Acts 22

1 *ch. 7:2"Brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you."

2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in *ch. 21:40the Hebrew language,*22:2 Or the Hebrew dialect (probably Aramaic) they became even more quiet. And he said:

3 *ch. 9:11;21:39;Rom. 11:1;2 Cor. 11:22;Phil. 3:5"I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated *Deut. 33:3;2 Kgs. 4:38;[Luke 10:39] at the feet of *ch. 5:34Gamaliel*22:3 Or city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated*ch. 26:5according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, *[John 16:2;Phil. 3:6]; See ch. 21:20being zealous for God *Rom. 10:2as all of you are this day. 4 *ver. 19;See ch. 8:3I persecuted *[ch. 5:20]; See ch. 9:2this Way *ch. 26:10;[ver. 20;ch. 8:1]to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, 5 as *ch. 9:1the high priest and *Luke 22:66(Gk.);1 Tim. 4:14(Gk.)the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to *ch. 28:21the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 *For ver. 6-11, see ch. 9:3-8;26:12-18"As I was on my way and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’8 And I answered, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me, ‘I am *ch. 26:9Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’9 *[Dan. 10:7]; See ch. 9:7Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand*22:9 Or hear with understanding the voice of the one who was speaking to me. 10 And I said, *See ch. 16:30‘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.’11 And 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 "And *ch. 9:10one Ananias, a devout man *ch. 24:14according to the law, *ch. 10:22well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 *ch. 9:17came to me, and standing by me said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight.’ And *ch. 9:18at that very hour I received my sight and saw him. 14 And he said, *See ch. 3:13‘The God of our fathers *ch. 9:15;26:16appointed you to know his will, *ver. 18;ch. 9:17;26:16;1 Cor. 9:1;15:8;[ver. 15] to see *See ch. 3:14the Righteous One and *[Gal. 1:12]to hear a voice from his mouth; 15 for *ch. 23:11you will be a witness for him to everyone of what *ver. 14;ch. 4:20you have seen and heard. 16 And now why do you wait? *ch. 9:18Rise and be baptized and *1 Cor. 6:11;Heb. 10:22;[Ps. 51:2]; See ch. 2:38wash away your sins, *See ch. 9:14calling on his name.’

17 *ch. 9:26;26:20"When I had returned to Jerusalem and *ch. 3:1;Luke 18:10was praying in the temple, I fell into *ch. 10:10;11:5;[2 Cor. 12:1-4]a trance 18 and saw him saying to me, *[ch. 9:29]‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about me.’19 And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in one synagogue after another *ver. 4I imprisoned and *ch. 26:11;See Matt. 10:17beat those who believed in you. 20 And when the blood of Stephen *[Rev. 2:13] your witness was being shed, *ch. 7:58I myself was standing by and *ch. 8:1;[ch. 26:10]; See Rom. 1:32approving and *ch. 7:58watching over the garments of those who killed him.’ 21 And he said to me, ‘Go, for I will send you *See ch. 2:39;9:15far away to the Gentiles.’"

Paul and the Roman Tribune

22 Up to this word they listened to him. Then they raised their voices and said, *See ch. 21:36"Away with such a fellow from the earth! For *ch. 25:24he should not be allowed to live." 23 And as they were shouting and throwing off their cloaks and flinging dust into the air, 24 the tribune ordered him to be brought into *ch. 21:34;23:10the barracks, saying that he should be *ver. 29examined by flogging, to find out why they were shouting against him like this. 25 But when they had stretched him out for the whips,*22:25 Or when they had tied him up with leather strips Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, "Is it lawful for you to flog *ch. 16:37a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?" 26 When 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." 27 So the tribune came and said to him, "Tell me, are you a Roman citizen?" And he said, "Yes." 28 The tribune answered, "I bought this citizenship for a large sum." Paul said, "But I am a citizen by birth." 29 So those who were about *ver. 24to examine him withdrew from him immediately, and the tribune also *ch. 16:38was afraid, *[ch. 23:27] for he realized that Paul was a Roman citizen and that *ch. 21:33he had bound him.

Paul Before the Council

30 But on the next day, *ver. 24;ch. 23:28desiring 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.