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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-day - suddenly - out of heaven, there flashed a great light all around me;⁷ I fell also to the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me - Saul! Saul! Why, me, art thou persecuting?⁸ And, I, answered - Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me - I, 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 me¹⁰ And said - What shall I do, Lord? And, the Lord, said unto me - Arise, 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, said - Saul, brother! look up. And, I, in that very hour, looked up on him.¹⁴ And he said - The 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 me - Haste thee, and go forth speedily out of Jerusalem, inasmuch as they will not accept thy witness concerning me.¹⁹ And, I, said - Lord! 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, saying - Away 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 centurion - A Roman, and uncondemned, is it allowed you to be scourging?²⁶ And, when the centurion heard that , he went unto the captain, and reported, saying - What art thou going to do? For, this man, is, a Roman?²⁷ And the captain, coming up, said to him - Tell me! Art, thou, a, Roman? And, he, said - Yea!²⁸ And the captain answered - I, for a large sum, this citizenship acquired! And, Paul, said - But, I, am even, free- 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.