22:1 "Brethren and fathers, hear the defense which I now make before you."
22:1 "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense that I now make before you."

22:2 And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet. And he said:
22:2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then he said:

22:3 "I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cili'cia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gama'li-el, educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as you all are this day.
22:3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

22:4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,
22:4 I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison,

22:5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brethren, and I journeyed to Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
22:5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. From them I also received letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I went there in order to bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.

22:6 "As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me.
22:6 "While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me.

22:7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, `Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?'
22:7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'

22:8 And I answered, `Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, `I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.'
22:8 I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' Then he said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.'

22:9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
22:9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

22:10 And 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.'
22:10 I asked, 'What am I to do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been assigned to you to do.'

22:11 And when 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.
22:11 Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.

22:12 "And one Anani'as, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
22:12 "A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there,

22:13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, `Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And in that very hour I received my sight and saw him.
22:13 came to me; and standing beside me, he said, 'Brother Saul, regain your sight!' In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him.

22:14 And he said, `The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth;
22:14 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;

22:15 for you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.
22:15 for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard.

22:16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'
22:16 And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.'

22:17 "When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
22:17 "After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

22:18 and saw him saying to me, `Make haste and get quickly out of Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'
22:18 and saw Jesus saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.'

22:19 And I said, `Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in thee.
22:19 And I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.

22:20 And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by and approving, and keeping the garments of those who killed him.'
22:20 And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.'

22:21 And he said to me, `Depart; for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"
22:21 Then he said to me, 'Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

22:22 Up to this word they listened to him; then they lifted up their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he ought not to live."
22:22 Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live."

22:23 And as they cried out and waved their garments and threw dust into the air,
22:23 And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air,

22:24 the tribune commanded him to be brought into the barracks, and ordered him to be examined by scourging, to find out why they shouted thus against him.
22:24 the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks, and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him.

22:25 But when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?"
22:25 But when they had tied him up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?"

22:26 When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen."
22:26 When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen."

22:27 So the tribune came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes."
22:27 The tribune came and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes."

22:28 The tribune answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."
22:28 The tribune answered, "It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."

22:29 So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him instantly; and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.
22:29 Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him; and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

22:30 But on the morrow, desiring to know the real reason why the Jews accused him, he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.
22:30 Since he wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them.