The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Literal Standard Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 22 -

(Acts 9:1–19; Acts 26:1–23)

“Men, brothers, and fathers, hear my defense now to you.”

and they having heard that he was speaking to them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more silent, and he says,

“I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been taught according to the exactness of a law of the fathers, being zealous of God, as all you are today.

And this Way I persecuted to death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women,

as also the chief priest testifies to me, and all the eldership; from whom also having received letters to the brothers, to Damascus, I was going on, to bring also those there bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished,

and it came to pass, in my going on and coming near to Damascus, about noon, suddenly out of Heaven there shone a great light around me;

I also fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?

And I answered, Who are You, Lord? And He said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene whom you persecute—

and they who are with me saw the light, and became afraid, and they did not hear the voice of Him who is speaking to me—

and I said, What will I do, Lord? And the LORD said to me, Having risen, go on to Damascus, and there it will be told you concerning all things that have been appointed for you to do.

And when I did not see from the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who are with me, I came to Damascus,

and a certain one, Ananias, a pious man according to the Law, being testified to by all the Jews dwelling [there],

having come to me and stood by [me], said to me, Saul, brother, look up; and the same hour I looked up to him;

and he said, The God of our fathers chose you beforehand to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of His mouth,

because you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard;

and now, why do you linger? Having risen, immerse yourself, and wash away your sins, calling on the Name of the LORD.

And it came to pass, when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I came into a trance,

and I saw Him saying to me, Hurry and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive your testimony concerning Me;

and I said, LORD, they know that I was imprisoning and was scourging those believing on You in every synagogue;

and when the blood of your witness Stephen was being poured forth, I was also standing by and assenting to his death, and keeping the garments of those putting him to death;

and He said to me, Go, because I will send you to far-off nations.”

Paul the Roman Citizen

And they were hearing him to this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying, “Away from the earth with such a one; for it is not fit for him to live.”

And they crying out and casting up their garments, and throwing dust into the air,

the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the stronghold, saying, “Let him be examined by scourges,” that he might know for what cause they were crying so against him.

And as he was stretching him with the straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful to you to scourge a man, a Roman, uncondemned?”

And the centurion having heard, having gone near to the chief captain, told, saying, “Take heed what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman”;

and the chief captain having come near, said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes”;

and the chief captain answered, “I, with a great sum, obtained this citizenship”; but Paul said, “But I have even been born [so].”

Immediately, therefore, they departed from him, those being about to examine him, and the chief captain was also afraid, having learned that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him,

and the next day, intending to know the certainty for what reason he is accused by the Jews, he loosed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their Sanhedrin to come, and having brought down Paul, he set [him] before them.

(Acts 9:1–19; Acts 26:1–23)

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

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

“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 persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,

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

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

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

“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.

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.’

When 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.

“One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

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

He 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.

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

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

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

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

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

When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’

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

Paul the Roman Citizen

They 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!”

As they cried out, threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,

the 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.

When 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?”

When 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!”

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

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

Immediately 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.

But 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.