1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear you2f my defense [which I make] now unto you.

2 (And when they heard that he spoke in the ‘Evri’ot [Hebrew] tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he says,)

3 I am truly a man [which am] a Jewish person, born in Tarsus [a flat basket], [a city] in Cilicia [the land which rolls], yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamali’el [Reward of God], [and] taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God-The Father, as you2f all are this day.

4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.

5 As also the High Priest does bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Dammesek (Damascus) [silent is the sackcloth weaver], to bring them which were there bound unto Yerushalayim [Foundation of Peace], for to be punished.

6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come near unto Dammesek (Damascus) [silent is the sackcloth weaver] about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me.

7 And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Sha’ul [desired], Sha’ul [desired], why persecute youi me?

8 And I answered, Who are youi, Lord - Kurios? And he said unto me, I am Yeshua [God is Salvation] of Natzeret [one separated], whom youi persecute.

9 And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me.

10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord - Kurios? And the Lord - Kurios said unto me, Arise, and go into Dammesek (Damascus) [silent is the sackcloth weaver]; and there it shall be told youi of all things which are appointed for youi to do.

11 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 Dammesek (Damascus) [silent is the sackcloth weaver].

12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Y’hudim (Judeans) [praised of Yah] which dwelt [there],

13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Sha’ul [desired], receive youri sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.

14 And he said, The God-The Father of our fathers has chosen youi, that youi should know his will, and see that Just One, and should hear the voice of his mouth.

15 For youi shall be his witness unto all men of what youi have seen and heard.

16 And now why wait youi? arise, and be baptized, and wash away youri sins, calling on the name of the Lord - Kurios.

17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Yerushalayim [Foundation of Peace], even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;

18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get youi quickly out of Yerushalayim [Foundation of Peace]: for they will not receive youri testimony concerning me.

19 And I said, Lord - Kurios, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on youi:

20 And when the blood of youri martyr Stephen [crowned] was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the clothing of them that killed him.

21 And he said unto me, Depart: for I will send youi far hence unto the Goyim [Gentiles].

22 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.

23 And as they cried out, and cast off [their] clothes, and threw dust into the air,

24 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.

25 And as they bound him with thongs, Sha’ul [desired] said unto the Centurion (Roman commander of an hundred men) that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman [strength], and uncondemned?

26 When the Centurion (Roman commander of an hundred men) heard [that], he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what youi do: for this man is a Roman [strength].

27 Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, are youi a Roman [strength]? He said, Yes.

28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Sha’ul [desired] said, But I was [free] born.

29 Then immediately they departed from him which should have examined him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman [strength], and because he had bound him.

30 On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Y’hudim (Judeans) [praised of Yah], he loosed him from [his] bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Sha’ul [desired] down, and set him before them.