Acts 22
The scripture text is the public-domain World English Bible. “Diesel the Magus Version” names this study edition, comparison system, and commentary lens—not a hidden rewrite of the biblical text.
"Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense which I now make to you."
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they were even more quiet. He said,
(And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
"I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, even as you all are this day.
I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
As also the high priest and all the council of the elders testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and traveled to Damascus to bring them also who were there to Jerusalem in bonds to be punished.
As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
It happened that, as I made my journey, and came close to Damascus, about noon, suddenly there shone from the sky a great light around me.
And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.
I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?'
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' He said to me, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute.'
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
"Those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they didn't understand the voice of him who spoke to me.
And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me.
I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' The Lord said to me, 'Arise, and go into Damascus. There you will be told about all things which are appointed for you to do.'
And I said, What shall I do, LORD? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
When I couldn't see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of those who were with me, I came into Damascus.
And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.
One Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well reported of by all the Jews who lived in Damascus,
And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there,
came to me, and standing by me said to me, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' In that very hour I looked up at him.
Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
He said, 'The God of our fathers has appointed you to know his will, and to see the Righteous One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
For you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.
For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
Now why do you wait? Arise, be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.'
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
"It happened that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and while I prayed in the temple, I fell into a trance,
And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
and saw him saying to me, 'Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not receive testimony concerning me from you.'
And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue those who believed in you.
And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
When the blood of Stephen, your witness, was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and guarding the cloaks of those who killed him.'
And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
"He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you out far from here to the Gentiles.'"
And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
They listened to him until he said that; then they lifted up their voice, and said, "Rid the earth of this fellow, for he isn't fit to live!"
And they gave him audience unto this word, and then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
As they cried out, and threw off their cloaks, and threw dust into the air,
And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,
the commanding officer commanded him to be brought into the barracks, ordering him to be examined by scourging, that he might know for what crime they shouted against him like that.
The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.
When they had tied him up with thongs, Paul asked the centurion who stood by, "Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman, and not found guilty?"
And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned?
When the centurion heard it, he went to the commanding officer and told him, "Watch what you are about to do, for this man is a Roman!"
When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
The commanding officer came and asked him, "Tell me, are you a Roman?" He said, "Yes."
Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
The commanding officer answered, "I bought my citizenship for a great price." Paul said, "But I was born a Roman."
And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
Immediately those who were about to examine him departed from him, and the commanding officer also was afraid when he realized that he was a Roman, because he had bound him.
Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him.
But on the next day, desiring to know the truth about why he was accused by the Jews, he freed him from the bonds, and commanded the chief priests and all the council to come together, and brought Paul down and set him before them.
On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.