“MEN, brothers, and fathers: hear my defence which I now make to you”
2 (And when they heard, that he spoke in the Hebrew language to them, they kept the more silence; and he said):
3 “I am indeed a man which is a Jew; born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the strict conformity of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, just as you all are this day.
4 And I persecuted this ‘way’ unto death: binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5 As also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders: from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and went into Damascus; to bring those which were there bound, into Jerusalem, to be punished.”
6 ¶ “And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and came near to Damascus, about noon: suddenly there shone from heaven a great light around about me.
7 And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’
8 And I answered: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me: ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute!’
9 And those that were with me, indeed saw the light, and were afraid: but they heard not the voice of Him that spoke to me.
10 And I said: ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me: ‘Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told you, of all things which are determined for you to do.’“
11 ¶ “Now, when I could not see for the glory of that light; being led by the hand, by those that were with me: I came into Damascus.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law: having a good report by all the Jews which dwelt there;
13 Came to me, and stood near, and said to me: ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And that same hour, I looked up upon him.
14 And he said: ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you, that you should know His will, and see the Righteous One, and hear the voice of His mouth.
15 For you shall be His witness to all men, of what you have seen and heard.
16 And now why delay? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away your sins: calling on the name of the Lord.'”
17 ¶ “And it came to pass, that, when I had come again to Jerusalem; even while I prayed in the temple: I was in a trance;
18 And saw him saying to me: ‘Make haste, and leave quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive your witness concerning me.’
19 And I said: ‘Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat, in every synagogue those that believed in you:
20 And when the blood of your witness Stephen was shed: I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and kept the robes of those that executed him.’
21 And He said to me: ‘Depart, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
Paul’s Roman Citizenship
22 ¶ And they gave him audience until this word; and then lifted up their voices, and said: “Do away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.”
23 And as they cried out, and waved their robes, and threw dust into the air:
24 The tribune commanded him to be brought into the soldiers barracks, and bade that he should be interrogated by flogging; that he might know for what reason they cried so against him.
25 And as they stretched him out with leather straps, Paul said to the centurion that stood by: “Is it lawful for you to flog a man that is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?”
26 ¶ When the centurion heard; he went and told the tribune, saying: “Take heed what you do: for this man is a Roman citizen.”
27 Then the tribune came, and said to him: “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said: “Yes.”
28 And the tribune answered: “With a great sum of money, I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said: “But I was born a citizen.”
29 Then straightaway those departed from him which were about to interrogate him; and the tribune was also afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman citizen, and because he had bound him.
The Sanhedrin Divided
30 ¶ Now the next day; because he wanted to known the certainty, of why he was accused by the Jews: he loosed him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear; and brought Paul down, and set him before them.