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22 ¶ Varones hermanos y padres, oíd la razón que ahora os doy.

(Y como oyeron que les hablaba en lengua hebrea, guardaron más silencio.) Y dijo:

¶ Yo de cierto soy judío, nacido en Tarso de Cilicia, mas criado en esta ciudad a los pies de Gamaliel, enseñado conforme a la verdad de la ley de la patria, celoso de la Ley, como todos vosotros sois hoy.

Que he perseguido este camino hasta la muerte, prendiendo y entregando en cárceles hombres y mujeres;

como también el príncipe de los sacerdotes me es testigo, y todos los ancianos; de los cuales también tomando letras a los hermanos, iba a Damasco para traer presos a Jerusalén aun a los que estuvieran allí, para que fueran castigados.

Mas aconteció que yendo yo, y llegando cerca de Damasco, como a mediodía, de repente me rodeó mucha luz del cielo;

y caí al suelo, y oí una voz que me decía: Saulo, Saulo, ¿por qué me persigues?

Yo entonces respondí: ¿Quién eres, Señor? Y me dijo: Yo Soy Jesús de Nazaret, a quien tú persigues.

Y los que estaban conmigo vieron a la verdad la luz, y se espantaron; mas no oyeron la voz del que hablaba conmigo.

10 Y dije: ¿Qué haré, Señor? Y el Señor me dijo: Levántate, y ve a Damasco, y allí te será dicho todo lo que te está señalado hacer.

11 Y como yo no veía a causa de la claridad de la luz, llevado de la mano por los que estaban conmigo, vine a Damasco.

12 Entonces un Ananías, varón pío conforme a la ley, que tenía tal testimonio de todos los judíos que allí moraban,

13 viniendo a mí, y acercándose, me dijo: Hermano Saulo, recibe la vista. Y yo en aquella hora le miré.

14 Y él dijo: El Dios de nuestros padres te ha escogido para que conozcas su voluntad, y veas a aquel Justo, y oigas la voz de su boca.

15 Porque has de ser testigo suyo a todos los hombres, de lo que has visto y oído.

16 Ahora pues, ¿por qué te detienes? Levántate, y bautízate, y lava tus pecados, invocando su Nombre.

17 Y me aconteció, vuelto a Jerusalén, que orando en el Templo, fui arrebatado fuera de mí.

18 Y le vi que me decía: Date prisa, y sal prestamente fuera de Jerusalén; porque no recibirán tu testimonio acerca de mí.

19 Y yo dije: Señor, ellos saben que yo encerraba en cárcel, y hería por las sinagogas a los que creían en ti;

20 y cuando se derramaba la sangre de Esteban tu testigo, yo también estaba presente, y consentía a su muerte, y guardaba las ropas de los que le mataban.

21 Y me dijo: Ve, porque yo te tengo que enviar lejos a los gentiles.

22 ¶ Y le oyeron hasta esta palabra; entonces alzaron la voz, diciendo: Quita de la tierra a un tal hombre, porque no conviene que viva.

23 Y dando ellos voces, y arrojando sus ropas y echando polvo al aire,

24 mandó el tribuno que le llevaran a la fortaleza, y ordenó que fuera examinado con azotes, para saber por qué causa clamaban así contra él.

25 Y como le ataron con correas, Pablo dijo al centurión que estaba presente: ¿Os es lícito azotar a un hombre romano sin ser condenado?

26 Cuando el centurión oyó esto, fue y dio aviso al tribuno, diciendo: ¿Qué vas a hacer? Porque este hombre es romano.

27 Y viniendo el tribuno, le dijo: Dime, ¿eres tú Romano? Y él dijo: Sí.

28 Y respondió el tribuno: Yo con grande suma alcancé esta ciudadanía. Entonces Pablo dijo: Pero yo lo soy de nacimiento.

29 Así que, luego se apartaron de él los que le habían de atormentar; y aun el tribuno también tuvo temor, entendido que era romano, por haberle atado.

30 Y al día siguiente, queriendo saber de cierto la causa por qué era acusado de los judíos, le soltó de las prisiones, y mandó venir a los príncipes de los sacerdotes, y a todo su concilio; y sacando a Pablo, le presentó delante de ellos.

22 (A)“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

And when they heard that he was addressing them in (B)the Hebrew language,[a] they became even more quiet. And he said:

(C)“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated (D)at the feet of (E)Gamaliel[b] (F)according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, (G)being zealous for God (H)as all of you are this day. (I)I persecuted (J)this Way (K)to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as (L)the high priest and (M)the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to (N)the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

(O)“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am (P)Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ (Q)Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand[c] the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, (R)‘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.’ 11 And 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.

12 “And (S)one Ananias, a devout man (T)according to the law, (U)well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 (V)came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And (W)at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, (X)‘The God of our fathers (Y)appointed you to know his will, (Z)to see (AA)the Righteous One and (AB)to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for (AC)you will be a witness for him to everyone of what (AD)you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? (AE)Rise and be baptized and (AF)wash away your sins, (AG)calling on his name.’

17 (AH)“When I had returned to Jerusalem and (AI)was praying in the temple, I fell into (AJ)a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, (AK)‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ 19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another (AL)I imprisoned and (AM)beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen (AN)your witness was being shed, (AO)I myself was standing by and (AP)approving and (AQ)watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you (AR)far away to the Gentiles.’

Paul and the Roman Tribune

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

Paul Before the Council

30 But on the next day, (BB)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.

Footnotes

  1. Acts 22:2 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic)
  2. Acts 22:3 Or city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated
  3. Acts 22:9 Or hear with understanding
  4. Acts 22:25 Or when they had tied him up with leather strips