Acts 22
They Listened Until He Said the Word Gentiles
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Paul’s Defense Before the People
22:1“Men, brothers and fathers, hear the defense I now make before you.”
22:2When they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they became still quieter. He said:
22:3“I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated in the strict observance of the ancestral law, zealous for God as all of you are today.
22:4I persecuted this Way to the point of death, binding and handing over to prisons both men and women,
22:5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify for me. From them I also received letters to the brothers, and I went toward Damascus to bring those there bound to Jerusalem for punishment.
The Light on the Road to Damascus
22:6As I was traveling and drawing near Damascus, about noon, a brilliant light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.
22:7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
22:8I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’
22:9Those with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the One speaking to me.
22:10I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Rise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.’
22:11Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those with me and came into Damascus.
22:12A certain Ananias, a man devout according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there,
22:13came to me, stood beside me, and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ At that very hour I regained my sight and looked at him.
22:14He 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,
22:15for you will be His witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.
22:16Now why do you delay? Rise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling upon His name.’
Sent to the Gentiles
22:17After I returned to Jerusalem, while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance
22:18and saw Him saying to me, ‘Hurry, and go out quickly from Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.’
22:19I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that I used to imprison and beat in the synagogues those who believe in You.
22:20And when the blood of Stephen, Your witness, was being poured out, I myself stood by, approving and guarding the garments of those who were killing him.’
22:21He said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
They Listened to Him Until This Word
22:22They listened to him until this statement, then raised their voice and said, “Remove such a man from the earth, for he ought not to live.”
22:23As they shouted, flung their garments, and threw dust into the air,
22:24the tribune ordered him brought into the barracks and directed that he be examined by scourging, so that he might learn why they were shouting against him in this way.
22:25As they stretched him out with the straps, Paul said to the centurion standing nearby, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman man who has not been condemned?”
22:26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and reported it, saying, “What are you about to do? This man is a Roman.”
22:27The tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.”
22:28The tribune answered, “I acquired this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I was born with it.”
22:29Those about to examine him immediately withdrew. The tribune too was afraid when he learned that Paul was a Roman and that he had bound him.
Paul Brought Before the Council
22:30The next day, wishing to learn with certainty what accusation the Jews were bringing against him, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council to assemble. He brought Paul down and set him before them.
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Saints Translation · Liturgical reading edition · V2 · working draft awaiting specialist review.