Paul’s Defense to the Crowd (Acts 9:1–19; Acts 26:1–23)
1 ULT “Men, brothers and fathers, hear my defense to you now.” BSB BSB: “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
2 ULT And when they heard that he was speaking to them in the Hebrew language, they granted more quietness. And he said, BSB BSB: When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then Paul declared,
3 ULT “I am a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia but educated in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as you all are today, BSB BSB: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but raised in this city. I was educated at the feet of Gamaliel in strict conformity to the law of our fathers. I was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
4 ULT who persecuted this Way unto death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, BSB BSB: I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
5 ULT as also the high priest testifies for me, and all the elderhood, from whom also having received letters to the brothers, I was traveling to Damascus, going to bring back bound to Jerusalem even those being there so that they might be punished. BSB BSB: as the high priest and the whole Council can testify about me. I even obtained letters from them to their brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to apprehend these people and bring them to Jerusalem to be punished.
6 ULT And it happened to me that, traveling and nearing Damascus about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me. BSB BSB: About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
7 ULT And I fell to the ground and I heard a voice saying to me,‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ BSB BSB: I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’
8 ULT And I answered,‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me,‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’ BSB BSB: ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.
9 ULT Now the ones being with me saw the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me. BSB BSB: My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.
10 ULT But I said,‘What should I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me,‘Arising, go into Damascus, and there it will be told to you about all that has been appointed to you to do.’ BSB BSB: Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
11 ULT And as I was not seeing clearly because of the glory of that light, being led by the hand by the ones being with me, I came into Damascus. BSB BSB: Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.
12 ULT And Ananias, a certain devout man according to the law, being attested by all the Jews living there, BSB BSB: There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,
13 ULT came to me and, standing by me, said to me,‘Saul, brother, look up.’ And in the same hour I looked up to him. BSB BSB: came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.
14 ULT And he said,‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear the voice from his mouth, BSB BSB: Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear His voice.
15 ULT for you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard. BSB BSB: You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
16 ULT And now, why are you delaying? Arising, be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’ BSB BSB: And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
17 ULT And it happened to me that, having returned to Jerusalem, and as I was praying in the temple, I became in a trance. BSB BSB: Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
18 ULT And I saw him saying to me,‘Hurry and go away in haste from Jerusalem, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’ BSB BSB: and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’
19 ULT And I said,‘Lord, they themselves know that I was imprisoning and beating by synagogues the ones believing in you. BSB BSB: ‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
20 ULT And when the blood of Stephen your witness was spilled, I myself was also standing by and agreeing and guarding the outer garments of the ones killing him.’ BSB BSB: And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’
21 ULT But he said to me,‘Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’” BSB BSB: Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”
Paul the Roman Citizen 22 ULT And they were listening to him until this word, and they lifted up their voice, saying,“Remove such a one from the earth, for it was not right for him to live.” BSB BSB: The crowd listened to Paul until he made this statement. Then they lifted up their voices and shouted, “Rid the earth of him! He is not fit to live!”
23 ULT And as they were shouting and casting off{ their} outer garments, and throwing dust into the air, BSB BSB: As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,
24 ULT the chiliarch ordered him to be brought into the fortress, commanding him to be examined by scourges, so that he might know for what reason they were shouting thus against him. BSB BSB: the commander ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks. He directed that Paul be flogged and interrogated to determine the reason for this outcry against him.
25 ULT But when they stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion standing by,“If it is lawful for you to scourge a man Roman and uncondemned?” BSB BSB: But as they stretched him out to strap him down, Paul said to the centurion standing there, “Is it lawful for you to flog a Roman citizen without a trial?”
26 ULT And hearing this, the centurion, going to the chiliarch, reported, saying,“What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.” BSB BSB: On hearing this, the centurion went and reported it to the commander. “What are you going to do?” he said. “This man is a Roman citizen.”
27 ULT So coming, the chiliarch said to him,“Tell me, are you a Roman?” And he said,“Yes.” BSB BSB: The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
28 ULT And the commander answered,“I bought this citizenship with a large sum of money.” But Paul said,“But I indeed was born.” BSB BSB: “I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
29 ULT Then the ones being about to examine him drew back from him immediately, and the chiliarch also was afraid, having learned that he was a Roman, because indeed he had bound him. BSB BSB: At once those who were about to interrogate Paul stepped back, and the commander himself was alarmed when he realized that he had put a Roman citizen in chains.
30 ULT And on the next day, wanting to know the certain, why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble. And having brought down Paul, he placed him among them. BSB BSB: The next day the commander, wanting to learn the real reason Paul was accused by the Jews, released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin to assemble. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.