International Standard Version

English Standard Version

1"Brothers and fathers, listen to the defense that I am now making before you."

1“Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you.”

2When they heard him speaking to them in Hebrew, they became even more quiet, and he continued:

2And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. And he said:

3"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia but raised in this city and educated at the feet of Gamaliel in the strict ways of our ancestral Law. I am as zealous for God as all of you are today.

3“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day.

4I persecuted this Way, even executing people, and kept tying up both men and women and putting them in prison,

4I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,

5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify about me. I also received letters from them to the brothers in Damascus, and I was going there to tie up those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem to be punished.

5as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

6"But while I was on my way and approaching Damascus about noon, a bright light from heaven suddenly flashed around me.

6“As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me.

7I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?'

7And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’

8"I answered, 'Who are you, Lord?' "He told me, 'I'm Jesus from Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.'

8And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’

9The men who were with me saw the light but didn't understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

9Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

10"Then I asked, 'What am I to do, Lord?' "The Lord told me, 'Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are destined to do.'

10And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.’

11Since I could not see because of the brightness of the light, the men who were with me took me by the hand and led me into Damascus.

11And since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

12"A certain Ananias, who was a devout man with respect to the Law and who was highly regarded by all the Jews living there,

12“And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

13came to me. He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul, receive your sight!' At that moment I could see him.

13came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And at that very hour I received my sight and saw him.

14"Then he said, 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear his own voice,

14And he said, ‘The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth;

15because you will be his witness to all people of what you have seen and heard.

15for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.

16So now, what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away as you call on his name.'

16And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’

17"Then I returned to Jerusalem. While I was praying in the Temple, I fell into a trance

17“When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance

18and saw the Lord saying to me, 'Hurry up and get out of Jerusalem at once, because the people won't accept your testimony about me.'

18and saw him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’

19"I said, 'Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I kept imprisoning and beating those who believe in you.

19And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you.

20Even when the blood of your witness Stephen was being shed, I was standing there, approving it and guarding the coats of those who were killing him.'

20And when the blood of Stephen your witness was being shed, I myself was standing by and approving and watching over the garments of those who killed him.’

21"Then he told me, 'Go, because I'll send you far away to the gentiles.'"

21And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles.’”

22Up to this point they listened to him, but then they began to shout, "Away with such a fellow from the earth! He's not fit to go on living!"

22Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, “Away with such a fellow from the earth! For he should not be allowed to live.”

23While they were yelling, tossing their coats around, and throwing dirt into the air,

23And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air,

24the tribune ordered Paul to be taken into the barracks and told the soldiers to beat and question him in order to find out why the people were yelling at him like this.

24the tribune ordered him to be brought into the barracks, saying that he should be examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this.

25But when they had tied him up with the straps, Paul asked the centurion who was standing there, "Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasn't been condemned?"

25But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?”

26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and told him, "What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen!"

26When the centurion heard this, he went to the tribune and said to him, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman citizen.”

27So the tribune went and asked Paul, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" "Yes," he said.

27So the tribune came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?” And he said, “Yes.”

28Then the tribune replied, "I paid a lot of money for this citizenship of mine." Paul said, "But I was born a citizen."

28The tribune answered, “I bought this citizenship for a large sum.” Paul said, “But I am a citizen by birth.”

29Immediately those who were about to examine him stepped back, and the tribune was afraid when he found out that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had tied him up.

29So those who were about to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also was afraid, for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that he had bound him.

30The next day, since the tribune wanted to find out exactly what Paul was being accused of by the Jews, he released him and ordered the high priests and the entire Council to meet. Then he brought Paul down and had him stand before them.

30But on the next day, desiring to know the real reason why he was being accused by the Jews, he unbound him and commanded the chief priests and all the council to meet, and he brought Paul down and set him before them.

The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.