AICNT ACTs chapter 22

22 “Men, brothers, and fathers, listen to my defense before you now.” 2 When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he says, 3 “I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of our ancestral law, being zealous for God just as all of you are today.

4 “I persecuted this Way to the point of death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5 as also 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 bring those who were there bound to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 “Now as I was going and approaching Damascus around noon, suddenly a great light from heaven flashed around me, 7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ 9 Those who were with me saw the light [[and were afraid]][fn] but did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me. 10 I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that has been assigned for you to do.’ 11 But 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 to Damascus.

12 “Now a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there [[in Damascus]],[fn] 13 came to me and standing by me said, ‘Saul, brother, regain your sight.’ And at that very hour I looked up at him. 14 And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth, 15 for you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

17 “And it happened to me, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, ‘Hurry and leave Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and beating those who believed in you in the synagogues, 20 and when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving [[of his death]],[fn] and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the nations.’ ”[fn]

22 They listened to him until this word, and they raised their voices saying, “Remove such a person from the earth, for it is not fitting for him to live.” 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air, 24 the commander ordered that he be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, in order to find out the reason why they were shouting against him like this.

25 But 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?” 26 But when the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it, saying, “{What are you about to do?}[fn] For this man is a Roman.” 27 And the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said, “Yes.” 28 But the commander answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum of money.” Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.” 29 Immediately, those who were about to examine him withdrew from him, and the commander was also afraid when he realized that he was a Roman and that he had bound him.

30 But on the next day, wanting to know the certainty, the reason why he was accused by the Jews, he released him [[from his bonds]][fn] and ordered the chief priests and the whole council to assemble, and after bringing Paul down, he stood him before them.

22:9, and were afraid: Some manuscripts include.

22:12, in Damascus: Some manuscripts include.

22:20, of his death: Some manuscripts include.

22:21, nations: That is the Gentiles.

22:26, What are you about to do: Some manuscripts read “Take heed what you are about to do.”

22:30, from his bonds: Some manuscripts include.

AICNT ACTs Chapter 22