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.

New Revised Standard NRS

1 "Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense that I now make before you."

2 When they heard him addressing them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then he said:

3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated strictly according to our ancestral law, being zealous for God, just as all of you are today.

4 I persecuted this Way up to the point of death by binding both men and women and putting them in prison,

5 as 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 bind those who were there and to bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment.

6 "While I was on my way and approaching Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me.

7 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?' Then he said to me, "I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.'

9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

10 I asked, "What am I to do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, "Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told everything that has been assigned to you to do.'

11 Since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me took my hand and led me to Damascus.

12 "A certain Ananias, who was a devout man according to the law and well spoken of by all the Jews living there,

13 came to me; and standing beside me, he said, "Brother Saul, regain your sight!' In that very hour I regained my sight and saw him.

14 Then he said, "The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear his own voice;

15 for you will be his witness to all the world of what you have seen and heard.

16 And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.'

17 "After I had returned to Jerusalem and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

18 and saw Jesus saying to me, "Hurry 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 every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.

20 And while the blood of your witness Stephen was shed, I myself was standing by, approving and keeping the coats of those who killed him.'

21 Then he said to me, "Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.' "

22 Up to this point they listened to him, but then they shouted, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live."

23 And while they were shouting, throwing off their cloaks, and tossing dust into the air,

24 the tribune directed that he was to be brought into the barracks, and ordered him to be examined by flogging, to find out the reason for this outcry against him.

25 But when they had tied him up with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who is uncondemned?"

26 When the centurion heard that, he went to the tribune and said to him, "What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen."

27 The tribune came and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes."

28 The tribune answered, "It cost me a large sum of money to get my citizenship." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."

29 Immediately those who were about to examine him drew back from him; and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

30 Since he wanted to find out what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, the next day he released him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council to meet. He brought Paul down and had him stand before them.