^{1 Ref} My brothers and fathers, give ear to the story of my life which I now put before you.

^{2 Ref} And, hearing him talking in the Hebrew language, they became the more quiet, and he said,

^{3 Ref} I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia by birth, but I had my education in this town at the feet of Gamaliel, being trained in the keeping of every detail of the law of our fathers; given up to the cause of God with all my heart, as you are today.

^{4 Ref} And I made attacks on this Way, even to death, taking men and women and putting them in prison.

^{5 Ref} Of which the high priest will be a witness, and all the rulers, from whom I had letters to the brothers; and I went into Damascus, to take those who were there as prisoners to Jerusalem for punishment.

^{6 Ref} And it came about that while I was on my journey, coming near to Damascus, about the middle of the day, suddenly I saw a great light from heaven shining round me.

^{7 Ref} And when I went down on the earth, a voice came to my ears saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you attacking me so cruelly?

^{8 Ref} And I, answering, said, Who are you; Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are attacking.

^{9 Ref} And those who were with me saw the light, but the voice of him who was talking to me came not to their ears.

^{10 Ref} And I said, What have I to do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Get up, and go into Damascus; and it will be made clear to you what you have to do.

^{11 Ref} And because I was unable to see because of the glory of that light, those who were with me took me by the hand, and so I came to Damascus.

^{12 Ref} And one Ananias, a God-fearing man, who kept the law, and of whom all the Jews in that place had a high opinion,

^{13 Ref} Came to my side and said, Brother Saul, let your eyes be open. And in that very hour I was able to see him.

^{14 Ref} And he said, You have been marked out by the God of our fathers to have knowledge of his purpose, and to see the Upright One and to give ear to the words of his mouth.

^{15 Ref} For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and of what has come to your ears.

^{16 Ref} And now, why are you waiting? get up, and have baptism, for the washing away of your sins, giving worship to his name.

^{17 Ref} And it came about that when I had come back to Jerusalem, while I was at prayer in the Temple, my senses became more than naturally clear,

^{18 Ref} And I saw him saying to me, Go out of Jerusalem straight away because they will not give hearing to your witness about me.

^{19 Ref} And I said, Lord, they themselves have knowledge that I went through the Synagogues putting in prison and whipping all those who had faith in you:

^{20 Ref} And when Stephen your witness was put to death, I was there, giving approval, and looking after the clothing of those who put him to death.

^{21 Ref} And he said to me, Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.

^{22 Ref} And they gave him a hearing as far as this word; then with loud voices they said, Away with this man from the earth; it is not right for him to be living.

^{23 Ref} And while they were crying out, and pulling off their clothing, and sending dust into the air,

^{24 Ref} The chief captain gave orders for him to be taken into the army building, saying that he would put him to the test by whipping, so that he might have knowledge of the reason why they were crying out so violently against him.

^{25 Ref} And when they had put leather bands round him, Paul said to the captain who was present, Is it the law for you to give blows to a man who is a Roman and has not been judged?

^{26 Ref} And hearing this, the man went to the chief captain and gave him an account of it, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman.

²⁷ And the chief captain came to him and said, Give me an answer, are you a Roman? And he said, Yes.

²⁸ And the chief captain said, I got Roman rights for myself at a great price. And Paul said, But I had them by birth.

^{29 Ref} Then those who were about to put him to the test went away: and the chief captain was in fear, seeing that he was a Roman, and that he had put chains on him.

^{30 Ref} But on the day after, desiring to have certain knowledge of what the Jews had to say against him, he made him free, and gave orders for the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to come together, and he took Paul and put him before them.

^{1 Ref} `Men, brethren, and fathers, hear my defence now unto you;' --

^{2 Ref} and they having heard that in the Hebrew dialect he was speaking to them, gave the more silence, and he saith, --

^{3 Ref} `I, indeed, am a man, a Jew, having been born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, having been taught according to the exactitude of a law of the fathers, being zealous of God, as all ye are to-day.

^{4 Ref} `And this way I persecuted unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women,

^{5 Ref} as also the chief priest doth testify to me, and all the eldership; from whom also having received letters unto the brethren, to Damascus, I was going on, to bring also those there bound to Jerusalem that they might be punished,

^{6 Ref} and it came to pass, in my going on and coming nigh to Damascus, about noon, suddenly out of the heaven there shone a great light round about me,

^{7 Ref} I fell also to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why me dost thou persecute?

^{8 Ref} `And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? and he said unto me, I am Jesus the Nazarene whom thou dost persecute --

^{9 Ref} and they who are with me the light did see, and became afraid, and the voice they heard not of him who is speaking to me --

^{10 Ref} and I said, What shall I do, Lord? and the Lord said unto me, Having risen, go on to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee concerning all things that have been appointed for thee to do.

^{11 Ref} `And when I did not see from the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who are with me, I came to Damascus,

^{12 Ref} and a certain one, Ananias, a pious man according to the law, being testified to by all the Jews dwelling `there',

^{13 Ref} having come unto me and stood by `me', said to me, Saul, brother, look up; and I the same hour did look up to him;

^{14 Ref} and he said, The God of our fathers did choose thee beforehand to know His will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice out of his mouth,

^{15 Ref} because thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard;

^{16 Ref} and now, why tarriest thou? having risen, baptize thyself, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.

^{17 Ref} `And it came to pass when I returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I came into a trance,

^{18 Ref} and I saw him saying to me, Haste and go forth in haste out of Jerusalem, because they will not receive thy testimony concerning me;

^{19 Ref} and I said, Lord, they -- they know that I was imprisoning and was scourging in every synagogue those believing on thee;

^{20 Ref} and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was being poured forth, I also was standing by and assenting to his death, and keeping the garments of those putting him to death;

^{21 Ref} and he said unto me, Go, because to nations far off I will send thee.'

^{22 Ref} And they were hearing him unto this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying, `Away from the earth with such an one; for it is not fit for him to live.'

^{23 Ref} And they crying out and casting up their garments, and throwing dust into the air,

^{24 Ref} the chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, saying, `By scourges let him be examined;' that he might know for what cause they were crying so against him.

^{25 Ref} And as he was stretching him with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion who was standing by, `A man, a Roman, uncondemned -- is it lawful to you to scourge;'

^{26 Ref} and the centurion having heard, having gone near to the chief captain, told, saying, `Take heed what thou art about to do, for this man is a Roman;'

²⁷ and the chief captain having come near, said to him, `Tell me, art thou a Roman?' and he said, `Yes;'

²⁸ and the chief captain answered, `I, with a great sum, did obtain this citizenship;' but Paul said, `But I have been even born `so'.'

^{29 Ref} Immediately, therefore, they departed from him who are about to examine him, and the chief captain also was afraid, having learned that he is a Roman, and because he had bound him,

^{30 Ref} and on the morrow, intending to know the certainty wherefore he is accused by the Jews, he did loose him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their sanhedrim to come, and having brought down Paul, he set `him' before them.

^{1 Ref} Brethren and fathers, hear ye the defence which I now make unto you.

^{2 Ref} And when they heard that he spake unto them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet: and he saith,

^{3 Ref} I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as ye all are this day:

^{4 Ref} and I persecuted this Way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

^{5 Ref} As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and journeyed to Damascus to bring them also that were there unto Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.

^{6 Ref} And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and drew nigh unto Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

^{7 Ref} And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

^{8 Ref} And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.

^{9 Ref} And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.

^{10 Ref} And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

^{11 Ref} And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me I came into Damascus.

^{12 Ref} And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews that dwelt there,

^{13 Ref} came unto me, and standing by me said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And in that very hour I looked up on him.

^{14 Ref} And he said, The God of our fathers hath appointed thee to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.

^{15 Ref} For thou shalt be a witness for him unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

^{16 Ref} And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name.

^{17 Ref} And it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,

^{18 Ref} and saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem; because they will not receive of thee testimony concerning me.

^{19 Ref} And I said, Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:

^{20 Ref} and when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting, and keeping the garments of them that slew him.

^{21 Ref} And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee forth far hence unto the Gentiles.

^{22 Ref} And they gave him audience unto this word; and they lifted up their voice, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.

^{23 Ref} And as they cried out, and threw off their garments, and cast dust into the air,

^{24 Ref} the chief captain commanded him be brought into the castle, bidding that he should be examined by scourging, that he might know for what cause they so shouted against him.

^{25 Ref} And when they had tied him up with the thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?

^{26 Ref} And when the centurion heard it, he went to the chief captain and told him, saying, What art thou about to do? for this man is a Roman.

²⁷ And the chief captain came and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? And he said, Yea.

²⁸ And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this citizenship. And Paul said, But I am `a Roman' born.

^{29 Ref} They then that were about to examine him straightway departed from him: and the chief captain also was afraid when he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

^{30 Ref} But on the morrow, desiring to know the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.