he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the barracks. 35 And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne by the soldiers for the violence of the people. 36 For the multitude of the people followed, crying, Away with him. 37 And as Paul was to be led into the barracks, he said to the chief captain, May I speak to thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? 38 Art not thou that Egyptian, who before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? 39 But Paul said, I am a man who is a Jew of Tarsus, a city of Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, permit me to speak to the people. 40 And when he had given him permission, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand to the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying,
CHAP. 22.
Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now to you.
2 (And when they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3 I am verily a man who is a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, being zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
4 And I persecuted this way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
5 As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the council of the elders: from whom also I received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them who were there bound to Jerusalem, to be punished.
6 And it came to pass, that, as I was on my journey, and had come near to Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light around me.
7 And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest.
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? And the Lord said to me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee concerning all things which are appointed for thee 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 Damascus.
12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law, having a good report of all the Jews who dwelt there,
13 Came to me, and stood, and said to me, Brother Saul, receive
thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.
14 And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.
15 For thou shalt be his witness to all men of what thou hast seen and heard.
16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
17 And it came to pass, that, when I had come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance;
18 And saw him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me.
19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that believed on thee:
20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting to his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him.
21 And he said to me, Depart: for I will send thee far away to the Gentiles.
22 And they hearkened to him until 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 barracks, and bade that he should be examined by scourging; that he might know for what cause they cried so against him.
25 And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said to the centurion that stood by, Is it 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, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman.
27 Then the chief captain came, and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea.
28 And the chief captain answered, With a great sum I obtained this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born.
29 Then immediately they departed from him who were about to examine him: and the chief captain also was afraid, after he knew that he was a Roman, and because he had bound him. [1]
30 On the next day, because he would have known the certainty why he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief
- ↑ examined him: or, tortured him
