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Paul Speaks in His Own Defense

37 Just as Paul was about to be taken into the barracks, he asked the tribune, “May I say something to you?”

The tribune[a] asked, “Oh, do you speak Greek? 38 You’re not the Egyptian who started a revolt some time ago and led 4,000 assassins into the desert, are you?”

39 Paul replied, “I’m a Jew from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city. Please let me speak to the people.” 40 The tribune[b] gave him permission, and Paul, standing on the steps, motioned for the people to be silent. When everyone had quieted down, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language:

22 “Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense that I am now making before you.” When they heard him speaking to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet, and he continued:

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia but raised in this city and educated at the feet of Gamaliel in the strict ways of our ancestral Law. I am as zealous for God as all of you are today. I persecuted this Way, even executing people,[c] and kept tying up both men and women and putting them in prison, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. I also received letters from them to the brothers in Damascus, and I was going there to tie up those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.

“But while I was on my way and approaching Damascus about noon, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 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?’[d]

“He told me, ‘I’m Jesus from Nazareth,[e] whom you are persecuting.’ The men who were with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

10 “Then I asked, ‘What am I to do, Lord?’

“The Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are destined to do.’ 11 Since I could not see because of the brightness of the light, the men who were with me took me by the hand and led me into Damascus.

12 “A certain Ananias, who was a devout man with respect to the Law and who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there, 13 came to me. He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ At that moment I could see him.

14 “Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear his own voice,[f] 15 because you will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 16 So now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.’

17 “Then I returned to Jerusalem. While I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance 18 and saw the Lord[g] saying to me, ‘Hurry up and get out of Jerusalem at once, because the people[h] won’t accept your testimony about me.’

19 “I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I kept imprisoning and beating those who believe in you. 20 Even when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing there, approving it and guarding the coats of those who were killing him.’

21 “Then he told me, ‘Go, because I’ll send you far away to the gentiles.’

Footnotes

  1. Acts 21:37 Lit. He
  2. Acts 21:40 Lit. He
  3. Acts 22:4 The Gk. lacks people
  4. Acts 22:8 Or Sir
  5. Acts 22:8 Or Jesus the Nazarene; the Gk. Nazoraios may be a word play between Heb. netser, meaning branch (cf. Isa 11:1), and the name Nazareth.
  6. Acts 22:14 Lit. the voice of his mouth
  7. Acts 22:18 Lit. him
  8. Acts 22:18 Lit. they

37 As he was about mellō to be brought eisagō into eis the ho barracks parembolē, · ho Paul Paulos said legō to the ho commanding chiliarchos officer , “Is it allowed for me egō to say legō something tis to pros you sy?” He ho · de replied phēmi, “ Do you know ginōskō Greek Hellēnisti? 38 Then ara you sy are eimi not ou the ho Egyptian Aigyptios who ho prior pro to these houtos · ho days hēmera stirred anastatoō up a revolt and kai led exagō into eis the ho desert erēmos the ho four tetrakischilioi thousand men anēr of the ho Assassins sikarios?” 39 But de Paul Paulos replied legō, · ho I egō am eimi a Jew Ioudaios, from Tarsus Tarseus in ho Cilicia Kilikia, a citizen politēs of no ou obscure asēmos city polis. I beg deomai · de you sy, allow epitrepō me egō to speak laleō to pros the ho people laos.” 40 And de when he autos had given epitrepō him permission , · ho Paul Paulos stood histēmi on epi the ho steps anabathmos and motioned kataseiō with his ho hand cheir to the ho people laos. And de when there was ginomai a great polys hush sigē, he addressed prosphōneō them in the ho Hebrew Hebrais language dialektos, saying legō:

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.’”