使徒行傳 22
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Traditional)
22 「各位父老兄弟，請聽我解釋！」 2 在場的人聽見保羅講的是希伯來話，更加安靜了。保羅說： 3 「我是猶太人，生於基利迦的大數，在耶路撒冷長大，曾在迦瑪列門下嚴格地按著我們祖先的律法接受教育，像你們今日一樣熱心事奉上帝。 4 我曾經把信奉這道的男女信徒抓進監獄，迫害他們，置他們於死地。 5 大祭司和眾長老都可以為我作證。我還拿著他們寫給大馬士革的猶太人的信去拘捕那裡的信徒，押回耶路撒冷受刑。
6 「當我快到大馬士革的時候，大約中午時分，突然從天上有一道強光四面照著我。 7 我就仆倒在地，聽見有聲音對我說，『掃羅！掃羅！你為什麼迫害我？』 8 我回答說，『主啊，你是誰？』他說，『我就是你迫害的拿撒勒人耶穌！』 9 我的同伴雖然也看見那道強光，卻聽不懂那位說話者的聲音。 10 接著我又問，『主啊！我該怎麼辦？』主說，『起來，到大馬士革去，那裡會有人將指派給你的事告訴你。』
11 「那道耀眼的光照得我雙眼失明，於是同行的人拉著我的手，帶我進了大馬士革。 12 那裡有一個嚴守律法的虔誠人名叫亞拿尼亞，深受當地所有猶太人的尊敬。 13 他來探望我，站在我身邊說，『掃羅弟兄，重見光明吧！』就在那一刻，我抬頭看見了他。 14 他又說，『我們祖先的上帝揀選了你，要你明白祂的旨意，又讓你親自看見那位公義者、聽到祂的聲音。 15 因為你將作祂的見證人，把所見所聞告訴萬民。 16 現在你還等什麼呢？起來求告祂的名，接受洗禮，洗淨你的罪。』
17 「後來，我回到耶路撒冷，在聖殿裡禱告的時候，進入異象， 18 看見主對我說，『趕快離開耶路撒冷，因為這裡的人不會接受你為我做的見證。』 19 我說，『主啊！他們都知道我從前搜遍各會堂，逮捕、毒打信你的人。 20 當你的見證人司提凡為你流血殉道時，我自己也站在旁邊贊同殺他的人，還替他們保管衣服。』 21 主卻對我說，『去吧！我要差遣你到遙遠的外族人那裡。』」
因羅馬公民身分而免刑
22 眾人一聽到這裡，就高喊：「從世上除掉這樣的人！他不配活著！」 23 百姓咆哮著脫掉外衣，揚起塵土。 24 千夫長下令把保羅押回營房，預備鞭打拷問他，要查出眾人向他咆哮的緣由。 25 他們把保羅綁起來正要鞭打，保羅問旁邊的百夫長：「未經定罪就拷打羅馬公民合法嗎？」
26 百夫長一聽，立刻去稟告千夫長說：「你看該怎麼辦？這人是羅馬公民。」
27 千夫長就來問保羅：「告訴我，你是羅馬公民嗎？」
保羅說：「是的。」
28 千夫長說：「我花了很多錢才當上羅馬公民！」
保羅說：「我生來就是。」
29 那些準備拷問保羅的士兵立刻退下了。千夫長也害怕起來，因為發現保羅是羅馬公民，他卻下令捆綁了保羅。
保羅在公會申辯
30 第二天，千夫長想知道保羅被猶太人指控的真相，就為保羅鬆了綁，並召聚了祭司長和全公會的人，然後將保羅帶來，讓他站在眾人面前。
Acts 22
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 22
Paul’s Defense Before the Jerusalem Jews.[a] 1 “My brothers and fathers, listen to what I am about to say to you in my defense.” 2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew they became all the more quiet. And he continued, 3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.(A) 4 I persecuted this Way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.(B) 5 Even the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify on my behalf. For from them I even received letters to the brothers and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment those there as well.
6 “On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.(C) 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’(D) 8 I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’(E) 9 My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.(F) 10 I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’ The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.’(G) 11 Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light, I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus.(H)
12 (I)“A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law, and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me and stood there and said, ‘Saul, my brother, regain your sight.’ And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him. 14 Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; 15 for you will be his witness[b] before all to what you have seen and heard. 16 Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.’
17 “After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry, leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 But I replied, ‘Lord, they themselves know that from synagogue to synagogue I used to imprison and beat those who believed in you.(J) 20 And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I myself stood by giving my approval and keeping guard over the cloaks of his murderers.’(K) 21 Then he said to me,(L) ‘Go, I shall send you far away to the Gentiles.’”[c]
Paul Imprisoned. 22 (M)They listened to him until he said this, but then they raised their voices and shouted, “Take such a one as this away from the earth. It is not right that he should live.”[d] 23 And as they were yelling and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the cohort commander ordered him to be brought into the compound and gave instruction that he be interrogated under the lash to determine the reason why they were making such an outcry against him. 25 (N)But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion on duty, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and has not been tried?”[e] 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the cohort commander and reported it, saying, “What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen.” 27 Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered. 28 The commander replied, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” Paul said, “But I was born one.” 29 At once those who were going to interrogate him backed away from him, and the commander became alarmed when he realized that he was a Roman citizen and that he had had him bound.
Paul Before the Sanhedrin. 30 The next day, wishing to determine the truth about why he was being accused by the Jews, he freed him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to convene. Then he brought Paul down and made him stand before them.
Footnotes
- 22:1–21 Paul’s first defense speech is presented to the Jerusalem crowds. Luke here presents Paul as a devout Jew (Acts 22:3) and zealous persecutor of the Christian community (Acts 22:4–5), and then recounts the conversion of Paul for the second time in Acts (see note on Acts 9:1–19).
- 22:15 His witness: like the Galilean followers during the historical ministry of Jesus, Paul too, through his experience of the risen Christ, is to be a witness to the resurrection (compare Acts 1:8; 10:39–41; Lk 24:48).
- 22:21 Paul endeavors to explain that his position on the law has not been identical with that of his audience because it has been his prophetic mission to preach to the Gentiles to whom the law was not addressed and who had no faith in it as a way of salvation.
- 22:22 Paul’s suggestion that his prophetic mission to the Gentiles did not involve his imposing the law on them provokes the same opposition as occurred in Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:45).
- 22:25 Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and has not been tried?: see note on Acts 16:37.
Acts 22
English Standard Version
22 (A)“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”
2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in (B)the Hebrew language,[a] they became even more quiet. And he said:
3 (C)“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated (D)at the feet of (E)Gamaliel[b] (F)according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, (G)being zealous for God (H)as all of you are this day. 4 (I)I persecuted (J)this Way (K)to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as (L)the high priest and (M)the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to (N)the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 (O)“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am (P)Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 (Q)Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand[c] the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, (R)‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’ 11 And 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 “And (S)one Ananias, a devout man (T)according to the law, (U)well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 (V)came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And (W)at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, (X)‘The God of our fathers (Y)appointed you to know his will, (Z)to see (AA)the Righteous One and (AB)to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for (AC)you will be a witness for him to everyone of what (AD)you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? (AE)Rise and be baptized and (AF)wash away your sins, (AG)calling on his name.’
17 (AH)“When I had returned to Jerusalem and (AI)was praying in the temple, I fell into (AJ)a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, (AK)‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another (AL)I imprisoned and (AM)beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen (AN)your witness was being shed, (AO)I myself was standing by and (AP)approving and (AQ)watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you (AR)far away to the Gentiles.’”
Paul and the Roman Tribune
22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, (AS)“Away with such a fellow from the earth! For (AT)he should not be allowed to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into (AU)the barracks, saying that he should be (AV)examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips,[d] Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog (AW)a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” 26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.” 27 So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.” 29 So those who were about (AX)to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also (AY)was afraid, (AZ)for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that (BA)he had bound him.
Paul Before the Council
30 But on the next day, (BB)desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.
Footnotes
- Acts 22:2 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)
- Acts 22:3 Or city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated
- Acts 22:9 Or hear with understanding
- Acts 22:25 Or when they had tied him up with leather strips
Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
