Acts 2222ActsPaul's arrest and journey to RomeMurdock New Testament (Peshitta)

Murdock New Testament (Peshitta)Berean Standard Bible

1. Paul’s Defense to the Crowd

   (Acts 9:1–19; Acts 26:1–23)

2. 1MURBrethren, and fathers, hearken to my defence before you.BSBBSB: “Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense before you.”
3. 2MURAnd when they perceived that he addressed them in Hebrew, they were the more quiet: and he said to them:BSBBSB: When they heard him speak to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet. Then Paul declared,
4. 3MURI am a man who am a Jew; and I was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but was brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and instructed perfectly in the law of our fathers; and I was zealous for God, as ye also all are.BSBBSB: “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.
5. 4MURAnd I persecuted this way, even to death; for I bound, and delivered up to prison, both men and women.BSBBSB: I persecuted this Way even to the death, detaining both men and women and throwing them into prison,
6. 5MURAs the high priest is my witness, and likewise all the Elders; from whom I received letters, that I might go to the brethren in Damascus, and bring those who were there prisoners to Jerusalem, to receive capital punishment.BSBBSB: 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.
7. 6MURAnd as I travelled and began to approach Damascus, at noonday, from amidst tranquillity, a great light from heaven burst upon me.BSBBSB: About noon as I was approaching Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me.
8. 7MURAnd I fell to the earth: and I heard a voice, which said to me: Saul, Saul! why persecutest thou me?BSBBSB: I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute Me?’
9. 8MURAnd I answered and said: Who art thou, my Lord? And he said to me: I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest.BSBBSB: ‘Who are You, Lord?’ I asked. ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,’ He replied.
10. 9MURAnd the men who were with me, saw the light, but heard not the voice that talked with me.BSBBSB: My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.
11. 10MURAnd I said: My Lord, what must I do? And our Lord said to me: Arise, go to Damascus; and there will be told thee, all that it is commanded thee to do.BSBBSB: 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.’
12. 11MURAnd as I could see nothing, because of the glory of that light, those with me took me by the hand, and I entered Damascus.BSBBSB: Because the brilliance of the light had blinded me, my companions led me by the hand into Damascus.
13. 12MURAnd a certain man, Ananias, who was upright according to the law, as all the Jews there testified concerning him, came to me.BSBBSB: There a man named Ananias, a devout observer of the law who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,
14. 13MURAnd he said to me: My brother Saul! open thine eyes. And instantly my eyes were opened; and I looked upon him.BSBBSB: came and stood beside me. ‘Brother Saul,’ he said, ‘receive your sight.’ And at that moment I could see him.
15. 14MURAnd he said to me: The God of our fathers hath ordained thee to know his will, and to behold the Just One, and to hear the voice of his mouth.BSBBSB: 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.
16. 15MURAnd thou shalt be a witness for him before all men, concerning all that thou hast seen and heard.BSBBSB: You will be His witness to everyone of what you have seen and heard.
17. 16MURAnd now, why delayest thou? Arise, be baptized, and be cleansed from thy sins, while thou invokest his name.BSBBSB: And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and wash your sins away, calling on His name.’
18. 17MURAnd I returned and came hither to Jerusalem. And I prayed in the temple.BSBBSB: Later, when I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying at the temple, I fell into a trance
19. 18MURAnd I saw him in a vision, when he said to me: Make haste, and get thee out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.BSBBSB: and saw the Lord saying to me, ‘Hurry! Leave Jerusalem quickly, because the people here will not accept your testimony about Me.’
20. 19MURAnd I said: My Lord, they well know that I have delivered up to prison, and have scourged in all synagogues, those who believed in thee.BSBBSB: ‘Lord,’ I answered, ‘they know very well that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in You.
21. 20MURAnd when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing with them, and performed the pleasure of his slayers, and took charge of the garments of those that stoned him.BSBBSB: 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.’
22. 21MURBut he said to me: Depart; for I send thee afar, to preach to the Gentiles.BSBBSB: Then He said to me, ‘Go! I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

23. Paul the Roman Citizen

24. 22MURAnd when they had heard Paul as far as this sentence, they raised their voice, and cried out: Away with such a man from the earth! for he ought not to live!BSBBSB: 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!”
25. 23MURAnd as they vociferated, and cast off their garments, and threw dust into the air,BSBBSB: As they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and tossing dust into the air,
26. 24MURthe Chiliarch gave orders, to carry him into the castle: and he commanded, that he should be examined with stripes; that he might know, for what cause they cried out against him.BSBBSB: 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.
27. 25MURAnd as they were stretching him with ropes, Paul said to the centurion who stood over him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, who is a Roman, and not yet found guilty?BSBBSB: 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?”
28. 26MURAnd when the centurion heard it, he went to the Chiliarch, and said to him: What doest thou? For this man is a Roman.BSBBSB: 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.”
29. 27MURAnd the Chiliarch came to him, and said to him: Tell me; Art thou a Roman? And he said to him: Yes.BSBBSB: The commander went to Paul and asked, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” “Yes,” he answered.
30. 28MURThe Chiliarch replied and said to him: With much money I acquired Roman citizenship. Paul said to him: And I was born in it.BSBBSB: “I paid a high price for my citizenship,” said the commander. “But I was born a citizen,” Paul replied.
31. 29MURAnd immediately they who were intending to scourge him, fled from him: and the Chiliarch was afraid, when he learned that he was a Roman, because he had stretched him for scourging.BSBBSB: 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.
32. 30MURAnd the next day, he wished to know truly what the accusation was, which the Jews brought against him: and he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests, and the whole company of their head-men, to assemble; and he took Paul, and brought him down, and placed him among them.BSBBSB: 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.