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

Irmãos e pais, ouvi a minha defesa, que agora faço perante vós.

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

Ora, quando ouviram que lhes falava em língua hebraica, guardaram ainda maior silêncio. E ele prosseguiu.

3 “ 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.

Eu sou judeu, nascido em Tarso da Cilícia, mas criado nesta cidade, instruído aos pés de Gamaliel, conforme a precisão da lei de nossos pais, sendo zeloso para com Deus, assim como o sois todos vós no dia de hoje.

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

E persegui este Caminho até a morte, algemando e metendo em prisões tanto a homens como a mulheres,

5 A s 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.

do que também o sumo sacerdote me é testemunha, e assim todo o conselho dos anciãos; e, tendo recebido destes cartas para os irmãos, seguia para Damasco, com o fim de trazer algemados a Jerusalém aqueles que ali estivessem, para que fossem castigados.

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

Aconteceu, porém, que, quando caminhava e ia chegando perto de Damasco, pelo meio-dia, de repente, do céu brilhou-me ao redor uma grande luz.

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

Caí por terra e ouvi uma voz que me dizia: Saulo, Saulo, por que me persegues?

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

Eu respondi: Quem és tu, Senhor? Disse-me: Eu sou Jesus, o nazareno, a quem tu persegues.

9 “ 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.

E os que estavam comigo viram, em verdade, a luz, mas não entenderam a voz daquele que falava comigo.

10 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.’

Então disse eu: Senhor que farei? E o Senhor me disse: Levanta-te, e vai a Damasco, onde se te dirá tudo o que te é ordenado fazer.

11 W hen 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.

Como eu nada visse por causa do esplendor daquela luz, guiado pela mão dos que estavam comigo cheguei a Damasco.

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

um certo Ananias, varão piedoso conforme a lei, que tinha bom testemunho de todos os judeus que ali moravam,

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

vindo ter comigo, de pé ao meu lado, disse-me: Saulo, irmão, recobra a vista. Naquela mesma hora, recobrando a vista, eu o vi.

14 H e 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.

Disse ele: O Deus de nossos pais de antemão te designou para conhecer a sua vontade, ver o Justo, e ouvir a voz da sua boca.

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

Porque hás de ser sua testemunha para com todos os homens do que tens visto e ouvido.

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

Agora por que te demoras? Levanta-te, batiza-te e lava os teus pecados, invocando o seu nome.

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

Aconteceu que, tendo eu voltado para Jerusalém, enquanto orava no templo, achei-me em êxtase,

18 a nd saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’

e vi aquele que me dizia: Apressa-te e sai logo de Jerusalém; porque não receberão o teu testemunho acerca de mim.

19 I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.

Disse eu: Senhor, eles bem sabem que eu encarcerava e açoitava pelas sinagogas os que criam em ti,

20 W hen 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.’

e quando se derramava o sangue de Estêvão, tua testemunha, eu também estava presente, consentindo na sua morte e guardando as capas dos que o matavam.

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

Disse-me ele: Vai, porque eu te enviarei para longe aos gentios.

22 T hey 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!”

Ora, escutavam-no até esta palavra, mas então levantaram a voz, dizendo: Tira do mundo tal homem, porque não convém que viva.

23 A s they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,

Gritando eles e arrojando de si as capas e lançando pó para o ar,

24 t he 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.

o comandante mandou que levassem Paulo para dentro da fortaleza, ordenando que fosse interrogado debaixo de açoites, para saber por que causa assim clamavam contra ele.

25 W hen 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?”

Quando o haviam atado com as correias, disse Paulo ao centurião que ali estava: É-vos lícito açoitar um cidadão romano, sem ser ele condenado?

26 W hen 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!”

Ouvindo isto, foi o centurião ter com o comandante e o avisou, dizendo: Vê o que estás para fazer, pois este homem é romano.

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

Vindo o comandante, perguntou-lhe: Dize-me: és tu romano? Respondeu ele: Sou.

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

Tornou o comandante: Eu por grande soma de dinheiro adquiri este direito de cidadão. Paulo disse: Mas eu o sou de nascimento.

29 I mmediately 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.

Imediatamente, pois se apartaram dele aqueles que o iam interrogar; e até o comandante, tendo sabido que Paulo era romano, atemorizou-se porque o havia ligado.

30 B ut 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.

No dia seguinte, querendo saber ao certo a causa por que ele era acusado pelos judeus, soltou-o das prisões, e mandou que se reunissem os principais sacerdotes e todo o sinédrio; e, trazendo Paulo, apresentou-o diante deles.