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Acts 22
EasyEnglish Bible
Acts 22
EasyEnglish Bible
Paul speaks to the crowd in Jerusalem
22 Paul said to the crowd, ‘Please, listen to me, you Jewish leaders and all you other people who are Jews like me. I want to explain to you what has happened here.’
2 The crowd heard Paul speaking to them in their own Hebrew language. So they became really quiet.
Paul continued to speak. He said, 3 ‘I am a Jew. I was born in Tarsus in the region of Cilicia. I lived here in Jerusalem when I was a boy. I studied God's Law for many years and Gamaliel was my teacher.[a] I learned very well how to obey the laws of our ancestors. I tried to obey God as carefully as all of you do today.
4 I caused great trouble to the disciples of Jesus. I even wanted to kill them. I took hold of them and I put them in prison. I did that to both men and women. 5 The most important priest and all the group of Jewish leaders can tell you that this is true. They gave me letters for the Jewish leaders in Damascus. So I travelled to Damascus to take hold of the believers in that city. I wanted to tie them up and bring them back to Jerusalem. Then the leaders here could punish them.’
Paul tells the crowd how he began to believe in Jesus
6 Paul continued to say, ‘As I was travelling, I came near to Damascus. About midday, a bright light from the sky suddenly shone round me. 7 I fell down to the ground. Then I heard a voice that said to me, “Saul, Saul, why do you fight against me?”
8 “Lord, who are you?” I asked.
He said to me, “I am Jesus from Nazareth. And you are fighting against me.” 9 The men who travelled with me saw the light. But they did not understand the voice that spoke to me.
10 I asked, “Lord, what must I do?” He said to me, “Get up now and go into Damascus. When you arrive in the city, someone will come to you. He will tell you what God wants you to do.” 11 The bright light hurt my eyes so that I could not see. So the men who were with me held my hand. They led me into Damascus.
12 In Damascus, there was a man called Ananias. He worshipped God and he obeyed our Law. All the Jews in Damascus said good things about him. 13 Ananias came to see me. He stood near to me and he said, “Brother Saul, see again!” Then immediately I could see again. I could look at him.
14 Then Ananias said to me, “The God that we worship and our ancestors worshipped has chosen you. He will tell you what he wants you to do. God has let you see his special servant, who is completely good. You have heard this servant's message to you. 15 You will tell people everywhere about the things that you have seen and heard. That is what God wants you to do. 16 So now you do not need to wait any longer. Stand up and I will baptize you. Believe in the Lord Jesus so that God will forgive you for your sins.”
17 So then I returned to Jerusalem. I went into the temple and I was praying there. I had a vision. 18 In the vision, I saw the Lord and he spoke to me. He said, “Hurry. Leave Jerusalem quickly. The people here will not believe what you say to them about me.”
19 I replied, “Lord, the people here know what I have been doing. They know that I wanted to take hold of all the people who believed in you. I went to all our Jewish meeting places to look for the believers. When I found them, I put them in prison and I hit them with sticks. 20 I myself was there when the people killed Stephen. He was your servant who told people your message. But I agreed that it was right to kill him. I even held the coats of the people while they killed him.”
21 But the Lord said to me, “Go! I will now send you a long way away. You must go to the Gentiles and tell them my message.” ’
The people in the crowd become very angry with Paul
22 The people listened carefully to Paul until he spoke about the Gentiles. Then they began to shout loudly, ‘Take him away! Kill him! It is not right that he should live any longer!’
23 While they were shouting this, they were taking off their coats. They also threw dirt from the ground up into the air.[b]
24 The leader of the soldiers said to his men, ‘Take this man into our building. Then hit him with whips. We must find out what he has done. He must tell us why the Jews are shouting so loudly against him.’[c]
25 So the soldiers tied Paul's arms and they were ready to hit him. But Paul spoke to the soldiers' officer who stood near to him. He said, ‘I am a citizen of Rome. So it is not right for you to hit me like that. No judge has agreed that I have done anything wrong.’
26 The officer heard what Paul said. So he went to the leader of the soldiers and he said, ‘That man is a citizen of Rome! Be careful what you do to him!’
27 So the soldiers' leader went to speak to Paul. He asked him, ‘Tell me. Are you really a citizen of Rome?’
Paul answered, ‘Yes, I am.’
28 The soldiers' leader said, ‘I paid a lot of money to the government so that I could become a citizen of Rome.’
Paul replied, ‘But I was already a citizen of Rome when I was born.’
29 Immediately, the men who wanted to hit Paul with whips moved away from him. The leader of the soldiers was also very afraid. He had tied chains around Paul's arms and legs. He knew that he should not have done that to a citizen of Rome.[d]
30 The soldiers' leader wanted to find the reason why the Jews had said bad things against Paul. He wanted to know what was really true. So the next day, he told his soldiers to remove the chains from Paul. He sent a message to the most important priest and to all the group of Jewish leaders. He told them to meet together with him. Then he took Paul to their meeting. He made Paul stand in front of them.
Footnotes
- 22:3 Gamaliel was a Pharisee. He taught Jewish boys and young men about God's Law. He was a very good teacher.
- 22:23 The Jews did this when someone had said bad things about God. They thought that Paul had done that, so they were very angry.
- 22:24 The soldiers would hit a person so that he would give them a true answer. A whip was a stick with long pieces of strong material fixed at one end.
- 22:29 The leader of the soldiers could hold a citizen of Rome in prison. But he should not put chains on the arms and legs of the citizen.
Acts 22
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
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.
Hechos 22
Spanish Blue Red and Gold Letter Edition
Hechos 22
Spanish Blue Red and Gold Letter Edition
22 VARONES hermanos y padres, oid la razón que ahora os doy.
2 (Y como oyeron que les hablaba en lengua hebrea, guardaron más silencio.) Y dijo:
3 Yo de cierto soy Judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, mas criado en esta ciudad á los pies de Gamaliel, enseñado conforme á la verdad de la ley de la patria, celoso de Dios, como todos vosotros sois hoy.
4 Que he perseguido este camino hasta la muerte, prendiendo y entregando en cárceles hombres y mujeres:
5 Como también el príncipe de los sacerdotes me es testigo, y todos los ancianos; de los cuales también tomando letras á los hermanos, iba á Damasco para traer presos á Jerusalem aun á los que estuviesen allí, para que fuesen castigados.
6 Mas aconteció que yendo yo, y llegando cerca de Damasco, como á medio día, de repente me rodeó mucha luz del cielo:
7 Y caí en el suelo, y oí una voz que me decía: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?
8 Yo entonces respondí: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y me dijo: Yo soy Jesús de Nazaret, á quién tú persigues.
9 Y los que estaban conmigo vieron á la verdad la luz, y se espantaron; mas no oyeron la voz del que hablaba conmigo.
10 Y dije: ¿Qué haré, Señor? Y el Señor me dijo: Levántate, y ve á Damasco, y allí te será dicho todo lo que te está señalado hacer.
11 Y como yo no viese por causa de la claridad de la luz, llevado de la mano por los que estaban conmigo, vine á Damasco.
12 Entonces un Ananías, varón pío conforme á la ley, que tenía buen testimonio de todos los Judíos que allí moraban,
13 Viniendo á mí, y acercándose, me dijo: Hermano Saulo, recibe la vista. Y yo en aquella hora le miré.
14 Y él dijo: El Dios de nuestros padres te ha predestinado para que conocieses su voluntad, y vieses á aquel Justo, y oyeses la voz de su boca.
15 Porque has de ser testigo suyo á todos los hombres, de lo que has visto y oído.
16 Ahora pues, ¿por qué te detienes? Levántate, y bautízate, y lava tus pecados, invocando su nombre.
17 Y me aconteció, vuelto á Jerusalem, que orando en el templo, fuí arrebatado fuera de mí.
18 Y le vi que me decía: Date prisa, y sal prestamente fuera de Jerusalem; porque no recibirán tu testimonio de mí.
19 Y yo dije: Señor, ellos saben que yo encerraba en cárcel, y hería por las sinagogas á los que creían en ti;
20 Y cuando se derramaba la sangre de Esteban tu testigo, yo también estaba presente, y consentía á su muerte, y guardaba las ropas de los que le mataban.
21 Y me dijo: Ve, porque yo te tengo que enviar lejos á los Gentiles.
22 Y le oyeron hasta esta palabra: entonces alzaron la voz, diciendo: Quita de la tierra á un tal hombre, porque no conviene que viva.
23 Y dando ellos voces, y arrojando sus ropas y echando polvo al aire,
24 Mandó el tribuno que le llevasen á la fortaleza, y ordenó que fuese examinado con azotes, para saber por qué causa clamaban así contra él.
25 Y como le ataron con correas, Pablo dijo al centurión que estaba presente: ¿Os es lícito azotar á un hombre Romano sin ser condenado?
26 Y como el centurión oyó esto, fué y dió aviso al tribuno, diciendo ¿Qué vas á hacer? porque este hombre es Romano.
27 Y viniendo el tribuno, le dijo: Dime, ¿eres tú Romano? Y él dijo: Sí.
28 Y respondió el tribuno: Yo con grande suma alcancé esta ciudadanía. Entonces Pablo dijo: Pero yo lo soy de nacimiento.
29 Así que, luego se apartaron de él los que le habían de atormentar: y aun el tribuno también tuvo temor, entendido que era Romano, por haberle atado.
30 Y al día siguiente, queriendo saber de cierto la causa por qué era acusado de los Judíos, le soltó de las prisiones, y mandó venir á los príncipes de los sacerdotes, y á todo su concilio: y sacando á Pablo, le presentó delante de ellos.
Acts 22
New International Version
Acts 22
New International Version
22 1 “Brothers and fathers,(A) listen now to my defense.”
2 When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic,(B) they became very quiet.
Then Paul said: 3 “I am a Jew,(C) born in Tarsus(D) of Cilicia,(E) but brought up in this city. I studied under(F) Gamaliel(G) and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.(H) I was just as zealous(I) for God as any of you are today. 4 I persecuted(J) the followers of this Way(K) to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,(L) 5 as the high priest and all the Council(M) can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates(N) in Damascus,(O) and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 “About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.(P) 7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?’
8 “‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth,(Q) whom you are persecuting,’ he replied. 9 My companions saw the light,(R) but they did not understand the voice(S) of him who was speaking to me.
10 “‘What shall I do, Lord?’ I asked.
“ ‘Get up,’ the Lord said, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.’(T) 11 My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.(U)
12 “A man named Ananias came to see me.(V) He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.(W) 13 He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14 “Then he said: ‘The God of our ancestors(X) has chosen you to know his will and to see(Y) the Righteous One(Z) and to hear words from his mouth. 15 You will be his witness(AA) to all people of what you have seen(AB) and heard. 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized(AC) and wash your sins away,(AD) calling on his name.’(AE)
17 “When I returned to Jerusalem(AF) and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance(AG) 18 and saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Quick!’ he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.’
19 “‘Lord,’ I replied, ‘these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison(AH) and beat(AI) those who believe in you. 20 And when the blood of your martyr[a] Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’(AJ)
21 “Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”(AK)
Paul the Roman Citizen
22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him!(AL) He’s not fit to live!”(AM)
23 As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks(AN) and flinging dust into the air,(AO) 24 the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks.(AP) He directed(AQ) that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this. 25 As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been found guilty?”(AR)
26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. “What are you going to do?” he asked. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27 The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes, I am,” he answered.
28 Then the commander said, “I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship.”
“But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29 Those who were about to interrogate him(AS) withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen,(AT) in chains.(AU)
Paul Before the Sanhedrin
30 The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews.(AV) So the next day he released him(AW) and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin(AX) to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
Footnotes
- Acts 22:20 Or witness
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