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22  My brothers anēr and kai fathers patēr, listen akouō now nyni to me egō · ho as I make my defense apologia to pros you hymeis.” And de when they heard akouō that hoti he was addressing prosphōneō them autos in the ho Hebrew Hebrais language dialektos, they became parechō even more mallon quiet hēsychia. And kai he said phēmi: I egō am eimi a Jewish Ioudaios man anēr, born gennaō in en Tarsus Tarsos of ho Cilicia Kilikia, but de brought anatrephō up in en · ho this houtos city polis at para the ho feet pous of Gamaliel Gamaliēl, educated paideuō according kata to the strictness akribeia of the ho ancestral patrōos law nomos, being hyparchō zealous zēlōtēs for ho God theos just kathōs as you hymeis all pas are eimi today sēmeron. I persecuted diōkō the followers of this houtos · ho Way hodos even to achri their death thanatos, putting desmeuō in chains both te men anēr and kai women gynē and kai delivering paradidōmi them to eis prison phylakē, as hōs also kai the ho high archiereus priest and kai the whole pas · ho council of elders presbyterion can bear martyreō me egō witness martyreō. From para them hos · kai I received dechomai letters epistolē to pros the ho brothers adelphos, and I went poreuō toward eis Damascus Damaskos to take agō those ho also kai who were eimi there ekeise and bring deō them in bonds to eis Jerusalem Ierousalēm to hina be punished timōreō. · de As I egō journeyed poreuō and kai came engizō near to ho Damascus Damaskos, about peri noon mesēmbria suddenly exaiphnēs out ek of · ho heaven ouranos flashed periastraptō a brilliant hikanos light phōs all around peri me egō. I fell piptō to eis the ho ground edaphos and kai heard akouō a voice phōnē saying legō to me egō, ‘ Saul Saoul, Saul Saoul, why tis are you persecuting diōkō me egō?’ And de I egō answered apokrinomai, ‘ Who tis are eimi you , Lord kyrios?’ And te he said legō to pros me egō, ‘ I egō am eimi Jesus Iēsous of ho Nazareth Nazōraios, whom hos you sy are persecuting diōkō.’ Now de those ho who were eimi with syn me egō saw theaomai the ho light phōs but de did akouō not ou understand akouō the ho voice phōnē of the ho one who was speaking laleō to me egō. 10 And de I said legō, ‘ What tis shall I do poieō, Lord kyrios?’ And de the ho Lord kyrios said legō to pros me egō, ‘ Get anistēmi up and go poreuō on into eis Damascus Damaskos, and there kakei it will be told laleō you sy about peri all pas that hos has been assigned tassō to you sy to do poieō.’ 11 Since hōs · de I could not ou see emblepō due apo to the ho brilliance doxa of ho that ekeinos light phōs, being led cheiragōgeō by the hand by hypo those ho who were with syneimi me egō, I went erchomai to eis Damascus Damaskos.

12  Then de a certain tis Ananias Hananias, a devout eulabēs man anēr according kata to the ho law nomos, well martyreō spoken of by hypo all pas the ho Jews Ioudaios who lived katoikeō there, 13 came erchomai to pros me egō, and kai standing ephistēmi there said legō to me egō, ‘ Brother adelphos Saul Saoul, recover anablepō your sight .’ And kagō at that ho very autos hour hōra I recovered my sight and saw anablepō eis him autos. 14 And de he ho said legō, ‘ The ho God theos of ho our hēmeis fathers patēr has chosen procheirizō you sy to know ginōskō · ho his autos will thelēma, · kai to see the ho Righteous dikaios One and kai to hear akouō a voice phōnē from ek · ho his autos mouth stoma. 15 For hoti you will be eimi a witness martys for him autos to pros everyone pas anthrōpos of what hos you have seen horaō and kai heard akouō. 16 And kai now nyn why tis are you waiting mellō? Rise anistēmi and be baptized baptizō and kai wash apolouō away · ho your sy sins hamartia, calling epikaleō on · ho his autos name onoma.’ 17 · de When I egō had returned hypostrephō to eis Jerusalem Ierousalēm and kai I egō was praying proseuchomai in en the ho temple hieron, I egō fell ginomai into en a trance ekstasis 18 and kai I saw him autos saying legō to me egō, ‘ Make speudō haste and kai get exerchomai out of ek Jerusalem Ierousalēm quickly en tachos, because dioti they will not ou accept paradechomai your sy testimony martyria about peri me egō.’ 19 And kagō I said legō, ‘ Lord kyrios, they themselves autos know epistamai that hoti I egō used eimi to go from one synagogue to another kata imprisoning phylakizō and kai flogging derō · ho those ho who believed pisteuō in epi you sy. 20 And kai when hote the ho blood haima of Stephen Stephanos, · ho your sy witness martys, was being shed ekchunnomai, · kai I myself autos was eimi standing ephistēmi by · kai approving syneudokeō and kai guarding phylassō the ho cloaks himation of those ho who were killing anaireō him autos.’ 21 And kai he said legō to pros me egō, ‘ Go poreuō, for hoti I egō will send exapostellō you sy far away makran to eis the Gentiles ethnos.’”

22 They listened akouō to · de him autos until achri this houtos · ho word logos, but kai then they raised epairō · ho their autos voices phōnē saying legō, “ Away airō with such a fellow toioutos from apo the ho earth , · ho for gar it is not ou right kathēkō for him autos to live zaō!” 23 While they autos were crying kraugazō out and kai throwing rhipteō off their ho cloaks himation and kai flinging ballō dust koniortos in eis the ho air aēr, 24 the ho commanding officer chiliarchos ordered keleuō Paul autos to be brought eisagō back into eis the ho barracks parembolē, saying legō that he autos should be examined anetazō with whips mastix so hina that he might know epiginōskō the hos reason aitia why dia they were shouting epiphōneō at him autos that way houtōs. 25 But de when hōs they had stretched proteinō him autos out for the ho lash himas, Paul Paulos said legō to pros the ho centurion hekatontarchēs standing histēmi by , · ho “Is it lawful for you hymeis to flog mastizō a man anthrōpos who is a Roman Rhōmaios citizen and kai uncondemned akatakritos?” 26 When the ho centurion hekatontarchēs heard akouō · de this, he went proserchomai and reported apangellō to the ho commanding chiliarchos officer , saying legō, “ What tis are you about mellō to do poieō? · ho For gar this houtos man anthrōpos is eimi a Roman Rhōmaios citizen .” 27 The ho commanding officer chiliarchos came proserchomai to · de him autos and said legō, “ Tell legō me egō, are eimi you sy a Roman Rhōmaios citizen ?” He ho · de replied phēmi, “ Yes nai.” 28 The ho commanding officer chiliarchos answered apokrinomai, · de I egō obtained ktaomai this houtos citizenship politeia with a large polys sum kephalaion of money .” · ho · ho · de Paul Paulos answered phēmi, “ But de I egō was even kai born gennaō one.” 29 Immediately eutheōs those ho who were about mellō to examine anetazō him autos drew back aphistēmi from apo him autos; and kai the ho commanding chiliarchos officer · de was afraid phobeomai, realizing epiginōskō that hoti Paul was eimi a Roman Rhōmaios citizen and kai that hoti he had eimi bound deō him autos.

30 But de on the ho next epaurion day , wanting boulomai to know ginōskō · ho for sure asphalēs · ho what tis was the accusation katēgoreō being made against him by hypo the ho Jews Ioudaios, he released lyō him autos and kai ordered keleuō the ho chief archiereus priests and kai all pas the ho council synedrion to meet synerchomai, and kai he brought katagō · ho Paul Paulos down and set histēmi him before eis them autos.

Paul’s defense before his accusers

22 “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense.” When they heard him address them in Aramaic, they became even more quiet. Paul continued, “I’m a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia but raised in this city. Under Gamaliel’s instruction, I was trained in the strict interpretation of our ancestral Law. I am passionately loyal to God, just like you who are gathered here today. I harassed those who followed this Way to their death, arresting and delivering both men and women into prison. The high priest and the whole Jerusalem Council can testify about me. I received letters from them, addressed to our associates in Damascus, then went there to bring those who were arrested to Jerusalem so they could be punished.

“During that journey, about noon, as I approached Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven encircled me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice asking me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me?’ I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are harassing,’ he replied. My traveling companions saw the light, but they didn’t hear the voice of the one who spoke to me. 10 I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up,’ the Lord replied, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told everything you have been appointed to do.’ 11 I couldn’t see because of the brightness of that light, so my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.

12 “There was a certain man named Ananias. According to the standards of the Law, he was a pious man who enjoyed the respect of all the Jews living there. 13 He came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ he said. Instantly, I regained my sight and I could see him. 14 He said, ‘The God of our ancestors has selected you to know his will, to see the righteous one, and to hear his voice. 15 You will be his witness to everyone concerning what you have seen and heard. 16 What are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins as you call on his name.’

17 “When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I had a visionary experience. 18 I saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Hurry!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem at once because they won’t accept your testimony about me.’ 19 I responded, ‘Lord, these people know I used to go from one synagogue to the next, beating those who believe in you and throwing them into prison. 20 When Stephen your witness was being killed, I stood there giving my approval, even watching the clothes that belonged to those who were killing him.’ 21 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they shouted, “Away with this man! He’s not fit to live!” 23 As they were screaming, throwing off their garments, and flinging dust into the air, 24 the commander directed that Paul be taken into the military headquarters. He ordered that Paul be questioned under the whip so that he could find out why they were shouting at him like this.

25 As they were stretching him out and tying him down with straps, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Can you legally whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t been found guilty in court?”

26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. He asked, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen!”

27 The commander went to Paul and demanded, “Tell me! Are you a Roman citizen?”

He said, “Yes.”

28 The commander replied, “It cost me a lot of money to buy my citizenship.”

Paul said, “I’m a citizen by birth.” 29 At once those who were about to examine him stepped away. The commander was alarmed when he realized he had bound a Roman citizen.

Paul appears before the Jewish council

30 The commander still wanted to know the truth about why Paul was being accused by the Jews. Therefore, the next day he ordered the chief priests and the entire Jerusalem Council to assemble. Then he took Paul out of prison and had him stand before them.