English Standard Version

Christian Standard Bible

1“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

1"Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you."

2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:

2When they heard that he was addressing them in Aramaic, they became even quieter.

3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.

3He continued, "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the law of our ancestors. I was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,

4I persecuted this Way to the death, arresting and putting both men and women in jail,

5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

5as both the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. After I received letters from them to the brothers, I traveled to Damascus to arrest those who were there and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.

6“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me.

6"As I was traveling and approaching Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.

7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

7I fell to the ground and 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.’

8"I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting.'

9Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

9Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

10And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’

10"I said, 'What should I do, Lord?' "The Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything that you have been assigned to do.'

11And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

11"Since I couldn't see because of the brightness of the light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and went into Damascus.

12“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

12Someone named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, who had a good reputation with all the Jews living there,

13came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him.

13came and stood by me and said, 'Brother Saul, regain your sight.' And in that very hour I looked up and saw him.

14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth;

14And he said, 'The God of our ancestors has appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the words from his mouth,

15for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

15since you will be a witness for him to all people of what you have seen and heard.

16And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

16And now, why are you delaying? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'

17“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

17"After I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

18and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’

18and saw him telling me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'

19And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.

19"But I said, 'Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in you imprisoned and beaten.

20And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

20And when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I stood there giving approval and guarding the clothes of those who killed him.'

21And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

21"He said to me, 'Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.' "

22Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”

22They listened to him up to this point. Then they raised their voices, shouting, "Wipe this man off the face of the earth! He should not be allowed to live!"

23And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,

23As they were yelling and flinging aside their garments and throwing dust into the air,

24the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this.

24the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, directing that he be interrogated with the scourge to discover the reason they were shouting against him like this.

25But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”

25As they stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing by, "Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and is uncondemned?"

26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”

26When the centurion heard this, he went and reported to the commander, saying, "What are you going to do? For this man is a Roman citizen."

27So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”

27The commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.

28The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”

28The commander replied, "I bought this citizenship for a large amount of money." "But I was born a citizen," Paul said.

29So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

29So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately. The commander too was alarmed when he realized Paul was a Roman citizen and he had bound him.

30But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.

30The next day, since he wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and instructed the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to convene. He brought Paul down and placed him before them.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.