New American Standard Bible 1995

Holman Christian Standard Bible

1"Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you."

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

2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said,

2When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter.

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

3He continued, "I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel and educated according to the strict view of our patriarchal law. Being zealous for God, just as all of you are today,

4"I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons,

4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women in jail,

5as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.

5as both the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. After I received letters from them to the brothers, I traveled to Damascus to bring those who were prisoners there to be punished in Jerusalem."

6"But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me,

6As I was traveling and near Damascus, about noon an intense light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.

7and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'

7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'"

8"And I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, 'I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.'

8I answered, 'Who are You, Lord?'" He said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarene, the One you are persecuting!'

9"And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me.

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

10"And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.'

10Then I said, 'What should I do, Lord?'" And the Lord told me, Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything that is assigned for you to do.'"

11"But 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.

11Since I couldn't 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"A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

12Someone named Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good reputation with all the Jews residing there,

13came to me, and standing near said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very time I looked up at him.

13came and stood by me and said, 'Brother Saul, regain your sight.' And in that very hour I looked up and saw him.

14"And he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.

14Then he said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of His voice.

15'For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

15For you will be a witness for Him to all people of what you have seen and heard.

16'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.'

16And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name.'"

17"It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance,

17After I came back to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple complex, I went into a visionary state

18and I saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.'

18and saw Him telling me, Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me!'"

19"And I said, 'Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You.

19But I said, 'Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in You imprisoned and beaten.

20'And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.'

20And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing by and approving, and I guarded the clothes of those who killed him.'"

21"And He said to me, 'Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

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

22They listened to him up to this statement, and then they raised their voices and said, "Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he should not be allowed to live!"

22They listened to him up to this word. Then they raised their voices, shouting, "Wipe this person off the earth--it's a disgrace for him to live!"

23And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,

23As they were yelling and flinging aside their robes and throwing dust into the air,

24the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way.

24the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, directing that he be examined with the scourge, so he could discover the reason they were shouting against him like this.

25But when they stretched him out with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned?"

25As they stretched him out for the lash, Paul said to the centurion standing by, "Is it legal for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and is uncondemned?"

26When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and told him, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman."

26When the centurion heard this, he went and reported to the commander, saying, "What are you going to do? For this man is a Roman citizen."

27The commander came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" And he said, "Yes."

27The commander came and said to him, "Tell me--are you a Roman citizen?"" Yes," he said.

28The commander answered, "I acquired this citizenship with a large sum of money." And Paul said, "But I was actually born a citizen."

28The commander replied, "I bought this citizenship for a large amount of money."" But I was born a citizen," Paul said.

29Therefore those who were about to examine him immediately let go of him; and the commander also was afraid when he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had put him in chains.

29Therefore, those who were about to examine him withdrew from him at once. The commander too was alarmed when he realized Paul was a Roman citizen and he had bound him.

30But on the next day, wishing to know for certain why he had been accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and all the Council to assemble, and brought Paul down and set him before them.

30The next day, since he wanted to find out exactly why Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and instructed the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to convene. Then he brought Paul down and placed him before them.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.