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.
CHAPTER XXI.
PAUL BEFORE THE SANHEDRIM, AND SENT TO CÆSAREA FOR SAFE KEEPING.—A.D. 59.
1 22:30AND on the next day, wishing to know the truth in respect to what he was accused of by the Jews, [the chiliarch] released him, and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrim to come together; and bringing Paul down he set him before them. 23:1And Paul looking steadily at the Sanhedrim, said, Men and brothers, I have lived before God in all good conscience to this day. 23:2And the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by to strike him on the mouth. 23:3Then Paul said to him, God is about to strike you, whitewashed wall; and do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law? 23:4And those standing by said, Do you revile God's chief priest? 23:5And Paul said, I knew not brothers that he was a chief priest; for it is written, You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.
2 23:6And Paul knowing that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, cried in the Sanhedrim, Men and brothers, I am a Pharisee and the son of Pharisees; for the hope and resurrection of the dead am I under trial. 23:7And having said this, there was a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the multitude were divided. 23:8For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees confess both. 23:9And there was a great cry, and the scribes of the party of the Pharisees rising up contended, saying, We find no evil in this man; but [what] if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him? 23:10And there being a great dissension, the chiliarch, fearing that Paul would be torn in pieces by them, commanded the troops to come down and take him by force from the midst of them, and conduct him to the fortress.
3 23:11And on the following night the Lord stood by him and said, Be of good courage, for as you have testified of me at Jerusalem, so you must also testify at Rome. 23:12And when it was day, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves by an oath, saying that they would not eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. 23:13And there were more than forty who took this oath, 23:14who came to the chief priests and elders and said, We have bound ourselves under a curse to taste nothing till we kill Paul. 23:15Now, therefore, speak to the chiliarch, with the Sanhedrim, to bring him down to you tomorrow, as if you were about to investigate his case more accurately, and we, before he comes nigh, are ready to kill him.