Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Then the captain of a thousand, having drawn near, took him, and commanded to be bound with two chains; and inquired who he might be, and what he had done. And other cried what other in the crowd: and not being able to know certainly for the uproar, he commanded him to be brought into the camp. And when he was upon the steps, it happened, he was borne by the soldiers for the violence of the crowd. read more.
For the multitude of the people followed, crying, Take him away. And being about to be brought into the camp, Paul says to the captain of a thousand, Is it lawful for me to speak anything to thee? and he said, Hast thou knowledge in Greek? Art not thou then the Egyptian, who before these days having risen up, and having brought into the desert four thousand men of murderers? And Paul said, I am truly a man a Jew, a Tarsean of Cilicia, a citizen of no undistinguished city: and I beseech of thee to give way for me to speak to the people. And having given way, Paul standing upon the steps, shook with the hand to the people. And being much silence, he spake in the Hebrew dialect, saying,

Men, brethren, and fathers, hear my defence to you. (And having heard that he spake to them in Hebrew dialect, they held more silence: and he says,) I am truly a Jew, a man born in Tarsus, of Cilicia, and brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed according to the exactness of the fathers' law, being zealous of God, as all ye are this day. read more.
Who drove out this way even to death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women. As also the chief priest testifies of me, and all the council of elders: and whose letters to the brethren having received, I went to Damascus, going to bring there the bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished. And it was to me going, and drawing near to Damascus about noon, suddenly much light from heaven flashed around me, And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice, Saul, Saul, why drivest thou me out? And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarite, whom thou drivest out. And they being with me truly saw the light, and were terrified; but they heard not the voice of him speaking to me. And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Having risen, go to Damascus; and there shall be told thee of all which has been arranged for thee to do. And when I saw not from the glory of that light, led by the hand of them being with me I came to Damascus. And a certain Ananias, a religious man according to the law, testified of by all the Jews dwelling, Having come to me, and stood, said to me, Brother Saul, look up. And the same hour I looked up to him. And he said, The God of our fathers took thee in hand, to know his will, and to see the Just, and hear the voice from his mouth. For thou shalt be a witness for him to all men of what thou hast seen and hast heard. And now what art thou about to do having risen, be immersed and wash away thy sins, having called upon the name of the Lord. And it was to me returning to Jerusalem, and praying in the temple, I was in a deep trance: And saw him saying to me, Hasten, and come quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony of me. And I said, Lord, these know that I was imprisoning and skinning in the synagogues them believing on thee: And when the blood of Stephen thy witness was shed, I myself was standing by, and assenting to his murder, and watching the garments of them murdering him. And he said to me, Go: for I will send thee far off to the nations.