Acts 22

Paul’s Defense before the Jews

1“1BrethrenG435G80 and fathersG3962, hearG191 my defenseG627 which I nowG3570 offer to you.”

2And when they heardG191 that he was addressingG4377 them in the 23HebrewG1446 dialectG1258, they becameG3930 even moreG3123 quietG2271; and he saidG5346,

3“4I amG1510 5a JewG2453, bornG1080 in 6TarsusG5019 of 7CiliciaG2791, but broughtG397 up in thisG3778 cityG4172, educatedG3811 8underG3844G3588G4228 9GamalielG1059, 1011strictlyG195 accordingG2596 to the lawG3551 of our fathersG3971, beingG5225 zealousG2207 for GodG2316 justG2531 as 12you allG3956 are todayG4594. 413I persecutedG1377 thisG3778 14WayG3598 to the deathG2288, bindingG1195 and puttingG3860 bothG5037 menG435 and womenG1135 into prisonsG5438, 5as alsoG2532 15the highG749 priestG749 and allG3956 16the CouncilG4244 of the eldersG4244 17can testifyG3140. From them I alsoG2532 18receivedG1209 lettersG1992 to 19the brethrenG80, and startedG4198 off for 20DamascusG1154 in order to bringG71 evenG2532 thoseG3588 who were thereG1566 to JerusalemG2419 21as prisonersG1210 to be punishedG5097.

6“22But it happenedG1096 that as I was on my wayG4198, approachingG1448 DamascusG1154 aboutG4012 noontimeG3314, a veryG2425 brightG2425 lightG5457 suddenlyG1810 flashedG4015 from heavenG3772 allG4012 aroundG4012 me, 7and I fellG4098 to the groundG1475 and heardG191 a voiceG5456 sayingG3004 to me, ‘SaulG4549, SaulG4549, whyG5101 are you persecutingG1377 Me?’ 8And I answeredG611, ‘WhoG5101 are You, LordG2962?’ And He saidG3004 to me, ‘I amG1510 23JesusG2424 the NazareneG3480, whomG3739 you are persecutingG1377.’ 9And thoseG3588 whoG5101 were with me 24sawG2300 the lightG5457, to be sureG3303, but 25did not 26understandG191 the voiceG5456 of the One who was speakingG2980 to me. 10And I saidG3004, ‘27WhatG5101 shall I doG4160, LordG2962?’ And the LordG2962 saidG3004 to me, ‘GetG450 up and goG4198 on into DamascusG1154, and thereG2546 you will be toldG2980 of allG3956 that has been appointedG5021 for you to doG4160.’ 11But sinceG5613 I 28could not seeG1689 becauseG575 of the 29brightnessG1391 of that lightG5457, I was ledG5496 by the handG5496 by thoseG3588 who were with me and cameG2064 into DamascusG1154.

12“A certainG5100 30AnaniasG367, a manG435 who was devoutG2126 by the standardG3358 of the LawG3551, and 31wellG3140 spokenG3140 of by allG3956 the JewsG2453 who livedG2730 there, 13cameG2064 to me, and standingG2186 nearG2186 saidG3004 to me, ‘32BrotherG80 SaulG4549, receiveG308 your sightG308!’ And 3334at that veryG846 timeG5610 I lookedG308 up at him. 14And he saidG3004, ‘35The GodG2316 of our fathersG3962 has 36appointedG4400 you to knowG1097 His willG2307 and to 37seeG3708 the 38RighteousG1342 OneG1342 and to hearG191 an 39utteranceG5456 from His mouthG4750. 15For you will be 40a witnessG3144 for Him to allG3956 menG444 of 41whatG3739 you have seenG3708 and heardG191. 16NowG3568 whyG5101 do you delayG3195? 42GetG450 up and be baptizedG907, and 43washG628 awayG628 your sinsG266, 44callingG1941 on His nameG3686.’

17“It happenedG1096 when I 45returnedG5290 to JerusalemG2419 and was prayingG4336 in the templeG2413, that I 46fellG1096 into a tranceG1611, 18and I sawG3708 Him sayingG3004 to me, ‘47MakeG4692 hasteG4692, and getG1831 out of JerusalemG2419 quicklyG5034, becauseG1360 they will not acceptG3858 your testimonyG3141 aboutG4012 Me.’ 19And I saidG3004, ‘LordG2962, they themselvesG846 understandG1987 that in one synagogueG4864 afterG2596 anotherG2596 48I used to imprisonG5439 and 49beatG1194 thoseG3588 who believedG4100 in You. 20And 50whenG3753 the bloodG129 of Your witnessG3144 StephenG4736 was being shedG1632, I alsoG2532 was standingG2186 by approvingG4909, and watchingG5442 out for the coatsG2440 of thoseG3588 who were slayingG337 him.’ 21And He saidG3004 to me, ‘GoG4198! For I will sendG1821 you farG3112 awayG1821 51to the GentilesG1484.’”

22They listenedG191 to him up to thisG3778 statementG3056, and then they raisedG1869 their voicesG5456 and saidG3004, “52AwayG142 with suchG5108 a fellowG5108 from the earthG1093, for 53he shouldG2520 not be allowedG2520 to liveG2198!” 23And as they were cryingG2905 out and 54throwingG4496 offG4496 their cloaksG2440 and 55tossingG906 dustG2868 into the airG109, 24the 56commanderG5506 orderedG2753 him to be broughtG1521 into 57the barracksG3925, statingG3004 that he should be 58examinedG426 by scourgingG3148 soG2443 that he might findG1921 out the reasonG156 whyG1223G3739 they were shoutingG2019 against him that wayG3779. 25But whenG5613 they stretchedG4385 him out 59with thongsG2438, PaulG3972 saidG3004 to the centurionG1543 who was standingG2476 by, “Is it 60lawfulG1832 for you to scourgeG3147 61a manG444 who is a RomanG4514 and uncondemnedG178?” 26When the centurionG1543 heardG191 this, he wentG4334 to the 62commanderG5506 and toldG518 him, sayingG3004, “WhatG5101 are you aboutG3195 to doG4160? For thisG3778 manG444 is a RomanG4514.” 27The 63commanderG5506 cameG4334 and saidG3004 to him, “TellG3004 me, are you a RomanG4514?” And he saidG5346, “YesG3483.” 28The 64commanderG5506 answeredG611, “I acquiredG2932 thisG3778 citizenshipG4174 with a largeG4183 sumG2774 of moneyG2774.” And PaulG3972 saidG5346, “But I was actuallyG2532 bornG1080 a citizen.” 29ThereforeG3767 thoseG3588 who were aboutG3195 to 65examineG426 him immediatelyG2112 66letG868 goG868 of him; and the 67commanderG5506 alsoG2532 68was afraidG5399 when he foundG1921 out that he was a RomanG4514, and becauseG3754 he had 6970putG1210 him in chainsG1210.

30But on the nextG1887 dayG1887, 71wishingG1014 to knowG1097 for certainG804 whyG5101 he had been accusedG2723 by the JewsG2453, he 72releasedG3089 him and orderedG2753 the chiefG749 priestsG749 and allG3956 73the 74CouncilG4892 to assembleG4905, and broughtG2609 PaulG3972 downG2609 and setG2476 him beforeG1519 them.