Parallel Bible results for "acts 22"

Acts 22

Common English Bible CEB

1 "Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense."

2 When they heard him address them in Aramaic, they became even more quiet.

3 Paul continued, “I'm a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia but raised in this city. Under Gamaliel's instruction, I was trained in the strict interpretation of our ancestral Law. I am passionately loyal to God, just like you who are gathered here today.

4 I harassed those who followed this Way to their death, arresting and delivering both men and women into prison.

5 The high priest and the whole Jerusalem Council can testify about me. I received letters from them, addressed to our associates in Damascus, then went there to bring those who were arrested to Jerusalem so they could be punished.

6 “During that journey, about noon, as I approached Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven encircled me.

7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice asking me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you harassing me?'

8 I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?' ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are harassing,' he replied.

9 My traveling companions saw the light, but they didn't hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.

10 I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?' ‘Get up,' the Lord replied, ‘and go into Damascus. There you will be told everything you have been appointed to do.'

11 I couldn't see because of the brightness of that light, so my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.

12 “There was a certain man named Ananias. According to the standards of the Law, he was a pious man who enjoyed the respect of all the Jews living there.

13 He came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!' he said. Instantly, I regained my sight and I could see him.

14 He said, ‘The God of our ancestors has selected you to know his will, to see the righteous one, and to hear his voice.

15 You will be his witness to everyone concerning what you have seen and heard.

16 What are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash away your sins as you call on his name.'

17 "When I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I had a visionary experience.

18 I saw the Lord speaking to me. ‘Hurry!' he said. ‘Leave Jerusalem at once because they won't accept your testimony about me.'

19 I responded, ‘Lord, these people know I used to go from one synagogue to the next, beating those who believe in you and throwing them into prison.

20 When Stephen your witness was being killed, I stood there giving my approval, even watching the clothes that belonged to those who were killing him.'

21 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

22 The crowd listened to Paul until he said this. Then they shouted, "Away with this man! He's not fit to live!"

23 As they were screaming, throwing off their garments, and flinging dust into the air,

24 the commander directed that Paul be taken into the military headquarters. He ordered that Paul be questioned under the whip so that he could find out why they were shouting at him like this.

25 As they were stretching him out and tying him down with straps, Paul said to the centurion standing there, "Can you legally whip a Roman citizen who hasn't been found guilty in court?"

26 When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and reported it. He asked, "What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen!"

27 The commander went to Paul and demanded, "Tell me! Are you a Roman citizen?" He said, "Yes."

28 The commander replied, "It cost me a lot of money to buy my citizenship." Paul said, "I'm a citizen by birth."

29 At once those who were about to examine him stepped away. The commander was alarmed when he realized he had bound a Roman citizen.

30 The commander still wanted to know the truth about why Paul was being accused by the Jews. Therefore, the next day he ordered the chief priests and the entire Jerusalem Council to assemble. Then he took Paul out of prison and had him stand before them.

GOD'S WORD Translation GW

1 "Brothers and fathers, listen as I now present my case to you."

2 When the mob heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then Paul continued,

3 "I'm a Jew. I was born and raised in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia and received my education from Gamaliel here in Jerusalem. My education was in the strict rules handed down by our ancestors. I was as devoted to God as all of you are today.

4 I persecuted people who followed the way [of Christ]: I tied up men and women and put them into prison until they were executed.

5 The chief priest and the entire council of our leaders can prove that I did this. In fact, they even gave me letters to take to the Jewish community in the city of Damascus. I was going there to tie up believers and bring them back to Jerusalem to punish them.

6 "But as I was on my way and approaching the city of Damascus about noon, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.

7 I fell to the ground and heard a voice asking me, 'Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?'

8 "I answered, 'Who are you, sir?' "The person told me, 'I'm Jesus from Nazareth, the one you're persecuting.'

9 "The men who were with me saw the light but didn't understand what the person who was speaking to me said.

10 "Then I asked, 'What do you want me to do, Lord?' "The Lord told me, 'Get up! Go into the city of Damascus, and you'll be told everything I've arranged for you to do.'

11 "I was blind because the light had been so bright. So the men who were with me led me into the city of Damascus.

12 "A man named Ananias lived in Damascus. He was a devout person who followed Moses' Teachings. All the Jews living in Damascus spoke highly of him.

13 He came to me, stood beside me, and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' At that moment my sight came back and I could see Ananias.

14 "Ananias said, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the one who has God's approval, and to hear him speak to you.

15 You will be his witness and will tell everyone what you have seen and heard.

16 What are you waiting for now? Get up! Be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.'

17 "After that, I returned to Jerusalem. While I was praying in the temple courtyard, I fell into a trance

18 and saw the Lord. He told me, 'Hurry! Get out of Jerusalem immediately. The people here won't accept your testimony about me.'

19 "I said, 'Lord, people here know that I went from synagogue to synagogue to imprison and whip those who believe in you.

20 When Stephen, who witnessed about you, was being killed, I was standing there. I approved of his death and guarded the coats of those who were murdering him.'

21 "But the Lord told me, 'Go! I'll send you on a mission. You'll go far away to people who aren't Jewish.'"

22 Up to that point the mob listened. Then they began to shout, "Kill him! The world doesn't need a man like this. He shouldn't have been allowed to live this long!"

23 The mob was yelling, taking off their coats, and throwing dirt into the air.

24 So the officer ordered the soldiers to take Paul into the barracks and told them to question Paul as they whipped him. The officer wanted to find out why the people were yelling at Paul like this.

25 But when the soldiers had Paul stretch out [to tie him to the whipping post] with the straps, Paul asked the sergeant who was standing there, "Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't had a trial?"

26 When the sergeant heard this, he reported it to his commanding officer. The sergeant asked him, "What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen."

27 The officer went to Paul and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" Paul answered, "Yes."

28 The officer replied, "I paid a lot of money to become a Roman citizen." Paul replied, "But I was born a Roman citizen."

29 Immediately, the soldiers who were going to question Paul stepped away from him. The officer was afraid when he found out that he had tied up a Roman citizen.

30 The officer wanted to find out exactly what accusation the Jews had against Paul. So the officer released Paul the next day and ordered the chief priests and the entire Jewish council to meet. Then the officer brought Paul and had him stand in front of them.