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Acts 22 :: English Standard Version (ESV)

Act 22:1“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”
Act 22:2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language,[fn] they became even more quiet. And he said:
Act 22:3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel[fn] according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.
Act 22:4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,
Act 22:5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.
Act 22:6“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me.
Act 22:7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
Act 22:8And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’
Act 22:9Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand[fn] the voice of the one who was speaking to me.
Act 22:10And 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.’
Act 22:11And 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 into Damascus.
Act 22:12“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
Act 22:13came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him.
Act 22:14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth;
Act 22:15for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
Act 22:16And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
Act 22:17“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
Act 22:18and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’
Act 22:19And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.
Act 22:20And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’
Act 22:21And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’

Paul and the Roman Tribune

Act 22:22Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”
Act 22:23And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,
Act 22:24the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this.
Act 22:25But when they had stretched him out for the whips,[fn] 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?”
Act 22:26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”
Act 22:27So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”
Act 22:28The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”
Act 22:29So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

Paul Before the Council

Act 22:30But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.
ESV Footnotes
Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)
Or city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated
Or hear with understanding
Or when they had tied him up with leather strips
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Acts Chapter 22 — Additional Translations: