1“Men, brothers, and fathers, please hear my defense which I now offer you.
2And when they heard that he spoke to them in Aramaic (Hebrew), they became even quieter; and he said,
3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, but raised here in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught the ways of the law of our ancestors, and was for God, just as you all are today.
4And I persecuted to the death this Way (belief in Jesus, the Messiah), arresting and throwing both men and women into prisons.
5As the high priest and council of elders can attest, from whom I also I acquired letters of authority to the brethren; and went to Damascus, to bring those of the Way that were there back to Jerusalem, to be punished.
6And as I was on the road and nearing Damascus about noon, a great light suddenly shone from heaven all around me.
7And as I fell to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
8And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, Whom you are persecuting’.
9And those that were with me also saw and were frightened by the light; but they did not hear the voice of Him that spoke to me.
10And I said, ‘What must I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise, and go into Damascus; and there you shall be told all that you must do.’
11And those that were with me led me by the hand into Damascus. because the brilliance of that light had blinded me.
12And a devout man named Ananias, who lived there, an observer of the law, highly esteemed by all the Jews,
13Came and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight’. And in that same moment I looked up and was able to see him.
14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know His will, and see that Just One, and hear His words.
15For you shall be His witness to all people of all that you have seen and heard.
16And now why delay? Get up, and be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling upon the name of the Lord.’
17And when I had returned to Jerusalem, while I was praying in the temple, I was in a trance,
18And saw Him saying to me, ‘Get out of Jerusalem quickly; for they will not accept your testimony about Me.’
19And I said, ‘Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat those that believed in You in every synagogue;
20And when the blood of Your martyr, Stephen, was shed, I also was standing by, and approving of his death, and held the clothes of those that killed him.’
21And He said to me, ‘Go; for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’
22And they listened to Paul until he said this, and then they raised their voices, and shouted, “Away with such a fellow from the earth; he is not fit to live”.
23And as they shouted, they tore off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
24The captain ordered that they bring him into the barracks, and directed that he should be flogged and interrogated; that he might know why they yelled so against him.
25And as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman citizen, without a trial?”
26When the centurion heard that, he went and told the captain, “Take heed what you do; for this man is a Roman”.
27Then the captain came, and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes”.
28And the captain said, “I had to pay a great sum to obtain my citizenship and freedom”. And Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth”.
29Then those that were about to interrogate him immediately withdrew; and the captain was also worried when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had strapped him down.
30On the next day, because he wanted to know exactly why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from his bands, and commanded the Jewish chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and had him stand before them. Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
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