1 « Hermanos y padres, oíd ahora mi defensa ante vosotros.»

Brethren and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make in your presence.

2 A l oír que les hablaba en lengua hebrea, guardaron más silencio. Él les dijo:

And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they were all the more quiet. And he continued,

3 « Yo 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 a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but reared in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated according to the strictest care in the Law of our fathers, being ardent for God, as all of you are today.

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

I harassed (troubled, molested, and persecuted) this Way to the death, putting in chains and committing to prison 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, fui a Damasco para traer presos a Jerusalén también a los que estuvieran allí, para que fueran castigados. Pablo relata su conversión

As the high priest and whole council of elders (Sanhedrin) can testify; for from them indeed I received letters with which I was on my way to the brethren in Damascus in order to take also those who were there, and bring them in chains to Jerusalem that they might be punished.

6 » Pero aconteció que yendo yo, al llegar cerca de Damasco, como a mediodía, de repente me rodeó mucha luz del cielo.

But as I was on my journey and approached Damascus, about noon a great blaze of light flashed suddenly from heaven and shone about me.

7 C aí 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 do you persecute Me ?

8 Y o entonces respondí: “¿Quién eres, Señor?” Me dijo: “Yo soy Jesús de Nazaret, a quien tú persigues.”

And I replied, Who are You, Lord? And He said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, Whom you are persecuting.

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

Now the men who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear '> the sound of the uttered words of] the voice of the One Who was speaking to me '> understand it].

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

And I asked, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord answered me, Get up and go into Damascus, and there it will be told you all that it is destined and appointed for you to do.

11 C omo yo no veía a causa de aquella luz resplandeciente, llegué a Damasco llevado de la mano por los que estaban conmigo.

And 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 I arrived in Damascus.

12 » Entonces uno llamado Ananías, hombre piadoso según la Ley, que tenía buen testimonio de todos los judíos que allí habitaban,

And one Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, well spoken of by all the Jews who resided 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 see me, and standing by my side said to me, Brother Saul, look up and receive back your sight. And in that very instant I looking up saw him.

14 É l dijo: “El Dios de nuestros padres te ha escogido para que conozcas su voluntad, veas al Justo y oigas la voz de su boca,

And he said, The God of our forefathers has destined and appointed you to come progressively to know His will, and to see the Righteous One (Jesus Christ, the Messiah), and to hear a voice from His mouth and a message from His lips;

15 p orque serás testigo suyo ante todos los hombres, de lo que has visto y oído.

For you will be His witness unto all men of everything that you have seen and heard.

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

And now, why do you delay? Rise and be baptized, and by calling upon His name, wash away your sins.

17 » Volví a Jerusalén, y mientras estaba orando en el Templo me sobrevino un éxtasis.

Then when I had come back to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple '> enclosure], I fell into a trance (an ecstasy);

18 V i al Señor, que me decía: “Date prisa y sal prontamente de Jerusalén, porque no recibirán tu testimonio acerca de mí.”

And I saw Him as He said to me, Hurry, get quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony about Me.

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

And I said, Lord, they themselves well know that throughout all the synagogues I cast into prison and flogged those who believed on (adhered to and trusted in and relied 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 lo mataban.”

And when the blood of Your witness (martyr) Stephen was shed, I also was personally standing by and consenting and approving and guarding the garments of those who slew him.

21 P ero me dijo: “Ve, porque yo te enviaré lejos, a los gentiles.”» Pablo en manos del comandante

And the Lord said to me, Go, for I will send you far away unto the Gentiles (nations).

22 L o oyeron hasta esta palabra; entonces alzaron la voz, diciendo: —¡Quita de la tierra a tal hombre, porque no conviene que viva!

Up to the moment that Paul made this last statement, the people listened to him; but now they raised their voices and shouted, Away with such a fellow from the earth! He is not fit to live!

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

And as they were shouting and tossing and waving their garments and throwing dust into the air,

24 m andó el comandante que lo metieran en la fortaleza y ordenó que fuera azotado para que hablara, a fin de saber por qué causa gritaban así contra él.

The commandant ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks, and that he be examined by scourging in order that might learn why the people cried out thus against him.

25 P ero cuando lo ataban con correas, Pablo dijo al centurión que estaba presente: —¿Os está permitido azotar a un ciudadano romano sin haber sido condenado?

But when they had stretched him out with the thongs (leather straps), Paul asked the centurion who was standing by, Is it legal for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned ?

26 C uando el centurión oyó esto, fue y dio aviso al comandante, diciendo: —¿Qué vas a hacer? Porque este hombre es ciudadano romano.

When the centurion heard that, he went to the commandant and said to him, What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen!

27 S e acercó el comandante y le dijo: —Dime, ¿eres tú ciudadano romano? Él dijo: —Sí.

So the commandant came and said to, Tell me, are you a Roman citizen? And he said, Yes!

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

The commandant replied, I purchased this citizenship for a big price. Paul said, But I was born!

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

Instantly those who were about to examine and flog him withdrew from him; and the commandant also was frightened, for he realized that was a Roman citizen and he had put him in chains.

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

But the next day, desiring to know the real cause for which the Jews accused him, he unbound him and ordered the chief priests and all the council (Sanhedrin) to assemble; and he brought Paul down and placed him before them.