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“Brothers and esteemed fathers,” Paul said, “listen to me as I offer my defense.”
Paul’s Defense at Jerusalem
“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.”
“Brethren and fathers, hear my defense before you now.”
And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent.
Then he said:
Then he said:
Then 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.
“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.
And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison.
I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women,
The 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.
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.
“As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me.
“Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’
The people with me saw the light but didn’t understand the voice speaking to me.
“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.’
“And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.’
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.’
“I was blinded by the intense light and had to be led by the hand to Damascus by my companions.
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.
A man named Ananias lived there. He was a godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by all the Jews of Damascus.
“Then a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good testimony with all the Jews who dwelt there,
He came and stood beside me and said, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight.’ And that very moment I could see him!
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.
“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.
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.
For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard.
For you will be His witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.
What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.’
And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
“After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and fell into a trance.
“Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance
and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’
“‘But Lord,’ I argued, ‘they certainly know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.
So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You.
And 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.’
“But the Lord said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles!’”
Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ ”
The crowd listened until Paul said that word. Then they all began to shout, “Away with such a fellow! He isn’t fit to live!”
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!”
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!”
They yelled, threw off their coats, and tossed handfuls of dust into the air.
Paul Reveals His Roman Citizenship
The 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.
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.
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?”
When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked, “What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!”
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the commander, saying, “Take care what you do, for this man is a Roman.”
So the commander went over and asked Paul, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?”
“Yes, I certainly am,” Paul replied.
“Yes, I certainly am,” Paul replied.
Then the commander came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman?”
He said, “Yes.”
He said, “Yes.”
“I am, too,” the commander muttered, “and it cost me plenty!”
Paul answered, “But I am a citizen by birth!”
Paul answered, “But I am a citizen by birth!”
The commander answered, “With a large sum I obtained this citizenship.”
And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”
And Paul said, “But I was born a citizen.”
The 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.
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.
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.
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.