New Living Translation

Greek Study Bible

1“Brothers and esteemed fathers,” Paul said, “listen to me as I offer my defense.”

1Ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες ἀκούσατέ μου τῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς νυνὶ ἀπολογίας

2When they heard him speaking in their own language, the silence was even greater.

2ἀκούσαντες δὲ ὅτι τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ προσεφώνει αὐτοῖς μᾶλλον παρέσχον ἡσυχίαν Καὶ φησίν

3Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today.

3Ἐγώ εἰμι ἀνὴρ Ἰουδαῖος γεγεννημένος ἐν Ταρσῷ τῆς Κιλικίας ἀνατεθραμμένος δὲ ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ παρὰ τοὺς πόδας Γαμαλιήλ πεπαιδευμένος κατὰ ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου ζηλωτὴς ὑπάρχων τοῦ Θεοῦ καθὼς πάντες ὑμεῖς ἐστε σήμερον

4And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison.

4ὃς ταύτην τὴν Ὁδὸν ἐδίωξα ἄχρι θανάτου δεσμεύων καὶ παραδιδοὺς εἰς φυλακὰς ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας

5The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the followers of the Way from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished.

5ὡς καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς μαρτυρεῖ μοι καὶ πᾶν τὸ πρεσβυτέριον παρ’ ὧν καὶ ἐπιστολὰς δεξάμενος πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς εἰς Δαμασκὸν ἐπορευόμην ἄξων καὶ τοὺς ἐκεῖσε ὄντας δεδεμένους εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν

6“As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me.

6Ἐγένετο δέ μοι πορευομένῳ καὶ ἐγγίζοντι τῇ Δαμασκῷ περὶ μεσημβρίαν ἐξαίφνης ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ περιαστράψαι φῶς ἱκανὸν περὶ ἐμέ

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

7ἔπεσά τε εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος καὶ ἤκουσα φωνῆς λεγούσης μοι Σαοὺλ Σαούλ τί με διώκεις

8“‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting.’

8Ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπεκρίθην Τίς εἶ Κύριε Εἶπέν τε πρὸς ἐμέ Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὃν σὺ διώκεις

9The people with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice speaking to me.

9οἱ δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ ὄντες τὸ μὲν φῶς ἐθεάσαντο τὴν δὲ φωνὴν οὐκ ἤκουσαν τοῦ λαλοῦντός μοι

10“I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ “And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.’

10Εἶπον δέ Τί ποιήσω Κύριε Ὁ δὲ Κύριος εἶπεν πρός με Ἀναστὰς πορεύου εἰς Δαμασκόν κἀκεῖ σοι λαληθήσεται περὶ πάντων ὧν τέτακταί σοι ποιῆσαι

11“I was blinded by the intense light and had to be led by the hand to Damascus by my companions.

11Ὡς δὲ οὐκ ἐνέβλεπον ἀπὸ τῆς δόξης τοῦ φωτὸς ἐκείνου χειραγωγούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν συνόντων μοι ἦλθον εἰς Δαμασκόν

12A man named Ananias lived there. He was a godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by all the Jews of Damascus.

12Ἁνανίας δέ τις ἀνὴρ εὐλαβὴς κατὰ τὸν νόμον μαρτυρούμενος ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν κατοικούντων Ἰουδαίων

13He came and stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And that very moment I could see him!

13ἐλθὼν πρὸς ἐμὲ καὶ ἐπιστὰς εἶπέν μοι Σαοὺλ ἀδελφέ ἀνάβλεψον κἀγὼ αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἀνέβλεψα εἰς αὐτόν

14“Then he told me, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak.

14Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν Ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν προεχειρίσατό σε γνῶναι τὸ θέλημα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰδεῖν τὸν Δίκαιον καὶ ἀκοῦσαι φωνὴν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ

15For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard.

15ὅτι ἔσῃ μάρτυς αὐτῷ πρὸς πάντας ἀνθρώπους ὧν ἑώρακας καὶ ἤκουσας

16What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’

16καὶ νῦν τί μέλλεις ἀναστὰς βάπτισαι καὶ ἀπόλουσαι τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου ἐπικαλεσάμενος τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ

17“After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and fell into a trance.

17Ἐγένετο δέ μοι ὑποστρέψαντι εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ προσευχομένου μου ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ γενέσθαι με ἐν ἐκστάσει

18I saw a vision of Jesus saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem, for the people here won’t accept your testimony about me.’

18καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν λέγοντά μοι Σπεῦσον καὶ ἔξελθε ἐν τάχει ἐξ Ἰερουσαλήμ διότι οὐ παραδέξονταί σου μαρτυρίαν περὶ ἐμοῦ

19“‘But Lord,’ I argued, ‘they certainly know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.

19Κἀγὼ εἶπον Κύριε αὐτοὶ ἐπίστανται ὅτι ἐγὼ ἤμην φυλακίζων καὶ δέρων κατὰ τὰς συναγωγὰς τοὺς πιστεύοντας ἐπὶ σέ

20And I was in complete agreement when your witness Stephen was killed. I stood by and kept the coats they took off when they stoned him.’

20καὶ ὅτε ἐξεχύννετο τὸ αἷμα Στεφάνου τοῦ μάρτυρός σου καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμην ἐφεστὼς καὶ συνευδοκῶν καὶ φυλάσσων τὰ ἱμάτια τῶν ἀναιρούντων αὐτόν

21“But the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’ ”

21Καὶ εἶπεν πρός με Πορεύου ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰς ἔθνη μακρὰν ἐξαποστελῶ σε

22The crowd listened until Paul said that word. Then they all began to shout, “Away with such a fellow! He isn’t fit to live!”

22Ἤκουον δὲ αὐτοῦ ἄχρι τούτου τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἐπῆραν τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν λέγοντες Αἶρε ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς τὸν τοιοῦτον οὐ γὰρ καθῆκεν αὐτὸν ζῆν

23They yelled, threw off their coats, and tossed handfuls of dust into the air. Paul Reveals His Roman Citizenship

23Κραυγαζόντων τε αὐτῶν καὶ ῥιπτούντων τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ κονιορτὸν βαλλόντων εἰς τὸν ἀέρα

24The commander brought Paul inside and ordered him lashed with whips to make him confess his crime. He wanted to find out why the crowd had become so furious.

24ἐκέλευσεν ὁ χιλίαρχος εἰσάγεσθαι αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν παρεμβολήν εἴπας μάστιξιν ἀνετάζεσθαι αὐτὸν ἵνα ἐπιγνῷ δι’ ἣν αἰτίαν οὕτως ἐπεφώνουν αὐτῷ

25When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer standing there, “Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn’t even been tried?”

25Ὡς δὲ προέτειναν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἱμᾶσιν εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν ἑστῶτα ἑκατόνταρχον ὁ Παῦλος Εἰ ἄνθρωπον Ῥωμαῖον καὶ ἀκατάκριτον ἔξεστιν ὑμῖν μαστίζειν

26When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!”

26Ἀκούσας δὲ ὁ ἑκατοντάρχης προσελθὼν τῷ χιλιάρχῳ ἀπήγγειλεν λέγων Τί μέλλεις ποιεῖν ὁ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν

27So the commander went over and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes, I certainly am,” Paul replied.

27Προσελθὼν δὲ ὁ χιλίαρχος εἶπεν αὐτῷ Λέγε μοι σὺ Ῥωμαῖος εἶ Ὁ δὲ ἔφη Ναί

28“I am, too,” the commander muttered, “and it cost me plenty!” Paul answered, “But I am a citizen by birth!”

28Ἀπεκρίθη δὲ ὁ χιλίαρχος Ἐγὼ πολλοῦ κεφαλαίου τὴν πολιτείαν ταύτην ἐκτησάμην ὁ Δὲ Παῦλος ἔφη Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ γεγέννημαι

29The soldiers who were about to interrogate Paul quickly withdrew when they heard he was a Roman citizen, and the commander was frightened because he had ordered him bound and whipped. Paul before the High Council

29Εὐθέως οὖν ἀπέστησαν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ οἱ μέλλοντες αὐτὸν ἀνετάζειν καὶ ὁ χιλίαρχος δὲ ἐφοβήθη ἐπιγνοὺς ὅτι Ῥωμαῖός ἐστιν καὶ ὅτι αὐτὸν ἦν δεδεκώς

30The next day the commander ordered the leading priests into session with the Jewish high council. He wanted to find out what the trouble was all about, so he released Paul to have him stand before them.

30Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον βουλόμενος γνῶναι τὸ ἀσφαλὲς τὸ τί κατηγορεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἔλυσεν αὐτόν καὶ ἐκέλευσεν συνελθεῖν τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ πᾶν τὸ συνέδριον καὶ καταγαγὼν τὸν Παῦλον ἔστησεν εἰς αὐτούς

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.