romano sin que antes se le juzgue?»

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 C uando el centurión oyó esto, fue con el tribuno y le dijo: «¿Y ahora qué vas a hacer? ¡Este hombre es ciudadano 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 F ue entonces el tribuno y le preguntó: «Dime, ¿en verdad eres ciudadano romano?» Y como Pablo respondió que sí,

The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”

28 e l tribuno se jactó: «¡A mí me costó mucho dinero adquirir la ciudadanía!» Pero Pablo le respondió: «Yo soy romano de nacimiento.»

The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”

29 A l saber que Pablo era ciudadano romano, los que iban a interrogarlo se apartaron de él, y el tribuno hizo lo mismo, pues tuvo miedo de haber ordenado que lo interrogaran. 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, el tribuno quiso saber por qué realmente lo acusaban los judíos, así que ordenó que le quitaran las cadenas, y también que se presentaran los principales sacerdotes y el concilio. Luego sacó a Pablo, y lo hizo comparecer 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.