Atti degli Apostoli 22

BIBBIA TINTORI	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Fratelli e padri miei, ascoltate la difesa che ora faccio davanti a voi.	1 “Noble brothers and fathers, listen to the explanation that I now give to you.”
2 E quelli, sentendo che parlava loro in ebraico, tanto più fecero silenzio.	2 And when they heard him speaking to them in the Hebrew language, they offered a greater silence.
3 Ed egli disse: Io sono Giudeo, nato a Tarso di Cilicia, ma allevato in questa città appiè di Gamaliele, secondo la verità della legge paterna, e zelatore della legge come oggi voi siete tutti:	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 io ho perseguitato a morte questa dottrina, legando e mettendo in prigione uomini e donne,	4 I persecuted this Way, even unto death, binding and delivering into custody both men and women,
5 come ne è testimone il sommo sacerdote e tutti gli anziani, dai quali, ricevute lettere per i fratelli, me ne andavo a Damasco per condurli di là a Gerusalemme legati, affinchè fossero 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 Avvenne che mentre facevo il viaggio e mi avvicinavo a Damasco, di mezzogiorno, repentinamente mi folgoreggiò d'intorno grande luce 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 e, stramazzato a terra, udii una voce dirmi: 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 tu, Signore? E mi disse: Io sono Gesù Nazareno che 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 E quanti eran con me videro la luce, ma non sentirono la voce di chi mi parlava.	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 Allora dissi: Che devo fare, Signore? E il Signore mi disse: Levati su, va in Damasco ove ti sarà detto quanto tu devi 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 Siccome io non vedevo niente, per il bagliore di quella luce, giunsi in Damasco guidato a mano dai compagni.	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 E un certo Anania, uomo secondo la legge, di cui rendevano buona testimonianza tutti i Giudei, che ivi dimoravano,	12 Then a certain Ananias, a man in accord with the law, having the testimony of all the Jews who were living there,
13 venne a me e standomi davanti disse: Fratel Saulo, guarda; ed io nello stesso istante lo rimirai.	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 disse: Il Dio dei padri nostri ti ha preordinato a conoscere la sua volontà e vedere il Giusto, a udire la voce della 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 chè gli sarai testimonio presso tutti gli uomini di quelle cose che hai vedute e udite.	15 For you shall be his witness to all men about those things which you have seen and heard.
16 Ed ora che aspetti? Alzati sii battezzato e lava i tuoi peccati invocando il nome di lui.	16 And now, why do you delay? Rise up, and be baptized, and wash away your sins, by invoking his name.’
17 E di ritor­no a Gerusalemme mi avvenne che, mentre pregavo nel tempio, lui rapito in estasi,	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 lui che diceva a me: Affrettati, ed esci in fretta da Gerusalemme, perchè questi non riceveranno la tua testimonianza riguardo 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, essi sanno che ero io a metterli in prigione e a flagellare nelle sinagoghe quelli che credevano 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 mentre si spargeva il sangue di Stefano tuo testimone, io ero ad approvarli ed a custodire lo vesti 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 Allora mi disse: Va', ch'io t'invierò lontano verso le nazioni.	21 And he said to me, ‘Go forth. For I am sending you to far away nations.’ ”
22 E fino a questa parola lo ascoltarono ma a questo punto alzarono la voce gridando: Togli dal mondo costui che non è giusto che 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 Or siccome quelli urlavano e gitlavano via le vesti e lanciavano polvere in aria,	23 And while they were shouting, and tossing aside their garments, and casting dust into the air,
24 il tribuno ordinò che egli fosse menato in fortezza, e fosse flagellato e interrogato affin di scoprire per qual motivo gridassero così contro di 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 Or, legato che l'ebbero con cinghie, Paolo disse al centurione che gli stava davanti: T'è permesso di flagellare un cittadino romano non ancora 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 Ciò udito il centurione andò dal tribuno ad avvertirlo, dicendo: Che stai per fare? Quell'uomo è cittadino 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 Ed i tribuno, recatosi da lui, gli disse: Dimmi, sei romano? Ed egli rispose: Si, veramente.	27 And the tribune, approaching, said to him: “Tell me. Are you a Roman?” So he said, “Yes.”
28 Ed il tribuno: Io a caro prezzo ho ottenuta questa cittadinanza. E Paolo replicò: Io invece vi ci sono nato.	28 And the tribune responded, “I obtained this citizenship at great cost.” And Paul said, “But I was born to it.”
29 E subito adunque si ritirarono da lui quelli che stavano per batterlo. Lo stesso tribuno dopo aver saputo che era cittadino romano, ebbe paura anche perchè l'aveva 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 dopo volendo assicurarsi del motivo per cui fosse accusato dai Giudei, lo sciolse e volle che si radunassero i sacerdoti con tutto il Sinedrio, e, tratto fuori Paolo, lo pose in mezzo 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.