Chapter 22

Paul’s Speech to the People of Jerusalem.^{[a] 1} “Brethren and fathers, listen to what I have to say to you in my defense.” ² When they heard him addressing them in Aramaic, they became even more quiet than before.

Then he continued, ³ “I am a Jew, born atTarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. As a pupil of Gamaliel, I was thoroughly trained in the Law of our ancestors. I have always been zealous toward God, just as all of you are today. ⁴ I even persecuted the followers of this Way to their death, sending both men and women to prison in chains, ⁵ as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify. From them I also received letters to our brethren in Damascus, and I set out to bring prisoners back from there to Jerusalem for punishment.

⁶ “While I was on my way and drawing near Damascus, around midday a great light from the sky suddenly shone all around me. ⁷ I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ⁸ I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ Then he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

⁹ “Now those who were with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me. ¹⁰ I asked, ‘What do you want me to do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus. There you will be told everything that you have been appointed to do.’ ¹¹ I could not see because of the brilliance of that light, and so my companions led me by the hand to Damascus.

¹² “A man named Ananias, who was a devout observer of the Law and highly regarded by all the Jews who lived there, ¹³ came to see me. Standing beside me, he said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ Instantly, I saw him.

¹⁴ “Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear him speak. ¹⁵ For you will be his witness^[b] to tell all what you have seen and heard. ¹⁶ And now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’

¹⁷ “After I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ¹⁸ and saw Jesus there. ‘Hurry and leave Jerusalem at once,’ he said, ‘because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ ¹⁹ But I replied, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I used to imprison and scourge those who believe in you. ²⁰ And while the blood of your martyr Stephen was being shed, I myself stood by, giving my approval and guarding the coats of his murderers.’ ²¹ Then he said to me, ‘Go! I am sending you far away to the Gentiles.’ ”

²² Paul Claims His Roman Citizenship.^[c] Up to this point, the crowd had listened to him, but then they raised their voices and began to shout, “Rid the earth of this man! He should not be allowed to live.” ²³ And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, ²⁴ the commander ordered that he be brought into the barracks and gave instructions that he be interrogated while being scourged to discover the reason for this outcry against him.

²⁵ But when they had stretched him out and bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion who was standing nearby, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen and who has not been condemned?” ²⁶ When the centurion heard this, he went to the commander and asked, “What are you going to do? This man is a Roman citizen.”

²⁷ Then the commander came to him and inquired, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he answered, “Yes.” ²⁸ The commander responded, “It cost me a great deal of money to acquire this citizenship.” Paul replied, “But I was born a citizen.” ²⁹ Then those who were about to interrogate him withdrew hurriedly, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had put him in chains.

³⁰ Paul’s First Trial—before the Sanhedrin.^[d] Since the commander wanted to learn with certitude what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, he released him on the following day and ordered the chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin to meet. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.