Acts 22

Paul’s Defense before the Jews

1“12Brothers and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”

2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the 34Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said,

3“5I am 6a Jew, born in 7Tarsus of 8Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated 9under 10Gamaliel, 1112strictly according to the Law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as 13you all are today. 414I persecuted this 15Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5as also 16the high priest and all 17the Council of the elders 18can testify. From them I also 19received letters to 20the brothers, and started off for 21Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem 22as prisoners to be punished.

6“23But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus at about noon, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, 7and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am 24Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 9And those who were with me 25saw the light, but 26did not 27understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. 10And I said, ‘28What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that has been appointed for you to do.’ 11But since I 29could not see because of the 30brightness of that light, I came into Damascus being led by the hand by those who were with me.

12“Now a certain 31Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law and 32well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13came to me, and standing nearby he said to me, ‘33Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And 3435at that very moment I looked up at him. 14And he said, ‘36The God of our fathers has 37appointed you to know His will and to 38see the 39Righteous One and to hear a 40message from His mouth. 15For you will be 41a witness for Him to all people of 42what you have seen and heard. 16Now why do you delay? 43Get up and be baptized, and 44wash away your sins by 45calling on His name.’

17“It happened when I 46returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I 47fell into a trance, 18and I saw Him saying to me, ‘48Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’ 19And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another 49I used to imprison and 50beat those who believed in You. 20And 51when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing nearby and approving, and watching over the cloaks of those who were killing him.’ 21And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away 52to the Gentiles.’”

22They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, “53Away with such a man from the earth, for 54he should not be allowed to live!” 23And as they were shouting and 55throwing off their cloaks and 56tossing dust into the air, 24the commander ordered that he be brought into 57the barracks, saying that he was to be 58interrogated by flogging so that he would find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way. 25But when they stretched him out 59with straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it 60lawful for you to flog 61a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?” 26When 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.” 27The commander came and said to 62Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” 28The commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” And Paul said, “But I was actually born a citizen.” 29Therefore, those who were about to 63interrogate him immediately backed away from him; and the commander also 64was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had 6566put him in chains.

30Now on the next day, 67wanting to know for certain why Paul had been accused by the Jews, he 68released him and ordered the chief priests and all 69the 70Council to assemble, and he brought Paul down and placed him before them.