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[1]Brethren, and fathers, hearken to my defence before you. |
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[2]And when they perceived that he addressed them in Hebrew, they were the more quiet: and he said to them: |
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[3]I am a man who am a Jew; and I was born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but was brought up in this city, at the feet of Gamaliel, and instructed perfectly in the law of our fathers; and I was zealous for God, as ye also all are. |
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[4]And I persecuted this way, even to death; for I bound, and delivered up to prison, [both] men and women. |
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[5]As the high priest is my witness, and likewise all the Elders ; from whom I received letters, that I might go to the brethren in Damascus, and bring those who were there prisoners to Jerusalem, to receive capital punishment. |
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[6]And as I travelled and began to approach Damascus, at noonday, from amidst tranquillity, a great light from heaven burst upon me. |
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[7]And I fell to the earth: and I heard a voice, which said to me: Saul, Saul ! why persecutest thou me? |
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[8]And I answered and said: Who art thou, my Lord? And he said to me: I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest. |
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[9]And the men who were with me, saw the light, but heard not the voice that talked with me. |
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[10]And I said: My Lord, what must I do? And our Lord said to me: Arise, go to Damascus; and there will be told thee, all that it is commanded thee to do. |
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[11]And as I could see nothing, because of the glory of that light, those with me took me by the hand, and I entered Damascus. |
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[12]And a certain man, Ananias, who was upright according to the law, as all the Jews there testified concerning him, came to me. |
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[13]And he said to me: My brother Saul ! open thine eyes. And instantly my eyes were opened; and I looked upon him. |
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[14]And he said to me: The God of our fathers hath ordained thee to know his will, and to behold the Just One, and to hear the voice of his mouth. |
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[15]And thou shalt be a witness for him before all men, concerning all that thou hast seen and heard. |
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[16]And now, why delayest thou? Arise, be baptized, and be cleansed from thy sins, while thou invokest his name. |
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[17]And I returned and came hither to Jerusalem. And I prayed in the temple. |
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[18]And I saw him in a vision, when he said to me: Make haste, and get thee out of Jerusalem; for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. |
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[19]And I said: My Lord, they well know that I have delivered up to prison, and have scourged in all synagogues, those who believed in thee. |
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[20]And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing with them, and performed the pleasure of his slayers, and took charge of the garments of those that stoned him. |
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[21]But he said to me: Depart; for I send thee afar, to preach to the Gentiles. |
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[22]And when they had heard Paul as far as this sentence, they raised their voice, and cried out: Away with such a man from the earth ! for he ought not to live ! |
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[23]And as they vociferated, and cast off their garments, and threw dust into the air, |
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[24]the Chiliarch gave orders, to carry him into the castle: and he commanded, that he should be examined with stripes; that he might know, for what cause they cried out against him. |
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[25]And as they were stretching him with ropes, Paul said to the centurion who stood over him: Is it lawful for you to scourge a man, who is a Roman, and not yet found guilty? |
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[26]And when the centurion heard [it], he went to the Chiliarch, and said to him: What doest thou? For this man is a Roman. |
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[27]And the Chiliarch came to him, and said to him: Tell me; Art thou a Roman? And he said to him: Yes. |
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[28]The Chiliarch replied and said to him: With much money I acquired Roman citizenship. Paul said to him: And I was born in it. |
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[29]And immediately they who were intending to scourge him, fled from him: and the Chiliarch was afraid, when he learned that he was a Roman, because he had stretched him [for scourging]. |
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[30]And the next day, he wished to know truly what the accusation was, which the Jews brought against him: and he unbound him, and commanded the chief priests, and the whole company of their head-men, to assemble; and he took Paul, and brought him down, and placed him among them. |