Acts 22

1 “Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense that I am now making before you.”ISV — Acts 22:1

2 When they heard him speaking to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet, and he continued:ISV — Acts 22:2

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.ISV — Acts 22:3

4 I persecuted this Way, even executing people, ^{a22:4 The Gk. lacks people} and kept tying up both men and women and putting them in prison,ISV — Acts 22:4

5 as 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.ISV — Acts 22:5

6 “But while I was on my way and approaching Damascus about noon, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.ISV — Acts 22:6

7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?’ISV — Acts 22:7

8 “I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ^{b22:8 Or Sir} “He told me, ‘I’m Jesus from Nazareth, ^{c22:8 Or Jesus the Nazarene; the Gk. Nazoraios may be a word play between Heb. netser, meaning branch (cf. Isa 11:1), and the name Nazareth.} whom you are persecuting.’ISV — Acts 22:8

9 The men who were with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.ISV — Acts 22:9

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.’ISV — Acts 22:10

11 Since 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.ISV — Acts 22:11

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,ISV — Acts 22:12

13 came to me. He stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ At that moment I could see him.ISV — Acts 22:13

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, ^{d22:14 Lit. the voice of his mouth}ISV — Acts 22:14

15 because you will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.ISV — Acts 22:15

16 So now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.’ISV — Acts 22:16

17 “Then I returned to Jerusalem. While I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a tranceISV — Acts 22:17

18 and saw the Lord ^{e22:18 Lit. him} saying to me, ‘Hurry up and get out of Jerusalem at once, because the people ^{f22:18 Lit. they} won’t accept your testimony about me.’ISV — Acts 22:18

19 “I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I kept imprisoning and beating those who believe in you.ISV — Acts 22:19

20 Even 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.’ISV — Acts 22:20

21 “Then he told me, ‘Go, because I’ll send you far away to the gentiles.’”ISV — Acts 22:21

22 Up 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!”ISV — Acts 22:22

23 While they were yelling, tossing their coats around, and throwing dirt into the air,ISV — Acts 22:23

24 the tribune ordered Paul ^{g22:24 Lit. him} to be taken into the barracks and told the soldiers ^{h22:24 Lit. them} to beat and question him in order to find out why the people ^{i22:24 Lit. why they} were yelling at him like this.ISV — Acts 22:24

25 But when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul asked the centurion ^{j22:25 A Roman centurion commanded about 100 men.} who was standing there, “Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t been condemned?”ISV — Acts 22:25

26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and told him, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!”ISV — Acts 22:26

27 So the tribune went and asked Paul, ^{k22:27 Lit. him} “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he said.ISV — Acts 22:27

28 Then the tribune replied, “I paid a lot of money for this citizenship of mine.” Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”ISV — Acts 22:28

29 Immediately those who were about to examine him stepped back, and the tribune was afraid when he found out that Paul ^{l22:29 Lit. he} was a Roman citizen and that he had tied him up.ISV — Acts 22:29

30 The next day, since the tribune ^{m22:30 Lit. he} wanted to find out exactly what Paul ^{n22:30 Lit. he} was being accused of by the Jews, he released him and ordered the high priests and the entire Council ^{o22:30 Or Sanhedrin} to meet. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.ISV — Acts 22:30