1 Irmãos e pais, escutem-me no que vou dizer-vos em minha defesa.
2 Quando o ouviram falar em aramaico, o silêncio tornou-se ainda maior.
3 Sou judeu, nascido em Tarso, cidade da Cilícia, mas educado aqui em Jerusalém sob o ensino de Gamaliel, a cujos pés aprendi a seguir com muito cuidado as nossas leis e costumes. O meu anseio era honrar Deus em tudo o que fazia, tal como vocês procuram fazer hoje.
4 Assim, persegui os seguidores do Caminho até à morte, prendendo e entregando à prisão tanto homens como mulheres. O supremo sacerdote pode confirmá-lo, ou até qualquer membro do conselho, pois pedi-lhes que passassem cartas para os dirigentes judaicos em Damasco com instruções para me deixarem trazer acorrentado para Jerusalém qualquer cristão que encontrasse, para ser castigado.
6 Ia eu pela estrada fora, já perto de Damasco, quando, subitamente, cerca do meio-dia, brilhou em torno de mim uma luz muito forte vinda do céu. Caí por terra e ouvi uma voz que me dizia: 'Saulo, Saulo, porque me persegues?'
8 'Quem és tu, Senhor?
9 Os homens que estavam comigo viram a luz mas não compreenderam as palavras.
10 E eu disse: 'Que devo eu fazer, Senhor?'E o Senhor disse-me: 'Levanta-te, entra em Damasco e aí será dito o que deves fazer.'
11 A luz era tão forte que deixei de ver e tive de ser conduzido para Damasco pelos meus companheiros. Aí, Ananias, homem obediente a Deus, que observava escrupulosamente a lei e que gozava da consideração de todos os judeus de Damasco, veio ver-me e, chegando-se junto de mim, disse: 'Irmão Paulo, recupera a vista!' E naquele momento consegui vê-lo.
14 Então disse-me: 'O Deus de nossos pais escolheu-te para conheceres a sua vontade, veres o Justo e ouvi-lo falar.
15 Deverás levar a sua mensagem a toda a parte, contando o que viste e ouviste.
16 Agora, não te demores. Levanta-te e vai baptizar-te, e lava os teus pecados, invocando o nome do Senhor.'
17 Um dia depois do meu regresso a Jerusalém, quando orava no templo, tive uma visão em que Jesus me disse: 'Apressa-te, sai de Jerusalém, pois não te acreditarão quando tu lhes falares acerca de mim.'
19 'Senhor
20 E quando a tua testemunha, Estêvão, foi morta, lá estava eu manifestando a minha aprovação ao tomar conta da roupa dos que o apedrejavam.'
21 Mas o Senhor disse-me: 'Sai de Jerusalém, pois vou mandar-te para longe, para os gentios!'
22 A multidão escutou Paulo até ele dizer aquela palavra; mas, ao ouvi-la, todos gritaram a uma só voz: Fora com esse homem! Matem-no! Não é digno de viver!, clamando e lançando ao ar as túnicas, de mistura com terra .
24 Então o comandante levou-o para dentro e ordenou que fosse açoitado para que confessasse o crime, pois pretendia descobrir por que motivo a multidão se enfurecera daquela maneira. Quando estavam a amarrar Paulo para o açoitar, este disse a um oficial que se encontrava perto: Será legal chicotear um cidadão romano que nem sequer foi julgado?
26 O oficial falou com o comandante e avisou-o: Veja lá o que vai fazer! Trata-se de um cidadão romano!
27 O comandante foi ter com Paulo e perguntou-lhe: Diz-me, és cidadão romano? Sou, sim, respondeu Paulo.
28 Também eu, murmurou o comandante, e esse direito custou-me muito dinheiro!Mas eu sou cidadão romano por nascimento!
29 Os soldados que se preparavam para interrogar Paulo foram-se logo embora quando souberam que era um cidadão romano, e o próprio comandante ficou assustado por ter mandado que o amarassem e açoitassem.
30 No dia seguinte, tirou-lhe as cadeias, mandou convocar os principais dos sacerdotes para uma sessão com o conselho judaico, e trouxe Paulo para, na presença deles, descobrir a causa daqueles tumultos.
1 Brethren and fathers! Hear ye, the defence, which I now make unto you:
2 And, when they heard that, in the Hebrew language, he had begun to address them, they kept the more quiet. And he saith
3 I, am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but nurtured in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel,trained after the strictness of our ancestral law; being jealous for God just as, all ye, are this day;
4 and, this way, I persecuted unto the death, binding and delivering up into prisons both men and women:
5 as, even the High-priest, beareth me witness, and all the Eldership,from whom, letters also, accepting to the brethren, unto Damascus, was I journeying, to bring them who were there bound unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.
6 But it befell me, as I was journeying and drawing nigh unto Damascus, that, about mid-daysuddenlyout of heaven, there flashed a great light all around me;
7 I fell also to the ground, and heard a voice saying unto meSaul! Saul! Why, me, art thou persecuting?
8 And, I, answeredWho art thou, Lord? And he said unto meI, am Jesus the Nazarene, whom, thou, art persecuting!
9 Now, they who were with me, beheld, indeed, the light, but heard not, the voice, of him that was speaking with me
10 And saidWhat shall I do, Lord? And, the Lord, said unto meArise, and be going thy way into Damascus, and, there, shall it be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.
11 But, as I could not see clearly owing to the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And, one Ananias, a man devout according to the law, well-attested by all the Jews that dwelt there,
13 coming unto me, and standing over me, saidSaul, brother! look up. And, I, in that very hour, looked up on him.
14 And he saidThe God of our fathers, hath chosen thee to get to know his will, and to see the Righteous One,and to hear a voice out of his mouth.
15 Because thou shalt be a witness to him unto all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.
16 And, now, what art thou going to do? Arise, and get thyself immersed, and have thy sins bathed away, calling upon his name.
17 And it came to pass, when had returned unto Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance,
18 and saw him, saying unto meHaste thee, and go forth speedily out of Jerusalem, inasmuch as they will not accept thy witness concerning me.
19 And, I, saidLord! they themselves, well know that I was imprisoning and beating in every synagogue them who were believing on thee.
20 And, when the blood of Stephen thy witness was being shed, even I myself, was standing by, and approving, and guarding the mantles of them who were slaying him.
21 And he said unto me-Be taking thy journey; because, I, unto nations afar off, will send thee.
22 And they hearkened unto him as far as this word, and lifted up their voice, sayingAway from the earth, with such a man as this, for it is not fit that he should live.
23 Now, as they were both making an outcry and tearing their mantles,dust, also were throwing into the air,
24 the captain ordered him to be brought into the castle, saying, that, with scourging, he should be put to the test,that he might find out, for what cause they were, thus, clamouring against him.
25 But, when they had stretched him out with straps, Paul said unto the by-standing centurionA Roman, and uncondemned, is it allowed you to be scourging?
26 And, when the centurion heard , he went unto the captain, and reported, sayingWhat art thou going to do? For, this man, is, a Roman?
27 And the captain, coming up, said to himTell me! Art, thou, a, Roman? And, he, saidYea!
28 And the captain answeredI, for a large sum, this citizenship acquired! And, Paul, saidBut, I, am even, born!
29 Straightway, therefore, they who were about to put him to the test, withdrew from him; and, even the captain, was struck with fear, when he found out he was, a Roman, and because, him, he had bound.
30 But, on the morrow, being minded to get to know the certainty as to why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him, and ordered the High-priests and all the High-council to come together; and, bringing down Paul, set him before them.