The Acts of the Apostles

⭑ Unlocked Literal Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 22 -

(Acts 9:1–19; Acts 26:1–23)

“Brothers and fathers, listen to my defense which I will now make to you.”

When the crowd heard Paul speak to them in the Hebrew language, they became quiet. He said,

“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but educated in this city at the feet of Gamaliel. I was instructed according to the strict ways of the law of our forefathers. I am zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

I persecuted this Way to the death; I tied up both men and women and delivered them into prison.

Also the high priest and all the elders can bear witness that I received letters from them for the brothers in Damascus, for me to journey there. I was to bring back in bonds to Jerusalem those of this Way in order to be punished.

It happened that when I was traveling and nearing Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven began to shine around me.

I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

Those who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus; there you will be told everything that you must do.’

I could not see because of that light’s brightness, so I went into Damascus being led by the hands of those who were with me.

There I met a man named Ananias, a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there.

He came to me, stood by me, and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ In that very hour I saw him.

Then he said, ’The God of our forefathers has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice coming from his own mouth.

For you shall be a witness for him to all men about what you have seen and heard.

And now why are you waiting? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

After I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, it happened that I was given a vision.

I saw him say to me, ‘Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’

I said, ’Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you in every synagogue.

When the blood of Stephen your witness was spilled, I also was standing by and agreeing, and I was guarding the clothing of those who killed him.’

But he said to me, ‘Leave, because I will send you away to the Gentiles.’”

Paul the Roman Citizen

The people allowed him to speak up to this point. But then they shouted and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth: For it is not right that he should live.”

As they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and throwing dust into the air,

the chief captain commanded Paul to be brought into the fortress. He ordered that he should be questioned with scourging, so that he himself might know why they were shouting against him like that.

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 and uncondemned?”

When the centurion heard this, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”

The chief captain came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” Paul said, “Yes.”

The chief captain answered, “It was only with a large amount of money that I acquired citizenship.” But Paul said, “I was born a Roman citizen.”

Then the men who were going to question him left him immediately. The chief captain also was afraid, when he learned that Paul was a Roman citizen, because he had tied him up.

On the next day, the chief captain wanted to know the truth about the Jews’ accusations against Paul. So he untied his bonds and ordered the chief priests and all the council to meet. Then he brought Paul down and placed him in their midst.

(Acts 9:1–19; Acts 26:1–23)

“Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you.”

When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,

“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict tradition of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are today.

I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,

as also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

“As I made my journey and came close to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light shone around me from the sky.

I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.’

“Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn’t understand the voice of him who spoke to me.

I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.’

When I couldn’t see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.

“One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,

came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ In that very hour I looked up at him.

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 men of what you have seen and heard.

Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

“When I had returned to Jerusalem and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance

and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.’

I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.

When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.’

“He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”

Paul the Roman Citizen

They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice and said, “Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn’t fit to live!”

As they cried out, threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,

the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.

When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?”

When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!”

The commanding officer came and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”

The commanding officer answered, “I bought my citizenship for a great price.” Paul said, “But I was born a Roman.”

Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.

But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.