Shared Word Translation
Acts 22
Paul’s Defense to the Crowd
“Men, brothers and fathers, hear my defense now to you.” And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:
“I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as all of you are today. And I persecuted this Way to death, binding and delivering to prisons both men and women,
as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of elders, from whom also receiving letters to the brothers, I was traveling to Damascus to bring even those who were there bound to Jerusalem to be punished.
And it happened as I was going and drawing near to Damascus, about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven flashed around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ And those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one speaking to me.
And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus, and there it will be told to you about all that has been appointed for you to do.’ And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, being led by the hand by those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews dwelling there, coming to me and standing by me, said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And in that very hour I looked up at him.
And 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 people of what you have seen and heard.
And now why do you delay? Rise, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
And it happened when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’
And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I was imprisoning and beating those who believe in you; and when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and guarding the garments of those who were killing him.’
And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
Paul and the Roman Tribune
And they were listening to him until this word, and then they lifted up their voice, saying, “Away with such a one from the earth, for he is not fit to live!”
And as they were crying out and throwing off their garments and tossing dust into the air, the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by scourging, so that he might know for what reason they were shouting thus against him.
But when they had stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?”
And hearing this, the centurion went to the tribune and reported, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” And the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.”
And the tribune answered, “With a large sum I acquired this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was even born one.” Therefore those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, realizing that he was a Roman and that he had bound him.
Paul Before the Council
And on the next day, wanting to know the certainty of why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to assemble, and bringing Paul down, he set him before them.