1 Men, brothers {adelphoi: fellow Israelites}, and fathers, hear my defense {apologia: formal reasoned reply} that I now make to you.
2 But when they heard that he was addressing them in Hebrew {Hebraidi: traditional Jewish speech} language, they became even more {mallon: increased degree} silent, and he says:
3 I am a man, a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, educated according to the strictness of the ancestral law, being zealous for God {Theos, Honored Focus Of Zeal}, just as all of you are today {semeron: present occasion}.
4 I myself persecuted this Way {hodos: path of devotion} as far as death, binding and handing over to prisons both men and women {andras te kai gynaikas: every social group}.
5 As the high priest {archiereus: chief Jewish leader} and all the council of elders bear witness to me, from whom also, having received letters to the brothers, I was journeying to Damascus to bring even those who were there, having been bound, to Jerusalem so that they might be punished {timorethosin: judicial retribution}.
6 But it happened to me, as I was traveling and drawing near to Damascus {Damaskos: significant destination} about noon, that suddenly from heaven a great light {phos: radiant illumination} flashed around me.
7 And I fell to the ground, and I heard a voice {phones: audible revelation} saying to me, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me {Iesous, Risen Speaker}?”
8 And I answered, “Who are You, Lord {Kyrios, Heavenly Authority}?” And He said to me, “I am Jesus {Iesous, Revealed Messiah}, the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.”
9 But those who were with me saw the light {phos: visible glory} indeed, but they did not hear the voice of Him {Iesous, Risen Speaker} who was speaking to me.
10 And I said, “What shall I do, Lord?” And the Lord {Kyrios, Sovereign Commander} said to me, “Stand up and go into Damascus, and there you will be informed about everything that has been set in place for you to do {poiēsai: carry out}.”
11 But as I could not see because of the glory of that light {phos: radiant brilliance}, being led by the hand by those {synonton: close companions} who were with me, I came into Damascus.
12 And a certain Ananias, a devout man according to the law {nomos: Mosaic standard}, was well spoken of by all the Jews {Ioudaioi: Jewish residents} who lived there.
13 Having come to me and standing by me, he said to me, “Saul, brother {adelphos: spiritual kinship}, receive your sight {anablepo: regain vision}.” And I, at that very hour, received my sight and looked at him.
14 But he said, “The God {Theos, Covenant Faithful Father} of our fathers designated you in advance to discern His will {thelema: divine purpose}, to behold the Righteous One, and to hear a voice issuing from His mouth.”
15 For you will testify as His {Iesous, Righteous One} witness to all people about what you have seen {heorakas: directly observed} and heard.
16 And now, why are you delaying? Stand up, be baptized, and have your sins {hamartias: moral failures} washed away, as you call upon His {Iesous, Invoked Savior} name.
17 Now it happened to me, after I had returned {hypostrepsanti: coming back again} to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I came to be in a trance {ekstasis: altered state}.
18 And I saw Him {Iesous, Risen Lord Appearing} say to me, “Act quickly and leave Jerusalem at once, because they will not receive your testimony {marturian: gospel witness} about Me.”
19 And I said, “Lord {Kyrie, Guiding Lord}, they themselves know that I was imprisoning {phylakizo: confine in jail} and beating in the synagogues those who believe in You.”
20 And when the blood of Stephen, Your {Iesous, Risen Lord of Glory} witness {martys: one who testifies faithfully}, was being poured out, I Myself was standing by and consenting and guarding the garments of those who were killing him.
21 And He {Iesous, Risen Commissioner} said to me, “Go, because I will send you far from here to the Gentiles {ethne: non-Jewish peoples}.”
22 But they listened to him up to this statement {logos: public declaration}; then they shouted loudly {phone: loud outcry}, saying, “Take this man off the earth; he should not be allowed to live.”
23 As they were shouting{kraugazonton: frenzied cries} and throwing off their garments{himatia: outer cloaks}, and casting dust into the air.
24 The commander {khiliarkhos: military official} gave orders to take him into the barracks, and said that he should be questioned under the lash, so that he might learn the reason {aitia: formal accusation} they were shouting at him like this.
25 But when they had stretched him out with the straps, Paul {Paulos: Apostle and Citizen} said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman and uncondemned {akatakriton: Not Yet Judged}?”
26 When the centurion {hekatontarches: Roman military officer} heard this, he went to the commander {chiliarchos: higher-ranking officer} and reported, saying, “What are you about to do? For this man is a Roman.”
27 Then the commander {chiliarchos: Roman cohort officer} came and said to him, “Tell me, are you a Roman {rhomaios: legal citizen}?” And he replied, “Yes.”
28 The commander {chiliarchos: Roman military officer} answered, “I obtained this citizenship with a large payment.” But Paul said, “But I also was born {gegennemai: with inherited status} a citizen.”
29 At once those who were about to examine him stepped away from him, and the commander {chiliarchos: Roman tribune} also became afraid when he learned that he was a Roman {Rhomaios: citizen of Rome} and that he had bound him.
30 But on the next day, wanting to ascertain the certainty of the charges brought against him by the Jews {Ioudaion: hostile accusers}, he unbound him and ordered the chief priests and the entire council {synedrion: Jewish high court} to assemble; then he brought Paul down and placed him before them.