Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

Paul's Defense to the Crowd

Brethren and fathers, hear my defence which I now make to you.

1

Paul’s Defense at Jerusalem

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

2

And hearing that he addressed them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more quiet; and he says,

2

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

3

*I* am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to [the] exactness of the law of [our] fathers, being zealous for God, as *ye* are all this day;

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.

4

who have persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women;

4

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

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as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the elderhood: from whom also, having received letters to the brethren, I went to Damascus to bring those also who were there, bound, to Jerusalem, to be punished.

5

as 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.

6

And it came to pass, as I was journeying and drawing near to Damascus, that, about mid-day, there suddenly shone out of heaven a great light round about me.

6

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

7

And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

7

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

8

And *I* answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, *I* am Jesus the Nazaraean, whom *thou* persecutest.

8

So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

9

But they that were with me beheld the light, [and were filled with fear], but heard not the voice of him that was speaking to me.

9

“And those who were with me indeed saw the light [a]and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.

10

And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Rise up, and go to Damascus, and there it shall be told thee of all things which it is appointed thee to do.

10

So 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.’

11

And as I could not see, through the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came to Damascus.

11

And 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.

12

And a certain Ananias, a pious man according to the law, borne witness to by all the Jews who dwelt [there],

12

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

13

coming to me and standing by me, said to me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And *I*, in the same hour, received my sight and saw him.

13

came to me; and he stood and said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that same hour I looked up at him.

14

And he said, The God of our fathers has chosen thee beforehand to know his will, and to see the just one, and to hear a voice out of his mouth;

14

Then 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.

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for thou shalt be a witness for him to all men of what thou hast seen and heard.

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

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And now why lingerest thou? Arise and get baptised, and have thy sins washed away, calling on his name.

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And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

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And it came to pass when I had returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, that I became in ecstasy,

17

“Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance

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and saw him saying to me, Make haste and go quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.

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

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And *I* said, Lord, they themselves know that *I* was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue those that believe on thee;

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So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.

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and when the blood of thy witness Stephen was shed, I also myself was standing by and consenting, and kept the clothes of them who killed him.

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And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting [b]to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’

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And he said to me, Go, for *I* will send thee to the nations afar off.

21

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

22

Paul the Roman Citizen

And they heard him until this word, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a one as that from the earth, for it was not fit he should live.

22

Paul’s Roman Citizenship

And 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!”

23

And as they were crying, and throwing away their clothes, and casting dust into the air,

23

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

24

the chiliarch commanded him to be brought into the fortress, saying that he should be examined by scourging, that he might ascertain for what cause they cried thus against him.

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the 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.

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But as they stretched him forward with the thongs, Paul said to the centurion who stood [by], Is it lawful for you to scourge a man [who is] a Roman and uncondemned?

25

And 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?”

26

And the centurion, having heard it, went and reported it to the chiliarch, saying, What art thou going to do? for this man is a Roman.

26

When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.”

27

And the chiliarch coming up said to him, Tell me, Art *thou* a Roman? And he said, Yes.

27

Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?”
He said, “Yes.”

28

And the chiliarch answered, *I*, for a great sum, bought this citizenship. And Paul said, But *I* was also [free] born.

28

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

29

Immediately therefore those who were going to examine him left him, and the chiliarch also was afraid when he ascertained that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.

29

Then 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.

30

And on the morrow, desirous to know the certainty [of the matter] why he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and having brought Paul down set him before them.

30

The Sanhedrin Divided

The 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.

Parallel

Darby Bible Translation

New King James Version

Acts 22

Acts 22