Acts 22
22
1“My fellow-Jews, listen to me as I make my defence before you!” 2When they heard him speaking to them in Hebrew, they became even quieter; and Paul went on:
3 #
Acts 5.34–39
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here in Jerusalem as a student of Gamaliel. I received strict instruction in the Law of our ancestors and was just as dedicated to God as are all of you who are here today. 4#Acts 8.3; 26.9–11I persecuted to the death the people who followed this Way. I arrested men and women and threw them into prison. 5The High Priest and the whole Council can prove that I am telling the truth. I received from them letters written to fellow-Jews in Damascus, so I went there to arrest these people and bring them back in chains to Jerusalem to be punished.
Paul Tells of his Conversion
(Acts 9.1–19; 26.12–18)
6“As I was travelling and coming near Damascus, about midday a bright light from the sky flashed suddenly round me. 7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul! Why do you persecute me?’ 8‘Who are you, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute,’ he said to me. 9The men with me saw the light, but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10I asked, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ and the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything that God has determined for you to do.’ 11I was blind because of the bright light, and so my companions took me by the hand and led me into Damascus.
12“In that city was a man named Ananias, a religious man who obeyed our Law and was highly respected by all the Jews living there. 13He came to me, stood by me, and said, ‘Brother Saul, see again!’ At that very moment I saw again and looked at him. 14He said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see his righteous Servant, and to hear him speaking with his own voice. 15For you will be a witness for him to tell everyone what you have seen and heard. 16And now, why wait any longer? Get up and be baptized and have your sins washed away by praying to him.’
Paul's Call to Preach to the Gentiles
17“I went back to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the Temple, I had a vision, 18in which I saw the Lord, as he said to me, ‘Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your witness about me.’ 19‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that I went to the synagogues and arrested and beat those who believe in you. 20#Acts 7.58And when your witness Stephen was put to death, I myself was there, approving of his murder and taking care of the cloaks of his murderers.’ 21‘Go,’ the Lord said to me, ‘for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”
22The people listened to Paul until he said this; but then they started shouting at the top of their voices, “Away with him! Kill him! He's not fit to live!” 23They were screaming, waving their clothes, and throwing dust up in the air. 24The Roman commander ordered his men to take Paul into the fort, and he told them to whip him in order to find out why the Jews were screaming like this against him. 25But when they had tied him up to be whipped, Paul said to the officer standing there, “Is it lawful for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't even been tried for any crime?”
26When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked him, “What are you doing? That man is a Roman citizen!”
27So the commander went to Paul and asked him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes,” answered Paul.
28The commander said, “I became one by paying a large amount of money.”
“But I am one by birth,” Paul answered.
29At once the men who were going to question Paul drew back from him; and the commander was frightened when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had put him in chains.
Paul before the Council
30The commander wanted to find out for certain what the Jews were accusing Paul of; so the next day he had Paul's chains taken off and ordered the chief priests and the whole Council to meet. Then he took Paul and made him stand before them.
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Acts 22: GNBUK
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Ma`asei (Acts) 22
22
1“Men, brothers, and fathers, hear my defence before you now.”
2And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language,#See Acts 21:40; Acts 26:14 they kept greater silence. And he said:
3“I am indeed a Yehuḏi, having been born in Tarsos of Kilikia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamli’ĕl, having been instructed according to the exactness of the Torah of our fathers, being ardent for Elohim, as you all are today,
4who persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering up into prisons both men and women,
5as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the eldership, from whom I also received letters to the brothers, and went to Dammeseq to bring in chains even those who were there to Yerushalayim to be punished.
6And it came to be, as I was journeying and coming near Dammeseq, about noon, suddenly a great light shone around me out of the heaven,”
7and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Sha’ul, Sha’ul, why do you persecute Me?’
8“And I answered, ‘Who are You, Master?’ And He said to me, ‘I am יהושע of Natsareth, whom you persecute.’
9“And those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear His voice speaking to me.
10“And I said, ‘What shall I do, Master?’ And the Master said to me, ‘Rise up, go into Dammeseq, and there you shall be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
11“And as I could not see because of the esteem of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Dammeseq.
12And a certain Ḥananyah,#See Acts 9:10; Acts 9:17 a dedicated man according to the Torah, being well spoken of by all the Yehuḏim dwelling there,
13came to me, and stood by and said to me, ‘Brother Sha’ul, look up.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him.
14“And he said, ‘The Elohim of our fathers# Exo. 3:15 has appointed you to know His desire, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear the voice from His mouth.
15Because you shall be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
16And now, why do you delay? Rise up, be immersed, and wash away your sins, calling on the Name of יהוה.’
17And it came to be, when I returned to Yerushalayim, and while I was praying in the Set-apart Place, I came to be in a trance,”
18and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Yerushalayim, speedily, because they shall not accept your witness concerning Me.’
19“And I said, ‘Master, they know that in every congregation I was imprisoning and beating those who believe on You.
20And when the blood of Your witness Stephanos was shed, I also was standing by giving my approval to his death, and keeping the garments of those who were killing him.’
21“And He said to me, ‘Go, because I shall send you far from here to the nations.’ ”
22And they were listening to him until this word, and then they lifted up their voice, saying, “Away with such a one from the earth, for it is not fit that he should live!”
23As they were shouting and tearing their garments, and throwing dust into the air,
24the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined by flogging, in order to find out why they were shouting so against him.
25And as they were stretching him out with straps, Sha’ul said to the captain who was standing by, “Is it permitted for you to whip a man who is a Roman, and uncondemned?”
26And when the captain heard, he went and reported to the commander, saying, “Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman.”
27And having come, the commander said to him, “Say to me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.”
28And the commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Sha’ul said, “But I was even born so.”
29Then at once those who were about to examine him withdrew from him. And the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
30And on the next day, intending to know for certain why he was accused by the Yehuḏim, he released him, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to come, and brought Sha’ul down and set him before them.
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