Acts of the Apostles 22

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 "My brothers and fathers, listen to what I am about to say to you in my defense."	1 "Brethren and fathers, hear the defense which I now make before you."
2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew they became all the more quiet. And he continued,	2 And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet. And he said:
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 "I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamali-el, educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as you all are this day.
4 I persecuted this Way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.	4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,
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 as the high priest and the whole council of elders bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brethren, and I journeyed to Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 "On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.	6 "As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me.
7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'	7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?'
8 I replied, 'Who are you, sir?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.'	8 And I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.'
9 My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.	9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
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 And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.'
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 And when I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.
12 "A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law, and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,	12 "And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well 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.	13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And in that very hour I received 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;	14 And he said, 'The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth;
15 for you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard.	15 for you will be a witness for him to all men of 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.'	16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
17 "After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance	17 "When I had returned to Jerusalem and 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.'	18 and saw him saying to me, 'Make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem, 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.	19 And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in thee.
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 And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by and approving, and keeping the garments of those who killed him.'
21 Then he said to me, 'Go, I shall send you far away to the Gentiles.'"	21 And he said to me, 'Depart; for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
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 Up to this word they listened to him; then they lifted up their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he ought not to live."
23 And as they were yelling and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,	23 And as they cried out and waved their garments and threw 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.	24 the tribune commanded him to be brought into the barracks, and ordered him to be examined by scourging, to find out why they shouted thus against him.
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 But when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?"
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 When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? For 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.	27 So the tribune came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes."
28 The commander replied, "I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money." Paul said, "But I was born one."	28 The tribune answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."
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 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him instantly; and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
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 But on the morrow, desiring to know the real reason why the Jews accused him, he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.