Acts 22
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1"Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense that I am now making before you." 1"Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense."
2When they heard him speaking to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet, and he continued:2When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic, they became very quiet. Then Paul said:
3"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia but raised in this city and educated at the feet of Gamaliel in the strict ways of our ancestral Law. I am as zealous for God as all of you are today. 3"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
4I persecuted this Way, even executing people, and kept tying up both men and women and putting them in prison, 4I persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison,
5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. I also received letters from them to the brothers in Damascus, and I was going there to tie up those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.5as the high priest and all the Council can themselves testify. I even obtained letters from them to their associates in Damascus, and went there to bring these people as prisoners to Jerusalem to be punished.
6"But while I was on my way and approaching Damascus about noon, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me. 6"About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
7I 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 say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?'
8"I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He told me, 'I'm Jesus from Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.' 8"'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. "'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' he replied.
9The men who were with me saw the light but didn't understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.9My companions saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of him who was speaking to me.
10"Then I asked, 'What am I to do, Lord?' "The Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are destined to do.' 10"'What shall I do, Lord?' I asked. " 'Get up,' the Lord said, 'and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.'
11Since I could not see because of the brightness of the light, the men who were with me took me by the hand and led me into Damascus.11My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
12"A certain Ananias, who was a devout man with respect to the Law and who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there, 12"A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there.
13came to me. He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' At that moment I could see him.13He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very moment I was able to see him.
14"Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear his own voice,14"Then he said: 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.
15because you will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard. 15You will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.
16So now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.'16And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'
17"Then I returned to Jerusalem. While I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance 17"When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
18and saw the Lord saying to me, 'Hurry up and get out of Jerusalem at once, because the people won't accept your testimony about me.'18and saw the Lord speaking to me. 'Quick!' he said. 'Leave Jerusalem immediately, because the people here will not accept your testimony about me.'
19"I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I kept imprisoning and beating those who believe in you. 19"'Lord,' I replied, 'these people know that I went from one synagogue to another to imprison and beat those who believe in you.
20Even when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing there, approving it and guarding the coats of those who were killing him.'20And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'
21"Then he told me, 'Go, because I'll send you far away to the gentiles.'"21"Then the Lord said to me, 'Go; I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
22Up to this point they listened to him, but then they began to shout, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He's not fit to go on living!" 22The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they raised their voices and shouted, "Rid the earth of him! He's not fit to live!"
23While they were yelling, tossing their coats around, and throwing dirt into the air, 23As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,
24the tribune ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks and told the soldiers to beat and question him in order to find out why the people were yelling at him like this.24the commander ordered that Paul be taken into the barracks. He directed that he be flogged and interrogated in order to find out why the people were shouting at him like this.
25But when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul asked the centurion who was standing there, "Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't been condemned?"25As they stretched him out to flog him, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn't even been found guilty?"
26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and told him, "What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!"26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. "What are you going to do?" he asked. "This man is a Roman citizen."
27So the tribune went and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.27The commander went to Paul and asked, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes, I am," he answered.
28Then the tribune replied, "I paid a lot of money for this citizenship of mine." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen." 28Then the commander said, "I had to pay a lot of money for my citizenship." "But I was born a citizen," Paul replied.
29Immediately those who were about to examine him stepped back, and the tribune was afraid when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had tied him up.29Those who were about to interrogate him withdrew immediately. The commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put Paul, a Roman citizen, in chains.
30The next day, since the tribune wanted to find out exactly what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, he released him and ordered the high priests and the entire Council to meet. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.30The commander wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews. So the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the members of the Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul and had him stand before them.
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Acts 21
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