1 V arones hermanos y padres, oíd ahora mi defensa ante vosotros.

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

2 Y al oír que les hablaba en lengua hebrea, guardaron más silencio. Y él les dijo:

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

3 Y o de cierto soy judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, pero criado en esta ciudad, instruido a los pies de Gamaliel, estrictamente conforme a la ley de nuestros padres, celoso de Dios, como hoy lo sois todos vosotros.

“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 erseguía yo este Camino hasta la muerte, prendiendo y entregando en cárceles a hombres y mujeres;

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

5 c omo el sumo sacerdote también me es testigo, y todos los ancianos, de quienes también recibí cartas para los hermanos, y fui a Damasco para traer presos a Jerusalén también a los que estuviesen allí, para que fuesen castigados. Pablo relata su conversión (Hch. 9. 1-19; 26. 12-18)

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 P ero aconteció que yendo yo, al llegar cerca de Damasco, como a mediodía, de repente me rodeó mucha luz del cielo;

“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone 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 o entonces respondí: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y me dijo: Yo soy Jesús de Nazaret, a quien tú persigues.

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

9 Y los que estaban conmigo vieron a la verdad la luz, y se espantaron; pero no entendieron la voz del que hablaba conmigo.

“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 Y dije: ¿Qué haré, Señor? Y el Señor me dijo: Levántate, y ve a Damasco, y allí se te dirá todo lo que está ordenado que hagas.

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 Y como yo no veía a causa de la gloria de la luz, llevado de la mano por los que estaban conmigo, llegué a Damasco.

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 E ntonces uno llamado Ananías, varón piadoso según la ley, que tenía buen testimonio de todos los judíos que allí moraban,

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

13 v ino a mí, y acercándose, me dijo: Hermano Saulo, recibe la vista. Y yo en aquella misma hora recobré la vista y lo miré.

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 Y él dijo: El Dios de nuestros padres te ha escogido para que conozcas su voluntad, y veas al Justo, y oigas la voz de su 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 P orque serás testigo suyo a todos los hombres, de lo que has visto y oído.

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

16 A hora, pues, ¿por qué te detienes? Levántate y bautízate, y lava tus pecados, invocando su nombre. Pablo es enviado a los gentiles

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

17 Y me aconteció, vuelto a Jerusalén, que orando en el templo me sobrevino un éxtasis.

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

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

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

19 Y o dije: Señor, ellos saben que yo encarcelaba y azotaba en todas las sinagogas a los que creían en ti;

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

20 y cuando se derramaba la sangre de Esteban tu testigo, yo mismo también estaba presente, y consentía en su muerte, y guardaba las ropas de los que le mataban.

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 P ero me dijo: Ve, porque yo te enviaré lejos a los gentiles. Pablo en manos del tribuno

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

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

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 Y como ellos gritaban y arrojaban sus ropas y lanzaban polvo al aire,

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

24 m andó el tribuno que le metiesen en la fortaleza, y ordenó que fuese examinado con azotes, para saber por qué causa clamaban así contra él.

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 P ero cuando le ataron con correas, Pablo dijo al centurión que estaba presente: ¿Os es lícito azotar a un ciudadano romano sin haber 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 C uando el centurión oyó esto, fue y dio aviso al tribuno, diciendo: ¿Qué vas a hacer? Porque este hombre es ciudadano 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 V ino el tribuno y le dijo: Dime, ¿eres tú ciudadano romano? El dijo: Sí.

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

28 R espondió el tribuno: Yo con una gran suma adquirí esta ciudadanía. Entonces Pablo dijo: Pero yo lo soy de nacimiento.

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

29 A sí que, luego se apartaron de él los que le iban a dar tormento; y aun el tribuno, al saber que era ciudadano romano, también tuvo temor por haberle atado. Pablo ante el concilio

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 A l día siguiente, queriendo saber de cierto la causa por la cual le acusaban los judíos, le soltó de las cadenas, y mandó venir a los principales sacerdotes y a todo el concilio, y sacando a Pablo, le presentó ante ellos.

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.