(KJV) Acts 22¹

⥃Paul’s Defense to the Crowd ^{[ Acts 9:1–19 † Acts 26:1–23 ]}

[1] Men, brethren², and fathers, hear ye my³ defence [which I make] now unto you. [2] (And when they heard that he spake in⁴ the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,) [3] I am verily a man [which am] a Jew⁵, born in Tarsus⁶, [a city⁷] in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at⁸ the feet of Gamaliel⁹, [and] taught¹⁰ according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was¹¹ zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. [4] And I persecuted¹² this¹³ way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. [5] As also¹⁴ the high priest doth bear me witness, and all¹⁵ the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren¹⁶, and went to Damascus, to bring them which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. [6] And it came to pass, that¹⁷¹⁸, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus¹⁹ about²⁰ 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, Saul²¹, Saul, why²² persecutest thou me? [8] And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am²³ Jesus of Nazareth, whom²⁴ thou persecutest. [9] And they that were with me saw²⁵ indeed the light, and were afraid; but²⁶ they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. [10] And I said, What²⁷ shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there²⁸ it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. [11] And when²⁹ I could not see for the glory of that light, being³⁰ led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus. [12] And one³¹ Ananias, a devout³² man according to the law, having³³ a good report of all the Jews which dwelt [there], [13] Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother³⁴ Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. [14] And he said, The God³⁵ of our fathers hath³⁶ chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see³⁷ that³⁸ Just One, and shouldest hear³⁹ the voice of his mouth. [15] For thou shalt⁴⁰ be his witness unto all men of⁴¹ what thou hast seen and heard. [16] And now why⁴² tarriest thou? arise⁴³, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling⁴⁴ on the name of the Lord. [17] And it came to pass, that, when⁴⁵ I was come again to Jerusalem, even while⁴⁶ I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; [18] And saw⁴⁷ him saying unto me, Make⁴⁸ haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for⁴⁹ they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. [19] And I said, Lord, they know⁵⁰ that I imprisoned and beat⁵¹ in every synagogue them that believed on thee: [20] And when the blood of thy martyr⁵² Stephen⁵³ was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting⁵⁴ unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. [21] And he said unto me, Depart⁵⁵: for⁵⁶ I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

⥃Paul the Roman Citizen

[22] And they gave him audience unto this word, and [then] lifted up their voices, and said, Away⁵⁷ with such a [fellow] from the earth: for⁵⁸ it is not fit that he should live. [23] And as they cried out, and cast⁵⁹ off [their] clothes, and threw dust into the air, [24] The chief⁶⁰ captain commanded him to be brought into the castle, and bade that he should⁶¹ be examined by scourging; that he might know wherefore they cried so against him. [25] And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion⁶² that stood by, Is it⁶³ lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? [26] When the centurion heard [that], he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take⁶⁴ heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. [27] Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. [28] And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But⁶⁵ I was [free] born. [29] Then straightway they departed from him which should have examined him⁶⁶: and the chief⁶⁷ captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. [30] On the morrow, because⁶⁸ he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from [his] bands, and commanded⁶⁹ the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.