The New Testament / Translated From the Original Greek, With Chronological Arrangement of the Sacred Books, and Improved Divisions of Chapters and Verses.

by Unknown

CHAPTER XX.

PAUL'S APPREHENSION BY THE JEWS, HIS RESCUE BY THE ROMANS, HIS ADDRESS, ETC.—A.D. 59.

1 ^21:27AND when the seven days were nearly completed, the Jews from Asia seeing him in the temple excited all the multitude, and laid hands on him, ^21:28crying, Men of Israel, help; this is the man who teaches all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place, and besides he has brought Greeks into the temple, and defiled this holy place. ^21:29For they had before seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, and supposed that Paul had brought him into the temple. ^21:30And all the city was moved, and there was a concourse of the people, and taking hold of Paul they dragged him without the temple, and immediately the gates were shut.

2 ^21:31And while they were seeking to kill him, a report went up to the chiliarch of the cohort that all Jerusalem was in commotion; ^21:32who immediately taking soldiers and centurions ran down upon them; and seeing the chiliarch and the soldiers, they ceased beating Paul. ^21:33Then the chiliarch approaching took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains, and inquired who he was and what he had done. ^21:34But some cried one thing, and some another, in the multitude, and not being able to learn the truth, on account of the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the fortress. ^21:35And when he was on the steps, it happened that he was borne by the soldiers, on account of the violence of the multitude; ^21:36for the multitude of the people followed, crying, Take him away.

3 ^21:37And being about to be carried into the fortress, Paul said to the chiliarch, May I have permission to speak to you? And he said, Do you understand Greek? ^21:38Are you not the Egyptian who before these days excited a sedition, and led out into the wilderness the four thousand men who were murderers? ^21:39And Paul said, I am a Jew, of Tarsus of Cilicia, a citizen of a not undistinguished city, I beg of you, permit me to speak to the people. ^21:40And he giving him permission, Paul stood up on the steps, and motioned with his hand to the people; and when there was great silence, he spoke in the Hebrew language, and said, ^22:1Men, brothers and fathers, hear my present defense before you. ^22:2And hearing that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept the greater silence.

5 ^22:3And he said, I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, instructed at the feet of Gamaliel in the accurate interpretation of the law of our fathers, and am a zealous worshipper of God as you all are to-day; ^22:4and I persecuted this way to death, binding and committing to prison both men and women, ^22:5as the chief priest also bears me witness, and all the eldership, from whom also receiving letters to the brothers I went to Damascus, to bring those who were there bound to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 ^22:6And when I was on the way and had come nigh to Damascus, about noon suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me, ^22:7and I fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? ^22:8And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazoraean, whom you persecute. ^22:9And those that were with me saw the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me. ^22:10And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told you of all things which are appointed for you to do.

7 ^22:11And when I could not see from the brightness of that light, being led by the hand by those with me, I came to Damascus. ^22:12And a certain Ananias, a man [living] according to the law, approved by all the Jews living [there], ^22:13coming and standing by, said to me, Brother Saul, Receive your sight. And in that hour I looked upon him. ^22:14And he said, The God of our fathers chose you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and hear the voice of his mouth, ^22:15for you shall be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. ^22:16And now, why do you delay? Arising, baptize and wash away your sins, calling on his name.

8 ^22:17And when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I was in a trance, ^22:18and saw him [Christ], saying to me, Hasten and depart immediately from Jerusalem, for they will not receive your testimony of me. ^22:19And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in the synagogues those who believed on you; ^22:20and when the blood of your martyr Stephen was poured out, I also stood by and consented, and kept the clothes of those that killed him. ^22:21And he said to me, Go, for I will send you to nations far away.

9 ^22:22And they heard him to this word, and lifted up their voice saying, Take away such a man from the earth; it is not fit that he should live. ^22:23And as they cried and rent their clothes and cast dust in the air, ^22:24the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, ordering that he should be examined with scourges, that he might know for what reason they cried so against him. ^22:25But when they extended him with cords, he said to the centurion standing by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, a Roman, and uncondemned? ^22:26And the centurion hearing this, went and told the chiliarch, saying, What are you about to do? for this man is a Roman. ^22:27And the chiliarch came to him and said, Tell me, are you a Roman? And he said, Yes. ^22:28And the chiliarch answered, I acquired this citizenship for a great price. But Paul said, I am indeed, and was also born [one]. ^22:29Then those about to examine him immediately withdrew from him; and the chiliarch was afraid, knowing that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.