Atti degli Apostoli 22

DIODATI	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Uomini fratelli, e padri, ascoltate ciò che ora vi dico a mia difesa.	1 “Noble brothers and fathers, listen to the explanation that I now give to you.”
2 Ora, quando ebbero udito ch’egli parlava loro in lingua ebrea, tanto più fecero silenzio. Poi disse:	2 And when they heard him speaking to them in the Hebrew language, they offered a greater silence.
3 Io certo son uomo Giudeo, nato in Tarso di Cilicia, ed allevato in questa città a’ piedi di Gamaliele, ammaestrato secondo l’isquisita maniera della legge de’ padri, zelatore di Dio, come voi tutti siete oggi.	3 And he said: “I am a Jewish man, born at Tarsus in Cilicia, but raised in this city beside the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the truth of the law of the fathers, zealous for the law, just as all of you also are to this day.
4 Ed ho perseguitata questa professione sino alla morte, mettendo ne’ legami, ed in prigione uomini e donne.	4 I persecuted this Way, even unto death, binding and delivering into custody both men and women,
5 Come mi son testimoni il sommo sacerdote, e tutto il concistoro degli anziani; da cui eziandio avendo ricevute lettere a’ fratelli, io andava in Damasco, per menar prigioni in Gerusalemme quegli ancora ch’erano quivi, acciocchè fosser puniti.	5 just as the high priest and all those greater by birth bear witness to me. Having received letters from them to the brothers, I journeyed to Damascus, so that I might lead them bound from there to Jerusalem, so that they might be punished.
6 Or avvenne che, mentre io era in cammino, e mi avvicinava a Damasco, in sul mezzodì, di subito una gran luce mi folgorò d’intorno dal cielo.	6 But it happened that, as I was traveling and was approaching Damascus at midday, suddenly from heaven a great light shone around me.
7 Ed io caddi in terra, ed udii una voce che mi disse: Saulo, Saulo, perchè mi perseguiti?	7 And falling to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
8 Ed io risposi: Chi sei, Signore? Ed egli mi disse: Io son Gesù il Nazareo, il qual tu perseguiti.	8 And I responded, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’
9 Or coloro che eran meco videro ben la luce, e furono spaventati; ma non udiron la voce di colui che parlava meco.	9 And those who were with me, indeed, saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of him who was speaking with me.
10 Ed io dissi: Signore, che debbo io fare? E il Signor mi disse: Levati, e va’ in Damasco; e quivi ti sarà parlato di tutte le cose che ti sono ordinate di fare.	10 And I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ Then the Lord said to me: ‘Rise up, and go to Damascus. And there, you shall be told all that you must do.’
11 Ora, perciocchè io non vedeva nulla, per la gloria di quella luce, fui menato per la mano da coloro ch’erano meco; e così entrai in Damasco.	11 And since I could not see, because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by my companions, and I went to Damascus.
12 Or un certo Anania, uomo pio secondo la legge, al quale tutti i Giudei che abitavano in Damasco rendevano buona testimonianza, venne a me,	12 Then a certain Ananias, a man in accord with the law, having the testimony of all the Jews who were living there,
13 ed essendo appresso a me, disse: Fratello Saulo, ricovera la vista. E in quello stante io ricoverai la vista, e lo riguardai.	13 drawing near to me and standing close by, said to me, ‘Brother Saul, see!’ And in that same hour, I looked upon him.
14 Ed egli mi disse: L’Iddio de’ nostri padri ti ha preordinato a conoscer la sua volontà, ed a vedere il Giusto, e ad udire una voce dalla sua bocca.	14 But he said: ‘The God of our fathers has preordained you, so that you would come to know his will and would see the Just One, and would hear the voice from his mouth.
15 Perciocchè tu gli devi essere presso tutti gli uomini testimonio delle cose che tu hai vedute, ed udite.	15 For you shall be his witness to all men about those things which you have seen and heard.
16 Ed ora, che indugi? levati, e sii battezzato, e lavato de’ tuoi peccati, invocando il nome del Signore.	16 And now, why do you delay? Rise up, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, by invoking his name.’
17 Or avvenne che, dopo che io fui ritornato in Gerusalemme, orando nel tempio, mi venne un ratto di mente.	17 Then it happened that, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, a mental stupor came over me,
18 E vidi esso Signore che mi diceva: Affrettati, ed esci prestamente di Gerusalemme; perciocchè essi non riceveranno la tua testimonianza intorno a me.	18 and I saw him saying to me: ‘Hurry! Depart quickly from Jerusalem! For they will not accept your testimony about me.’
19 Ed io dissi: Signore, eglino stessi sanno che io incarcerava, e batteva per le raunanze coloro che credono in te.	19 And I said: ‘Lord, they know that I am beating and enclosing in prison, throughout every synagogue, those who have believed in you.
20 E quando si spandeva il sangue di Stefano, tuo martire, io ancora era presente, e acconsentiva alla sua morte, e guardava i vestimenti di coloro che l’uccidevano.	20 And when the blood of your witness Stephen was poured out, I stood nearby and was consenting, and I watched over the garments of those who put him to death.’
21 Ed egli mi disse: Vattene, perciocchè io ti manderò lungi a’ Gentili	21 And he said to me, ‘Go forth. For I am sending you to far away nations.’ ”
22 Or essi l’ascoltarono fino a questa parola; ma poi alzarono la lor voce, dicendo: Togli via di terra un tal uomo; perciocchè ei non conviene ch’egli viva.	22 Now they were listening to him, until this word, and then they lifted up their voice, saying: “Take this kind away from the earth! For it is not fitting for him to live!”
23 E, come essi gridavano, e gettavano i lor vestimenti, e mandavano la polvere in aria,	23 And while they were shouting, and tossing aside their garments, and casting dust into the air,
24 il capitano comandò che Paolo fosse menato dentro alla rocca, ordinando che si facesse inquisizion di lui per flagelli, per sapere per qual cagione gridavano così contro a lui.	24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into the fortress, and to be scourged and tortured, in order to discover the reason that they were crying out in this way against him.
25 Ma, come l’ebbero disteso con le coregge, Paolo disse al centurione ch’era quivi presente: Evvi egli lecito di flagellare un uomo Romano, e non condannato?	25 And when they had tied him with straps, Paul said to the centurion who was standing near him, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and has not been condemned?”
26 E il centurione, udito ciò, venne, e lo rapportò al capitano, dicendo: Guarda ciò che tu farai, perciocchè quest’uomo è Romano.	26 Upon hearing this, the centurion went to the tribune and reported it to him, saying: “What do you intend to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
27 E il capitano venne a Paolo, e gli disse: Dimmi, sei tu Romano?	27 And the tribune, approaching, said to him: “Tell me. Are you a Roman?” So he said, “Yes.”
28 Ed egli disse: Sì, certo. E il capitano rispose: Io ho acquistata questa cittadinanza per gran somma di danari. E Paolo disse: Ma io l’ho anche di nascita.	28 And the tribune responded, “I obtained this citizenship at great cost.” And Paul said, “But I was born to it.”
29 Laonde coloro che doveano far l’inquisizion di lui si ritrassero subito da lui; e il capitano stesso ebbe paura, avendo saputo ch’egli era Romano; perciocchè egli l’avea legato.	29 Therefore, those who were going to torture him, immediately withdrew from him. The tribune was similarly afraid, after he realized that he was a Roman citizen, for he had bound him.
30 E IL giorno seguente, volendo saper la certezza di ciò onde egli era accusato da’ Giudei, lo sciolse da’ legami, e comandò a’ principali sacerdoti, ed a tutto il lor concistoro, di venire. E, menato Paolo a basso, lo presentò davanti a loro	30 But on the next day, wanting to discover more diligently what the reason was that he was accused by the Jews, he released him, and he ordered the priests to convene, with the entire council. And, producing Paul, he stationed him among them.