CHAPTER 22
1 Brethren and fathers, hear ye what reason I yield now to you.
2 And when some heard that in Hebrew tongue he spake to them, they gave the more silence [or gave more silence]. And he said,
3 I am a man a Jew, born at Tarsus of Cilicia, nourished and in this city beside the feet of Gamaliel, taught by the truth of fathers’ law, a lover [or a follower] of the law, as also ye all be today.
4 And I pursued this way till to the death, binding [together] and betaking into holds men and women,
5 as the prince of priests yieldeth witnessing to me, and all the greatest of birth [or the more in birth]. Of whom also I took epistles to brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring from thence men bound into Jerusalem, that they should be pained.
6 And it was done, while I went, and nighed to Damascus, at midday suddenly from heaven a great plenty of light [or a copious light] shone about me.
7 And I felled down to the earth, and heard a voice from heaven, saying to me, Saul, Saul, what persecutest [or pursuest] thou me? It is hard to [or for] thee, to kick against the prick.
8 And I answered, Who art thou Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest [or pursuest].
9 And they that were with me saw but the light, but they heard not the voice of him, that spake with me.
10 And I said, Lord, what shall I do? And the Lord said to me, Rise thou, and go to Damascus; and there it shall be said to thee, of all things which it behooveth thee to do.
11 And when I saw not, for the clarity of that light, I was led by the hand of fellows, and I came to Damascus.
12 And a man, Ananias, that by the law had witnessing of all Jews dwelling in Damascus,
13 came to me, and stood nigh, and said to me, Saul, brother, behold. And I in the same hour beheld into him.
14 And he said, God of our fathers hath before-ordained thee, that thou shouldest know the will of him, and shouldest see the rightful man, [that is, just Christ], and hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For thou shalt be his witness to all men, of those things that thou hast seen and heard.
16 And now, what dwellest thou? Rise up, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, by the name of him called to help.
17 And it was done to me, as I turned again into Jerusalem, and prayed in the temple, that I was made in ravishing of soul,
18 and I saw him saying to me, Hie thou, and go out fast of Jerusalem, for they shall not receive thy witnessing of me.
19 And I said, Lord, they know, that I was enclosing together in prison, and beating by synagogues them that believed into thee [or in thee].
20 And when the blood of Stephen, thy witness, was shed out, I stood nigh, and consented, and kept the clothes of men that slew him.
21 And he said to me, Go thou, for I shall send thee far to nations.
22 And they heard him till [to] this word; and they raised their voice, and said, Take away from the earth such a manner man; for it is not leaveful that he live.
23 And when they cried, and cast away their clothes, and threw dust in the air,
24 the tribune commanded him to be led into the castles, and to be beaten with scourges, and to be tormented, that he knew [or should know], for what cause they cried so to him.
25 And when they had bound him with cords [or had restrained him with ropes], Paul said to a centurion standing nigh to him, Whether it is leaveful to you, to scourge a Roman, and uncondemned?
26 And when this thing was heard, the centurion went to the tribune, and told to him, and said, What art thou to doing? for this man is a citizen of Rome.
27 And the tribune came nigh, and said to him, Say thou to me, whether thou art a Roman? And he said, Yea.
28 And the tribune answered, I with much sum got this freedom. And Paul said, And I was born a citizen of Rome.
29 Therefore anon, they that should have tormented him, departed away from him. And the tribune dreaded, after that he knew, that he was a citizen of Rome, and for [or that] he had bound him.
30 But in the day pursuing he would know more diligently, for what cause he were accused of the Jews, and unbound him, and commanded priests and all the council to come together. And he brought forth Paul, and set him among them.