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

“ Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”

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

And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said,

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.

“ I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.

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

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

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.

as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.

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

“ But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me,

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

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

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

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

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.

And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

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.’

And I said, ‘ What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.’

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.

But 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 came into Damascus.

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

“A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

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.

came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘ Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him.

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.

And he said, ‘ The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.

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

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

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

Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.’

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

“It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance,

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.’

and I saw Him saying to me, ‘ Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’

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

And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You.

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.’

And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.’

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

And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

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!”

They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “ Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!”

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

And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,

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.

the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way.

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?”

But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?”

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!”

When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.”

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

The commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.”

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

The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.”

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.

Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.

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.

But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.