| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.” | 1Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you." |
| 2And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. Then he said: | 2When they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter. |
| 3“I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God 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, |
| 4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, | 4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women in jail, |
| 5as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem 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“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone 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?'" |
| 8So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, 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 indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke 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." |
| 10So I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Arise and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all things which are 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.'" |
| 11And since I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I 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“Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt 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 he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour 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. |
| 14Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has chosen you that you should know His will, and see the Just One, and hear the voice of 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. |
| 15For you will be His witness 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. |
| 16And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’ | 16And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins by calling on His name.'" |
| 17“Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance | 17After I came back to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple complex, I went into a visionary state |
| 18and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ | 18and saw Him telling me, Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me!'" |
| 19So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. | 19But I said, 'Lord, they know that in synagogue after synagogue I had those who believed in You imprisoned and beaten. |
| 20And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing 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.'" |
| 21Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ ” | 21Then He said to me, Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'" |
| 22And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit 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!" |
| 23Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw 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, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him. | 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. |
| 25And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood 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 that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you 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." |
| 27Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said, “Yes.” | 27The commander came and said to him, "Tell me--are you a Roman citizen?"" Yes," he said. |
| 28The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.” | 28The commander replied, "I bought this citizenship for a large amount of money."" But I was born a citizen," Paul said. |
| 29Then immediately those who were about to examine him withdrew from him; and the commander was also afraid after he found out that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. | 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. |
| 30The next day, because he wanted to know for certain why he was accused by the Jews, he released him from his bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, 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. |
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