New King James Version

New American Standard Bible 1995

1“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.”

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

2And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent. Then he said:

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

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.

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.

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

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

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 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.

6“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.

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,

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

7and I 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.’

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

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.

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.’

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.'

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.

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.

12“Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there,

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,

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

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.

15For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.

15'For you will be a witness for Him to all men 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.’

16'Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, 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

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

18and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’

18and I saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste, 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.

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.

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.’

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.'

21Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”

21"And He said to me, 'Go! For 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 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!"

23Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air,

23And as they were crying out and throwing off their cloaks and tossing 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, stating that he should be examined by scourging so that he might find out the reason why they were shouting against him that way.

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?”

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?"

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 to the commander and told him, saying, "What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman."

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?" And he said, "Yes."

28The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.” And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”

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

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 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.

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.

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.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

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