Acts of the Apostles 22

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	EL LIBRO DEL PUEBLO DE DIOS
1 "My brothers and fathers, listen to what I am about to say to you in my defense."	1 «Hermanos y padres, les dijo, escuchen lo que hoy les voy a decir en mi defensa».
2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew they became all the more quiet. And he continued,	2 Al oír que hablaba en hebreo, el silencio se hizo aún más profundo. Pablo prosiguió:
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.	3 «Yo soy judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, pero me he criado en esta ciudad y he sido iniciado a los pies de Gamaliel en la estricta observancia de la Ley de nuestros padres. Estaba lleno de celo por Dios, como ustedes lo están ahora.
4 I persecuted this Way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.	4 Perseguí a muerte a los que seguían este Camino, llevando encadenados a la prisión a hombres y mujeres;
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.	5 el Sumo Sacerdote y el Consejo de los ancianos son testigos de esto. Ellos mismos me dieron cartas para los hermanos de Damasco, y yo me dirigí allá con el propósito de traer encadenados a Jerusalén a los que encontrara en esa ciudad, para que fueran castigados.
6 "On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.	6 En el camino y al acercarme a Damasco, hacia el mediodía, una intensa luz que venía del cielo brilló de pronto a mi alrededor.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'	7 Caí en tierra y oí una voz que me decía: «Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?».
8 I replied, 'Who are you, sir?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.'	8 Le respondí: «¿Quién eres, Señor?», y la voz me dijo: «Yo soy Jesús de Nazaret, a quien tú persigues».
9 My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.	9 Los que me acompañaban vieron la luz, pero no oyeron la voz del que me hablaba.
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.'	10 Yo le pregunté: «¿Qué debo hacer, Señor?». El Señor me dijo: «Levántate y ve a Damasco donde se te dirá lo que debes hacer».
11 Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light, I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus.	11 Pero como yo no podía ver, a causa del resplandor de esa luz, los que acompañaban me llevaron de la mano hasta damasco.
12 "A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law, and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,	12 Un hombre llamado Ananías, fiel cumplidor de la Ley, que gozaba de gran prestigio entre los judíos del lugar,
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.	13 vino a verme y, acercándose a mí, me dijo: «Hermano Saulo, recobra la vista». Y en ese mismo instante, pude verlo.
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;	14 El siguió diciendo: «El Dios de nuestros padres te ha destinado para conocer su voluntad, para ver al Justo y escuchar su Palabra,
15 for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard.	15 porque tú darás testimonio ante todos los hombres de lo que has visto y oído.
16 Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.'	16 Y ahora, ¿qué esperas? Levántate, recibe el bautismo y purifícate de tus pecados, invocando su Nombre».
17 "After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance	17 De vuelta a Jerusalén, mientras oraba en el Templo, caí en éxtasis
18 and saw the Lord saying to me, 'Hurry, leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'	18 y vi al Señor que me decía: Aléjate rápidamente de Jerusalén, porque ellos no recibirán el testimonio que tú darás de mí».
19 But I replied, 'Lord, they themselves know that from synagogue to synagogue I used to imprison and beat those who believed in you.	19 Entonces respondí: «Ellos saben, Señor, que yo iba de una sinagoga a otra para encarcelar y azotar a los que creen en ti.
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.'	20 Y saben que cuando derramaban la sangre de Esteban, tu testigo, yo también estaba presente, aprobando su muerte y cuidando la ropa de los verdugos».
21 Then he said to me, 'Go, I shall send you far away to the Gentiles.'"	21 Pero él me dijo: «Vete, porque quiero enviarte lejos, a las naciones paganas».
22 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."	22 Hasta aquí los judíos lo escucharon, pero al oír estas palabras comenzaron a gritar diciendo: «¡Elimina a este hombre. No merece vivir!».
23 And as they were yelling and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,	23 Todos vociferaban, agitaban sus manos y tiraban tierra al aire.
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.	24 El tribuno hizo entrar a Pablo en la fortaleza y ordenó que lo azotaran para saber por qué razón gritaban así contra él.
25 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?"	25 Cuando lo sujetaron con las correas, Pablo dijo al centurión de turno: «¿Les está permitido azotar a un ciudadano romano sin haberlo juzgado?».
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."	26 Al oír estas palabras, el centurión fui a informar al tribuno: «¿Qué va a hacer?, le dijo. Este hombre es ciudadano romano».
27 Then the commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he answered.	27 El tribuno fue a preguntar a Pablo: «¿Tú eres ciudadano romano?». Y él le respondió: «Sí».
28 The commander replied, "I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money." Paul said, "But I was born one."	28 El tribuno prosiguió: «A mí me costó mucho dinero adquirir esa ciudadanía». «En cambio, yo la tengo de nacimiento», dijo Pablo.
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.	29 Inmediatamente, se retiraron los que iban a azotarlo, y el tribunal se alarmó al enterarse de que había hecho encadenar a un ciudadano romano.
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.	30 Al día siguiente, queriendo saber con exactitud de qué lo acusaban los judíos, el tribuno le hizo sacar las cadenas, y convocando a los sumos sacerdotes y a todo el Sanedrín, hizo comparecer a Pablo delante de ellos.